Modern And Medieval Languages @ Girton, Cambridge in 2014

Interview format

2x interviews (15 mins) plus 1 test (1 hour)

Interview content

Unseen poem; culture & history related to the language

Best preparation

Extra reading

Final thoughts

Not that I can think of!

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

I had 2 15-minute interviews (one per language) and written testin French (about an hour)

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

I was given a poem to discuss for the French interview, but we discussed other topics. In the German interview we discussed history among other topics. I was quite nervous but the interviewers were friendly, offering water if I needed it.

How did you prepare?

I read The Stranger by Albert Camus alongside two short histories of France and Germany for my interview. I also ensured that my French skills were as good as they could be.

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

Not that I can think of.