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InterviewPanel
University of Cambridge
Total length35 min – 1 hour (most applicants)
Interviewers2–3 per interview
When7–18 Dec 2026
Places22 overseas fee places
Interviews and offers in recent years
| Entry | Applicants | Offers |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 entry | 1,530 | 307 |
| 2024 entry | 1,791 | 288 |
| 2023 entry | 1,754 | 288 |
| 2022 entry | 1,971 | 286 |
Offers from the waiting list: not published by this university.
What these figures cover: Medicine A100, all applicants. Cambridge does not publish interview numbers by course; offers include Winter Pool offers.
Figures are as published by the university or released under Freedom of Information. Definitions differ between schools, so compare with care. A dash means the figure was not published.
Key dates
- Most interview invitations are sent in November; some in early December.
- The main interview period is 7–18 December 2026.
- Winter pool interviews are around mid to late January 2027.
- Interviews cannot be rescheduled except in exceptional circumstances.
- If you do not attend, you will not be considered for a place.
How the interview works
- Your interviews are run by the College that considers your application.
- Every medical applicant has at least two interviews.
- Each College's process includes at least one current medical practitioner.
- Most applicants have one or two interviews totalling 35 minutes to an hour.
- Some applicants have three or four, depending on subject and College.
- The number of interviews does not reflect how strong your application is.
- Subject interviews usually have two or three interviewers.
- You may be asked to apply your knowledge to new situations.
- You may be asked to explain vocational aspects of medicine.
- You may be asked why you want to study at Cambridge.
- You may be asked about recent topics from school or your personal statement.
- For problem-solving questions you may be asked to share your workings.
- Some interviews may include pre-interview reading.
- Whether you interview online or in person depends on your College; you usually cannot choose.
- In person for Medicine: Churchill, Clare, Emmanuel, King's and Selwyn.
- In person for UK-based applicants: Corpus Christi, Jesus, Pembroke, Peterhouse, Robinson, Sidney Sussex, Trinity and Trinity Hall.
- Online: Christ's, Downing, Fitzwilliam, Girton, Homerton, Hughes Hall, Lucy Cavendish, Magdalene, Murray Edwards, Newnham, Queens', St Catharine's, St Edmund's, St John's and Wolfson.
- At Gonville & Caius, UK and Irish applicants choose online or in person.
- Applicants outside the UK interview online at most Colleges; Pembroke and Trinity let them choose.
What they assess
- Understanding of your subject
- Readiness for high-level study
- Critical and independent thinking
- Curiosity and openness to new ideas
- Enthusiasm for your subject
- Sound scientific knowledge and problem-solving
- Empathy and listening
- Clear communication
- Teamwork
- Emotional maturity and coping with stress
- Tolerance of ambiguity
- Well-founded motivation for medicine
- Realistic understanding of a medical career
- Awareness of clinical and ethical dilemmas
- Knowledge of major current NHS issues
How it's scored and how offers are made
- Colleges make all admissions decisions.
- Selection combines your academic record, UCAT and interviews.
- UCAT may be used when making offers.
- The minimum offer is A*A*A at A level, or 41–42 IB points with 776 at Higher Level.
- Colleges usually require A* in Chemistry.