are personal statements being removed

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• UCAS Personal Statements Are Changing in 2025

Last Updated: 16th January 2023

Author: Matthew Amalfitano-Stroud

Table of Contents

It was announced by UCAS in January of 2023 that traditional Personal Statements will be removed from the university application process in the UK. 

Since 1993, UCAS has required university applicants in the UK to submit a 4,000-character Personal Statement during the application process, which would then be accessed by university admissions teams to assist in the shortlisting process. 

However, it has been confirmed by UCAS that this process will be changing as soon as 2025. Here, we dissect the announcement, discuss what we currently know about this change and explain how this could affect your university application. Let’s begin:  

In short, this is what you need to know:

• UCAS Personal Statements are being replaced by a multi-question survey that gives applicants the chance to explain various aspects of their application.
• This change could be implemented as early as the 2025 admissions cycle for 2026 Entry in the UK.
• This will affect all applicants, both home and internationals, looking to attend a UK university in 2026 and beyond.
• Students will need to learn how to take on these new questions rather than traditional Personal Statement writing.
• Teachers will need to be prepared to do research on this new system and provide support for students in order to maximise their chances of success.
• We at UniAdmissions are keeping a very close eye on the situation and will update this guide as new information surfaces. We will also ensure that our support systems are up-to-date and effective at helping students through these changes.

What are Personal Statements Being Replaced with?

With the announcement that the current system for UCAS Personal Statements will be getting replaced, it is only natural to be asking what will be replacing it. Thankfully, we have already been given some idea of what to expect. 

Unlike the other major shake-up to the 2024 admission process, the removal of various admissions tests including the BMAT , the official announcement has provided us with an explanation of what UCAS is seeking to implement instead of traditional Personal Statements. 

Put simply, the current format of providing a 4,000-character piece of writing will be replaced with a series of specific questions which applicants must answer. These questions will still allow you to write your answers out, but you will be answering set questions instead of having to plan and structure a full statement from scratch. 

The specifics of this system have not been announced yet, including the number of questions and the character limits. We also don’t know what the questions will be yet as they are still being developed. However, we do know the key areas that these questions will focus on (all points are taken directly from the UCAS report): 

• Motivation for Course – Why do you want to study these courses?
• Preparedness for Course – How has your learning so far helped you to be ready to succeed on these courses?
• Preparation through other experiences – What else have you done to help you prepare, and why are these experiences useful?
• Extenuating circumstances – Is there anything that the universities and colleges need to know about, to help them put your achievements and experiences so far into context?
• Preparedness for study – What have you done to prepare yourself for student life?
• Preferred Learning Styles – Which learning and assessment styles best suit you – how do your courses choices match that?

Of course, this is all subject to change as UCAS is still actively working with universities to determine what they want most from applicants. However, it seems that they are aiming to cover the same ground as traditional Personal Statements while also allowing applicants to discuss more personal factors such as motivation, preference and extenuating circumstances. 

At UniAdmissions, we ensure all of our students receive the most up-to-date support.

At UniAdmissions, we’re working tirelessly to ensure that our tutors, curriculum and resources are ready to get our students through these changes. You can join them today and ensure you get the support you need to make it through the 2024 admissions cycle . 

Discover our Oxbridge Premium Programmes below and find out how you can enrol and triple your chances of success .

When Are UCAS Personal Statements Being Replaced?

The initial announcement stated that these reforms to the Personal Statement system will be introduced in the 2024 admissions cycle for 2025 entry. However, UCAS have since gone back on this and delayed the change to as early as 2025 (for 2026 Entry). However, this change could also occur the following year for 2027 Entry. 

UniAdmissions contacted UCAS directly to confirm if a date had been set for the implementation of the new Personal Statement format. The representative stated the following: 

The current discussion around the Personal Statement changes are to improve the application process for all applicants. At the moment the earliest this change would take place is in the 2026 application cycle. There won't be any changes this year. UCAS Representative

It’s worth mentioning that these plans have been in place for a fair amount of time, with discussions of reforming the application process starting in April 2021. However, this change still won’t be implemented for another year, so applicants applying for 2025 (and potentially 2026) Entry will still need to submit a traditional Personal Statement. 

Why Are UCAS Personal Statements Being Removed?

The announcement of these reforms was made on January 12th 2023 via a blog post on the official HEPI website. This post highlights the amendments being made to the Personal Statement process and the research that was conducted to influence this change.  

Interestingly, the data quoted in this post states that the majority of applicants surveyed were happy with the current Personal Statement process, with 72% feeling positive about it. However, the same survey indicated that 83% of applicants found the process stressful and 79% felt unable to complete theirs without support. This is the data that most likely influenced the changes. 

The post’s writer, Kim Eccleston, states that they are aiming to provide better support for both applicants and universities, creating “a more supportive framework” that allows applicants to write about what the universities need to know in a less restrictive way. It is also stated in a more detailed outline of the announcement that both students and teachers preferred the use of specific questions instead of free-form writing. 

However, a previous post released in November 2022 provides even more insight into the reasoning behind this decision. Based on data featured in HEPI Debate Paper 31 , various industry professionals had commented on the challenges facing applicants of certain background when it comes to the current style of Personal Statement. 

Within the quotes featured here, the traditional UCAS Personal Statement was described as “ambiguous” , “unfair” and “barometers of middle-class privilege” . These comments may potentially be in reference to the current importance of work experience, which can be difficult to obtain without connections in certain industries, as well as additional experiences which may not be available to all applicants.  

Therefore, this new system should presumably reduce the barriers for disadvantaged applicants by shifting focus to each individual’s own interest and abilities within their chosen subjects. 

Other Changes being Made by UCAS

Personal Statements are only one of five key areas being altered by UCAS, as highlighted in the blog post. This is certainly the most significant action taking place, but other changes to the application process include: 

• Academic references are being reformed, moving from a free-text approach to a set of three questions, similar to the Personal Statement reforms.
• The 'Entry Grade Report' will be created, which allows applicants to see grade profiles that have been accepted for courses over a five year period.
• A 'Course Recommendation Tool' is being created to provide applicants with personalised suggestions for courses based on their current grades and preferences.
• A 'Fair Access Programme' is being created to encourage widening access and participation.

Overall, it seems these changes all have the same intent; to level the playing field and make university applications more achievable for everyone. 

How will this affect my university application?

As previously stated, if you are applying to university this year for 2025 Entry, you will not be affected by these reforms and will need to submit a traditional Personal Statement to UCAS like previous years. 

For applicants applying for 2026/27 Entry and beyond, your application will follow this new process, meaning you won’t have to submit a full Personal Statement but will instead need to answer a series of questions relating to your application and abilities for your chosen course. 

