Interviews allow us to evaluate your commitment to your chosen course, your interest in new ideas, and your ability to apply your skills and knowledge in unfamiliar situations. The interviews replicate the Cambridge supervision system, of one-to-one teaching, so they are a way that we see if you are a good fit for this system. 

We try to interview applicants who we think have a realistic chance of being offered a place on their chosen course at Cambridge. The number of candidates each year varies between the courses applied for. 

We try to make interviews as positive an experience as possible. We aim to discover your academic abilities and interests; we try to put you at your ease so that you can show us that you have the potential to thrive in your chosen course. We want to see our applicants at their best so there will definitely not be any “trick” questions. However, some questions will be challenging because they will require you to develop an argument, solve a theoretical problem, or think about an unfamiliar situation. 

Depending on your chosen course, you may be given something to read or look at before or during the interview, or a problem to complete or consider. 

Some top tips for preparing for your interview include: 

• Read over your application, and make sure you have a good knowledge of everything you wrote about in your application 
• Practice your skills - e.g. language skills, or mathematics skills 
• Read around your subject, and keep up with the news in your subject area

To learn more about preparing for interview, take a look at this video.

The interview is used alongside the other aspects of your application to come to a decision. This includes any admission assessments, written work, and any other submitted information. 

Most applicants will have at least two interviews. There will always be at least one subject interview by someone knowledgeable in your chosen course. This could be a Fellow (an academic) at Robinson College, or another college in the university. Here, the aim is to find out what you know and how far you can use that knowledge. The nature of the interview depends on the course and could include questions on a piece of work you have sent in or involve solving theoretical problems in your subject. 

You will be told in advance the names of the people interviewing you, and the timings of your interviews.

You should wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. We are not assessing what you wear, but rather your passion and aptitude for your chosen subject. 

Interviews held in December 2025 will be held in person for applicants living or studying in the UK and the Common Travel Area with Ireland, and online for applicants living or studying outside of the UK and the Common Travel Area.

Where you'll have your interview is based on where you are currently residing, not your fee status. For example: 

• A UK/Irish student currently studying at school in the UK/Ireland will be interviewed in person.
• An overseas student currently at school in the UK/Ireland, or living in the UK/Ireland, will be interviewed in person.
• A UK/Irish student who is living abroad, or who is at school abroad, will be interviewed online.
• An overseas student who is living and/or studying outside of the UK/Ireland will be interviewed online.

Generally, we will not make exceptions to the in person / online policy. If you are a student in the UK or Ireland who is unable to travel to Cambridge due to longstanding health or personal issues, you will be given the option to request an online interview. 

After the 15th October deadline has passed, you will receive a welcome email from Robinson College. You will find details of how to make your request within this email. The deadline for submitting your request is 9am on Wednesday 29th October 2025. 

A very limited number of rooms will be available for those travelling to interview within the UK and the Common Travel Area. Priority will be given to those with further to travel and only likely for those travelling more than three hours by public transport. 

You will be given the opportunity to request accommodation if you receive an interview invitation from us.