Architecture @ Gonville & Caius, Cambridge in 2016

Interview format

2x interviews (1x 20 mins, 1x 40 mins); 1x test (1 hour)

Interview content

General interview; we discussed my motivations to study Architecture and extracurriculars. Subject interview; we discussed my personal statement, work experience, portfolio, and building plans.

Best preparation

Talk about your portfolio with someone, read up on your favourite architects, do as many mock interviews as you can.

Final thoughts

Eat dinner in college, don't let people intimidate you, try and enjoy yourself.

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

On day 1 there was a pre-interview exam. It was an hour long, with half an hour of drawing and half an hour of a written essay answer. Mock papers are available online and I would strongly recommend future applicants look at these. The test took place in the college, we were escorted there from the JCR by student helpers.

On day 2 I had a 20 minute general interview with someone unrelated to the course. It took place in a building in town, a student helper from the college walked me there. I also had a 40 minute subject specific interview with 2 people from the Architecture department. It took place within the college but again a student helper walked me there.

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

In the general interview the questions were more vague, the interviewer asked about my motivations to study architecture and about any extracurriculars. The interviewer was very friendly and put me at ease.

In the subject interview the questions focussed on my personal statement and my work experience. I was given a plan and section of a building to discuss, and the interviewers looked through my portfolio. It was a little bit more intense as there were two interviewers but one of them stayed mostly quiet, I found this interview more enjoyable as there was more of an opportunity to discuss the subject directly.

How did you prepare?

I talked through my portfolio with my art teacher before so I knew I was confident talking about my own work. Having more than one work experience placement was really helpful too as it gave me lots to talk about. Read up on the people interviewing you so you know their fields of expertise. Read up on your favourite buildings and architects or anyone particularly influential so you can discuss their work. My 6th form offered mock interviews which was really useful. Definitely do as many of these as you can!

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

If you're staying overnight, eat dinner in college - it's a fun way to meet everyone but don't let people intimidate you. I was kinda intimidated by all the private school kids there applying for Architecture and thought I didn't stand a chance of getting in coming from state school but guess what, none of them got the offers in the end so just go and enjoy it! Try and enjoy the actual interview too, it's scary but it's sort of a once in a lifetime experience and you get to talk to really interesting people about a subject you love.