Student Interviews

Getting into the University of your dreams comes with ton of preparation and hard work. Besides the compilation of documents, drafting the statement of purpose and the different tasks that go into the application process, some Universities conduct student interviews to get to know the student better in order to make a decision on their admission. 

A student interview is where a discussion takes place between the student and an interviewer from a University or a Visa Authority to assess the genuinity of the student and evaluate his/her understanding of the course they wish to pursue. 

• University Interviews: Not all universities require an interview as part of the admission process. However, certain Ivy League Universities including Cambridge, Oxford, University of Toronto, among others, do have an interview requirement. These interviews are set up for the purpose of evaluating the subject knowledge of the candidate about the course they intend to pursue. The interview questions are designed to test the theoretical and practical knowledge of the student in the field they are interested.
• Visa Interviews: These interviews are part of the visa application and approval process. The interviews can vary from country to country. The purpose of an interview is to determine the genuinity of the student in studying in the host country. This is to eliminate possible cases of students simply looking for a way into the country rather than interested in the course they choose to pursue. The interview questions may be personal, testing the moral character, family background and career goals of the student.

Interview conducted by universities:

Most of the leading global universities have a rigorous interview process that aims to assess the subject knowledge of the students. 

These interviews have different sections that are as follows:

• The ‘University’ questions: In this section, the interested candidate is asked a series of questions related to the choice of the university. It can include questions such as “ Why did you choose this University/ College?”
• The ‘Moral’ interview questions: The questions in this section are meant to determine how determined the student is in pursuing the particular course. Some examples of questions may include “ How do you think that you studying this subject can affect society or add to it?” or “ What do you expect to gain from going to university?” 
• The ‘Personal’ questions: in this section the student can be asked personal questions including questions that follow the Statement of Purpose written by the student. Examples of the questions include “What is your favourite thing about this subject?” or “What do you not like about this subject?” Both questions although very common University questions are surprisingly tricky. In answering the questions candidates will need to make sure that they avoid regurgitating the personal statement or the work that they have handed in. In addition, it is a bad idea to be too specific and talk about one very small area of study while leaving out the bigger picture in terms of subject knowledge.

Interview conducted by Visa Authorities:

It is important to note that different Visa Authorities from different countries have their own way of conducting interviews. The general process, however, is along the lines of the format shown below:

Potential Student Visa Interview Questions:

• Why did you choose this particular country for your higher studies?
• Have you visited the said country before?
• Why did you choose this college/university?
• Who is going to cover your expenses during the term of your course?
• What are your previous qualifications?
• What do your parents do?
• Are you travelling alone or with someone you know?
• Do you have any relatives/friends in the country?
• Where will you be staying while in the country?
• Do you plan to work in the country after completion of the course?

The questions mentioned in the sections above are just a few examples of the various questions that the student can be asked. These are not to be considered as THE ONLY QUESTIONS that will be asked. Given below are a few tips and guidelines to help ease the process of preparing for the interview:

• Know what to expect.
• Read the statement of purpose thoroughly.
• Read around your subject.
• Practise talking about the course to a family member or friend. This will help you gain the confidence to speak.

The Do’s and Don’ts during a student interview:

Do’s:

• Convey enthusiasm for the University you want to get into.
• Maintain strong eye contact.
• Use moderate hand gestures.
• Maintain appropriate posture.
• Be mindful of the tone of voice and rate of speech.
• Ask for clarification if you do not understand a question.
• Take time to think before answering difficult questions.

Don’ts:

• Arrive late for an interview.
• Look at the floor or ceiling while speaking to the interviewer.
• Have bad posture.
• Speak too quickly or too slowly.
• Use filler words like “um” or “like” while speaking.
• Lie or exaggerate.
• Speak negatively about anything.
• Interrupt the interviewer.

The Role of AdmissionIndia:

AdmissionIndia is a consultancy service that aims to provide free, reliable, efficient and stress-free service to our students in the field of higher education admissions for India and rest of the world. Our philosophy encourages students to keep their passion, creativity and capabilities at the core of their academic and career decisions. Our professionally trained and experienced staff are determined to ensure that our philosophy and “student first” approach is at the core of our association with all stakeholders.

AdmissionIndia works closely with the student right from counselling them with a choice of course, country, and University, filling in the admission form, proofreading the Statement of Purpose and preparing them with tips and guidelines for the interview process. We strive hard on ensuring that our students develop the confidence required to ace the interview and get into the University of their dreams.