Modern And Medieval Languages @ Clare, Cambridge in 2018

Interview format

3x interviews (20 mins); 1x test (1hr)

Interview content

Texts mentioned in personal statement, unseen passage discussion and translation, why I chose the subject.

Best preparation

Langfocus and other youtube channels, looking at books specifically about grammar.

Final thoughts

Getting an oxbridge offer requires hard work and dedication.

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.

Interview Format

Day 1: Interview for post A-Level Spanish (20 minutes), interview for Ab-Initio Russian (20 minutes) and written assessment (1 hour) in Spanish and English.

Day 2: two interviewers each time, 5 minutes speaking in Spanish and everything else English.

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

Spanish: Literature from my personal statement was discussed, we discussed an unseen passage, & also why I picked both languages for the degree. Ab-Initio language: an unseen translation as a way to see how much I had already taught myself pre-interview.

How did you prepare?

YouTube videos on learning languages, the LangFocus channel especially, using books on grammar and general hard work after homework and revision throughout the term approaching interview.

Looking back, what advice would you give to your past self?

Work hard for everything you do. The reality is that people who are motivated and work hard will have a better chance of getting in. Oxbridge offers and A-level grades especially are not handed out on platters. They are the product of dedication and effort.