Human, Social, and Political Sciences (HSPS) Interview-style Questions

Note: Oxford and Cambridge do not publicly release any interview questions because they often reuse questions across application cycles. Below are interview-style questions of suitable difficulty that will help you prepare for your Oxbridge interview.

Question 1

What can studying indigenous cultures teach us about modern society?

Question 2

Does the welfare state trap people into poverty?

Question 3

Is there essentially any difference between taxation and the state taking away one of your arms?

Question 4

Why is there not a global government?

Question 5

How do you measure the success of a political voting system?

Question 6

What is freedom and how do you measure it?

Interview Tips

  • Think out loud: The interviewer will be assessing your ability to think through complex problems. They can only do this if they know your thought process.

  • Be familiar with your syllabus: The interviewer can ask you a question from any topic you have been taught already in your A level/IB syllabus.

  • Practice: There is no better way to prepare than to practice.

For comprehensive guidance, visit our Oxbridge Interview Guide.