ucl personal statement architecture

Personal statement advice: architecture, building and planning

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Architecture: be individual and creative...

Admissions tutors often tell us there is no such thing as a model statement, and architecture is a case in point. For example, tutors at University College London (UCL) want you to write what you find interesting. They don't have any specific things they’re looking for, they don’t necessarily want to know which architects you admire, and they don’t require you to have had any work experience or to have shadowed an architect.

So, it’s more about being individual and creative in your statement. That doesn’t mean being off-the-wall, but having something really interesting, engaging, and relevant to say about what enthuses you and what has motivated you to apply.

...but don't put stuff in just to sound good

Admissions tutors at University of Sheffield take a slightly different stance, saying that ‘a few days’ work experience in a local practice would be beneficial, but not essential'. However, they too share UCL’s point of view by emphasising that 'the most important thing is to be yourself' and that you shouldn’t 'put stuff in because you think it sounds good'. They want it to be enthusiastic and individual to you.

Although there is no such thing as a model statement, you may nonetheless find it helpful to have some guidelines around which to build it. We discussed this with Dan Blott, principal lecturer and schools admissions tutor at the School of Architecture, University of Portsmouth. Dan suggested that you try to answer the following questions:

• What prompted your interest in architecture?
• Are there any buildings and/or places you particularly like? Explain why – don't just list where you've been.
• What architects have you heard of and do you know/like any of their work? What stands out, and why?
• What do you like doing and/or what have you done well in academically that you think is relevant to studying architecture?

Sheffield offers some guidelines too, suggesting you could include why you want to study it, relevant qualities you can bring to the course and to the uni, any achievements, skills, experience or other factors you feel they should know about, and what you think you might want to do with the knowledge you gain.

You're probably starting to notice there are slight contradictions when you compare what different unis say. Don’t be put off by that, just be honest and blend your statement in the way that suits you individually. Be yourself!  

Planning: show your enthusiasm for the subject

We also spoke to Dr Tom Goodfellow, admissions tutor at the Department of Town and Regional Planning at University of Sheffield. For him, it's all about writing your statement in a way that shows you've done your research.

He's looking for students who are attracted to the kind of challenges and opportunities his university's specialist areas will present and who are 'willing to go the extra mile in terms of exploring both the ethical and practical challenges of planning in the twenty-first century’.

Construction: hot tips

Finally, some down-to-earth advice for construction applicants:

‘If you’re applying for courses like construction management, I don't really want to know about what your Dad did, I want to know why you want to be a construction manager and how you are passionate about the construction industry.

‘Or, if you’re applying for a course such as architectural technology, don't tell me about your passion to be an architect, as this just indicates that you regard our course as a fall-back position.’ Delia Forester, Admissions Tutor – University Of Brighton

In other words, be clear about what it is you’re applying for and be specific about why the course you’re applying for appeals to you personally.

We loved Delia’s general tips too:

• 'I don't really want to know that you have been to Florence/Istanbul/New York and were very impressed'
• 'Don’t send in a statement written by the careers department – put it in your own words.'
• 'I do want to know that you already know a bit about the industry, that you are reasonably articulate, and can spell'
• 'Don't use slang or informal or text language.'
• 'Don't have an offensive or inappropriate email address.'

Take a look at our in-depth guide to architecture, building, and planning , covering entry requirements to careers, for some inspiration.

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Architecture

Applied in: winter 2013, university offers: cambridge interview, ucl, bath, edinburgh, westminster.

As part of a two week work experience at a London based architectural firm, I was around for the design phase of one of their French projects. The practice had won the competition to design a museum in Narbonne. Unlike traditional museums the aim was to merge a visitors’ space with the research areas and in doing so provide a more informative and democratic experience. The project’s design was informed by a series of constraints: an industrial location on a riverbank, public financing and proximity to a developing auto-route. From the start the project at Narbonne suggested that a building’s aesthetic is shaped not just by an ideal of what is beautiful, whatever that may be, but rather a complex tangle of economic, social and political considerations. The architects I was shadowing appeared to see themselves as a kind of mediator between these. They seemed resigned to the reality that their original ideas for a building would soon be attacked from all sides by others, and that the end result would inevitably be a compromise.

