Interviews

Interview A - Working with Textual Sources

All candidates have an interview focussed on a Textual Source. You will receive this in advance via email and you will have a short amount of time to read it before you attend your interview.

You choose which extract you will look at when you are invited to interview, but you will not know more than a general theme. No prior research is required (and indeed is discouraged). 

Your extract will arrive via email and will be attached as a Word document. You can print it, use a coloured overlay or change the font if it helps you. 

Your interview be a focussed discussion on the text and will look closely at it throughout. Discussion will very depending on what you notice about it, but might draw out certain themes for further exploration.

Interview B 

All candidates will have one Interview B, but the focus of this will vary depending on the choice you made when you responded to the invitation to interview. In all cases, you will not receive any information in advance via email for Interview B. 

Working with Material Sources

In a Working with Material Sources interview, you will be shown an object. You will not be expected to immediately know anything about it or its context, but you should be prepared to describe what you see, ask questions, and see if that helps you to interpret it. Your interview will be a focussed discussion looking at this object, and discussion will vary depending on what you notice about it. It could lead in a number of directions, perhaps to broader issues about people, society or cultures. 

Working with Languages

In a Working with Languages interview, you will be shown material in the English language only. It will likely be some short text that is different to anything you have seen before, but you should be prepared to describe what you see, ask questions, and see if that helps you to interpret it. Your interview will be a focussed discussion looking at the things we share with you. Discussion could lead in a number of directions, perhaps to broader issues about how languages work, develop or change.

Working with Data

In a Working with Data interview, you will be shown some data presented graphically, possibly in charts or tables. It will likely be something that you don't immediately know anything about, but you should be prepared to describe what you see, ask questions, and see if that helps you to interpret it. Your interview will be a focussed discussion based on the data. Discussion could lead in a number of directions, perhaps to broader issues about what assumptions we can or can't make based on what you see, or broader issues it raises about what the data represents.

How many interviews will I have for the Foundation Year?

You will have two interviews which will last no more than 30 minutes each. One will be 'Interview A' and the other will be 'Interview B'.

What will happen at my interviews? Who will be interviewing me?

Interview A will involve looking in detail at a textual source which will be provided to you by email 30 minutes before your interview begins (longer if you provided evidence for this as a reasonable adjustment in time). If you are shortlisted, you will make a choice of this extract in advance of the interview. Full details of how to do this will be sent by email.

Interview B will focus on one of the other streams on the Foundation Year (material sources, languages or data). If you are shortlisted, you will make a choice of which you want to focus on which could be informed by your previous study or your subject of interest. Full details of how to do this will be sent by email. In this interview, you will not receive anything in advance, but will be shown material in the interview and asked to discuss it with the interviewers. 

Interviews will generally include two interviewers who are experienced in interviewing candidates for admission to Cambridge. In some cases, there may also be another person who is there to observe but will not speak other than to introduce themselves and will not be a formal part of any decision making.

When will I find out when my interviews are?

First of all, you will find out by email if you have been shortlisted at the end of February. You will be contacted using the email address that you supplied during your application. Please check your inbox (and spam folders) regularly and ideally add foundation.year@admin.cam.ac.uk to your safe senders' list if your email provider allows this. Please read all correspondence carefully.

Once you respond to our initial invitation to interviews (detail of which will be in the email), you will be assigned two interview slots. You will get this notice around two weeks before your interview is due to take place.

Can I reschedule if the date or time doesn't work for me?

Generally, no. When you completed the FYSAQ you were asked to confirm you could be available. If there are unbreakable commitments (like an A Level examination), we can accommodate this if we know in time. Otherwise, we request that you rearrange other commitments as best you can as the schedule for the week is already very complex and we might not have capacity to reschedule in a way that meets your needs and the content you have chosen.

What should I do to prepare for the practicalities of my interviews?

There are several practical steps you can take to ensure your interview goes smoothly.

First of all, you can test your IT set up. Zoom is the chosen platform for our interviews (there may be exceptions, and you will be contacted individually about these). It can be used on mobile phones, tablets, and PCs but we recommend a laptop or PC if you can access one. The video conferencing quality is good and it offers features we use such as the ability to text-chat and to share documents or images on your screen. See the University of Cambridge video (scroll down). Sometimes Bluetooth headsets work unrelaibly, so you may be asked to use your device’s inbuilt microphone and speaker(s) if necessary.

You may also wish to check your interview location. If you choose to be interviewed from your school/college, liaise with your teacher(s) about where the interview will take place, and ask to check the technology out. We advise using a device that connects to the internet through a cable connection rather than using wifi. Wired connections are generally more reliable than wireless.

If you choose to be interviewed at home, check your connection, and ensure your privacy, so you are not distracted. Find a quiet space, ask anyone else in your home to be quiet, and place a sign on the door.

You must not be accompanied, except in exceptional circumstances and the interview should not be recorded in any way.

How can I prepare for the content of my interview?

All shortlisted applicants will be invited to a webinar. Register for this and join live or watch the recording for more information on how you can best prepare and what to expect in your interviews. There is also some guidance elsewhere on this webpage. However, in general, there is no 'revision' you can do for your interview and the best thing you can do is come ready and willing to discuss the material we show you in an engaged way. 

What can I do on the day to do my best?

Try to relax. Make sure you are comfortable and prepared and have things you might need to hand such as a pen and paper.

Remember, the aim of the interview is to imitate a supervision (small group teaching session), and to test your thinking. Some things may be new to you – your critical thinking in how you tackle this new material is what is being assessed.

What if my technology fails in the interview?

Sit tight. Take a deep breath. Remain calm. In general, the action you take will inevitably depend on the severity of the problem. If the screen freezes, for example, you may be asked to leave the interview and sign straight back in, or the meeting may be terminated and started again. If neither of these solutions works, you may be asked to try turning video off. You will be given more detailed information in your interview on what to do in various circumstances. In the worst-case scenario, your interview will be rescheduled. No candidate will be disadvantaged because of technological issues.