Natural Sciences (Physical) @ Emmanuel, Cambridge in 2022

Interview format

Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment (NSAA), 2x interviews

Interview content

Discussing problem sheets of maths, physics and chemistry questions

Best preparation

Practicing answering example questions, going over personal statement

Test preparation

Practice papers, including on PhysicsandMathsTutor.com

Final thoughts

Give yourself time to process the question and show your passion

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

Test taken: Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment (NSAA)
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: 10 minutes
Length of interviews: Roughly 20-30 minutes
Online interview: Yes

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

In all my interviews, we discussed a problem sheet and had to talk through and solve a selection of problems in maths, physics and chemistry. I felt pretty nervous to start with but after the first few questions, I settled in and was more relaxed. The interviewers were mostly very patient and supportive and helped me whenever I got a bit stuck.

How did you prepare for your interviews?

I prepared for the interviews by finding example questions online and practicing how I would answer them. Also, I re-read my personal statement to make sure I could confidently discuss everything I talked about.

Furthermore, I asked my physics and chemistry teachers if I could do a practice interview with them so that they could give me feedback and advice on how to improve.

If you took a test, how did you prepare?

I prepared by doing practice papers online and by trying to do challenging questions. I found practice papers on PhysicsandMathsTutor.com

What advice would you give to future applicants?

My advice would be to give yourself time to process the question and think carefully about your answer. Also, you should try and allow your passion for the subject to show. Don't get too stressed or downbeat if you're struggling to answer a question and listen carefully to the interviewers as they will often give you clues that will help you.