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Interviews

Approximately 80% of applicants are interviewed each year.

Each candidate is interviewed individually by their chosen college, and the purpose of the interview is to give you a chance to demonstrate your academic potential and explain why you want to study Theology, Religion and Philosophy of Religion. Our interviewers use different techniques to encourage a good discussion: you may find that you are invited to respond to questions, or that you are given a stimulus, such as a short extract of text or an image, to comment on.

For more general information on what to expect, visit the Admissions Office interview pages, which has videos and other materials to help you. Some candidates prepare by watching some of our Cambridge in your Classroom videos or selecting different texts and practicing analysing what you have heard or read.

Please see the University Interview pages for the most up to date information.

After all candidates have been interviewed, the Directors of Studies meet to compare notes; at this point they flag up to colleagues strong applicants for whom they might not have room at their College, but who deserve a place at another College. 

School Essays

Applicants to all colleges except Hughes Hall and St Edmund's (both of which are mature student colleges) are required to submit one or two School/college essays as examples of written work prior to interview. See individual College websites for further details. 

At-interview assessment exercise

An at-interview assessment exercise is no longer used by colleges for candidates for 2024 entry onwards.

Outcomes

Strong applicants who have not been made an offer by their first choice College are placed in the 'Pool'. You might therefore be made an offer by another College on the basis of the information already available, or it is possible that another College might ask you to a further interview in January.