How to Ace an Oxford or Cambridge Interview: Complete 2025 Guide
While most UK universities make admissions decisions based on grades and personal statements, Oxford and Cambridge add one more crucial hurdle: the interview. Oxbridge uses a different teaching method than what you're used to in high school, requiring interviews to assess whether you will thrive in their intensive one-on-one teaching environment. The interview is the most critical part of your application because it directly tests your ability to think, discuss, and learn in the same way you'll be expected to as a student. This makes the interview your best opportunity to prove you're not just academically capable, but genuinely suited to their unique educational approach.
What is a Tutorial or Supervision?
To understand why Oxford and Cambridge emphasise the interview, it is important to be familiar with the distinctive small-group teaching style at Oxford and Cambridge. Both universities employ small-group teaching sessions, known as ‘supervisions’ in Cambridge, and ‘tutorials’ in Oxford, but they are essentially the same system.
In these sessions, students are placed in groups of 2-3, where they sit with an academic who reviews their essays, problem sheets, and discusses lecture material with them. STEM students might spend 3-4 hours a week in these sessions, correcting questions set in problem sheets. Social sciences and humanities students might spend their tutorial or supervision time discussing reading material set by the lecturer, or refining an essay. With the small group sizes, these sessions are known to be intellectually intense because you get individual attention from academics. These sessions demand that students have novel approaches, critical thinking under time pressure, and defend their ideas. These are exactly the skills that can’t be assessed through grades alone.
The Oxbridge interview is therefore designed as a preview of the tutorial/supervision system. Applicants are presented with unfamiliar material, and the interviewer assesses the applicant’s ability to navigate these concepts and problems using knowledge they already have from A-level/IB.
What to expect from your Oxford or Cambridge Interview?
Oxbridge interviews vary in format and style by subject, and in this guide we will discuss tips for success, as well as a few examples from different subjects.
Interviews are roughly 25 minutes long and held with one or two academics, who will ask you increasingly difficult questions related to your subject. Your task is then to work through the questions posed to you.
A maths applicant might be given a problem like: "How many ways can you arrange the letters in the word 'MATHEMATICS'?" The interviewer would expect you to work through this step-by-step, considering repeated letters (M, A, T appear twice each) and explaining your reasoning aloud. Likewise, an english literature applicant might be presented with an unseen poem or prose extract and asked: "What strikes you most about this piece?" After your initial response, the interviewer might probe deeper: "How does the author's use of imagery here compare to what you've seen in your A-level/IB texts?" They're looking for your ability to analyse, make connections, and develop ideas under pressure.
Interview Tips for Success
Be familiar with your syllabus
It is of utmost importance to be familiar with the material in your A-level or IB syllabus so you can navigate the unfamiliar interview questions with ease. With terms at Oxford and Cambridge giving you significantly more material to learn than you have in school, you have to demonstrate that you can grasp the A-level/IB material taught to you so far.
Think out loud
Surprisingly, the interviewers are not necessarily interested in whether you arrive at the correct final answer. They are more interested in how you think and the logic behind your methods. The way interviewers assess this is by taking note of your steps, and how you arrive at your conclusions. They cannot understand your thought process if you are silent throughout the interview!
For a STEM interview, if you are presented with a problem and take a direction that’s not quite helpful, your interviewer will nudge you in the correct direction. This is another reason why it’s imperative that you think out loud, so that the interviewer can guide you.
For a humanities or social sciences interview, your interviewer might discuss new viewpoints with you, or help you learn new concepts. You are then assessed by how well you pick up the new material, and how you think through it.
Show enthusiasm
Interviewers are not only searching for the most capable applicants, they are also looking for the most enthusiastic because they are the most likely to enjoy and excel in their course. The personal statement is one way admissions tutors assess enthusiasm, by checking how deeply you engage in your subject outside of the classroom. Another way is by assessing how you handle the questions in the interview. Do you seem genuinely stimulated by the questions posed to you? Can you think beyond the question itself, perhaps extend the challenge even more? Oxford and Cambridge are known for their academic intensity, interviewers need to know that you not only feel comfortable in this setting, but enjoy and thrive in it.
Practice, practice, practice
There is no better way to prepare than to practice. You will also likely be nervous during your interview, and this could hinder your performance when you are in front of the interviewer. You might therefore find it helpful to recreate the interview environment as accurately as you can. Some ways you can do this is by kindly asking an unfamiliar teacher to conduct interview practice with you.
