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Exam results are an important criteria for admission, but they're far from the only information we look at.

We also consider your performance in written tests and at interview, as well as your references, your personal statement, and your individual circumstances.

Interviews

For 2024-2025, we will be interviewing all shortlisted applicants virtually, with interviews taking place in December.

We typically invite about 70 per cent of those who apply to ÌÀÍ·ÌõÔ­´´ to interview. The interviews are conducted by specialists in the subject you've chosen to study.

The aim of the interviews is to discover whether:

• You have a genuine passion for the subject
• The course is an appropriate choice for you
• You are a clear thinker, with analytical ability, and enthusiasm for complex and challenging ideas.

What the interviews will cover

Our questions are designed to assess your ability to use what you already know in unfamiliar situations, and determine whether you can see connections. We're also looking to see whether you can assimilate and use new information or ideas that we give you.

You may be asked questions about your personal statement and the subjects you have studied in the past, and sometimes an interviewer may ask you to clarify some factual or practical aspect of your application. You may also be asked to discuss a text or a specimen if they are relevant to the course you're applying for, or to work through a problem that the interviewers show you.

We aim for a structured but also relatively informal discussion in which we can see you thinking through problems. Questions are not designed to trick you. You can take your time to think about your reply, or to ask for clarification. Don’t worry if you stumble or feel you need to backtrack on something you were saying: we are not looking for a ‘smooth’ performance, we want to hear your thoughts.

You can  to get a sense of what to expect on the day.

Preparing for your interviews

The best preparation for your interviews is to explore your interests beyond your school curriculum. Make full use of any information sources you have access to: your school or local library, TV or radio programmes, websites and blogs, newspapers, magazines, etc.

You can also develop your interview skills by discussing what you have learned with your fellow students, family members, teachers, or anyone else who may be interested. This will help you practice thinking clearly, developing an argument, and defending your position.

If you're planning to get some work experience that could be relevant to your application, try to complete it before you apply. Then you can draw on the experience to discuss your interest in the course, and the knowledge and skills you've gained.

Just before the interviews, make sure you reread your application and any written work you have submitted. Make sure you arrive in plenty of time, wearing something that you feel comfortable in. Try to give clear and focused answers, take time to think whenever you need to, or to ask for clarification. Remember that content and not style is most important to us.

Some subjects will require you to have access to a , enabling you to annotate shared documents or show your working as you tackle problems. More information is available on each individual subject page.

You can find more tips about preparing for interview on . 

Interview schedule

This year interviews are likely to be held between 9 and 20 December 2024.  Please note that these dates are provisional and may be subject to change.

Tests

Written assessments are another important part of the admissions process. We use course specific tests to evaluate your current understanding and knowledge of the subject and any relevant skills you have developed.

These assessments are not simple pass or fail tests, but we take them into account together with everything else. In other words, a weak performance in the written test can be compensated by strong performance elsewhere in your application. 

A number of subjects hold assessments for which you must register in advance:

• Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology - (ESAT)
• Computer Science - (TMUA)
• Economics - (TMUA)
• Engineering - (ESAT)
• Law - (LNAT)
• Medicine - (UCAT)
• Natural Sciences - (ESAT)
• Veterinary Medicine - (ESAT).

Full details, including the relevant registration deadlines, can be found on . Please ensure you read this information carefully. It is important to note that assessments registration deadlines are prior to the UCAS deadline. Please also note that the registration process, including deadlines and test locations, is different from previous years.

Other subjects hold written assessments around the time of interview:

• Archaeology
• Architecture
• Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (if combining with a Modern Language)
• Classics
• Design
• English
• History and Modern Languages (language assessment only)
• Linguistics
• Modern and Medieval Languages
• Music

You do not need to register for these in advance and we will provide details directly to you.

You can find more detailed information about written assessments, as well as sample tests and tips on how to prepare, on .

Written work

Depending on the course you've applied for you may be asked to submit . We may use this as a starting point for discussion at interview. Please note that the submission deadline for all subjects asking for written work will be in early November 2024. The College will provide full details to all applicants.

Don’t forget to add the signed coversheet to each piece of work that you submit (you'll receive further information about the coversheets when you apply). Make sure you keep a copy for yourself so that you can reread it before your interview. 

Please see individual subject pages for further information.