In this article we will guide you on how to best prepare for your Oxford Politics interview. This includes guides on past Oxford Politics questions, interview tips, mock examples and real experiences from students who have sat the Oxford Politics Interview.
This article has been made from a collection of accounts from Oxbridge applicants.
What is the Oxford Politics Interview structure?
Politics can’t be studied by itself, but is part of two degree choices: History and Politics, or Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). You’ll get one or two interviews for each subject within the course, probably each from different colleges.
What are the Oxford Politics interview dates?
For History and Politics, interviews will take place at the beginning of December.
For Philosophy, Politics and Economics, most first interviews will take place during the first week of December, and most second interviews will take place during the second week of December.
Example Past Questions from Oxford Politics Interview
- Why do we need governments?
- Differentiate between power and authority.
- Distinguish between a society, a state and an economy.
- Why do you think that Communism was unsuccessful in the Russian countryside?
- What would you say to someone who claims that women already have equal opportunities?
- What would you do tomorrow if you were president of the former Soviet Union?
- How does a democracy work?
- What constitutes the ideologies of the extreme right?
- Does the extreme right pose a threat to other less extreme parties?
Is there essentially any difference between taxation and the state taking away one of your arms? - Do you really consent to any government given that there is barely anywhere in the world to escape some government or other?
- Differentiate between power and authority.
Further Questions:
- Why do we need a government?
- How do you measure the success of a political voting system?
- When I was at school in the 1970s, there was talk of a pensions crisis that would one day hit. The talk persisted in the 1980s, and the 1990s – and then there was a pensions crisis, and little had been done politically to prepare us for it. Is there a fault with the British political system that means we can’t sensibly address serious medium and long-term problems when they are identified?
- Of all nineteenth century politicians, which was most like Tony Blair?
- Put a monetary value on this teapot.
- What do you think of gay couples adopting?
- China should be allowed to pollute as much as it wants, as the USA was able to during its industrial revolution. Do you agree?
Above is an example of a Politics and Philosophy interview from Oxford’s YouTube channel. It is a great video to see how an interview may be structured.
Insider Guides: Oxford Politics Interview
What happens on the day of your Oxford Politics interview?
If your interview is online, you’ll need to find the link for the Teams meeting in your emails. This will be sent to you in advance. You’ll join the meeting and might be greeted by some current students at the University, who will answer questions and calm your nerves. Some colleges skip this part and you’ll go straight into the interview with two tutors.
What do you have to bring to your Oxford Politics interview?
Honestly you won’t be expected to bring anything! There’s no dress code required, so you should wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. Some interviews just involved talking through a question. However, some were more of a split between working through a logic-style question on paper, and talking through an abstract question. I would always suggest bringing a bottle of water – helps keep you hydrated and gives you an extra few seconds to think before answering a hard question!
What is the interview setting and how long is it?
I had 3 interviews, since I applied for PPE, and had one interview for each subject. My interviews were in person, and all took place in different rooms, typically belonging to the tutor who led the interview. It was very casual; all the tutors had sofas and a table so we were just sitting around the table on sofas having a conversation.
What are the Oxford Politics interviewers like?
All the interviewers I had were very friendly and made sure to put me at ease! You have to remember, they want you to succeed and do your best, so it’s unlikely they will try and trick you or be really cold. They know how nerve-wracking it can be. So, they will try to ease you in by having some small talk at the start, and if you get really stuck with a question, they’ll offer you a helping hand.
Are there any academic or challenging Politics questions at the Oxford Interview?
The interviewers might give you a small extract to read beforehand and base the discussion on that. It is also common to have an interpretation question. Such as a table comparing the living standards of two countries, and for you to compare the data you’re provided with.
Are there any personality, work experience or extracurricular based questions at the Oxford Politics Interview?
Not everyone is asked about their PPE personal statement, but it’s still useful to be familiar with it just in case you are asked about it! They may pick out certain lines you wrote, and ask how you explained certain concepts. Alternatively, they could ask you to discuss key concepts in a book you’ve written about.
Top Tips for the Oxford Politics Interview
Do mock-interviews as much as possible.
This could be with friends, teachers, parents – just get someone to put you on the spot and make you give a detailed answer. Whilst it is helpful thinking how you would answer questions on your own, being made to answer unseen questions under pressure is a whole different experience. Hence, practising as much beforehand definitely helps.
Keep up to date with current affairs in the news or newspapers.
Whilst you may not actually need to mention anything you have read, if it’s relevant when answering a question, bringing in real-life examples can really boost your answer and show you are passionate about the subject. Importantly though, do not try to force these examples in for the sake of doing it. The interviewer will also be able to tell and may be deemed as irrelevant to the question.
Know your personal statement inside-out.
Whilst I was not asked about anything I put on my PS, the last thing you want to do is for them to mention a book you have read or an political concept you mentioned. As if you are not able to talk about it in detail – would be a major red-flag to the interviewer.
Nail the questions beforehand that you can prepare for.
It is almost guaranteed that at some point in the interview you will be asked questions such as “Tell me about yourself”, “Why Oxford?”, “Why this college?”, “Why Politics?”. These are all questions you can prepare for and practise giving a well-thought out, structured answer. Prepare for these beforehand –you will give a better answer than if you are thinking on the spot!
Listen to real debates and speeches.
In these examples, the speaker must give a well-thought out answer, showing good use of body language, expression and tone of voice. Find a few videos that resonate with you and adopt some of their methods of articulation. They may help you give a more structured, clear answer.
Still need more support with preparing for your Oxford Politics Interview? Check out https://www.oxbridgemind.co.uk/oxbridge-interview-tutoring/. There’s more information on our one-to-one tutoring service, to help secure your place at the University of Oxford!
