2 x 20 min interviews and ELAT
Shakespeare and the wider reading within my personal statement, discussing pre-reading, poetry and the Victorians
Mock interviews, talking to friends
Practice papers under timed conditions
Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t understand something. What matters is that you are open to learning new things, persevering through challenges, and genuine about your love for your subject.
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: 2
Time between interviews: About 3 hours
Length of interviews: 20 minutes
Online interview: No
The first interview focused mainly on Shakespeare and the wider reading within my personal statement. Half of my time was spent discussing a text that I had been given 20 minutes beforehand (it was an excerpt from Richard II) and after that, we discussed what makes Shakespeare stand out compared to other writers, why some of his characters are more famous than others, ambiguity in his texts, how that has been interpreted through the ages, etc. It sounds stressful but it was really just a fun and challenging conversation between three people who really love literature. My second interview focused more on poetry and the Victorians, with one modern poem to analyse and the last 10 minutes used to discuss Oscar Wilde, Mary Shelley, and the similarities between them. It was definitely the more intimidating interview with more of a rapid-fire approach but I backed my arguments up with evidence (not stubbornly though!) and changed my views when confronted with opposing evidence. The most important thing to remember is that there is no “right” answer and no one will ever try to catch you out. It’s only a couple of conversations. Just try to relax, have fun, and be yourself.
I had a couple of
Practice papers under timed conditions
The most important thing is to be honest. Not only will the interviews go much smoother if you don’t have to keep track of the exaggerations you’ve told, but it will be so much easier to show your passion if you are being authentic. Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t understand something or don’t like something - I openly expressed my dislike for poetry and love of Love Island and because I was honest, it didn’t matter! What matters is that you are open to learning new things, persevering through challenges, and genuine about your love for your subject.