Psychological And Behavioural Sciences @ Pembroke, Cambridge in 2022

Interview format

2x interviews

Interview content

Interview 1: questions about pre-reading article, then analysing a graph Interview 2: academic discussions on topics including perception and personality

Best preparation

Practice interviews, to practice talking aloud about subject and explaining train of thought

Final thoughts

Explain your thought process in detail and don't be afraid to change your mind

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

Test taken: None
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: 3 hours
Length of interviews:  20-30 minutes
Online interview: Yes

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

I had two interviews which both had a very academic focus. I wasn't asked any questions regarding why I wanted to study PBS or my personal statement.

My first interview included asking me about my thoughts on an article that I had to read prior to the interview and making me analyse a graph I had never seen before.

My second interview included more academic discussions ranging from the topic of perception to that of personality.

My ideas were both challenged as well as supported and directed throughout the interviews and although it was a very nervewracking experience it was also quite enjoyable and interesting.

How did you prepare for your interviews?

I prepared for my interview by doing as many practice interviews as possible. I did this with some external people my school managed to organise for me as well as with some teachers and family members. I found it really useful when it came to the actual interview having practiced answering questions to topics I had never thought about before as well as having practiced explaining my train of thought out loud.

What advice would you give to future applicants?

My advice would be to explain your thought process in far more detail than feels natural instead of just giving the answer you think is right directly. I think the interviewers often want to see how you think and come to conclusions rather than focusing on whether you get the right answer or not.

I would also reassure myself that it is fine to change your mind about something you are saying during the interview. If you realise you no longer agree with something you are saying and have come up with a different conclusion, feel free to share this change of thought