In this article we will guide you on how to best prepare for your Cambridge Education interview. This includes guides on past Cambridge Education questions, interview tips, mock examples and real experiences from students who have sat the Interview.
This article has been made from a collection of accounts from Oxbridge applicants.
Here is a video about what to expect about the Education course at Cambridge:
What is the Cambridge Education interview structure?
The interview is split into two interviews. The first interview typically involves you having a discussion with the interviewers about your personal statement and general interests. The second Cambridge Education interview can involve a mixture of questions more focused on the subject you are applying for.
What are the Cambridge Education interview dates?
According to the official Cambridge Website, the majority of interviews will take place in the first 3 weeks of December.
Example Past Questions from Cambridge Education interview
- Questions about what you can imagine life at Cambridge to be like
- Discussion of different statements on education
- Watch a TED Talk. You will then have a discussion on school access, inequality, creativity, diversity and innovation
- Why is your way of viewing education wrong?
- Asked to analyse a graph in terms of what it meant in regards to education
- Definition of OECD
- Questions specific to the chosen track in education
Insider Guides: Cambridge Education Interview
What happened on the day of your Cambridge Education interview?
On the day of the interview, the admissions team emailed me a Zoom link about 30 minutes before the start time of my Cambridge interview.
I had two interviews. One was focused on my personal statement and interest. The second was about the subject I was applying for.
What do you have to bring to your interview?
Dress code does not matter at all. The tutors are interested in what you say, not what you look like! For my Cambridge Education interview, as it took place online, all I required was my laptop and access to Zoom but I also ensured that I dressed smartly.
What is the interview setting and how long is it?
Both my Cambridge Education interviews took place online. For both my interviews, there were two tutors present with one asking the questions and the other making notes.
Each interview lasts approximately 30 minutes in total with an hour break in between each one.
What are the interviewers like?
My Cambridge Education interviews had a variety of interviewers. I found all of them to be quite friendly and warm. This also matched my perception of the Education Faculty Cambridge which I can now say is definitely true.
The interviewers were welcoming and did not pose any trick questions to me throughout the course of my interview.
The interviewers are semi-structured so there were a variety of predetermined questions as well as follow up questions from the things I had mentioned. This allowed for a really interesting and engaging conversation.
Are there any academic or challenging Education questions at the Cambridge interview?
For my Cambridge Education interview, I would say the challenging questions were those surrounding the short task I had to complete. It involved me having to explain my reasoning. It also involved talking more generally about parts of the subject that I now know are part of the course itself.
Are there any personality, work experience or extracurricular based Education questions at the Cambridge interview?
I was not asked about my personality or skill set. However, I did get asked about my work experience and extracurricular interests and how these linked to the subject in hand. If my interests did not link to Education, then I was questioned on how the skills I picked up during these activities would aid me during this course.
Top Tips for the Cambridge Education interview
- Read your personal statement: It is important to know your personal statement in and out along with the work experiences/ extracurriculars you have mentioned in it
- Pick out key areas of your subject : This will give you something to have a discussion with your interviewers when questioned on the particular track you pick under education
- Engage with media: Brush up on media, conversations and topics of interest that exceed school learning within the field of education
- Talk to someone who is studying your course: Try and find someone who is studying your chosen course at Oxbridge to gain a better understanding of what to expect on your interview day
- Stay calm: Believe in yourself! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to engage with some of the top educationalists in the field so enjoy the intellectual conversation.
Top Tips for the “Why Cambridge” interview question
- Research Cambridge and think about why you really want to go there. This cannot be simply because it is one of the world’s top universities. You should find something unique or rare about Cambridge that makes you want to study there.
- You must also think about your specific subject. For Education, you should research the various courses on offer. Make sure to have a few in mind that you would love to come to Cambridge to study.
My favourite things about studying Education at Cambridge University
My favourite thing about studying Education at Cambridge University is the high quality of teaching I receive in every one of my tutorials. The environment that is created in a student-friendly city where I am surrounded by like-minded students combined with the access to world-class libraries has made my time at Cambridge incredibly enjoyable.
