2 x 25-30 min interviews and TSA
The inorganic and physical ones were based on a list of questions (problem sheet), whereas the organic interview was a bit more flexible. I was asked to write and rationalise a mechanism of my choice
Chemistry Olympiad and A-Level chemistry textbooks
Past Papers for the TSA
Enter the interview room thinking that you are going to have a chat about something you love and are interested in
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: Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA)
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: I think I had each interview on a different day.
Length of interviews: 25-30 mins
Online interview: No
I had two interviews, one in inorganic chemistry and one in physical and organic chemistry. The inorganic and physical ones were based on a list of questions (problem sheet), whereas the organic interview was a bit more flexible. I was asked to write and rationalise a mechanism of my choice. I was quite nervous and felt I wasn't doing great, but in all interviews, I was pushed to look beyond what I already considered when reading the topics discussed and soon curiosity took over. I would say I enjoyed my interviews, even though I was sure I had done badly.
I used some quite basic A-Level textbooks to make sure I have all the knowledge I needed. I had quite an in-depth knowledge of the topic because I was a contestant in the Chemistry Olympiad in my country. I don't think this is a must, but it made me more confident in my knowledge because I was used with being in a competitive environment.
I'd advice them to make sure they do this out of passion for their subject and not to forget that during the more stressful parts of their application. If I had entered the interview room just thinking that I was going to have a chat about something I love, I would have been able to relax more and enjoy everything more too.