Word limits for essays, college applications, personal statements and exams, with the rules on what counts and how to plan a piece to the right length.
Academic writing
For 2027 entry, the UCAS personal statement is 4,000 characters including spaces across three questions, with a 350-character minimum per answer. Here's how to count, split and trim it.
Academic writing
The Common App personal essay is capped at 650 words for the 2026–27 cycle. Here are the limits for UC, Coalition and supplemental essays, and how to cut a draft that runs long.