Political, financial and construction difficulties aside, the team at Foster + Partners working on Narbonne wanted to create a space that would not only be practical for museum staff, but to create a ‘good’ place to visit. Inside a central rectangular building a metal spine separating the visitors and research areas appeared to free stand under a vast floating roof. The spine, in the form of industrial shelving would invite the visitor to peer through to the other side. Manipulating the space’s effect on a viewer was key for the team and relied on understanding how people themselves behaved in different places. At board meetings the architects spent time contemplating ways to accommodate all sorts. I realized that trying to provide for a ‘standard’ visitor was going to be difficult. Georges Perecs raises some of these difficulties in ‘Species of space and other Pieces’, emphasizing that space is seen through many eyes, under many different conditions. From these discussions inevitably rose the question, what made a space a ‘good’ one?

This question seemed at the heart of Richard Roger’s thinking in a recent retrospective I went to in London. For him a building could not only articulate the values of a better society but also encourage them to prosper. I’d never been particularly drawn to the ‘look’ of the Pompidou centre, but listening to Roger’s explanation of the building as a product of 1960’s openness, the ability to change according to use through an open plan gave me a better appreciation of what the building was trying to do. Like the ideas for the Narbonne museum, it reflects its open, transparent values by displaying its processes, its workings, its structure, and in doing so, leads a viewer to feel they understand it, that they can approach it. Whether successful or not, Rogers ideals of a better and fairer society linked to, and shaped, his plans for the layout of surroundings that he created. I find his projects exciting in their originality, though perhaps not aesthetically and I hold my closer look at his work responsible for my strong questioning of whether or not something must be explained in order for it to be appreciated.

Both these personal experiences confirmed to me architecture’s potential as a tool capable of shaping, even controlling, the way we experience the world. Rogers’s plans were based around a political ideal of equality, sustainability and democratic openness yet I feel aware too this can be used in less perfect ways. Where Cathedrals impose, uplift and inspire perhaps with their scale or Neocalassical architecture has shown itself capable of being used as a way to assert power and control. Architecture, as a discipline that integrates creativity, pragmatism with an understanding of people and place appeals strongly to me. When I row I work as part of a team that has a clear objective, I am conscious when I design a website or when I make a short video of who I am appealing to and the effects I am trying to evoke in them. These are a few of the reasons I would like to study architecture.

Please note UCAS will detect any form of plagiarism. PSE and its contributors do not take any responsibility for the way in which personal statements are used.

UCL Bartlett Architecture personal statement

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Welcome to your Architecture subject guide

This guide has been created by the Subject Librarians at the Bartlett Library .   It provides advice and resources to help with your study and professional practice in Architecture.

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The Bartlett School of Architecture

How to apply: undergraduate study

Information and frequently asked questions about applying for our undergraduate programmes.

Application process

This section describes the process of applying for an undergraduate programme at The Bartlett School of Architecture. 

Take your time browsing through our four undergraduate programme pages, to make sure you might the right choice. Make sure to join us for one of our Open Days if you can.

These can be found on the  UCL Prospectus  page for your programme.

Places on our programmes are in high demand, so make sure you get your UCAS application in on time. Check our prospectus pages for the deadline for your course.

You can apply for more than one programme at The Bartlett at the same time, but i f you receive more than one offer, you will only be able to accept one. If you apply for both Architecture MSci (ARB/RIBA Part 1 & 2)  and Architecture BSc (ARB/RIBA Part 1)  and are successful, you will only receive one offer.

As soon as we have received your application from UCAS you will be requested to upload a small digital portfolio of up to 10 pages of your creative work to the UCL Applicant Portal page. You will be given a deadline of two weeks to submit your Portfolio. Please note your academic qualifications will be fully assessed following the receipt of your Portfolio and your application will not be considered further if your qualifications do not meet the advertised entry requirements for the programme you have applied for. If you're successful you will be invited for an interview. If you have applied for both Architecture BSc (ARB/RIBA Part 1) and Architecture MSci (ARB/RIBA Part 1 & 2) , you will only be asked to submit one portfolio. If you are successful, you will interview with your portfolio once.

