Oxbridge admissions prep for tests and Oxbridge interiews

Welcome to our Oxbridge admissions step-by-step guide, encompassing both:

If you are thinking of applying to one of the Oxbridge Colleges then this article is perfect for you!

This is part of our top tips for different types of interview’ series, which includes virtual Interview tips, Oxbridge interview tips and job interview tips. We hope you find this useful and informative.

Our Oxbridge admissions step-by-step guide

1. Do I prefer Oxford University or to Cambridge University?

Your first decision is whether to apply to Oxford University or to Cambridge University. The best online information upon which to base this decision are the Oxbridge websites themselves. So, research both of these Cambridge University and Oxford University.

Aligned with step 1 is

2. Choosing the Right Oxbridge Course

It is important to select your degree course rather than any course at Oxbridge. Or a course with less applicants. Hence one that’s potentially easier to get into than the one you really want. Choose the course you are most passionate about studying too. Rather than the one that’s guaranteed to give you a steady career. Sadly, there are no career guarantees in the modern world.

Search here for other admissions test papers: admissions tests for University entry.

Search here for all the: Oxford admissions tests by subject.

Oxbridge admissions guides:

The Complete University Guide to Oxbridge and the UniGuide to Oxbridge.

3. Visiting Oxbridge Colleges

Now you are well-positioned to visit individual Colleges. This will give you a taste of whether you’d prefer Collegiate life at Cambridge. Or in the smaller town of oxford. Remember that you can only apply to one or the other.

4. How do I write my Personal Statement?

Next, you need to focus on your personal statement. Here’s our useful Personal statement guide to help your Oxbridge application.

5. How do I complete my UCAS application?

Now you are well-positioned to fill out your UCAS application form.

6. Oxbridge Tests

The next step is practising for Oxbridge tests and written work. Please see details and links below for each of the Oxbridge course specific entrance exam requirements.

There are many degree course specific Oxbridge tests, including:

The MAT, TMUA, PAT, ENGAA, NSAA, and BMAT.

7. Passing your Oxbridge Interview

When all that is completed, one has to pass the personal interview.

8. Choosing the right college

Our Oxbridge admissions prep for tests and interviews

Oxbridge study skills tips

Importantly, study skills are techniques that can be learned, usually in a short time, and applied to all or most fields of study. They are therefore separate from strategies that are specific to a particular field of studies such as History or Biology.

Many organisations offer study skills advice, especially for students making the transition from school to University. This includes UCAS which has guides on everything from How to Present an Argument to Time Management and Proofing and Editing Your Work.

Another useful website is Skills You Need. Here you can get information about different types of life skills including leadership skills, personal skills and learning (study) skills.

Furthermore, universities themselves also produce useful guides on Study Skills. See Bristol University’s Study Skills: Hints and Tips and Oxford University’s Study Skills and Training section. The Oxford University guide even includes a YouTube video tutorial on how to manage your time more effectively.

Strong applicants to Cambridge and other competitive universities tend to have explored their chosen subject through wider reading outside the classroom, as well as doing very well in their GCSEs and A-levels. We call this sort of exploration ‘super-curricular’, as it builds on and enhances what you are studying in school.

Super-curricular Oxbridge Resources

Cambridge Super-curricular suggestions
NRICH – Mathematics resources
- stemNRICH – biology, chemistry, physics and engineering
Isaac Physics
Iwanttostudyengineering
STEP support programme – for any aspiring mathematicians or Engineers

School Entance Tests‘ Super-curricular suggestions

This selection of suggested reading lists and resources has been gathered from the Cambridge departmental and College websites, other universities and other sources on the internet. These lists are certainly NOT ‘required reading’ for Cambridge applicants. They simply provide some suggestions for places to start exploring your own interests in your chosen subject independently.

You do not need to engage with any of the specific websites, books, podcasts etc mentioned and can easily find your own alternatives. The following lists are suggestions only.

It is important to read critically by thinking carefully about the arguments, assumptions and evidence presented by the author. Reading is a great way to explore subjects that you find interesting – but there are many other ways to deepen your understanding: investigate your local museums, monuments, galleries and natural features, and think analytically about nature, machinery or the built environment. After the COVID-19 lockdown, perhaps you can visit some of these!