When hearing that the whole process will be changing, this typically instils a feeling of dread as you’ll be treading new ground that no one else has experienced before. However, it’s important to understand that UCAS states these changes are being made for the benefit of both the applicants and the universities. 

As we’ve already discussed, a key part of the reason this change is being implemented is that a high percentage of applicants found writing a traditional Personal Statement stressful, which is counterintuitive to what UCAS is trying to achieve. By providing applicants with a strong framework, in the form of specific questions, this new process should allow more applicants to provide better quality statements for universities. 

This change is also set to be particularly beneficial to those from disadvantaged backgrounds, as the process will allow them to better express their ability regardless of any areas that may be lacking due to factors out of their control. Essentially, the new process should allow more people to stand a better chance of making a good impression despite limitations. 

How Can I Start Preparing?

If you’re starting your preparations early, the main barrier you’ll face at this stage of preparation is not knowing what the questions will be, as they have yet to be announced. There are no resources available currently that cover this system, so you’re going to have to be independent with your preparation here.

Since we have a rough outline of what the questions to focus on, you should still be able to practice your responses. Although they won’t be as relevant any more, it would still be helpful to check out Personal Statement guides and examples as these can help you pin down the language and writing style you use. 

With all this information now available to us, you should be able to get a sense of what to do for your application in the coming years. The initial introduction of this system in 2024 will act as a test of its effectiveness, so elements could be changed in the years following. However, the important thing is that you understand how things are changing from the current system and how you can make the most of the new system. 

If you are applying for university in 2023 for 2024 Entry, you will need to make sure you’re ready to write your Personal Statement. Thankfully, UniAdmissions have plenty of resources to help you through it, including our Ultimate UCAS Personal Statement Guide and our collection of successful Oxbridge Personal Statements . 

If you’re looking for more in-depth support that covers the whole application process for Medicine, Law and Oxbridge courses, them find out how you can enrol in one of our Premium Programmes .  

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Regardless of what changes are made to the Oxbridge admissions process, we will be ready to provide you with the very best support for your application. Our students have access to expert Oxbridge tutors, comprehensive online courses, intensive preparation events and so much more. 

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UCAS Will Replace Personal Statements in 2024: What Students Need to Know

Big changes are coming to the UCAS application process . UCAS announced that they will be replacing personal statements with a series of structured questions starting in 2024 . This new approach aims to reduce stress for university applicants while still giving them a chance to share information about themselves.

Why is UCAS Changing Personal Statements?

The personal statement has been one of the key criteria of the UCAS application for years. However, feedback from both students and universities highlighted some issues with the current free-form format. Surveys found that 83% of students felt writing the personal statement was stressful and 79% said it was hard to complete without support .

Universities also noted it can be difficult to compare personal statements , as content varies widely depending on the individual student. With no set guidelines, students receive different levels of help based on what resources are available.

The goal of the new structured questions is to focus responses and make the process more equitable across the board . Applicants will have clarity on what information universities want to know upfront.

What Will Replace Personal Statements?

Starting with the 2025 UCAS application entry, personal statements will be replaced by six key questions identified through research with universities:

• Motivation for Course – Why do you want to study these courses?
• Preparedness for Course – How has your learning so far helped you to be ready to succeed in these courses?
• Preparation through Other Experiences – What else have you done to help prepare, and why are these experiences useful?
• Extenuating Circumstances – Is there anything the universities need to know to put your achievements into context?
• Preparedness for Study – What have you done to prepare for student life?
• Preferred Learning Styles – Which styles suit you best and how do your course choices match that?

The goal is to capture the key information universities need while allowing applicants to share relevant details about themselves. UCAS continues to refine the focus areas based on feedback.

What This Means for Applicants

Replacing personal statements will affect students definitely. For students applying in 2024 and beyond, the new questions will change how you present yourself to universities. 

The good news is that the process aims to be more straightforward with a clear structure to follow. However, it still requires thought and effort to make your responses stand out.

With less space for elaborate anecdotes, choose details carefully to showcase your skills, experience and fit for the program. Follow prompts closely and focus on exactly how you meet the criteria.

The emphasis will likely shift from creative writing skills to concise, persuasive responses showcasing your abilities. Take time to reflect on experiences that highlight your motivation and preparedness.

What Happens Next?

UCAS emphasizes this change will be a process based on continuous feedback. They aim to introduce the new questions somewhere in 2024 to allow students and advisors time to adjust.

Before launch, UCAS is gathering input on areas like:

• Are there any missing question topics?
• How much preparation time would your role need?
• Perspectives on allowing different statements per university choice.

There is still time to share thoughts and help shape this update. UCAS also hints at more innovations in future cycles, such as multi-media submissions.

Postgraduate Personal Statements Remain Unchanged

The upcoming changes to the personal statement will only apply to undergraduate UCAS applications . For students applying to postgraduate, PhD and master’s programmes , personal statements will remain a required component of the application process. 

These programmes will continue to use free-form personal statements, allowing applicants ample space to detail their motivations, relevant skills and experiences. Universities utilise personal statements to assess candidates’ fit and potential for rigorous further study required at the postgraduate level. 

While undergraduate admissions are evolving, postgraduate applicants can expect the current personal statement format to persist across UK universities.

Learn more:

• How to Write a Personal Statement for a Masters Degree
• How to Write a Personal Statement for a PhD

Final Thoughts: Personal Statement Change

The UCAS personal statement as we know it will soon be a thing of the past. While it marks a major change, the update aims to streamline the process for all involved. Students can focus on putting their best foot forward in a more structured format. With some preparation, applicants will still be able to share their unique stories.

FAQ: UCAS Replacing Personal Statements

Why is ucas replacing personal statements.

UCAS decided to replace free-form personal statements after feedback showed the current format causes stress for applicants. Universities also noted personal statements can be difficult to compare. The new structured questions aim to make the process more straightforward and equitable.

When will the new questions be implemented?

UCAS plans to introduce the structured questions no earlier than 2024, for use in the 2025 application cycle. This timeline allows students, advisors, and universities time to adjust to the new format.

What will the new questions focus on?

Based on research with universities, UCAS identified six key topics: motivation and preparedness for the course, relevant experiences, extenuating circumstances, preparedness for study, and preferred learning styles. Applicants will need to concisely answer prompts on each theme.

How many questions will there be?

UCAS is still finalising the format, but the initial framework suggests six main questions covering the key themes. Each theme may have multiple sub-questions to guide responses.

Will the word count stay the same?

We don’t know yet. Details are still in progress, but it’s likely the total word count will be similar to the current 4,000-character limit for personal statements. Word counts may vary per question.

How should students prepare for the new format?

Students should reflect on key experiences that showcase their skills, motivation and readiness for university study. Focus responses on providing relevant details the prompts ask for.

