Engineering @ Emmanuel, Cambridge in 2015

Interview format

2x interviews (1 hr each), 1x test

Interview content

Generic physics and maths questions; some Engineering-specific questions

Best preparation

Mock interviews; summer school

Final thoughts

Try your best, you can't know how it went

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

My first activity was the TSA test done in a computer room. This was followed by 2 interviews around an hour each, where I had two interviewers. They were both fairly similar in format with generic maths and physics questions.

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

The interviews mostly consisted of generic physics and maths questions. The topics included graph plotting, refraction, pivot points. Other topics included physical turbine blades in jet engines and and the flight of paper aeroplanes. I also had to give a talk on my chosen topic (Nuclear energy) for around 5 minutes and was asked some questions on this.

How did you prepare?

I used online practice questions and my physics teacher gave me a mock interview. I also went to a summer school at Cambridge which gave some advice.

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

It is very difficult to tell if the interview has gone well or not, so if you try your best that is all you can do.