The Oxford Grad TutorMock Interview Scholarship
Free Oxbridge mock interviews for state-educated and disadvantaged students.
Every year I offer free mock interviews to eligible students who've been invited to interview at Oxford or Cambridge.
At Oxford I was awarded a Crankstart Scholarship, which included a volunteering commitment. I chose to spend that time supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds with their Oxford and Cambridge applications, and it's what gave me the tutoring bug. This scholarship keeps that going.
What you get
- A realistic mock interview on the Philosophy, Politics or Economics component of your course, free of charge
- Practice explaining your thinking on a problem you haven't seen
- Specific feedback on what interviewers are looking for, and what to work on
Who can apply
You need to meet all three of these requirements.
- You're a British or Irish national.
- You've been invited to interview at Oxford or Cambridge for an eligible course.
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At least one of these applies to you:
- You've only ever attended state schools and colleges
- You've spent time in care
- You receive free school meals
Eligible courses
My mocks cover only the part of each course in bold. With History and Politics, for example, we'd practise the Politics, not the History.
University of Oxford
- Computer Science and Philosophy
- Economics and Management
- History and Economics
- History and Politics
- Philosophy and Modern Languages
- Philosophy and Theology
- Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)
- Physics and Philosophy
- Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics (PPL)
University of Cambridge
- Economics
- History and Politics
- Human, Social and Political Sciences
- Land Economy
- Philosophy
Apply for a place
Places are limited, so please apply as soon as you receive your interview invitation.
Prefer email? Write to me at
Spencer@TheOxfordGradTutor.com
About me
Hello, I'm Spencer.
I read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Harris Manchester College, Oxford. I narrowly missed out on a place at my first attempt and eventually went as a mature student, so I know how daunting this process can feel.
I've supported 15 students to offers from Oxford and Cambridge. I hold an Enhanced DBS certificate and am a member of The Tutors' Association.
What students say about my mock interviews
“I only had one mock interview - but it was with Spencer, and that was enough. He identified precisely where my thinking needed sharpening and, as it turned out, told me to expect content that was indeed the subject of an interview. I later made a subject access request and discovered I’d placed 4th out of 475 candidates in the admissions process post-interview. What surprised me, though, was how much of our session focused on the psychological components: cadence, framing pressure, walking in with the right mindset etc. That was, if anything, more valuable than the academic preparation itself. I’d recommend him without hesitation!”
My mock interviews with him completely changed my mindset on the interview, what once felt like a dreaded day of immense pressure became a relaxed and enjoyable conversation I looked forward to with people who genuinely wanted to hear what I had to say.
Ismaeel, Economics, Cambridge
Spencer's mock interview was honestly as close to the real thing as I could've asked for. Even more valuable was the feedback he gave me afterwards, which helped me to further understand what an Oxbridge interview is actually assessing and allowed me to perform confidently in my real interviews.
Adam, Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Oxford
He gave me clear guidance on what to focus on and ran a very realistic mock interview. … The actual interview ended up being surprisingly similar, which gave me confidence and helped me succeed.
Oleksii, Economics, Cambridge
I genuinely think Spencer’s mock interview and advice was some of the best I received. In particular, the Game Theory interview was extremely similar in style to my actual interview, which meant I felt far more confident and fluent in answering their questions.
Daniyaal, Economics, Cambridge
His feedback was specific, organised and yet also gentle in the way in which it was delivered … Spencer graded me on each criteria that I would be assessed on, which also helped me tailor my answer better.
Jaslene, Economics, Cambridge
Over the last year, Spencer’s help has made the difference between getting my Oxford offer and not even getting an interview.
Khalid, Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Oxford
I couldn’t ask for better help from Spencer. He provided an attentive and caring approach and his support made a big difference to my confidence and understanding. I really enjoyed our sessions where I was at ease and pleasantly challenged.
Mahdiyah, Philosophy and Theology, Oxford
Spencer was a fantastic tutor, who really helped boost my confidence before my interviews. He was very patient, and gave helpful and insightful advice. I would definitely recommend him to others!
Zander, History and Politics, Oxford
Reapplicant
Spencer offers specific feedback with direct improvements on how to showcase your thinking, structure arguments, and communicate in an Oxbridge interview environment, which proved especially helpful. The preparation was very efficient, and I would highly recommend it to anyone aiming at Oxbridge!
Anonymous, Economics and Management, Oxford
My sessions with Spencer were very thoughtful and engaging. Despite being in the hospital during my actual interview I am very grateful for choosing Spencer to help with my preparation and will carry this enthusiasm for the rest of my academic journey.
Anonymous, Philosophy, Politics and Economics, LSE