Diversity Statement Examples + Builder (and What Replaced It)
What a diversity statement is, which universities stopped requiring them, how to write one or its replacements (service and contributions statements), with a free builder.
By Onward ScoutPublished 2 min read
Free tool · runs in your browser
Diversity, contributions or service statement builder
List what you have done to support students and colleagues of all backgrounds and what you would do next. Get a statement skeleton that works whether the posting asks for a diversity, contributions or service statement.
Nothing you type here is uploaded or stored by Onward Scout; the tool runs entirely in your browser.
A diversity statement describes what you understand about barriers in your field, what you have done to support students and colleagues of all backgrounds, and what you would do next. Fewer universities require one than a few years ago, and many have replaced it with service or contributions statements. The builder above produces a skeleton that works for all three.
Are diversity statements still required?
In short
At some institutions, yes, but fewer than before. Several major universities have dropped them since 2024, often replacing them with service, contributions or teaching-and-advising statements. Read each posting literally and write the statement it names.
The shift has been fast. In March 2025, the University of California said it will no longer require diversity statements for faculty applicants[CalMatters via Stocktonia], according to a letter from the system's provost. A year earlier, Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences replaced its requirement with a service statement and a teaching and advising statement required only from finalists in a search[The Harvard Crimson].
What should a diversity statement include?
In short
Three parts: what you understand about specific barriers in your field, what you have done with measurable results, and concrete plans tied to the institution's existing programs. Committees score evidence, not values language.
| Part | Weak version | Strong version |
|---|---|---|
| Understanding | "I value diversity." | "First-generation students often leave engineering after first-year math." |
| Actions | "I support all students." | "I ran a bridge workshop for 30 students; 26 stayed in the major." |
| Plans | "I will continue this work." | "I'd extend the workshop through your learning community." |
How do you write a strong diversity statement example?
In short
Lead with a specific observation from your field, then describe two or three actions with numbers, then name a plan that uses something the institution already has. Keep it to what you have done and will do; avoid statements that could appear in any application.
Evidence-first writing also travels well when the format changes. If the posting asks for a service or contributions statement instead, your actions section usually fits with only the framing changed. That is why the builder includes a "different statement" section.
What should you do if the posting asks for something else?
In short
Write exactly the statement named: service, contributions, teaching and advising, or diversity. Reuse your evidence, rewrite the opening and plans in the posting's language, and keep within its length. A statement that answers a different question than the one asked looks careless.
Search committees still value mentoring and service; they now often ask about it under other names. In a large audit study of more than 6,500 professors, faculty were significantly more responsive to White male students than to other students asking about future mentoring[Milkman, Akinola and Chugh, 2015], which is one reason committees ask how applicants support all students. Present your record with the same evidence in your teaching statement, and keep your research statement consistent with it.
Frequently asked questions
Are diversity statements still required for faculty jobs?
Less often than before. The University of California and Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences have dropped them, and many institutions now ask for service, contributions or teaching-and-advising statements instead. Always check the posting.
What should a diversity statement include?
What you understand about barriers in your field, what you have actually done with results, and specific plans at the institution you are applying to. Evidence matters more than values language.
How long should a diversity statement be?
Usually one to two pages, or the limit in the posting.
Can I reuse my diversity statement as a service statement?
Largely, yes. Keep the actions and results, and reframe the opening and plans around the wording the new posting uses.
Find academic openings and keep your evidence ready
Onward Scout keeps your teaching, mentoring and service evidence in one sourced profile, finds postdoc and fellowship openings that fit it, and drafts the CV and research statement each one asks for, for you to edit and approve. Check each posting for the exact statement it names.
Nothing is submitted without your tap. Logins, CAPTCHAs, payments and interviews stay with you.