No admissions test; 1 interview
Questions about personal statement and a previous project; question about a current political issue
Went over personal statement and submitted work
N/A; no test taken
Know your personal statement and submitted work like the back of your hand
Remember this advice isn't official. There is no guarantee it will reflect your experience because university applications can change between years. Check the official Cambridge and Oxford websites for more accurate information on this year's application format and the required tests.
Also, someone else's experience may not reflect your own. Most interviews are more like conversations than tests and like, any conversation, they are quite interactive.
Test taken: None
Number of interviews: 1
Length of interviews: 35-40 minutes
Online interview: Yes
The interview was very relaxed as the first ten minutes I was asked about specific interests of mine - of which I drew upon my personal statement examples. I was asked some more wider questions about my personal statement and what I had learnt about the things I had completed.
I had done a research project on Universal basic income and was asked about the methods that were employed in Finland (for a trial) and whether I thought they could be applied in the UK and other nations around the world. This brought in my sociological knowledge of research methods and really pushed my ability to apply existing knowledge to new situations.
I was then asked about an issue in US politics and generally asked about my current awareness of it and linked my answer to a couple of readings I had completed.
I annotated my personal statement with further readings around the topic I was discussing. I also provided any extra information and counter arguments to develop my personal statement. I also made links to present day issues that can be applied from what I had spoken about in my statement.
I had to submit two pieces of extended writing (essays) so I re-read them and provided more nuanced and developed points, as well as alternative arguments that could have been raised. I also linked this to advanced readings to help develop my arguments further.
I would definitely advise future applicants to know your personal statement like the back of your hand. Do not memorise answers and don’t sound rehearsed.
Definitely annotate your personal statement and for social sciences and humanities, definitely try to link to current affairs and/ or your profound interests.
Re read your submitted essays and think about any extra points you could’ve made and find readings to expand on these.