2 x 30-45 mins, CAT
Latin translation; submitted essay discussion, Greek choral hymn
Practice talking to other people in detail about Classics, read, essay competitions, talks
Grammar and vocab revision, Latin translation practice, past papers
They want to get a sense of how you think and respond to information, not quiz you on what facts you can memorise.
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: Classics Admissions Test (
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: A day
Length of interviews: 30-45 minutes
Online interview: No
In one interview I was given a piece of Latin to translate (I'm a 1b student). Dont worry about not knowing things - just give it your best try, think out loud, and keep going. In the other interview we talked about something from one of the essays I submitted, and then I was given a translation of a Greek choral hymn to read and we had a chat about the nature of ancient religion. Try to articulate your own thoughts and explain/justify them, but also remain open-minded and responsive to what the tutors are saying - the tutors want to see that you're teachable in a tutorial format, which is basically what the interviews are.
Practice talking to other people in detail about Classics (including people you don't know as well, not just peers or family members - ask teachers if they can help), read extensively, get involved in as much as possible related to your subject, e.g. essay competitions, attending talks, mentoring within school, etc. Try to think critically about everything you read or hear and develop your own opinions.
Grammar and vocab revision, Latin translation practice, past papers
Please don't feel like you have to know everything and be perfectly polished. Oxbridge interviews aren't really that "interview" like - it's more like a sample tutorial than a verbal interrogation, and approaching it this way will make you relax into it more and probably come across as a better candidate. They want to get a sense of how you think and respond to information, not quiz you on what facts etc. you can memorise.