Interviews at The Bartlett are our opportunity to get to know you, your work and why you want to study with us, but they are also your chance to get to know the school. You will have a chance to discuss the programme with tutors. 

Interviews for undergraduates usually take place from mid-November to late April. All interviews are currently taking place on Zoom.

Decisions will be made once all applicants have been interviewed, throughout April and May. However, at certain points in the year, the decision may take longer due to the high volume of applications we receive. 

If you have applied for more than one programme and you receive more than one offer, you will only be able to accept one. If you have applied for both  Architecture BSc (ARB/RIBA Part 1)  and Architecture MSci (ARB/RIBA Part 1 & 2) and are successful, you will only receive one offer.

General FAQs

This section answers frequently asked questions about applying to programmes.

You apply to all our programmes through UCAS . Applications open in autumn each year and close in January.

Yes, you can apply for as many programmes as you wish, if you are likely to meet the entry requirements. If you have applied for more than one programme and you receive more than one offer, you will only be able to accept one.

The majority of our undergraduate programmes do not require specific subjects.  Engineering & Architectural Design MEng (ARB/RIBA Part 1 CIBSE JBM)  will require Maths and Physics qualifications - find out more here . We will, however, require a comprehensive portfolio of creative work at interview stage.

No, unfortunately this will not be possible, as The Bartlett is not open to the public. You may be invited to attend an Open Day  which provides opportunities to ask general questions of tutors, admissions staff and current students; however speculative visits are not possible. 

Additionally, The Bartlett hosts a series of open lectures and exhibitions throughout term time. Many of these are all open to the public and may provide a chance to speak to current students. Please check The Bartlett’s website for further details and updates.

Alternatively, if you’d like to visit the main UCL campus (The Bartlett’s buildings are not included), you can book a guided tour given by current UCL students or take your own self-guided tour. Visit the UCL Campus Tours website for more details.

No, we regret that we cannot offer feedback on unsuccessful applications.

To find out the estimated costs for your chosen degree programme, visit the programme page via the UCL Prospectus . More information about costs specific to the school, and funding opportunities, is available on our ‘Funding your studies’ page.

For  Architecture BSc (ARB/RIBA Part 1) ,  Architecture MSci (ARB/RIBA Part 1 & 2) and Engineering and Architectural Design MEng , transferring is not possible. You will need to make a normal application via UCAS and start from Year 1. 

In certain circumstances, students already enrolled upon an architecture or design degree, and having successfully completed their Year 1 studies to a sufficient standard as determined by UCL, may be eligible to apply for direct entry into Year 2 of our Architectural & Interdisciplinary Studies BSc programmes via UCAS. 

All of our undergraduate programmes are full-time.

Visit the programme pages on the UCL Prospectus for information on entry requirements for international students, including English language requirements.  

Portfolio FAQs

This section answers frequently asked questions about creating and sharing your portfolio during the application process.

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A portfolio is a collection of work that best showcases your skills, personality and creative potential. It should illustrate your passions and obsessions, as well as your ability to research and develop your ideas using different materials, themes and techniques. 

Whether you are preparing ten items to upload or a physical portfolio to present to us, we are interested in seeing your ability to think creatively, intellectually and three-dimensionally, and to draw and utilise range of different media.  

Your work should also allow us to see your ability to start with an idea and develop it.

The video above this section will give you some tips and pointers on preparing your portfolio.

You might want to include sketchbooks, drawings, collages, photography, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, physical models, 3D digital work, soundscapes, graphic design, product design, fashion design or even creative writing. We particularly like to see work completed outside of A-level, IB or GCSE courses. This could include work from summer schools, internships and even hobbies.

For digital portfolios it’s important to scan or photograph your work at a high resolution, so the qualities of the original pieces are not lost.

Unlike other schools, we don’t prescribe how many items to include in your portfolio, nor the medium of the work.