The best thing about super-curricular activities is that there are no exams or deadlines to worry about – you are free to follow your own lines of enquiry into the areas that interest you the most.

Rather than seeing this as a ‘tick box exercise’ to give you something to write about in your personal statement, you should take time to explore things that you genuinely find interesting and see where your investigations lead you.

Our Oxbridge admissions prep for tests and interviews

What makes Oxbridge Colleges so special?

Collegiate system – both the institutions have their own individual colleges and academic departments, which are further responsible for teaching and assessment. The colleges provide academic and pastoral assistance and work towards organizing small group tuitions and often time assign a particular tutor or supervisor for educating about a subject.
Each of the colleges under these famous universities offers major benefits of high academic standards. For applying, one has to go through the UCAS application process and has to mention their choice of college there as well.
Teaching methods – among the two universities, the teaching method is more or less similar. There are frequent lectures, seminars and consistent classes and even extra tuitions that are arranged for a group of students. The only difference is the terminology, wherein Oxford, special classes are termed as tutorials and in Cambridge, they are known as supervisions.

Oxbridge deadlines

Cambridge application dates guide.
UCAS’s deadline to apply for Cambridge, Oxford (or Medicine/Veterinary Medicine anywhere) is 15 October.
15 October is also the registration deadline for pre-interview admission.

Oxbridge Interview Tips

Oxford Interview Guide for Oxford interview tips, Oxford interview advice and Oxford interview content descriptions
Cambridge Interview Guide for Cambridge interview tips, Cambridge interview advice and Cambridge interview content descriptions
Oxbridge Interview Guide for example Oxbridge interview questions to discuss and practice with.

Oxbridge Mock Interview examples

- Law mock interview
- Engineering mock interview
- Linguistics mock interview
- Geography mock interview
- Computer Science mock interview
- Engineering mock interview

University Interview Tips

Every Oxford and Cambridge College is linked to work in various areas of the UK, and may well be running interview advice sessions or workshops either in general for your area or at/with your school. This is not a guarantee but it may be worth checking to see what is on. Sidney Sussex will be running sessions in the North West and Staffordshire.

Pre-interview Oxbridge assessments

Check entry requirements by subject.

There are also University admissions past papers on this site, plus:

Latest 2022 Admssions Serice updates

he Admissions Testing Service have announced the following important changes, which will affect students applying for:

Medicine
Economics at Cambridge
Computer Science at Cambridge
Natural Sciences at Cambridge
Engineering at Cambridge
Maths/Econ courses at universities using the TMUA, such as Durham, Warwick, LSE, Bath, etc

The BMAT, TMUA, NSAA and ENGAA are happening two weeks earlier than usual. Typically these Oxbridge admissions exams occur immediatley after secondary schools’ October half term. By setting these earlier in 2022 (Oct 18th and Oct 19th), prospectie Oxbridge students for these courses cannot reise over the half-term.

So if you can’t cram then… what does School Entrance Tests advise?

Firstly start early still! Noting that the trend has been for the MAT, PAT and TSA admissions tests to become more difficult year-on-year. And then secondly you must focus throughout your summer 2022 preparing as thoroughly as you possibly can.

Oxford Admissions tests

Biomedical Admission Test (BMAT) and the ELAT Oxford admissions tests.

Example Cambridge Admissions tests

Cambridge Admission Assessment
Sixth Term Examination Paper also known as STEP

UCAT Cambridge admissions test

TMUA Cambridge admissions test

TSA Cambridge admissions test. We also recommend these TSA past papers
NSAA Cambridge admissions test
Cambridge Personal Styles Questionnaire® (CPSQ)
International Medical Admissions Test (IMAT)
University of Cambridge pre-interview assessments

School Entrance Tests‘ University admissions tests guides

UCAT, BMAT University entrance guides and TMUA University Admissions Guide.

TSA past papers and passing TSA.

Oxbridge admissions prep for tests and interviews

Oxbridge admissions prep for tests and interviews