3x15 minute interviews over 3 days
Variety of topics split across the 3
Practice interviews and reading up on things mentioned in personal statement
Don't be afraid to ask questions
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.
Test taken: None
Number of interviews: 3
Time between interviews: A couple of hours between the first two, and then about a day between the last two
Length of interviews: 15 minutes
Online interview: No
My 3 interviews were very different. The first was an interview which was me having a discussion with a tutor at Queen’s about biochemistry in general. I remember I found it very interesting, as she answered biochemistry questions I had! My next one was a general chemistry and mathematics interview that tested those areas. My last one was at another college (Brasenose) and it tested my critical thinking and logic skills.
Firstly, I asked my chemistry teacher for interview advice, and we did two practice interviews which I think really helped me feel comfortable under pressure when it came to the real interview. I then read over my personal statement and made sure that I had a sufficient amount of background knowledge on each subject that I had mentioned. I mentioned how I was interested in insulin on my personal statement - I read up on it a couple of nights before the interview and they did ask me about it (i.e. why it interested me), so it's worth feeling comfortable in being able to talk about anything you mentioned in your personal statement!
My advice would be for potential future Oxford biochemists to think critically and logically during the interview, as they are looking for someone with these skills. Also, don’t be afraid to ask sensible questions! Interviewers will love that you’re inquisitive about the subject. Also, don’t be scared during the interview- it’s your time to shine and show why you deserve to have a place here!