Portfolios can contain as many pieces as wanted, but must be in PDF format, 10 pages maximum (cover page is not required but if included it is not counted as one of the 10 pages). Portfolios must not be larger than 5MB. We cannot accept embedded links to websites, videos, etc. within the portfolio.

Yes. You do not need to limit it to finished pieces. Show us how you work through ideas and include the process, from your initial inspiration and sketches, failed attempts and where your ideas have most recently progressed to.

No. Although you are welcome to include representations of buildings, that’s not all we want to see. If you do include a piece of work featuring a landmark building, you should try to approach it in a unique or innovative way. 

You might find it helpful to think about how you experience a building, its history, context and imagined future, or how its materials work and interact. 

Please do not send or upload a portfolio at the initial application stage. The school will contact you regarding your design work once we have received your UCAS application:

• If you are invited to interview, you will be asked to show your portfolio. A small panel will ask you to talk through the work you’ve included and will ask you questions about the subject matter, composition, or techniques demonstrated.

If you have any questions or concerns, please click here to contact us through the Admissions Team page .

Read our Undergraduate Guide

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Architecture personal statement example 2.

Architecture fascinates me. With a desire to explore how science and technology can be used to improve the performance of buildings both socially and environmentally, architecture has brought out the dichotomy of my personality, allowing me to engage both creatively and scientifically with the aesthetic and functional aspects of design.

Reading books, journals, articles and blogs has provoked me to question how architects can rise to meet the demands of an ever developing planet. Work on zero energy developments has showed how technology and innovation can lead to successful, environmentally sustainable living. Yet further reading into the subject has caused me to question whether people are doing enough to integrate some of the solutions that have been pioneered. I feel that architects should take full advantage of the latest that science can offer, whilst advocating their own advances.

Visiting Richard Rogers’ exhibition at the Royal Academy gave me an insight into his practice’s strong ethos and allowed me to engage in Rogers’ thoughts on a range of subjects. I found his latest designs for low cost housing particularly exciting. They represent a refreshing solution for large scale social housing projects and his drive to use a minimal amount of materials is apparent in their design. It is the work of architects such as Rogers, who strive for progress, which I aspire to.

I have experienced architecture and art from diverse cultures through travel, emphasizing the endless creative and technological possibilities found in art, architecture and design. While walking through favelas in Rio de Janeiro and the backstreets of Hanoi, I noticed the mixture of residential, retail and public spaces within a short distance of each other. Despite difficulties that these areas face, the fusion of occupants and spaces create vibrant districts, encouraging social interaction and trade between people.

This diversity is something that I feel is important in order to help communities engage and develop; as is visible in successful neighbourhoods throughout the world. Visiting a number of Niemeyer’s structures in Brazil on the other hand demonstrated the visual and sculptural qualities of his architecture that has influenced the works of Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry and countless others. Both Hadid and Gehry have taken Niemeyer’s use of curves and developed their own ways of working, using new materials to advance the work of their predecessors. In turn I would love to leave my own mark on the continually evolving world of architecture.

Art and extra-curricular life drawing classes have helped me grow as an artist and designer, encouraging me to explore and develop ideas through experimentation, whereas physics and maths have helped to engage my scientific mind. Economics meanwhile has pushed me to develop reasoned verbal and written arguments and then engage in independent study to synthesise classroom learning with unfolding world events.

Since year 10 I have spent a number of weeks working in an architect’s office. Working with both clients and contractors has allowed me to improve my understanding of the processes and challenges involved with architectural projects. The importance of dialogue between clients and architects was visible throughout and it was interesting to see how a conversation could spawn changes in the design. This highlighted to me that an effective design is a progression of ideas and knowledge, bringing to mind Rogers’ use of democratic processes when designing buildings.

I have always enjoyed a challenge and, like sport, architecture is a lifelong challenge that requires years of dedication. Playing multiple sports to a good club level and volunteering to organise and run sports events has demonstrated my leadership, organisation and commitment. This is why I am ideally suited to this discipline. Architecture is not a subject to dip in and out of; I’m in it for the long run.

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