Admissions interviews

Which applicants will be offered an interview?

• Shortlisted applicants who show academic potential for admittance to the course in question may be invited to interview.
• MPhil By Advanced Study applicants are not generally subject to interview, but interviews could be held in certain cases (e.g. when the applicant does not meet the standard academic requirement or fails to finish a previous course at degree level or where the assessors require further information or clarifications to make their decision).
• All MPhil by Thesis applicants and all PhD applicants are interviewed if shortlisted for admission.
• Candidates who are not shortlisted will not be invited to interview.
• Please note that attendance at interview does not guarantee acceptance for study at the University.

What is the purpose of the interview?

• A postgraduate admissions interview contributes to the decision to make an offer to an applicant. The interview is used to confirm that the applicant has the requisite skills, knowledge, motivation and interests required to complete the course.
• An interview can also be an opportunity to gain additional information or clarification about the academic potential of an applicant.
• The interview forms part of a full assessment of a candidate’s application, alongside their academic record, written submissions, and references. A decision on admission is not made on an interview alone.

How long does an interview last?

• Interviews normally last no more than 15-20 minutes.

What is the format of the interview?

• Interviews are held online via videoconference.

When are interviews held?

• Dates vary, but the following may be useful as a rough guide. A small number of applicants who are shortlisted for Gates US funding may have an interview in late October/early November. But most interviews for applicants who have applied for funding occur in mid-to-late January. For applicants who have not applied for funding, interviews are held on a rolling basis, usually within 2 months of the application date.  Exceptions may apply: for example, it is possible that applicants may be placed on a reserve list. If this is the case, the Faculty will be in touch to let applicants know the latest date by which they could expect to hear a decision.

Do I need to prepare for my interview?

• No specific preparation is necessary. However, applicants should be prepared to answer questions regarding the information provided on their application form, especially the research proposal, as well as questions regarding any supporting documentation.
• Candidates are not asked to prepare any kind of presentation.

Which staff members will be present at the interview?

• For the MPhil By Thesis, the interview panel will consist of the current MPhil Course Director (or, for Linguistics, the MPhil Admissions Coordinator), plus the potential supervisor if possible.
• For the PhD, the interview panel will consist of the relevant member of academic staff in charge of postgraduates for the Section (or for Linguistics, the PhD Admissions Coordinator), plus the potential supervisor, if possible.
• For both the MPhil By Thesis and PhD, in cases where the potential supervisor is not available, another member of academic staff whose work is based in a similar area to the candidate’s research interests will attend.
• For the MPhil By Advanced Study, the interview panel will consist of the current MPhil Course Director (or, for Linguistics, the MPhil Admissions Coordinator); plus one other member of academic staff whose work is based in a broadly similar area to the candidate’s research interests.

How can I request an adjustment to my interview?

• Should applicants wish to declare a declare a disability, serious health problem or caring responsibility that may require reasonable adjustments for the interview, they may do so at the point of being invited to interview.  Candidates are reassured that sharing their disabilities will not have a negative impact on their chances of being offered a place at Cambridge.