What do Oxbridge interviewers look for in a prospective student?

The main thing to remember is that there are no trick questions, the interviewers are not looking to trip you up – they are simply trying to understand the person behind the UCAS form and get a feel for the way that you think. Intellect is one of the two key things which your interviewers will be on the lookout for. Some questions might seem like they’re really stretching you but it’s important to remember that your interviewers won’t be looking for a right answer, in fact for many of the questions, there may not even be a right answer! What they will be looking for is inquisitive and dynamic on-the-spot thinking. They might also throw a curveball in to your line of thinking – again, they’re not looking to trip you up but to see how you respond, whether you can consider different perspectives and think flexibly. The second important attribute which your interviewers will be testing is your interest in the course that you’ve applied for, to ensure that you have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for that subject area. Therefore, you’ll want to demonstrate to them the reasons why you think you’ll enjoying studying your chosen course and that that you're deeply interested in your subject, and keen to learn more.