Practice Interview Questions
The best way to prepare is to practice interview-style questions, ideally with another person, preferably a teacher or older student, who can act as your interviewer.
However, a difficulty with practising is access to quality interview questions. A quality interview question should:
Use accessible concepts for A-level/IB students
Be difficult enough to require time to contemplate a solution
Have hints in case the student requires a nudge in the correct direction
Below are some example interview questions for various popular subjects.
Example Interview Questions
Physics
You have a cube where the edges consist of wires. Each edge also has a resistor of resistance R. What is the total resistance between two opposite vertices of the cube?
Chemistry
Design an organic molecule that would be liquid at room temperature, insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol. Explain your reasoning.
Biology
Some organisms (like certain jellyfish and trees) appear to be biologically immortal, while others age and die. From an evolutionary perspective, explain why aging might actually be advantageous.
History
The concept of "The Renaissance" is a later invention - people living in 15th century Italy didn't know they were in "the Renaissance." What does this tell us about how we understand historical periods?
Engineering
A water fountain shoots water at 45° to reach maximum horizontal distance. If the water speed is 10 m/s, calculate the maximum range. Then determine what angle would be needed to hit a target 6 m away at the same height.
Medicine
General anesthesia can render a patient completely unconscious, yet we don't fully understand how consciousness arises from brain activity. What does this tell us about the relationship between medical practice and scientific understanding?
“Do you have any questions for us?”
Interviewers will almost certainly ask if you have any questions for them at the end of your session. This moment is more important than many candidates realise because it's your final opportunity to demonstrate genuine intellectual curiosity and engagement with your subject.
Why this question matters:
Shows you've been actively listening and thinking during the interview
Demonstrates authentic interest in the subject beyond just getting in
Reveals whether you can think beyond the immediate task to broader implications
What makes a good question:
Connect to your interview: Reference something discussed earlier - "You mentioned earlier that [concept X] - I'm curious how this relates to [recent development Y]?"
Show deeper thinking: Ask about implications, extensions, or connections to other areas
Demonstrate research awareness: Show you know about current developments in the field
Be genuinely curious: Ask something you actually want to know, not what you think sounds impressive
Examples of strong questions:
After a physics interview: "When we discussed quantum mechanics earlier, it made me wonder - are there any practical applications being developed now that might change how we approach engineering problems?"
After a history interview: "Our discussion about primary sources made me think about how social media might be changing the nature of historical evidence for future historians - is this something current researchers are considering?"
After a medicine interview: "You mentioned the complexity of diagnosis - I'm curious how artificial intelligence tools are being integrated into medical education here?"
What to avoid:
Generic questions you could ask anyone ("What's it like studying here?")
Questions easily answered by the website ("How many students are in each year?")
Questions that suggest you haven't prepared ("What exactly do you study in this course?")
Overly complex questions designed to show off rather than explore
Remember: the best questions often arise naturally from the conversation you've just had. Stay engaged throughout your interview, and you'll likely find yourself genuinely curious about something worth exploring further.
Final Thoughts
The Oxbridge interview is unlike any other academic assessment you'll encounter. It's not about demonstrating what you already know, it's about showing how you think, how you handle intellectual challenges, and how you engage with ideas that push you beyond your comfort zone.
The reality of interview preparation: Success in Oxbridge interviews requires extensive practice with unfamiliar questions, and there truly is no substitute for this practice. Much like any other skill, interviewing is a skill that can be developed, refined, and mastered. The questions in this guide represent just the beginning of what you'll need to tackle.
How First Class Education Can Help
Excelling in your Oxford or Cambridge interview requires insider knowledge and personalised guidance. Our all-Oxbridge team of consultants brings years of experience helping students by offering coaching for this crucial stage in the admissions process.
Why expert guidance makes the difference: While practice questions and general advice provide a foundation, navigating the Oxbridge admissions process successfully requires personalised preparation. Every student has different strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. The most effective preparation involves:
Tailored practice sessions that address your specific subject
Expert feedback on your reasoning and communication style
Strategies for managing interview nerves and performing under pressure
Our Oxford and Cambridge interview coaching:
Mock interview sessions with our Oxbridge consultants who have years of experience preparing applicants for the interview
Personalised feedback so you are aware of areas of improvement
Comprehensive application support because the interview is just one part of your application
