English Literature Admissions Test; 2x interviews.
Interviews: extracts of poems, personal statement.
Going over personal statement and written work, mock interview.
Timed practice papers, practicing reading, annotating and planning.
I actually enjoyed my interviews a lot, they were fun because I love my subject, and you can have fun too!
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
Length of interviews: 45 mins
Online interview: Yes
We started with some extracts of poems, and discussed them, the second half was about my personal statement so make sure you know it! I think it’s good also to verbalise your thought process when they ask you questions, so they can see how you approach a question/ how you think. Remember they will ask you questions that are challenging, it’s meant to be that way so they can see how you approach the unfamiliar and solve problems that are new to you, to stretch your abilities! The interview only really starts when you get into unfamiliar territory, because that’s when they see your true potential as a learner.
Making sure I’m familiar with my personal statement and written work, and having the right mindset of approaching this as an exploration with people who are as passionate about your chosen subject as you are, I also did a
Practice papers in timed conditions, just practising commentary on unseen extracts, don’t always have to be full essays, you can also just practice reading/ annotating/ planning and time yourself to see how long it takes you and how much time you’ll have left to write the actual essay to portion your time.
Remember your passion for the subject, it will naturally shine through, it’s why you’re here! I actually enjoyed my interviews a lot, they were fun because I love my subject, and you can have fun too! Even if you don’t end up getting in the interview itself would have been a worthwhile experience just because you’ll get to have an intellectually stimulating conversation about something you love with people who are experts in their field.