Our History at University Guide: Personal Statement, Reading and Oxbridge Interview Questions (2024)
In this article, U2 mentor, Blanca (1st Class History & Politics graduate, University of Oxford), leads you through her top recommendations for successful preparation for a history degree at a top Russell Group UK university or Oxbridge. If you want to know about extracurricular activities to make your application stand-out, current trends and ‘must-knows’ in history, history book recommendations, an overview of the Oxbridge history interview structure, and examples of past history interview questions, this blog is for you! Also find a video covering all elements of the Oxbridge History application process at the end of the blog by U2 mentor, Maxim.
Writing a strong History Personal Statement
Whilst your interest in History might have originated in the classroom, the tutors who are going to review your personal statement for university admissions, or interview you if applying to Oxbridge, live the subject. They have decided to dedicate their lives to studying this discipline. Therefore it’s really important to show that your involvement with the subject also goes beyond the classroom. You can do this through independent reading and research, but also by getting more actively involved with history in the real world. Here are some suggestions:
Write, write, write! Is there a history magazine at your school? Can you contribute? If not, why not start one!?
Volunteer at history festivals - This is a great chance to meet famous historians and pick up interesting information (i.e.: Chalk Valley History Festival)
Look around you - does your school have history archives? Have you visited them? Are there any interesting history-related schemes or programmes you could join?
Organise talks - Email historians and ask them to come to speak at your school or host an online lecture. This could be easier than it sounds. (i.e.: look at your school alumni, maybe one of them became a historian)
Set up displays in your school - is it the anniversary of some big event? Why not make it a big deal? (i.e.: 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in the US)
These are all great ways to build a beyond the classroom engagement with the subject to craft a strong History Personal Statement. You may also want to:
Take part in a History Essay Competition
This will show your enthusiasm and motivation to study History and help you develop useful skills highly valued by universities. In your History Personal statement you’ll be able to discuss your research and the challenges of the essaywriting process. Make sure you plan in advance: the deadline for these is normally March-August of L6 (Year 12). You could try:
Peterhouse’s Vellacott History Prize (Peterhouse, Cambridge)
Robson History Prize (Trinity College, Cambridge)
The Julia Wood Prize (St Hugh’s College, Oxford)
Attend Minds Underground’s History Summer School
This is a unique opportunity to explore the topic of history at university level. You’ll engage with foundational theories, explore a variety of historical periods with relation to gender, the economy, anthropology, politics and more. The sessions are led by top historians in each field, all educated at Oxford or Cambridge. After attending our summer school, you’ll have a stronger understanding of what it means to study History at university level, feel confident in a definition of what History is and be prepared to write your History personal statement and tackle an Oxbridge History Interview.
Independent Reading for your History Personal Statement
There are no specific books you must include in your personal statement or read for your interview. However, it’s important to:
Read general history – you might have chosen to read around a period you are particularly interested in, and that’s great. You do need to keep in mind, however, that a lot of history interviews are source-based. This means that your interviewers might ask questions related to a history extract you either have to examine on the spot or have been asked to read 30 mins before your interview. So it is quite useful to have a grasp, even if it is quite loose, of different historical epochs. This is not expected, but it could potentially set you apart! Ideas include:
a. E. H. Gombrich, A Little History of the World (2008)
2. Understand the study of history – for you, history at school might have mainly encompassed learning for the textbook. However, the study of history is about a lot more. It includes things such as understanding the aims and methods of historians themselves. An awareness of this could prove particularly useful when reading a source. For example:
a. John Tosh, The Pursuit of History
3. Read about approaches to history – most of this reading can get quite technical and specific, so you might struggle. The overall point, however, is to get another perspective of history. By looking at the change surrounding the discipline you get a different perspective. You might want to look at:
a. David Cannadine (ed.), What is History Now?
4. Engage with Primary sources – this could set you apart. Historians normally base their research on primary sources so if you show that your ‘research’, like theirs, also includes this kind of reading it could play in your favour. This can sound way more complicated and boring than it actually is. It just means finding texts written by contemporaries – i.e.: soldiers’ diaries during WWII. The same applies to ‘older’ history. If you are interested in medieval history, it is not necessary for you to read correspondence in, say, Latin. You could choose to look at translated epic poems (i.e.: The Poem of the Cid).
These are just ideas of what to do on top of the most important: read around whatever it is that you are interested in. At the end of the day, your ‘passion’ will come through during an Oxbridge History interview. If you have zero interest in what you have read, it will become quite clear. Conversely, if you can speak about topics you genuinely enjoy, your ideas and opinions will be far more interesting for both the interviewers and yourself!
