When you submit your application to UCAS we run your personal statement through sophisticated software which compares it to other sources, such as previously submitted personal statements, websites, and books.
If we detect any similarities between your statement and these sources, we alert you and the universities or colleges you have applied to. We produce a report showing the passages of text we have identified as being similar, and pass this on to the universities. It is then up to them how they respond, and they may contact you to discuss the report.
If you have previously applied and used the same personal statement, our software will highlight this – but it will recognise you are applying again and discount any similarities with your previous statement. We will not contact you or the universities or colleges about this. So, if your have been sent a similarity report it means your statement has matched other sources.
For general enquiries about similarity reports, please contact us or email [email protected].