How to prepare for interviews, auditions and tests

Depending on the kind of courses you apply for, your chosen unis and colleges may invite you for an interview or audition – in fact they’re compulsory for some courses, such as teaching and nursing.

They’re a way for both students and course tutors to find out if they’re mutually suitable. If invited, your chosen uni will make sure you have all the details so you know where to go and when. The interviewers may want to see work examples – such as an essay or piece of coursework – but they’ll let you know this in advance.

Here are some quick tips from us:

1. Plan ahead – check where you’ve got to go, when you’ve got to be there and try to sleep well the night before so you’re in the best possible position on the day.
    
2. Make a good first impression – show up on time, dress appropriately, remember your manners and be in control of your body language. Interviewers see hundreds (sometimes thousands) of students so make sure you stand out for all the right reasons.
    
3. Try your best to relax – although interviews are a daunting experience, try to enjoy it once you’re there. If the unexpected happens and they ask a question you’re not prepared for, don’t panic – ask your interviewer to rephrase or repeat the question and give it your best shot. They won’t be trying to catch you out.
    
4. Read your personal statement – your interviewer will have your application fresh in their mind, so make sure you can remember what you wrote and be prepared to talk about it.
     
5. Shout about your achievements – well don’t literally shout, but be prepared to talk passionately about things you’ve done which you’re proud of – for example coursework, charity work or a social event you might have organised. If it demonstrates key skills that are linked to your chosen course, mention it.
    
6. Ask questions – you need to convince your interviewer that you’ve got a real passion for your subject, so come prepared with questions to show that you’ve really thought about studying the subject at your chosen uni.
     
7. Reflect on it afterwards – when you come out of the interview room, allow time to make notes on how it went. If you’ve got more than one interview, this will give you something to work on for the next one.

For more interview tips, take a look at our how to prepare for interviews video guide.
Instead of an interview you may be asked to submit a portfolio or take an admissions test. In this case, the university will let you know what you need to do and when by. If for any reason you can’t meet their requirements you must let them know as early as possible.

Top tips for interview success on creative arts courses

With letters for university interviews being delivered in the coming weeks, questions over how to prepare for them are at the forefront of the minds of many applicants. Is interview preparation a one-size-fits-all process? Should you approach an interview for a creative arts qualification as you would for one in humanities for example? Falmouth University offers courses in art, design, media, performance and writing and here Dr Andrew Upton, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching), gives his insight with six easy tips on interview success for courses in the creative arts - essential reading with the 24 March application deadline for some art and design course coming up!

The basics

University interviews are your chance to sell yourself to course leaders and there are some universal things you should get right, regardless of course choice, in order to get your place. You must be presentable, punctual, show enthusiasm, convey your desire to learn and be able to express why you have chosen your course. Check the interview letter and course web page carefully and make sure you have met every requirement and brought everything with you that you've been asked to.

Portfolio

Falmouth University students during a
BA (Hons) Film degree course session

This is the chance for you to present yourself and talk through your creative work with course leaders and admissions tutors. These are required for a range of creative subjects and a great portfolio can really make the difference between securing a place on your course or not. Portfolios must be well presented, selective and well edited with only your best work which is most relevant to your desired course. A portfolio provides evidence of your creativity to date and offers a chance for you to demonstrate skills in project development and research and proves you have the ability to communicate the concept behind your work clearly and are well organised. 

Auditions

A big difference for interviews in the creative arts courses compared to others is the use of auditions. Used for dance, choreography and theatre courses, this is the chance you have to impress course leaders doing what you love and to show off your technique. Make sure you have everything you will need for the audition. Courses in choreography and dance will offer you the opportunity to develop dance moves in small groups. Potential theatre students are asked to memorise a piece of text from published work that interests them, or of their own work to be used in a group improvisation workshop.

Inspiration

What influences you and who your favourite person, or style icon, is in your chosen field of study is important in the creative industries. There are some big and famous names out there in this sector and if you want to work in it you must know a thing or two about the leaders in your field.  Taking some time to really narrow down who you admire and why their work touches you will make a world of difference to the interviewers who will decide if you get onto your dream course.

Subject knowledge

All interviews for university places give you the opportunity to show that you have a strong interest in the subject and are therefore committed to the course. Showing evidence of long term interest can take the form of reading the latest books and journals in the subject field and being able to discuss them in your interview. You don’t need to be an expert but showing you know the subject speaks volumes about you and your commitment to it.

Written work

It may come as a surprise but evidence of research and writing skills are required for many interviews for creative arts courses. Interior design, fine art, photography and textile design all require recent essays you have written to be brought to your interview. Other courses may require a new piece to be written, for example, potential theatre students are asked to write a short review of recent contemporary theatre performance.

Above all, make sure you take the time to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Your future is in your hands and you are taking the first steps toward a glittering career. If you make sure you take time to prepare properly then success is much more likely. Good luck!

8 tips for preparing for your university interview

With interviews becoming an increasingly popular topic of conversation over the next few weeks, we thought it was high time to get a university's perspective on what they're looking for and how best to prepare for the big day. So up stepped the University of Bristol to offer eight valuable tips:

It’s around this time of year that you may have been invited to an interview from one or more of your university choices. Not all courses invite candidates for interviews but they’re often required for popular courses where there are large numbers of high quality applicants and/or where the course requires a high degree of ‘people skills’ for success. The likelihood of an interview being part of the selection process will be reflected in a course’s advice on applying, which will be available on the relevant university’s website.  For example, Bristol’s Undergraduate Admissions Statements are available here

Getting invited to interview is a great achievement in itself – it means that the admissions tutors are impressed with your application and are seriously considering making you an offer. If you have been invited for an interview, or you know that one or more of your course choices uses interviews as part of the selection process, here are some tips on what to expect and how to prepare:

1. Remember that the interview is not only the university’s opportunity to assess your suitability but also a   chance for you to decide if it’s the right choice for you. Use the interview day as an opportunity to explore the university and surrounding area – can you picture yourself studying and living there?


2. Interviewers are not there to catch you out or make you nervous – they’ll be genuinely interested in you and your potential to succeed on their course. Research as much as you can about the course content, the department and the university to show the interviewers your interest and commitment. 


3. Make sure you re-familiarise yourself with your personal statement and prepare for generic questions such as ‘why did you apply to this university?’ and ‘why do you want to study this particular course?’


4. Interviewers are likely to be seeing several candidates so don’t expect to spend a long time with them. To make a good impression within a limited time, think about the qualities you have to offer that you feel make you stand out from the competition. If you’ve done relevant work experience, read widely around your subject or have won awards or accolades, make sure you use the opportunity to highlight this. 


5. Practice doing a ‘mock interview’ with a parent, teacher or careers adviser. The interview situation can seem unnatural and pressurised so to practise talking about yourself and presenting in a confident manner can be really useful. 


6. Wear something that is smart but also practical – rehearse sitting down and walking in your outfit to make sure that it remains presentable and comfortable throughout. 


7. Read your invitation letter or email carefully to ensure that you know where you need to be and when. You may have been asked to bring a piece of work or other documentation so make sure you have these prepared. Arrive at the interview venue in plenty of time so that you don’t feel rushed. This will give you the opportunity to relax and go over some key points before you start. 


8. Be yourself and be confident in your potential to succeed in the interview and on your chosen course. 

More guidance about interviews at Bristol is available here where you can download a factsheet about interviews and see a video of a mock Medicine interview.
Good luck!

Sian Hughes, Assistant Publications Officer, University of Bristol