Will universities have access to past personal statements?

UCAS has not indicated if universities will still have access to personal statements submitted before 2024 during the transition period.

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Ucas personal statements are changing: here’s what you need to know.

Personal statements are set to become a thing of the past. The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has introduced a new process for university applications.

Personal statements are set to become a thing of the past. The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has introduced a new process for university applications from 2025, meaning that the process will change in 2024 ready for 2025 entrants.

Personal statements have always been an essential part of the university application process. However, UCAS has decided to scrap personal statements in their traditional form. They will now be replaced by a new three-question structure.

If you are preparing to apply for university right now, then you don’t need to worry too much. This new structure isn’t coming into play until 2025, when students are applying for 2026 entry.

What is the new application process?

The new application process differs from the original university application process. Initially, university students were required to write a personal statement, which would be uploaded to UCAS Hub . Universities would then read the personal statement as part of your original university application and make their offers from there.

Under the new process, it will work differently. Under the new university admissions policy, you will no longer be required to write a detailed personal statement but will need to answer questions related to three key areas.

Current key themes are:

• Motivation for course: Why do you want to study the course?
• Preparedness for course: How has your learning thus far helped you to be prepared for your course?
• Preparation through other experiences: What else have you done to help yourself prepare? How and why are these experiences so useful?
• Extenuating circumstances: Is there anything the university needs to know about you? (optional)

These questions allow students to present themselves in their own words but with more structure. Teacher references will also change, allowing for more objective comments.

Depending on user feedback, these questions may change in the future.

• Preparedness for study: What have you done to prepare yourself for student life?
• Preferred learning styles: Which learning and assessment styles suit you best?

Following extensive consultation, UCAS scrapped the latter three. This is because UCAS discovered that the themes would be too difficult to universities that have different teaching and assessment styles. The extenuating circumstances question will have a different section to be answered, but not everyone will need to answer it.

When does this new process start?

This new process will be introduced in 2025 and take effect for 2026 applicants. Those applying to university for 2023, 2024 or 2025 will still need to write a personal statement for their application in the current format.

This means the new process will be coming in after January 2025 (October 2024, if you are applying to Oxbridge ).

A personalised tool will also launch later this year. This tool will provide applicants with entry-grade reports that will give students a range of the profiles accepted onto similar courses over a five-year period, using UCAS data.

Why is the process changing?

UCAS has decided to change the university application process based on student feedback. This process will now offer greater support for applicants from different academic backgrounds.

UCAS has recently published their own report on current applications, called the Future of Undergraduate Admissions report. This research discovered that, out of 13,000 polled students, as many as 83% found writing a personal statement to be too stressful, while a further 79% found the statement too difficult to write without appropriate support.

Personal statements were not unpopular, however. 72% of students found that personal statements were essential parts of the university application process. Personal statements allowed students to stand out as more than just application numbers and their grades. However, the question format s will allow students to continue to stand out from other applicants.

How are teacher references changing?

Teacher references are changing to allow teachers to make more objective comments regarding students. Students can pick current or former academic referees, such as teachers, tutors or head teachers; these referees will then write a full reference to their career goals, work experience and predicted grades.

This process is set to change slightly for 2026 applicants. Under the new system, the referee will instead answer three structured questions. In these questions, teachers will include a general statement about the student’s school or college, any extenuating circumstances that could affect the student’s exam performances and any other circumstances the teacher feels the university should be aware of.

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Ucas to scrap personal statements for student applicants

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Admissions body pitches reforms to make admissions process fairer

Students will no longer have to write an essay-style personal statement in their Ucas applications, after the admissions body announced an overhaul to the process.

Ucas said in a report published 12 January, Future of Undergraduate Admissions, that students would answer a series of questions about their reasons for choosing a course instead of writing a personal statement.

There have been concerns that the personal statements disadvantage students who do not have access to good guidance and support when writing the essays, which some feel could “widen the gap” between applicants.

The change comes after scrutiny from the Department for Education on the admissions process. The DfE carried out a consultation on whether to switch to a system of post-qualification admissions in 2021, although it ultimately decided not to continue with the changes.

Writing in a Higher Education Policy Institute blog on 12 January, Ucas head of strategy and reform Kim Eccleston said that “most students are in favour of personal statements” as it gives them the chance to “demonstrate achievements beyond their grades”.

But more than 80 per cent said they found the process of writing the statement stressful, and 79 per cent said the statement is difficult to complete with no support.

Eccleston said the replacement questions will prompt students to write about six areas, including their motivation and preparation for the course and for studying at a higher level, how other experiences have helped to prepare them for university, any extenuating circumstances and their preferred learning style.

“We believe this will create a more supportive framework which in turn will help guide students through their responses by removing the guesswork, as well as capturing the information universities and colleges have told us they really need to know from applicants when it comes to offer-making,” she said.

Once the questions have been finalised, they will replace the personal statement from 2024-25.

The report also revealed that Ucas will introduce reports showing students the range of grades that have been accepted for their chosen course in the past, and it will replace the free text option for referees to comment on students with a series of questions.

It will try to offer students more personalised guidance on what their post-secondary options are, and will launch an Outreach Connection Service designed to help universities and employers in their efforts to improve access and participation.

Ucas consulted with 1,200 students, more than 170 teachers and advisers, 100 universities and colleges and government representatives when creating the report.

In her blog post, Eccleston stressed that “reform is an evolving process”, and she said that Ucas would “keep engaging with the sector to help us shape the delivery of these reforms”—particularly the changes to the personal statement.

News | Education

UCAS ditching personal statement for university entry

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service ( Ucas ) will no longer require students to write a personal statement when applying for university .

The change comes amid claims that the personal statements favour middle-class students who may have better access to “high-quality advice and guidance”, according to Ucas.

The 4,000-character essay will be scrapped and replaced with a series of questions about the higher education course they are applying for.

Ucas announced in February 2022 that it was considering changes to university applications.

At the time, Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, said “I have always felt that personal statements in their current form favour the most advantaged students.

“So I’m pleased that Ucas have confirmed that reform of the personal statement is in their plans so that personal statements work to the benefit of all students.”

Ucas consulted with 1,200 students, 170 teachers, and more than 100 universities and colleges before making the reforms, as reported by The Times.

According to Ucas , although 72 per cent of respondents surveyed felt positive about the personal statement, 79 per cent agreed that writing the statement is difficult to complete without support, and 83 per cent said they found the process of writing a personal statement stressful.

The structured questions aim to  “bring focus and clarity for students, reducing the need for support”.

Students will be asked questions about their motivations for studying courses, what they have done to prepare, and any extenuating circumstances.

