4 x 30 min interviews and ELAT
We talked over/analysed a text for the first half, then talked about what I’d been reading, what I liked, my personal statement
Reading, spoke to a friend who was applying, practised with my teacher and family, made a mind map of things I knew, analysed personal statement
Practise papers, and Oxbridge applications website (like InsideUni, Zero Gravity, and UniPear).
Talk about what interests you, what you want out of a degree here and why you are suited for it.
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: English Literature Admissions Test (
Number of interviews: 4
Time between interviews: Between a few hours to a day
Length of interviews: Half an hour
Online interview: No
We talked over/analysed a text for the first half, then talked about what I’d been reading, what I liked, my personal statement etc. Some of the texts were a bit challenging but I found all the interviewers friendly and approachable.
Spoke to a friend who was applying, practised with my teacher and family, made a mind map of things I knew, analysed personal statement, read stuff! Reading was probably the most helpful.
Practise papers, and Oxbridge applications website (like InsideUni, Zero Gravity, and UniPear). I had no experience beforehand or help from my school so all prep was done by myself.
It’s cliché, but be yourself! Don’t try to paint yourself how you think an Oxbridge student should act. Talk about what interests you, what you want out of a degree here and why you are suited for it. Use all the resources you are given to prep!