Oxbridge Interview Questions

If applicants to Oxford and Cambridge could find out the answer to one thing, it would probably be, ‘What will I be asked at interview?’.

Unfortunately, there is no set list of Oxbridge interview questions and no guarantee that any question you prepare for will come up (in fact, this is exceedingly unlikely). The benefit of practising for your interview is not that you will be able to repeat a learned answer in the real thing – the interviewers can spy rehearsed material a mile off and look on it far from favourably. Instead, by practising with example Oxbridge interview questions you will learn to think on your feet, to respond thoughtfully and critically to challenging questions, and to develop your confidence in tackling unfamiliar and difficult problems.

Our guide to the Oxford and Cambridge interview process contains a general overview of timelines, structure, and advice for preparation and the day itself.

In this article, we’ll share some sample Oxbridge interview questions for major subjects and discuss how to improve your answers.

Oxford and Cambridge Interview Questions by Subject

Click on the links below to access Oxford and Cambridge interview questions for your chosen subject.

Depending on the subject, we have dozens of sample questions based on real Oxbridge interviews, as well as some example answers / approaches prepared by our Oxbridge-graduate tutors.

Oxford

Cambridge

What to Expect from Oxbridge Interview Questions

Oxbridge interview questions are designed to assess how you think, rather than just testing what you already know. They challenge you to apply your knowledge in new ways, think critically under pressure, and engage in academic discussion.

While every interview is different, it is possible to categorise the most common question types into a few different groups.

“Why This Course?” / “Why This College?” Questions

Interviewers want to see that you have a genuine passion for your subject and have thought carefully about why you want to study it at Oxford or Cambridge, and at your specific college. These questions are most often asked early in the interview to help you ‘warm up’, though they still require careful thought and a considered answer.

Example Questions:

  • Why do you want to study History at Oxford rather than another university?
  • What aspect of Natural Sciences at Cambridge interests you the most?
  • Did you choose this college for a specific reason?

How to Approach These Questions:

  • Show enthusiasm for your subject – your interviewers love the subject and they want to see that you do, too! – while demonstrating that you’ve thought critically about it
  • Demonstrate awareness of the course structure and unique teaching methods at Oxford or Cambridge (such as the tutorial/supervision system).
  • If asked about your college, give an authentic, honest answer – but avoid saying ‘because it’s near the city centre’ or ‘because people say it’s the best’.

Personal Statement-Based Questions

Expect for interviewers to refer to your personal statement, using it as a starting point for discussion. They may challenge you on books you’ve read, topics you’ve mentioned, or experiences you’ve described.

Example Questions:

  • You mentioned reading ‘The Selfish Gene’ in your personal statement. What did you find most compelling about Dawkins’ argument?
  • You wrote about volunteering in a care home—how did that shape your understanding of dementia?
  • In your personal statement, you said that you had read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Can you compare it to any other medieval texts you’ve read?

How to Approach These Questions:

  • Be prepared to discuss anything you’ve included in your personal statement in detail – re-read it several times before your interview (and don’t pretend to have read anything in your statement that you haven’t!).
  • Think critically about books or research you’ve mentioned—interviewers may ask you to evaluate or challenge the ideas.
  • Expand on the topics you mentioned in your statement by reading more widely around them before your interview.

Problem-Solving Questions

These questions assess how well you can apply logical reasoning and subject knowledge to unfamiliar scenarios. Interviewers aren’t always expecting you to get the right answer straight away—they’re more interested in how you think through a problem.

Example Questions:

  • How would you estimate the number of traffic lights in London? (Mathematics)
  • Why do different animals have different types of blood? (Biology)
  • If we abolished all laws tomorrow, what would happen? (Law)

How to Approach These Questions:

  • Talk through your reasoning step by step—interviewers want to hear your thought process.
  • Don’t panic if you don’t immediately know the answer; break the problem down logically.
  • Be open to hints and prompts, as interviewers often guide you towards a solution.

Unusual or Abstract Questions

Oxbridge interviews are notorious for their unexpected and sometimes bizarre questions, though in practice these types of questions are asked less often than is commonly believed. If you do get asked a question like this, remember: it isn’t designed to catch you out but to test how well you can think creatively and adapt to unfamiliar ideas.

