UK Personal & EU Motivation statements

UCAS is the portal for applicants applying to the United Kingdom, however it may be helpful for you to create an account on UCAS Hub and to use the “Personal Statement Builder” and the “Personal Statement Guides” to write your motivation letter.    Note: You do not apply to the Netherlands or other European universities through UCAS Hub. Creating an account is simply to access the UCAS Hub resources that will assist you when writing your motivation letter.    
  1. Click on Create Your UCAS Hub Today.
  2. Click the “Get Started” tab.
  3. Click “Register” and fill in the following information: email, first/last name, password.
  4. Verify your account (email sent to you). Exercise patience and wait for this email to come through your inbox.
  Complete a few more steps:
  1. Select “2025” (as the start year of your studies).
  2. Select “Undergraduate” (as your level of studies you would like to pursue).
  3. Select “Uruguay” (as your place of current residence).
  Complete “Your Preferences” section:
  1. Make sure you select one subject (or more) of interest and complete required fields. 
  2. Select your school by typing in: Uruguayan American School,Uruguay.
  3. Click “Create account.”
  4. You will see: “Welcome to your Hub”  (this is a brand new feature).
  5. Click: Go to my Hub” (a wealth of resources for you!)
  To begin on your Personal Statement, follow these steps:  
  1. Scroll down to “Personal Statement Builder.” Click on Personal Statement Guides to learn about how to write a personal statement tailored to your selected subject(s).
  2. Click on “Continue Writing” within the “Personal Statement Builder” to begin answering questions and building your statement. 
 

Additional information about writing motivation letters found below: 

  Motivation statements or letters, please read below:   Generally speaking, motivation statements are similar to personal statements but do have different guidelines in order to “hit the mark”:  
  1. Spend more time discussing your future goals than you do talking about your past experiences
 
  1. In a motivation letter, you’re meant to answer a lot of ‘why’ questions (why you are applying, why should they look at you, why did you do that internship, why did you choose your IB course, etc)
 
  1. If it is a “letter” then you start it out as you would a letter:  Dear Admissions Committee”….
  Specifically, students will be asked to answer questions such as:  
  • Why are you applying for this specific degree programme? Why is this the right time for you to be applying?
 
  • What do you hope to do in the future (i.e. career goals) and how is it connected with this degree?
 
  • What are your specific interests on this subject? Do you have a specific area you would like to research, or a topic you would like to explore?
 
  • What is so special about the programme you’re applying to, and what do they offer you? Show here that you’ve thought carefully about the school you’re applying to and the people who are there.
 
  • What makes you the perfect candidate for this programme? This is where you talk a bit about yourself, your life, your experiences, and your abilities that have shaped the kind of student you are.
  Click here to get a few more ideas about the difference between motivation letter and personal statement.