Natural Sciences (Biological) @ Emmanuel, Cambridge in 2018

Interview format

2x interviews (30 mins)

Interview content

Based on personal statement

Best preparation

Mock interviews

Final thoughts

Don't let the application process put you off

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 arrived a bit early and was shown where to go (amazing porters being friendly) then I was told to wait with some second or third years in the JCR. Following that, after biscuits and tea provided free, one of the higher years took me to my first interview, they were a bit behind so I waited a while and the person who showed me there waited and put me at ease.

I then sat down when I went in and was asked a series of questions by the two interviewers. This lasted perhaps 30 mins I cannot be sure. Then I was taken back at the end and waited again in the JCR. This repeated and after my second interview of the same format I was allowed home.

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

Hard to remember, generally perhaps a small question from my personal statement then a second one which either came up due to conversation or was something the interviewer wanted to ask.

How did you prepare?

Mock interviews!

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

Don't let the interview or the admissions assessments be so scary they prevent you from applying.