Supercurriculars and your personal statement
UCAS applications are now open for 2025 entry, and the UCAS personal statement (which will differ for 2026 entry) is a significant part of your application process and something Year 12s should focus on this summer. Your statement plays a crucial role in the university admissions process, providing a platform for you to present yourself and convince admissions tutors of your suitability for the course.
Therefore, writing a compelling personal statement can significantly enhance your chances of acceptance into your desired university and course. For competitive courses and universities, it can also be a deciding factor when applicants have similar academic records.
So, what do admissions tutors look for in a personal statement? At its core, the personal statement explains why you are suited to a particular course and why you'd do well in higher education. Therefore, alongside discussing what excites you about the course and where your interest originates, you need to show admissions tutors that you are an applicant ready for university, and this is where supercurriculars come in.
What are supercurriculars?
Supercurricular activities are academic or intellectual activities that you do outside of A-levels and school. These activities are chosen by you to demonstrate your genuine interest and commitment to the subject you are applying for and show that you are proactive, engaged, and have a deeper and broader understanding of your chosen field.
The following are all supercurriculars.
Extended reading and research
This includes reading books, journals, and articles related to your subject and field of study, writing essays or articles for publications or competitions that again link to your subject, and listening to podcasts that discuss your subject at length.
Extra courses and lectures
Attending lectures, online courses, events, talks or workshops relevant to your field. Or participating in summer schools or academic enrichment programs online or in person.
Competitions and challenges
Entering subject-related competitions like Maths Olympiads, science fairs, or essay contests are great supercurriculars. Discuss why you entered and what you have learned.
Work experience and internships
Relevant work experience or internships taken that enables you to show and talk about real-world experiences of a subject.
Joining a society
Whatever area you are interested in joining a society related to that or even founding one is also a supercurricular.
What are the benefits of supercurricular activities?
These activities demonstrate genuine interest and dedication to the subject beyond the classroom. Plus, supercurriculars show evidence of proactive learning and self-motivation, which appeals to admissions tutors as it shows you would do well in a university environment.
Supercurriculars also give a taste of university-level work and expectations and enhance your academic profile by showing admissions tutors you are ready for independent work.
How should you explain your supercurriculars?
You should include more than just a list of what you have read or listened to, as a list is not credible or convincing. You need to turn what you have learnt into something useful to show the knowledge you gained and how it has influenced your passion for the subject.
For example, if you are a student interested in economics and the financial market, you might want to discuss a news story that you read in the Economist or Financial Times that has been part of your learning journey and how it has influenced your perspective on the topic.
If you want to study law and have been to see a court case, how did this affect or change your perception of law?
Whatever you choose to do, remember that supercurriculars are meant to reflect your interest in a subject, so don't choose things only for your personal statement.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure it's something you're interested in and that is genuinely broadening your understanding of the course and the subject in general.
Related posts: Writing a strong personal statement, What university admissions tutors are looking for.