How to prepare for Interviews

Remember an interview is similar to a supervision, so the best preparation is to widen your knowledge and academic interests through super-curricular activities. It is important that this goes beyond what you wrote in your personal statement, so that you can demonstrate a sustained interest in your subject.

You could:

  • Keep up to date with any visible issues related to your subject in the wider world by watching the news or reading news articles
  • Listen to podcasts, watch documentaries or continue further reading relating to your areas of interest within your subject
  • Develop your own opinions and interpretations about topics within your subject

As your interview will be discussion based, it is important that you practice talking about your subject with a friend, teacher or family member. When discussing your subject, keep considering it through different perspectives and continually justify why you hold your opinion.

You could:

  • Record yourself talking about your subject and areas of interest so that you can hear where you sound most confident and where you might need further preparation
  • Practice explaining what you are doing and why when you are completing a problem (e.g. your maths homework)
  • Try and teach someone who has no prior knowledge about an area of your interest as this will develop your ability to explain why you think something is the case

On the day of your interview:

  • Remember that in receiving an interview, you have already demonstrated that you are a candidate who we are impressed by and are interested in meeting
  • Have a pen and paper handy
  • Have a water bottle with you
  • Don’t panic if your interview does not start on time
  • Test your technology ahead of time
  • Think about your surroundings
  • Try and enjoy the experience of having a highly academic discussion about a subject that you are passionate about with an academic who shares the same enthusiasm

All information around interviews can be accessed on the College or University website. You do not need to pay for any external information or resources. Both the College and the University do not support these third-party organisations and they are using information that is already freely available. Please look at our resources page as a starting point.