Guides
How to Prepare for a University Interview
By James Whitfield · · 4 min read
Quick answer
Academic interviews assess how you reason, not how much you know. Know your personal statement thoroughly, read around your subject, and above all practise thinking aloud — interviewers want to hear your reasoning, including when you are unsure. Being stuck is normal and expected; going silent is the only real mistake.
What they're actually testing
Interviewers at academic universities are trying to find out what you are like to teach. Can you take a new idea, work with it, respond to a challenge, and change your mind when given a good reason?
That is why questions are often deliberately beyond what you have studied. They are not checking whether you know the answer; they are watching how you approach not knowing it.
Think aloud
Silence gives the interviewer nothing to work with. Narrate your reasoning: what the question seems to be asking, what you know that might apply, what you would try first.
'I'm not sure, but here's how I'd approach it' is a strong answer. It is also exactly how a tutorial works, which is the point of the exercise.
Know your personal statement cold
Everything you wrote is fair game. If you mentioned a book, expect to be asked what you thought of it — including what you disagreed with, which is the harder and more revealing question.
Reread it a few days beforehand and prepare a genuine opinion on each thing you claimed to have read or done.
Read around the subject
You are not expected to have degree-level knowledge, but you should be able to talk about something in your subject that is current or contested. One book or a couple of recent articles you have thought about carefully is enough.
Depth beats breadth. Being able to discuss one idea properly is far more impressive than name-dropping five you skimmed.
Practise being challenged
Interviewers often push back on a correct answer to see whether you defend it or collapse. Both extremes are bad: abandoning a good argument shows no conviction, refusing to consider a valid objection shows no flexibility.
The right response is to engage: consider the objection genuinely, then either revise your view with a reason or explain why you still hold it.
Practical preparation
Do a mock interview with a teacher or tutor who will ask hard questions and then tell you honestly how you came across. Practise aloud, not in your head — the gap between the two is large.
For online interviews, test the technology, sit somewhere quiet with a plain background, and look at the camera rather than the screen when making a point.
Frequently asked questions
What if I don't know the answer?+
Say so and then think aloud about how you would approach it. Interviewers expect you to reach the edge of your knowledge — that is where the useful part of the interview begins.
Should I memorise answers to common questions?+
No. Rehearsed answers sound rehearsed and collapse under follow-up questions. Prepare your thinking on key topics rather than scripting responses.
What should I wear?+
Smart but comfortable. Interviewers are assessing how you think, and no academic has ever rejected a candidate for wearing the wrong jumper — but looking as though you took it seriously does no harm.
Can I ask questions at the end?+
Usually yes, and a genuine question about the course or how it is taught is fine. Do not force one if you have nothing real to ask, and avoid questions answered on the website.
How do I prepare for an online interview?+
Test your camera, microphone and connection in advance, find a quiet space with a plain background, and practise looking at the camera rather than your own image. Have water and your personal statement nearby.
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