Kim Eccleston, head of strategy and reform at Ucas, said in a Higher Education Policy Institute blog post: “We believe this will create a more supportive framework, which in turn will help guide students through their responses by removing the guesswork, as well as capturing the information universities and colleges have told us they really need to know from applicants when it comes to offer-making.”

The changes to the admission process will be introduced no earlier than 2024 for students applying to begin university in 2025.

And in the future, Ucas said that it would consider moving away from written text to multimedia submissions.

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Ucas to replace personal statement with series of questions

Admissions service also making changes to teacher references, and plans to release details of grade profiles that were accepted onto courses.

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The Ucas personal statement is to be replaced by a series of questions following concerns that it was too stressful for UK students.

The admissions service said it believes the change to the 4,000 character essay – which had previously been  criticised for contributing to inequalities in higher education access  – will create “a more supportive framework”.

Advocates of reform said the change will help “level the playing field” in university admissions.

The  Future of Undergraduate Admissions report  by Ucas also announced that academic references would become structured questions, and that students will be able to see a range of accepted entry grades for different courses to improve transparency.

A recent Ucas survey found that 83 per cent of students reported the process of writing a personal statement stressful, with 79 per cent saying it is difficult to complete without support.

Based on this feedback, Kim Eccleston, head of strategy and reform at Ucas, says the current format will be reframed into a series of questions focusing on six key areas: motivation for the course, preparedness for the course, preparation through other experiences, extenuating circumstances, preparedness for study, and preferred learning style.

“We believe this will create a more supportive framework which in turn will help guide students through their responses by removing the guesswork, as well as capturing the information universities and colleges have told us they really need to know from applicants when it comes to offer-making”, she writes in a  blog published by the Higher Education Policy Institute .

The questions are set to be introduced in 2024, for students entering higher education in 2025, while Ucas said it paved the way for further enhancements, such as moving to multimedia submissions.

Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter , said the move to structured questions was “hugely positive”.

“No one should underestimate how important this reform will be in helping to level the playing field in university admissions,” he added.

“I’ve been calling for reform as statements currently add further advantage for middle class applicants who are often given help in filling in their submissions.”

Providers had told Ucas that the subjective nature of the academic reference section – typically filled out by an applicant’s form tutor or careers adviser – made it challenging to be used to compare applicants against each other.

As a result, it will be replaced with three structured questions – a mandatory general statement about the referee’s school, plus optional information sections on extenuating circumstances affecting the applicant’s performance.

Beginning with the 2024 entry cycle, Professor Elliot Major said it will enable more “objective and useful comments from teachers”.

“As we enter an era of increasing competition for the most selective university degree courses, we need more structured and transparent university admissions that are fair and fit for purpose for all,” he added.

In addition, entry grade reports will be available through the Ucas website, which will give a range of grade profiles that have been accepted onto courses over a five-year period.

It said that this personalised tool, which will launch this year, will prompt applicants to dig deeper into entry requirements and re-evaluate options that may have been considered out of reach.

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Should we abolish personal statements from the university application process?

By Blog Editor, on 19 April 2023

By Dominic Kelly and Gill Wyness

The personal statement – a key element of the university admissions process – has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. The main criticism levied at the personal statement concerns fairness:  students from disadvantaged backgrounds may have fewer extra-curricular experiences to highlight in their personal statements and are less likely to have access to high quality advice and guidance when writing their statement.

So, it is welcome news that UCAS recently announced the personal statement is to be reformed, by replacing the free text personal statement into a structured format consisting of six short questions. While these reforms may address some of the fairness issues that many are concerned about, these reforms do not go far enough, and a better solution would be to abolish the personal statement altogether.

What’s the problem with personal statements?

Under the current rules, students applying to university through the UCAS system must submit a personal statement alongside their educational attainment (based on predicted A-level or equivalent grades). The personal statement is a free-text essay, with no specific question, just some loose advice , and a word limit of 4,000 characters. The essay is automatically sent to all the courses an applicant applies to.

There are three key reasons personal statements have been criticised – that they may favour students from more advantaged backgrounds, that they may not be great predictors of ability, and that they may put candidates under unnecessary stress.

Looking first at whether personal statements favour more advantaged students, research examining large samples of personal statements (Jones, 2012 , 2013 , 2015 ) revealed clear differences between the statements of independent/selective school applicants and those from non-selective state schools. Independent/selective school pupils had access to many more work experience opportunities to discuss, which were also broader and more diverse. The extreme differences in the extra-curricular activities that those from higher SES backgrounds have has been recently documented by Park et al (2023) whose study of US college applicants found that White, Asian American, higher SES, and private school students listed more extra-curricular activities, reported more top-level leadership roles, and reported more activities reflecting accomplishments and distinctions. Importantly, among those who listed undertaking an activity, Black and low SES students were just as likely to list having played a leadership role in the activity, suggesting that disadvantaged students are just as likely to have leadership qualities, but simply have less resources available to try different activities.

As well as having a wider range of experiences to draw from, the statements of independent school pupils were also longer, and contained fewer spelling errors and punctuation errors. One reason this may be the case is that independent school pupils may receive more guidance and assistance in writing their statements. There is some evidence for this. A study on 16- to 19-year-olds’ efficacy at ‘selling themselves’ in personal statements suggested that this was directly related to differences in resources and training provided by their educational institutions. It is also likely that those from richer backgrounds would be more able to take advantage of private consultancies to help them craft their statements, as they do with personal tutoring , for example.   A 2009 Guardian article reported evidence of independent school pupils receiving more help with personal statements, with a teacher admitting “of course we help our students with their personal statements, their parents are paying £7,000 a term!”

Turning to the usefulness of personal statements as a way to assess candidates, there are a small number of papers examining this issue. For example a small meta-analysis showed that ratings of personal statements were poor predictors of academic achievement, over and above standardised test scores and prior attainment. Arguments have also been made that rather than functioning as a holistic assessment of university suitability or preparedness, they function solely as assessments of writing skills, again casting doubt on their usefulness in identifying good candidates. There is also evidence that a more structured approach to rating personal statements yielded negligible predictive validity for first year grades and dropout rates.

Any doubts about the validity of personal statements are likely to translate into inconsistencies in their use. There is little research examining how personal statements are used by university admissions teams – so we have no real understanding of the extent to which they are trusted by admissions departments and used seriously for decision-making. A greater concern for UCAS than what applicants are writing should be how university admissions staff are assessing their writing, as well as the biases that these staff implicitly or explicitly have regarding low socioeconomic and ethnic minority groups.

Finally, examining the issue of stress, a recent report analysed a large number of personal statements from students from underrepresented backgrounds, as well as conducting surveys and interviews of these students. Applicants from under-represented backgrounds were found to experience a number of challenges when writing their essays, with some spending 30-to-40 hours on their essays, with obvious knock-on effects to their studies and free time. Particular challenges arose from the free-form nature of the essay – such as writing the opening paragraph, developing an effective flow / structure arise, and uncertainty from the lack of an explicit question.

