3 x 20-25 min interviews, ELAT and MLAT
Discussing a source then personal statement
I watched lots of YouTube videos and watched documentaries, along with speaking to teachers, using textbooks, lots of brainstorming ideas and making connections between what I'd learned so far
Practice papers
Be yourself in the interviews, they want to see how you think and they know the sort of person who will flourish at Oxford so trust their judgement and try to enjoy this once in a lifetime experience!
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: English Literature Admissions Test (
Number of interviews: 3
Time between interviews: 45 minutes
Length of interviews: 20-25 minutes
Online interview: No
All of mine started with discussing a source (e.g. poem) which lasted half of the interview and the second half was spent discussing 1 or 2 things from my personal statement (e.g. a book/play I'd read). The tutors were lovely on the whole even if a couple weren't as warm but somehow I managed to get through them feeling fairly comfortable. Don't be worried about doing something embarrassing. In one of mine, I almost tripped up the step going out of the room and in another I almost sat in my interviewer's seat! This clearly didn't spoil my chances of getting a place! In terms of the rooms, they were quite grand, with lots of books, big sofa in on of the rooms. I relaxed into the interviews even though there were a couple of times where I couldn't remember a character from a book for example and I felt stupid. But do not feel stupid!! They helped me along and it felt like they had my back. I had an extra interview at another college, which is where I got a place. This might throw you but just think of the extra opportunity you have. The interviews for me went by so fast! I remember thinking of all the things I could have said after my interviews but then decided to focus on the positive and the privilege of even being among such intelligent tutors/lecturers!
I watched lots of YouTube videos and watched documentaries, along with speaking to teachers, using textbooks, lots of brainstorming ideas and making connections between what I'd learned so far. Make it fun, choose books to read that interest you and watch programmes that link to your subjects. Explore your passions and it will make talking about them in your interviews much easier!
All the practice papers, multiple times for some! Also, my teachers were more than willing to help so once a week I went to them and they gave advice, set work and gave me feedback.
Do something to relax before and after the interviews; don't fill your mind with unnecessary anxieties. Be yourself in the interviews, they want to see how you think and they know the sort of person who will flourish at Oxford so trust their judgement and try to enjoy this once in a lifetime experience! The interviews went by very fast which is nice but make sure during them you take your time to answer thoughtfully. Speak your thoughts but pause for a moment to think if you need. When preparing, practice speaking to the mirror and with others about your subjects. Get accustomed to making links between areas of your subject. Study your personal statement so you are prepared. Take time when you're at Oxford to consider where you are and how far you've come! When they ask you questions, define terms in the question and do not be afraid to ask them what something means or to repeat something. Finally, your interviews are a chance for you to learn - from some of the best!