Interviewee Hospitality
Interviewees are warmly invited to join us on Zoom during the interview period for a chat with some of our students.
As interviews will be taking place online again this year, we will be offering some online hospitality during the interview period - more details will be communicated to those invited to interview, including the joining links.
This is a completely optional drop-in meeting hosted by our Access & Outreach Manager and some current Materials Science students and is a chance for those invited to interview to relax, learn a bit more about the department, and ask any questions they may have.
Interviews for Materials Science
Interviews for undergraduate admissions to the Department of Materials are normally held in December and take place in our associated colleges. Most applicants will have two interviews, one at their first choice college and one at a different college, each lasting around 30-40 minutes.
Interviews for undergraduate admissions are normally spread over three days, Monday - Wednesday, in the third week of December.
2025 Interviews
Interviews taking place this December will be held online using Microsoft Teams. For Materials Science interviews, you will not need any additional technology.
You can find specific information and advice regarding online interviews here.
You can also find general advice for Oxford interviews on the 'General Interview Advice' tab above.
Please note that all undergraduate interviews will again be held online this year.
In preparation for admissions interviews we suggest you read the information and guidance about online interviews on this webpage, which is a part of the Guide for Applicants produced by Oxford University Admissions.
Tutors carrying out interviews really want to find out how applicants can cope with questions about stuff they DON'T know (all the stuff applicants do know is already covered in their personal statement, references, and exam grades/predictions). Important things to get across during an interview are:
- an interest in the subject,
- academic and mathematical ability, and
- an ability to solve problems.
Do not be afraid to ask for help when stuck! See the interview if possible as a mock tutorial where the applicant works with the tutor/interviewer to come to an understanding of a difficult problem.
There is lots of advice on the various university websites, and a number of links to a selection of helpful information are given below.
- Admissions Information
- Subject specific information in the online Undergraduate Prospectus
- Detailed Selection Criteria for Materials Science
- Materials Science Undergraduate Brochure
There may be extra information on the college websites as well.
Demonstration online interview - with Tutor commentary
If you want to see what a Materials Science online interview is like, watch the recorded demonstration interview below. Our tutors also provide valuable insights towards the end of the video.