Example Questions:

  • If you could save either a painting or a cat from a burning building, which would you choose and why? (Philosophy)
  • What would happen if gravity suddenly disappeared? (Physics)
  • Is it ever possible to have a completely original thought? (English)

How to Approach These Questions:

  • There’s often no single ‘right’ answer—what matters is how well you justify your response.
  • Consider different perspectives before settling on your argument.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or take a moment to think before responding.

Analysis-Based Questions

In many subjects, you’ll be given a graph, data set, historical source, or passage to interpret on the spot.

Example Questions:

  • Here’s a graph of global temperature changes—what conclusions can you draw? (Geography)
  • Does this historical source challenge your views on the American Civil War? (History)

How to Approach:

  • Take a moment to read through and be sure you’ve understood what you’ve been given – don’t be rushed into a response.
  • Think critically and explain your reasoning clearly.

Advice on Answering Oxbridge Interview Questions

Oxbridge interviews assess how you think, not just what you know. To perform well, focus on reasoning clearly, using evidence, and engaging in discussion rather than just answering questions directly.

Think Out Loud – Show Your Thought Process

Interviewers value logical reasoning over simply getting the right answer. They want to see how you approach problems, break them down, and adapt your thinking when challenged.

One of the most common mistakes that applicants make is to sit in silence while trying to dream up the perfect response. In an interview, you can’t get any credit for the thinking that remains in your head! Explain your thought process step by step and let the interviewer see the clear, logical way you are approaching the problem. Even if you’re final answer isn’t outstanding, they can reward you for the thinking you did along the way – or even steer you back onto the right path if you’re wandering off it.

Use Evidence and Examples

A strong answer is supported by relevant evidence. Whether discussing a scientific concept, a historical event, or a philosophical argument, grounding your response in facts, theories, or case studies strengthens your argument.

This is also your chance to show the wider reading and engagement you have done with your subject. Drawing connections between the question they have asked and a book your read or lecture you watched will show the interviewer that you are able to synthesise ideas. If you can demonstrate that you have thought critically about your super-curricular work (rather than just accepting others’ arguments at face value), that’s even better.

Analyse the Question – Engage in Discussion

Some of the best candidates don’t just answer questions—they analyse them. If a question seems too simplistic or presents a false choice, consider different angles and explain your reasoning.

The key is to do this while remaining polite and respectful: “That’s a stupid question” or “that doesn’t make any sense” is not the way to go – remember, your interviewer could be teaching you over the next few years and showing yourself to be rude or arrogant is going to massively disadvantage your application.

Instead, you might find yourself saying something like, “well, I’m not sure those are the only two choices…”, or “it depends exactly what is meant by x”.

How can Dukes Plus help?

At Dukes Plus, we’ve been helping students get into Oxford and Cambridge since 1999. Our success rates are 3-4x higher than average.

We offer expert interview preparation from Oxbridge-graduate tutors. They know how the interviews work, what the admissions tutors are looking for, and how to prepare. They can guide your prep, give you mock interviews, and feed back to improve your performance.

Book a session today to see how our support can boost your chances of admission.

If you’re just getting started with your Oxbridge application, begin with an Oxbridge admissions consultation. We’ll walk you through the process, assess your strengths and areas for improvement, and set you on the path to success.

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FAQs

There is no set list of Oxbridge interview questions and no way to predict exactly what you will be asked. Interviews are subject-specific. Questions tend to be grouped into a few different categories:

  1. Why this course / college?
  2. Personal statement questions
  3. Problem-solving questions
  4. Unusual or abstract questions
  5. Analysis questions

Dukes Plus has a list of free sample questions based on real Oxbridge interviews in a collection of major subjects.

Preparation is key for the interview, and our guide to the Oxford and Cambridge interview provides more advice on how to get ready.

On the day itself, remember that the interviewers are looking for evidence of how you think and approach new problems, so remember to articulate your thoughts out loud. It’s also advisable to refer to evidence and examples from your wider subject engagement, and, where relevant, to analyse the question you’ve been asked: is it a ‘fair’ question, or is it presenting a false choice or framing a debate in an overly simplistic way?

Dukes Plus has a list of free sample questions based on real Oxbridge interviews in a collection of major subjects. Depending on the subject, we also have example answers / approaches to the question prepared by our Oxbridge tutors.

We offer expert interview preparation from Oxbridge-graduate tutors. They know how the interviews work, what the admissions tutors are looking for, and how to prepare. They can guide your prep, give you mock interviews, and feed back to improve your performance.