English & joint schools interviews

Thank you for applying to Oxford to study English or English & Modern Languages.

Candidates who have applied for straight English will have two interviews with Hertford tutors, each lasting around 20 minutes. English & Modern Languages candidates will have a single English interview, lasting around 20-25 minutes, and a separate interview with your respective language’s tutors.

Each interview will be conducted by two people from our team of interviewers. You’ll be emailed a small number of poems before your first interview and asked to choose one of them to discuss with us. We ask candidates to spend the remaining time before the interview reading and thinking about this poem carefully. We want to hear your own thoughts and interpretation so please do not use the internet or other sources for help with the exercise. If you are an English & Modern Languages candidate, we may also ask you about the reading you have done recently, whether at school or independently, and we may pick up on anything mentioned in your personal statement.

Candidates for the straight English course will then have a second interview with the English tutors. In this interview we will ask you about the recent reading you have done, whether at school or independently, and we may pick up on anything mentioned in your personal statement.

You will need a device with access to Microsoft Teams, a microphone and webcam to take part in the interviews. Take a look at our Online Interviews Technology page to find out more and watch an introductory video. If you have any questions or concerns about the technology set-up, you should email undergraduate.admissions@hertford.ox.ac.uk and we’ll do our best to help.

Likewise, please do not hesitate to contact the Admissions Office on the above email address if you have any concerns – technical or otherwise – before or after your English interview.
WATCH A DEMONSTRATION INTERVIEW