Oxbridge Guide: Interviews
The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge are the most famous universities in the UK; they are both extremely prestigious and notoriously difficult to gain admittance to, resulting in driven, competitive and aspirational students and graduates.
To support students applying to these universities, we are publishing a series of articles on the admissions and applications process required, the courses available and the universities themselves. In this article, we discuss core elements of the interview process and key methods of preparation.
If your application is shortlisted, you will receive an invitation to interview in mid-late November. The majority of interviews take place in the first three weeks of December.
Interviews for Cambridge will usually occur in one college, in one day.
Interviews for Oxford will occur over a few days and may take place at different colleges.
Interviews in 2020 for courses starting in 2021 will be held online.
Key considerations when responding to interview questions:
Questions are designed to engage your critical thinking faculties and originality of approach. Consider the question carefully before responding and respond with a flowing, logically structured response that answers the question.
If appropriate for your subject, present multiple/alternative interpretations in your response. Flexibility in thinking to consider different perspectives is highly-prized.
Use specific examples as evidence to support your points. Each question is a chance to illustrate your thinking, interests and ideas with specific examples.
Be prepared to be tested to the limits of your ability. Demonstrate that you can perform under pressure by presenting yourself with poise and responding with confident body language and speech.
Key methods of preparation for interview questions:
Develop familiarity with the types of questions asked at Oxbridge interviews, particularly regarding your subject, student personality and lateral thinking.
Develop the ideas that you would like to discuss to show your capability and passion as a scholar. Depending on the question, you have a chance to steer the conversation towards your interests and strengths.
Ensure you understand the theory and application of every concept you mention in your personal statement in detail. Interviewers will base some questions on your personal statement.
Research and read articles and papers around your subjects. Evaluate your opinions on them and why, using evidence to support your claims.
Mimic the interview conditions by developing a list of unseen questions - pick one at random and practise developing a response on the spot.
Practise communicating responses to questions out loud while watching yourself in a mirror to track your body language.
For additional guidance on the types of interview questions in different subjects and perspectives on the interview process from Oxford staff, consult our article “Oxford Interviews“.
You should look presentable for your interview - dress smart but try to ensure you are wearing comfortable clothes to minimise distractions. For online interviews, we recommend being prepared for the call beforehand by ensuring you are in a quiet room with no distractions, a good internet connection, a pencil and notepad in case you need to take notes to develop your thinking for responses (e.g. to note down the question briefly). For face-to-face interviews, we recommend arriving the day before the interview and staying in a hotel overnight to minimise the number of things to consider and concern yourself about.
Ensuring a good night’s rest, a healthy breakfast and a positive attitude should not be underestimated in facing the interview. Although it is a vital component, your performance at interview will be considered in addition to all of the other components of your application.
For more advice or for a free personalised application plan contact our team at info@libraeducation.co.uk.
We hope that this article will provide you with greater preparation for your application to study at the University of Cambridge or the University of Oxford. We wish you success in the next stage of your academic career.