The Application Process: Personal Statements and References

Worried about your applications for postgraduate study or unsure where to start? We’ve spoken to some of our current postgraduate students for their insight to help you prepare.

The application process varies between universities, but many will expect references and a personal statement (and transcripts for unofficial students still studying) from their prospective students. We spoke to students from MA English Studies and 21st Century Literature to find out what advice they’d offer students thinking of applying to study at Lincoln.

Writing a Personal Statement

When writing your personal statement, it’s important to consider why you have decided on your chosen course and reflect this in your writing. After speaking with our current students, we have put together a list of tips to consider when writing your application:

• Word Count – Each university will have their own suggested word count or word limit for students. Make sure to avoid rambling, but if your statement is too short it is likely to lack detail and not be very useful for the admissions team. If you are in doubt, always get in touch with Admissions at your chosen university to confirm their word count.
• Research the course and university – Make them aware of what has attracted you to this course and university in particular, possibly mentioning modules or themes which interest you in the program.
  Discuss your experience – Why are you suited to this program? Does it relate to your previous studies or interests in any way? Discussing your prior experiences allows Admissions to see how you would be suited to the program and what skills you have.
• Dissertations – Referring to your undergraduate dissertation will allow the reader to gain an insight into your interests, and show that you have the skills to produce a substantial piece of academic writing. If you are still writing your dissertation, or it has yet to be submitted, acknowledge this, and do not discuss it as if it is complete.
  Your aims – What do you hope to achieve by doing a Masters programme? How will this benefit you in the future?

Choosing your References

Your references should know you well enough to be able to comment on your academic performance and it is crucial that they can speak of your abilities. It is important to make sure you include at least one academic reference in your application, though professional references may be accepted in extenuating circumstances, such as with mature students. All of the students with whom we spoke used at least one academic reference, including their dissertation tutors.

We asked one of our English Studies students, Tabitha, who was an external applicant, how she chose her references when applying for the program:

Q: How did you find applying to Lincoln as an external applicant?
A: I found it nice and simple, even though I couldn’t attend the admission days I contacted the admission office which put me through to Rupert [the admissions tutor]. He then sent me the application form and maintained a correspondence until interview day.
Q: And how did you go about choosing your references?
A: I asked my dissertation supervisor; they were really helpful since I was coming from Theology to English and they specialised in religion and literature. I used my boss at work for my other reference.

Other students we spoke to asked academics they’d built a connection with over their undergraduate degree to provide them with references. These were members of staff who they had worked with closely during their undergraduate degree, and as such could give accurate and personal comments on their performance.

General Information and Tips:

Aside from personal statements and references, there are other factors you will need to consider:

• Emails – Use a university email where possible during correspondence, or an email with a professional tag/address if this is not available. Be aware that many personal emails such as Gmail and Hotmail are more likely to mark emails from universities as ‘Spam’ and they could be easily missed as a result.
• Respond to emails (or any other form of correspondence) in a prompt and timely manner, and keep a polite and formal tone. Also be patient; you may find that university departments or academics may take a while to reply, but that doesn’t mean they have not received your emails or aren’t interested in your application.
• Interviews – Don’t worry if you are not invited to an interview immediately; many universities will set specific days aside to interview prospective students.
• Other things to consider – Have you thought about where you will live during the course of your studies, or if scheduled teaching periods allow for any other commitments such as work or child care? These are important factors to consider when applying to study a Masters.

Further Information:

For more information on postgraduate study see our blog posts on Choosing an MA Programme and How to Prepare for a Masters Interview.

Have any questions for our current MA students? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

If you’d like more information about applying to study an English Programme at Lincoln you can contact the following for more information:

MA in English and MA in 21st Century Literature

Programme Leader: Rupert Hildyard – rhildyard@lincoln.ac.uk
Admissions Tutor: Renée Ward – rward@lincoln.ac.uk

MA in Creative Writing

Programme Leader: Phil Redpath – predpath@lincoln.ac.uk

Admissions

Find out more about the application process at Lincoln by visiting https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studyatlincoln/postgraduateprogrammes/howtoapply/