What is UCAS’ Proposed Solution?

UCAS current proposals are to replace this free text personal statement with a structured format consisting of 6 open questions:

• Motivation for Course – Why do you want to study these courses?
• Preparedness for Course – How has your learning so far helped you to be ready to succeed on these courses?
• Preparation through other experiences – What else have you done to help you prepare, and why are these experiences useful?
• Extenuating circumstances – Is there anything that the universities and colleges need to know about, to help them put your achievements and experiences so far into context?
• Preparedness for study – What have you done to prepare yourself for student life?
• Preferred Learning Styles – Which learning and assessment styles best suit you – how do your courses choices match that?

This structured format does have some improvements over the existing personal statement. For example, Jones, Fryer and Westlake (2023) argue that shorter, more guided questions are likely to reduce the stress burden on applicants, and are more transparent, making the essay easier to write. However, there is still likely to be a significant effort involved in writing the statement, given the number of questions.

Simply breaking the personal statement down in this way is unlikely to overcome the many other issues discussed above.

First, the issue of unfairness will remain. Pupils from better-off backgrounds will still have more experiences and activities to draw on in answering the questions. In fact, reducing the remit of short-answer questions to more specific topics could further highlight the lack of extra-curricular opportunities some students have to draw upon, especially since students will then be forced to provide an answer for each topic regardless of whether they have anything they feel important to say. Given a lack of ways of verifying applicants’ information, survey research suggests that there is already an established culture of lying or embellishing on personal statements, which could be exacerbated if applicants feel forced to list opportunities. Issues with spelling and grammar and greater sophistication of language will remain, even in this environment. And independent school pupils can still avail themselves of extra help in answering the questions – in fact a structured format could even make it easier for independent schools to assist their pupils in completing the form. A further issue concerns the rise of ChatGPT software, which seems particularly suited to this new style of short question, now potentially posing an existential threat to the personal statement.

Second, the issue of whether shorter questions are likely to alleviate stress is also questionable. There is not an existing literature on the differences in stress between writing long-form personal statements compared to shorter questions; i.e., there is not a hypothetical study where participants experienced two conditions and levels of stress were compared. Assumptions that shorter questions are less stressful are based on inferences from qualitative data about the current UCAS application. Until such a study is conducted – or the results of the natural experiment that UCAS propose by changing the questions are analysed – this remains an assumption. There is a possibility that issues of opening sentences, structure and word limits will apply to each of the 6 proposed short responses, ultimately multiplying the stress compared to one response.

Finally, as has already been criticised elsewhere , any reference to the concept of ‘learning styles’ (the idea that students have inherent differences that require them to be taught the same concepts in different ways for the instruction to be effective) should be omitted. The concept of learning styles has been debunked but persists as a ‘neuromyth’ which is at best pointless and at worst harmful.

Removing the personal statement altogether

In order to move towards a fairer, more equal applications process, we believe the personal statement should be removed from the university application process altogether. This would not be an unusual situation. Many countries, such as the Republic of Ireland, operate a completely blind process where grades are the only admission criteria.

A potential criticism (as pointed out by Jones, Fryer and Westlake ) is that admissions would then be purely based on academic grades (plus an academic reference), meaning inequality could still arise if students’ grades (and teachers’ perception of them) do not accurately reflect their true ability. This is especially likely among more disadvantaged students, who have typically received far less investment in their education than their more advantaged peers. However, retaining the personal statement is unlikely to help with this problem, and may even compound it, if both grades and personal statements favour more advantaged students. A further potential problem is that the personal statement can be used as a means for students to highlight their extenuating circumstances – but this option could be retained without the personal statement.

The removal of the personal statement should be paired with a continuing push towards more contextual admissions. For example, in cases where there are several applicants with similar grades, places should be filled based on a contextual admission strategy (e.g., applicants on Free School Meals, from schools that traditionally send few applicants to university, etc., should be favoured). And beyond simply dealing with ties, students from low SES backgrounds should be given grade discounts. As we outline in a recent blog post, there is a clear economic rationale for the use of contextual admissions, to “level the playing field” at this crucial life stage. Any remaining ties in grades could be filled based on random assignment, which has also been shown to be a fair system of assignment when allocating individuals with the same levels of achievement.

The UK’s university applications system has remained unchanged for many years, and this reform is a unique opportunity to improve the fairness of the system. However, UCAS proposals do not appear to go far enough to achieve this goal.

Filed under CEPEO , Tertiary education

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For schools

30 January, 2023

UCAS removes personal statement for 2024 admissions

Thinking of going to a UK university? Read on to learn about the new changes UCAS has made to the university admissions process.

by Rachel Timmins · 3 minutes

UCAS has stated its plans to eliminate the 4000-character personal statement that all students have - up to now - been required to submit, in order to overhaul the university and college admissions procedures. Instead, university applicants will respond to a set of brief questions from the 2024 admissions cycle, according to The Evening Standard.

In February 2022, UCAS revealed that it was exploring changes to university admissions.UCAS engaged with 1,200 students, 170 instructors, and more than 100 institutions and colleges before implementing the modifications, reports from  The Times claim.  According to UCAS , while 72% of respondents questioned were enthusiastic about the personal statement, 79% agreed that writing the statement without assistance is tough, and 83% stated the process was stressful.

At the time, Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, said “I have always felt that personal statements in their current form favour the most advantaged students.

“So I’m pleased that UCAS have confirmed that reform of the personal statement is in their plans so that personal statements work to the benefit of all students.”

The structured questions aim to “bring focus and clarity for students, reducing the need for support”. Kim Eccleston, Head of Strategy and Reform at UCAS, added: “We believe this will create a more supportive framework, which in turn will help guide students through their responses by removing the guesswork, as well as capturing the information universities and colleges have told us they really need to know from applicants when it comes to offer-making.”

Cambridge Assessment also indicated earlier this year that they will make modifications to their admissions exam since they were operationally unsustainable and in order to "provide them cheaply to students and higher education institutions." 

In summary, please find below the UCAS adjustments we should expect for the 2024/25 admissions cycle:

Students will no longer have to write a 4,000-character personal statement.

Instead students will be asked different higher education subject specific questions.

Other entry requirements such as BMAT, NSAA, ENGAA and TMUA examinations will also be phased out.

Changes to the admissions procedure will be implemented no earlier than 2024 for students starting university in 2025. In the future, UCAS  stated that  it would consider shifting away from textual material and toward multimedia contributions.

