GuidesUpdated 1 November 2026
The Oxford and Cambridge Psychology interview
Oxford Experimental Psychology applicants take the TARA and, if shortlisted, have at least one online interview in December; in 2026 they run from 14 to 16 December. Cambridge Psychological and Behavioural Sciences (PBS) has no University-wide test, though two Colleges set their own assessment.
Psychology interviews often hand you a study or some data and ask why the result might be what it is, then add new information to see how your explanation copes. Below are both formats, questions Oxford psychology tutors have published, a worked example and how to prepare.
Oxford and Cambridge Psychology compared
| Oxford Experimental Psychology | Cambridge PBS | |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions test | TARA | None University-wide; Selwyn and St Edmund's set a College assessment |
| Written work | None | Some Colleges ask for written work |
| Interviews | At least one, online; in 2026, first and second college interviews run 14 to 16 December | Usually one or two, 35 minutes to an hour in total; online or in person by College |
| Technology | Tier 1: Teams only | Depends on College |
| Competition | 34% of applicants interviewed; 12% successful; intake 49 (3-year average, 2023-25) | 8 applications per place; 79 accepted (2025 cycle) |
What Oxford psychology tutors look for
Oxford's course page says that, beyond a very good academic record, tutors want to see whether you:
- appreciate the scope of scientific psychology
- can evaluate evidence and consider issues from different perspectives
- have a capacity for logical and creative thinking
- appreciate the importance of empirical evidence in supporting arguments
- could cope with the demands of the course
Questions Oxford psychology tutors have published
From Oxford's sample interview questions page (source: University of Oxford, sample interview questions):
| Question | What the tutor says it explores |
|---|---|
| "A large study appears to show that older siblings consistently score higher than younger siblings on IQ tests. Why would this be?" | Scientific and social explanations, tested as new facts are added |
| 100 people each pick a number from 0 to 100; the winner is closest to two-thirds of the average. What do you pick? | Numerical reasoning, game theory, and what real people actually do |
| "An experiment appears to suggest Welsh speakers are worse at remembering phone numbers than English speakers. Why?" | Spotting a problem with an experiment's design, from data on a sheet |
| "What is 'normal' for humans?" | Separating the normal from the statistical average |
| "Why do human beings have two eyes?" | Perception, starting from what you know |
| "Should interviews be used for selection?" | Bias in human judgement and what makes evidence valid |
A worked example: the older siblings study
- What a strong answer does: offers more than one kind of explanation (biological, such as the mother's age; social, such as family attention) and says how you could tell them apart.
- The key move: when the tutor adds a fact (the tutor says they tell you the pattern survives controls, and that only children don't show it), you drop or adjust explanations rather than defend them.
- Where it usually lands: something particular to being an older sibling. The tutor suggests many students arrive at the idea that teaching younger siblings helps.
- Weak answer: one confident explanation, kept unchanged whatever new information arrives.
The tutor adds that there isn't really a right answer: what matters is the reasoning you use and the questions you ask about the study.
How to prepare for a Psychology interview
- Practise criticising a study. Take a psychology headline and ask: who was tested, compared with whom, and what else could explain it?
- Get comfortable with simple data. Read a table or graph aloud and say what it does and doesn't show.
- Know that psychology is mostly about normal behaviour. Oxford's tutor makes this point directly; don't frame your interest only around disorders.
- Work through the published questions out loud. For each, add your own "new fact" and see if your answer survives.
- Revise basic statistics. Averages, correlation versus causation and sample size come up naturally in study questions.
AdmitMock is an AI mock interview app for Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL and US college alumni interviews: an AI interviewer asks the questions out loud, follows up, and shows you what to fix.
Frequently asked questions
What admissions test do I need for Oxford Psychology?
The TARA (Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions), for both Experimental Psychology and Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics.
Is there an admissions test for Cambridge PBS?
Not University-wide. Selwyn and St Edmund's set a College admission assessment, and some Colleges ask for written work.
Do I need to have studied psychology to do well at interview?
No. The published questions start from everyday reasoning and simple data, and tutors add information as you go.
When are Oxford Psychology interviews in 2026?
Oxford's 2026 timetable puts first and second college interviews for Experimental Psychology on Monday 14, Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 December.
Will I be given data in a Psychology interview?
Often. One published Oxford question is asked after showing candidates a case study with data on memory in English and Welsh speakers.
Related guides
Sources
Checked 1 November 2026.
AdmitMock is not affiliated with the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge or any of their colleges. We use published formats and questions, not insider information.
