Oxford Interview Preparation | Top Tutors
The Oxford interview is a pivotal part of the admissions journey, designed to assess your depth of understanding and problem-solving abilities. At UniWise, our 1-on-1 Oxford Interview Preparation offers realistic mock interviews, guided by experienced Oxbridge alumni. We tailor our approach to your strengths and areas of improvement, providing expert tips and strategies to enhance your performance.
With UniWise, you’ll receive customised feedback and practical advice, designed to build confidence and help you excel in your interview. Contact us today to find out how we can support you in securing your place at Oxford.
About the Oxford Interview
The Oxford interview is a vital part of the admissions process, designed to assess a candidate’s academic ability, critical thinking skills, and suitability for the chosen course. Here's what you need to know:
1. Timeline
Invitation: Colleges typically send interview invitations between late November and early December.
Interview Period: Interviews are staggered by subject and usually take place in the first 3 weeks of December. Some applicants may have second (or third) interviews with a different college. Refer to this page for the interview timetable.
2. Interview Format
Subject-Specific Discussions: The interview often touches on course-related topics, assessing your passion, depth of understanding, and analytical abilities.
Problem-Solving Tasks: You may be asked to solve problems or work through scenarios relevant to your subject area to demonstrate your thought process.
Critical Thinking and Analysis: Interviewers will engage you in discussions about unfamiliar concepts to evaluate how you interpret information, form arguments, and respond to challenges.
Multiple Sessions: Most candidates have more than 1 interview, often with different interviewers (and colleges).
Preparation Tip: Applicants often receive as little as one week’s notice, so it is crucial to start preparing well in advance. With proper practice and feedback, you will be well-equipped to excel when the invitation arrives.
Examples of Oxford Interview Questions
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Oxford Biochemistry (Molecular and Cellular) Interview Questions
How do amino acids behave in both acidic and basic conditions?
How does blood maintain its pH?
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Why do some habitats support higher biodiversity than others?
Why do many animals have stripes?
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How many litres of blood does your heart pump in your lifetime?
Why do some people have a lower heart rate than others? Is this nature or nurture?
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What makes some chemicals explosive?
How does a glow-stick work?
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What happens when light has to pass through a medium denser than air?
Tidy boxes. You are given 10 boxes, each large enough to contain exactly 10 wooden building blocks, and a total of 100 blocks in 10 different colours. There may not be the same number in each colour, so you may not be able to pack the blocks into the boxes in such a way that each box contains only one colour of block. Show that it is possible to do it so that each box contains at most two different colours.
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Oxford E&M Interview Questions
What is the difference between buying and selling of slaves and the buying and selling of football players?
What is the point of privatisation?
How would you make a hypothetical sandwich stall more profitable?
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How would you design a gravity dam for holding back water?
How small can you make a computer? What are the limiting factors?
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Explain the social behaviour of bees.
What evidence is there that humans are still evolving?
What are the advantages of the Human Genome Project?
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Oxford Law (Jurisprudence) Interview Questions
Where does honesty fit into Law?
Is wearing a school uniform a breach of human rights?
Video: Oxford Law Interview Example
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Can you think of a logical reason why stress concentrates on the bottom of a crack when you stretch a material?
Doping graphite with boron affects conductivity negatively. With this knowledge, what could you dope graphite with to get an improved conductivity?
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Differentiate x^x, then sketch it.
If we have 25 people, what is the likelihood that at least one of them is born each month of the year?
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Oxford Philosophy, Politics and Economics Interview Questions
Do you believe in free will? How far does it extend to - an oyster, for example?
Differentiate between power and authority.
Would it be feasible to have an economy entirely based on the service sector?
Video: Oxford PPE Interview Example
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Sketch cos(x) + sin(x).
Describe a heat engine.
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Oxford Psychology (Experimental) Interview Questions
What are the effects of recreational drugs on the brain?
An experiment appears to suggest Welsh speakers are worse at remembering phone numbers than English speakers. Why?
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Oxford Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics (PPL) Interview Questions
Discuss the origins of phobias?
How do we know if 1 + 1 = 2, if the concept of numbers was in fact ‘invented’ by humans?
Is our language inherently patriarchal?
Videos:
UniWise provides Oxford mock interview practice for most courses. Contact us to learn how we can support your Oxford interview preparation.
Learn From the Best: Oxford Interview Tutors
At UniWise, our 1-on-1 Oxford Interview Preparation programme is tailored to help you excel through realistic Oxford mock interviews and expert guidance. Here's what you can expect:
Targeted Interview Practice: Our consultants provide realistic mock interviews, simulating the exact format and style you’ll encounter. This allows you to practice the right approach to questions, building familiarity and confidence.
Expert Insights: Led by experienced Oxbridge alumni, our consultants offer invaluable tips and tricks to help you navigate complex questions. You will learn effective strategies for structuring responses and showcasing your critical thinking skills.
Personalised Feedback: Each session includes detailed feedback, helping you refine your answers and improve your performance. This iterative process ensures you continually develop the skills needed to stand out.
Flexible Scheduling: We understand the busy schedules of high school students. Our sessions are flexible, allowing students to fit their preparation around schoolwork and other commitments.
Let our Oxbridge alumni consultants give you the competitive edge you need to ace your interview and secure your place.
Frequently Asked Questions
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All members of our interview preparation team are from Oxbridge.
We will assign a suitable interview consultant specific to the course you are applying to.
You may also speak to your Strategy Lead to set you up with multiple interview consultants if you are preparing for more than one interview.
Learn more by visiting Our Team.
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At UniWise, we firmly believe in a personalised approach that focuses on each student’s specific needs and progress. Say goodbye to lazily designed programmes with fixed curriculums - ours has been designed with flexibility in mind.
Our interview consultants will adjust each session’s content and pace according to your understanding of the interview format and performance during mock interviews.
By customising the journey, students receive comprehensive support precisely when and where they require it, optimising their chances of receiving an offer.
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Our programmes are all personalised for each student. Reach out to us anytime to work out a timeline that best suits your needs.