Here at Melio Education , our mission is to help international students to make informed and competitive applications to UK universities. We want to see students reach their full potential, so from our perspective any move that evens out the playing field and helps the most talented students get into their dream university is positive. 

Emily Bisset , Head of Product and Operations at Melio Education says: ‘We have always enjoyed working with students on their personal statements, and we appreciated the opportunity for students to display their creative flair. However a free-form piece of writing does disadvantage non-native speakers of English (who make up many of the students we work with), and therefore we are pleased to see this move to a fairer process. We are interested to see in due course what the exact questions will be and how they will be framed. We will continue to support our students in every way that we can to get into the universities where they most want to study.’

Guidance counsellors - wondering what the changes will mean for your students?

Please join our upcoming webinar in February where we will be discussing all things Oxbridge applications, and will include a discussion around these planned changes.

Students - thinking ahead?

If starting to think about university or simply looking for some guidance or preparation on how to get there, we’re here to help! At Melio, we map out the key stages of this journey for you - from what course to pick to submitting your UCAS application, so that every part of the  process feels stress free! Interested in learning more? Book a call with one of our admissions advisors to find out more. 

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Need some tips on how to write a personal statement for sixth form? Read our guide for helpful advice on what to include in yours - and how to submit your most successful application possible.

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© 2021 Melio

The official student newspaper of the University of Glasgow, independently informing since 1932.

UCAS could scrap personal statements

• April 19, 2022
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UCAS is considering moving from the traditional personal statement to a structured set of questions application process.

The UK’s University and College Admissions Service (UCAS) is considering replacing the current personal statement based university application protest with a questions-based structure. The more structured series of questions would still allow students to show creativity but guide their answers with more specific criteria. This would affect applications for most UK higher education institutions.

This move was announced as part of wider changes in the way universities admit students to increase fairness between social groups. Other considerations included allowing students to apply to university after getting their grades, rather than pre-emptively. This is thought to increase pupils’ choices and expand them to horizons they had previously not considered. 

“ Other considerations included allowing students to apply to university after getting their grades, rather than pre-emptively.”

The current personal statement system is believed to be advantageous to more affluent students with a network of teachers, parents and tutors who can help them perfect their statements. This was expressed by Universities Minister Michelle Donelan at a recent speech for a UCAS event, where she stated that she believed: “Personal statements in their current form favour the most advantaged students.”

The head of UCAS, Clare Marchant expressed wishes to “simplify the process, offer greater guidance and help students from all backgrounds have an equal level of support”.

However, many in higher education still see the benefits of personal statements. In a government consultation, 28% of respondents in the higher education stakeholder group said they were not sure whether personal statements should be removed, with 53% believing they should stay. Further response analysis showed that while those consulted were concerned about disparities, they also highlighted the benefit personal statements give pupils. These included less stress, with pupils being judged holistically, and space to reflect on career goals and motivations, improving decision-making skills.

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Changes to the UCAS Personal Statement in 2024

This month has brought the news that, as of 2024, UCAS is no longer going to require applicants to write a personal statement when applying for university.

***Please note this information is outdated; for more information please see our latest blog post here. ***

For years, the ucas personal statement has been a thorn in the side of applicants to uk universities everywhere - requiring students to spend the best part of several months reading, planning, and writing their magnum opus to impress their chosen universities. this month has brought the news that, as of 2024, ucas is no longer going to require applicants to write a personal statement when applying for university. in this blog, we’re going to take you through why this change is happening, how the personal statement’s going to be replaced, and how this is likely to affect you as an applicant..

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Why the change?

This change has been made in light of arguments by some that the existing personal statement system affords an advantage to more privileged students who have greater access to expert guidance and advice. with students from a greater variety of backgrounds attending university at a higher and higher rate every year, ucas have felt the need to reform the application process with the aim of widening access for all students, irrespective of their knowledge regarding the application process or whether they know someone who has made a successful application before. as reported by the times, ucas consulted with 1,200 students, 170 teachers, and over 100 universities and colleges before making these reforms, meaning that the new system is designed with not just universities but also applicants in mind, hopefully meaning that it suits the students applying as much as fitting the universities’ requirements., what is replacing the personal statement, as of 2024, rather than having an open response box in which to fill in their own, self-constructed personal statement of 4,000 characters, students will instead be asked to respond to a series of structured questions which focus on six key areas:, motivation for the course - why do you want to study these courses, preparedness for the course - how has your learning so far helped you to be ready to succeed on these courses, preparation through other experience - what else have you done to help you prepare, and why are these experiences useful, extenuating circumstances - is there anything that the universities and colleges need to know about, to help them put your achievements and experiences so far into context, preparedness for study - what have you done to prepare yourself for student life, preferred learning styles - which learning and assessment style best suit you, and how do your course choices match that, what does this mean for my application, in real terms, this shouldn’t change your personal statement process too much - in essence, the new system effectively de-constructs your personal statement so that it’s clearer what you should reflect upon and how to structure your answers. most of these questions focus around topics that you’re likely to be answering in your personal statement anyway, so there’s no need to go and completely scrap everything you’ve been thinking of already, private consultation.

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UCAS set to replace personal statements from 2024

13th January 2023

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The university application landscape seems set for reform according to reports this morning. UCAS wants to replace a unified personal statement with a series of six questions. Admissions service are also making changes to teacher references, and plans to release details of grade profiles that were accepted onto specific courses. The changes may arrive for the cohort applying in the autumn of 2024.

This might be worth a read:

Five steps UCAS is taking to reform the undergraduate admissions process

The newly published UCAS report is available here

Initial reaction from Geoff Barton here

‘Breaking down the personal statement into specific questions feels to be a step towards a simplified, fairer application process,’ says @RealGeoffBarton of @ucas_online announcement https://t.co/kwseX9NSZQ — Tes (@tes) January 12, 2023

No doubt a huge amount will be said and written as the consultation process gathers momentum. The six question approach appears rather prescriptive and there will be plenty of discussion I feel about the last question on preferred learning styles!

And in a month when ChatGPT and other emerging AI tools have dominated the education headlines, what price that these AI bots will be able to generate convincing written responses in seconds?

• Higher education

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Geoff Riley FRSA has been teaching Economics for over thirty years. He has over twenty years experience as Head of Economics at leading schools. He writes extensively and is a contributor and presenter on CPD conferences in the UK and overseas.

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UCAS to Scrap Personal Statements from Next Year | This Week in Admissions News

The world of college admissions is ever-changing and for students with top university ambitions, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest developments. This week, UCAS announced that it will be scrapping the long personal statement as part of its wider reforms to admissions testing, while Harvard Medical School pulled out of the US News rankings. Check back next week to see what’s new and noteworthy in university admissions!

Ucas to scrap personal statements from next year.

Applications to Cambridge are set to change from the 2024 admissions cycle as UCAS has announced they will be scrapping the personal statement. The 4,000-character essay will be scrapped and replaced with a series of questions about the higher education course a student is applying for. The change comes amid claims that the personal statements favour middle-class students who may have better access to “high-quality advice and guidance”, according to Ucas, the Evening Standard reported.

The structured questions aim to “bring focus and clarity for students, reducing the need for support”. Kim Eccleston, head of strategy and reform at Ucas, said: “We believe this will create a more supportive framework, which in turn will help guide students through their responses by removing the guesswork, as well as capturing the information universities and colleges have told us they really need to know from applicants when it comes to offer-making.”

Cambridge had announced earlier in the year that they will be making some changes to their admissions testing as they were operationally unsustainable and “to deliver them affordably to students and higher education institutions.” The elite university has seen a drop in enrollment as well as applications over the last couple of years, owing to the Covid pandemic as well as an economic downturn in the UK.

Here are the changes we can expect in the UCAS from the 2024/25 admissions cycle:

• The 4,000-character personal statement essay will be scrapped and replaced with a series of questions about the higher education course a student is applying for
• Several university admissions exams, including BMAT (medicine), ENGAA (engineering), NSAA (natural sciences) and TMUA (mathematical skills) tests, will be discontinued
• The seven UK medical schools that use BMAT tests as part of their admissions process (Brighton and Sussex, Imperial, Lancaster, UCL, Cambridge, Leeds and Oxford) as well as medical and healthcare schools in other countries will put alternative arrangements in place

It should be interesting to see how the spread of AI will affect the college essay and personal statements. All of these changes are set to take effect from the 2024 admissions cycle - the 2023 cycle will continue as before. 

Other top stories in admissions news this week:

• Harvard Medical School announced it will no longer submit data to U.S. News & World Report for its “best medical schools” rankings. The decision was made due to concerns that the rankings create incentives for institutions to report inaccurate data and that the suitability of a medical school for a student is too complex to be reflected in a ranked list. This move follows the withdrawal of Harvard and Yale law schools (among other top schools) from the rankings in November, and is a reflection of the growing trend of elite institutions devaluing the importance of these rankings, which have traditionally played a significant role in shaping the decisions of prospective students.
• According to Times Higher Education , the Biden administration is planning to publish a list of programs/degrees that are considered to have low financial value for students. However, there is currently a lack of consensus on how to determine the economic worth of these programs. Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield, managing director of policy and research at Higher Learning Advocates, suggests that the department should consider metrics such as job opportunities for graduates and whether they possess the skills sought by employers when determining the list of programs.
• The PIE News writes on a new report from the Conference Board of Canada that highlights the need for a comprehensive strategy for the immigration and settlement of international students. The report states that despite the priority of Canadian stakeholders to retain international students after their studies, the government currently lacks a plan to effectively coordinate the granting of permits and selection of international students for immigration. The current lack of strategy creates friction for international students, and this problem could worsen as the growth in international student enrollment surpasses the planned increase in permanent immigration.
• English-language skills in China have slipped, according to a global proficiency ranking , especially among young Chinese, and some are blaming rising nationalism. The 2022 English Proficiency Index ranked China at 62, a low proficiency nation, down from a moderate proficiency ranking of 49 in 2021 and 38 in 2020. China lagged behind Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia and Hong Kong, the latter of which has remained a high proficiency economy over the past three years. According to the report, education reforms in China over the past few years have led to a reduction in the time spent in schools teaching and speaking English.

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How to Write a Strong Personal Statement

• Ruth Gotian
• Ushma S. Neill

A few adjustments can get your application noticed.

Whether applying for a summer internship, a professional development opportunity, such as a Fulbright, an executive MBA program, or a senior leadership development course, a personal statement threads the ideas of your CV, and is longer and has a different tone and purpose than a traditional cover letter. A few adjustments to your personal statement can get your application noticed by the reviewer.

• Make sure you’re writing what they want to hear. Most organizations that offer a fellowship or internship are using the experience as a pipeline: It’s smart to spend 10 weeks and $15,000 on someone before committing five years and $300,000. Rarely are the organizations being charitable or altruistic, so align your stated goals with theirs
• Know when to bury the lead, and when to get to the point. It’s hard to paint a picture and explain your motivations in 200 words, but if you have two pages, give the reader a story arc or ease into your point by setting the scene.
• Recognize that the reviewer will be reading your statement subjectively, meaning you’re being assessed on unknowable criteria. Most people on evaluation committees are reading for whether or not you’re interesting. Stated differently, do they want to go out to dinner with you to hear more? Write it so that the person reading it wants to hear more.
• Address the elephant in the room (if there is one). Maybe your grades weren’t great in core courses, or perhaps you’ve never worked in the field you’re applying to. Make sure to address the deficiency rather than hoping the reader ignores it because they won’t. A few sentences suffice. Deficiencies do not need to be the cornerstone of the application.

At multiple points in your life, you will need to take action to transition from where you are to where you want to be. This process is layered and time-consuming, and getting yourself to stand out among the masses is an arduous but not impossible task. Having a polished resume that explains what you’ve done is the common first step. But, when an application asks for it, a personal statement can add color and depth to your list of accomplishments. It moves you from a one-dimensional indistinguishable candidate to someone with drive, interest, and nuance.

• Ruth Gotian is the chief learning officer and associate professor of education in anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, and the author of The Success Factor and Financial Times Guide to Mentoring . She was named the #1 emerging management thinker by Thinkers50. You can access her free list of conversation starters and test your mentoring impact . RuthGotian
• Ushma S. Neill is the Vice President, Scientific Education & Training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She runs several summer internships and is involved with the NYC Marshall Scholar Selection Committee. ushmaneill

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The Times view on Ucas ending personal statements: In Conclusion…

We unearth a university application that tells the truth.

A ll my friends got a chatbot or their mum to write this bit, but I thought it’d be more real if I did it myself. First of all, I am genuinely super-keen to come to your uni because it’ll get me away from home to have sex and drink without being too far for my dad to drive over to give me extra money and pick up my washing on Sundays.

I like the course because it doesn’t require as high a grade at A-level to get in as some other subjects. Plus, the science-y ones look like mega-hard work, right? Also, I am genuinely interested in the olden days and stuff, ever since I read The Da Vinci Code at our place in Cornwall

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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE ST ANDREWS COMMUNITY SINCE 1997

• Feb 2, 2023

UCAS to Scrap Personal Statements

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has announced plans to remove a central part of the application process – the personal statement – and replace it with a series of questions for prospective students. According to UCAS, this change is the start of a broader series of reforms.

The Future of Undergraduate Admissions report, released by UCAS on Thursday 12 January, has revealed changes to the application process after 83% of applicants surveyed reported that the process of writing their personal statement – a free text opportunity for students to demonstrate their skill and passion for the courses they are applying to – was stress inducing.

Furthermore, 79% of those surveyed agreed that the statement was difficult to complete without support, leading some commentators to view the process as a “mechanism to widen the gap”.

As a replacement for the personal statement, UCAS have identified six key areas that admissions departments are interested in: motivation for course, preparedness for course, preparation through other experiences, extenuating circumstances, preparedness for study, and preferred learning styles. These areas will be formulated into targeted questions for students to answer, rather than the current, more generalised approach.

UCAS have confirmed that these areas will continue to be refined with the help of both applicants and education providers.

According to UCAS, both students and providers (both universities and colleges across the UK), have “identified a preference for structured questions that bring focus and clarity for students, reducing the need for support. This approach also supports comparability for providers.

Students who have completed the UCAS process in the past have reflected on how these changes would have been beneficial to their own university application experience.

“The personal statement was definitely the most troubling part of the UCAS process,” Luke, a second-year student, told The Saint.

“If [UCAS] had made it more structured, I would have had a lot less stress during the end of schooling”.

International students here at the University of St Andrews are also welcoming the change. “I found the personal statement difficult because it was nothing like what I had to do for applications in my own country,” Emily, a first-year international student, said.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of tutors I found who had done UCAS before. We had regular meetings just to make sure my statement would be competitive. It added a lot of stress”.

The personal statement section is only the start for changes in the UCAS process; references and grade reporting are also being altered based on feedback provided by those involved.

UCAS have announced changes to the academic referee portion of the application, similar to changes being made within the personal statement section. Instead of a free text approach where referees are given the opportunity to promote their students’ prospects, referees are given “three structured questions” to answer, so that providers are more able to find information required for selections.

The three questions relate to the school or college of the applicant, extenuating circumstances that may affect the applicant’s performance, and a final section to provide any information that the referee “thinks that universities/colleges should be made aware of”.

‘Entry Grade Reports’ are also being built into the UCAS online platform. The feature will make it easier for students to locate courses where entry would be achievable based on their secondary school grades. According to the Future of Undergraduate Admissions Report, “these reports will give visibility of the range of grade profiles that have been accepted for entry to courses over a five-year period”.

UCAS are welcoming ongoing input from both students and providers on the proposed changes. Surveys and opportunities for input are available on the UCAS website.

The University of St Andrews declined to comment on the changes to the application process.

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1 comentario

It would be difficult for me to write such a personal statement. Quite recently, I asked https://residencypersonalstatements.net/ for help in writing one. And I think I still would.

Former official told investigators Trump had 'no standing declassification order' regarding documents, filing says

Trump has said a "standing order" declassified documents taken to his residence.

Prosecutors in former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case said in court filings that a former Trump administration official told investigators that Trump, as president, had "no standing declassification order" regarding documents in his possession.

The filings, which are part of special counsel Jack Smith's response to a Trump legal team motion to compel discovery in the case, include notes from prosecutors' interview with a former administration official who the special counsel says "refused recording of the interview." The interview subject stated that having the interview recorded was a "far bigger risk for him in the Trump world," according to FBI notes on the interview, which were included in the filing.

The FBI notes, known as a 302, are heavily redacted, obscuring the name of the former official, who is only identified as Per[son] 16, with several pages blacked out in their entirety.

MORE: Judge denies Trump's bid to have classified documents case tossed based on Presidential Records Act

The former official, who had "free access to [Trump] and the Oval Office, and was in the Oval Office daily," told prosecutors there was "no standing declassification order," and that they had "never heard of that while in the White House."

After the FBI raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022 and retrieved more than 100 additional documents with classified markings, Trump's team issued a statement to one media outlet claiming that, while still in office, Trump had issued "a standing order that documents removed from the Oval Office and taken to the residence were deemed to be declassified the moment he removed them."

Trump was subsequently indicted last June on 37 criminal counts related to his handling of classified materials after leaving the White House, after prosecutors said he repeatedly refused to return hundreds of documents containing classified information ranging from U.S. nuclear secrets to the nation's defense capabilities, and took steps to thwart the government's efforts to get the documents back. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

While the new court filings do not change the narrative established in the special counsel's indictments, they offer a glimpse into the kinds of evidence Smith is prepared to bring to trial, including detailed testimony from Trump White House insiders.

In late October or early November of 2021, nearly a year before a search warrant for Mar-a-Lago was issued, the former official appealed to Trump to return government records, according to the filings.

"Whatever you have, give it all back," the 302 quotes the former official saying they told Trump.

The former official described an effort get multiple people close to Trump, including his children, to tell him, "There are issues with the boxes. They belong to the government, talk to your dad about giving them back. It's not worth the aggravation."

By late November of 2021, the warnings grew more stark, the former official told investigators. The former official describes telling Trump, who was dressed in golf attire, "Whatever you have, give everything back. Don't give them a reason to indict you, because they will."

Trump responded with a "weird 'you're the man' type of response," the former official told investigators.

A separate exhibit filed with the government's response details an FBI interview about the National Archives and Records Administration's efforts to locate missing government records, including letters from President Obama and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

MORE: Despite Trump's claims, experts say there's no 'magic wand' for a president to declassify documents

That interview, with another former Trump administration official whose name is redacted but is identified as "Per[son] 40," describes how Trump was "fond of certain documents," including the North Korean letters.

That official took detailed notes about records management during the Trump administration, and those notes describe another Trump White House official, only identified as Per[son] 14, stating that the former president did not "trust the system."

During a conversation in which Person 40 brought up that boxes of documents Trump kept in his residence need to go NARA, Person 14 responded, "NARA and what army?"

Person 40's notes, according to the new filings, describe Trump's "habits" of handling documents in the White House, "which included destroying, tearing them up and/or throwing them away," and indicated that those habits did not change when they became known publicly after being published in a Politico story.

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Exclusive: Nawaz Modi Opens Up About Why Gautam Singhania Wants To Remove Her From Board

• New Delhi ,
• Apr 25, 2024,
• Updated Apr 25, 2024, 7:33 PM IST

Nawaz Modi Singhania makes exclusive statements regarding her claims of being removed from the board of the Raymond group. According to company law, Modi asserts that her removal as director is not easy. She denies any wrongdoing, stating, 'No black marks; I have fulfilled my roles and duties.' The major shareholder and promoter, Gautam, has lost confidence in her, alleging that she has been calling out his misdeeds and accusing him of using the company as his personal fiefdom. Additionally, she reveals the challenging working style of Gautam Singhania, making it difficult for people to attend board meetings. Listen to the exclusive conversation

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