Check out our blog on Historiography, engaging the Historical Imagination for the HAT test and interview success over on our co-curricular division, Minds Underground.
Boost your History Personal Statement with an Independent Research Project
Our co-curricular division, Minds Underground, offers students the opportunity to undertake a specialist History Independent Research Project in an area of their interest. These sessions will introduce you to important historiography and theoretical foundations key to the study of the subject at a higher level.
You could research “Emotional history' with an Oxford University Casberd Scholar and gain insight into an aspect of historiography rarely considered by A-Level classes!
Sessions are 1 month typically, with 5 project tutorial sessions.
Important trends to grasp before an Oxbridge History Interview
‘Approaches to History’ – this means looking at a period in history with relation to gender, the economy, anthropology, etc.
This is a huge aspect of History today. Scholars are demanding their peers to reassess their work and take into account circumstances they had not previously considered.
Currently, gender is particularly ‘trendy’. Ideas like masculinity and gender roles and the way these have played into the behaviour of big nations are fascinating scholars.
Historiography – it encompasses the debate going on between historians who might have different perspectives on what happened.
Tutors love to talk about this, it is basically their work.
Talking about the historiography of a period of time is the same as discussing what different people have said about that period (i.e.: X historian says PM Chamberlain eased the path for Hitler to come to power but Y historian argues Hitler was always going to come to power)
Bringing this insight into your Oxbridge History interview can set you apart – it shows you have the right approach to studying History
Oxbridge History Interview: Structure
Normally last around 30 mins
Interviewees might be asked to arrive 30 mins beforehand to read and prepare an extract
The following are overviews of 2 different history interviews:
1. Applicant for (BA) History (2 history interviews):
Interview 1 – “I was given an extract with a collection of arguments to read before the interview. During the first section of the interview I was asked to summarise and differentiate the argument, then defend and attack some. This was followed by a discussion of the essay I had submitted. They asked me why I had argued what I had and challenged that argument.”
Interview 2 – “I was given a primary source beforehand. During the interview, we discussed things like the nature of the source, what the source told us, different schools of thought and their use of the source. This was followed by general questions like the goal of History and my personal statement.”
2. Applicant for (BA) History and Politics (1 history interview)
Interview – “I was given an extract on the intelligentsia in Eastern Europe during the 1930s to read for 30 mins before my interview. The first half of the interview involved very targeted questions such as who is the source talking about, is the source biased... I was then asked to provide some context on what else was going on during that period, meaning I needed some background knowledge. The second half involved a discussion of the essay I had sent in.”
General tips for your Oxbridge History interview
Think out loud – interviewers are interested in the way your mind works so walk them through your thinking process. Also, you might even say something they find super interesting yet you thought would be irrelevant.
When in doubt, ask – if you don’t understand a term it’s fine, just ask for clarification. You are still in school so there is no way you are expected to look at academic extracts and perfectly understand them.
There is no right or wrong – it is all about how you think!
Back yourself – if you do know something, say it.
Know your personal statement inside out – interviewers might not even touch on it or they might see something that catches their attention and challenge you on it or ask you to expand
Ultimately, there are two main things to focus on in an interview:
(1) Your approach to history – your interviewers will assess what you know and how you think!
(2) How you come across – the people who interview you might end up teaching you, meaning they are essentially assessing whether they want to teach you. For instance, being overconfident and rude won’t play in your favour.
If you’d like further opportunities to practise your Oxbridge History interview before the real thing, you might be interested in U2 Tuition’s Oxbridge Mock Interview days in late November. Signing up to these days, you will receive two mock Oxbridge History interviews with a specialist tutor and receive in-depth written feedback, as well as a group interview and an interview skills workshop. This is a great day to enhance your interview performance and put your work so far to the test. Find out more.
Example Oxbridge History Interview Questions:
What is the value of history?
Why do you want to study history?
Can we know anything for a fact?
What role do historians play?
How do historians prove their arguments?
Tell me the history of this college.
Tell me something interesting about the history of the place where you live.
What do you think is an empire?
Source-specific questions
o what does this source tell us about the author?
o what are this source’s limitations?
You can access many more Oxbridge History Interview questions in our Interview pack, filled with specialist advice, reading and practice opportunities.
Looking for a Personal Statement Writing Tutor or Support For Your Wider History Application?
Personal Statement
U2’s Oxbridge-educated mentors have a close insight into what admissions tutors like to see in a History personal statement, and can help students to convey their skills, motivations, and long term goals, in order to stand out from other applicants. The statement should be the candidates own work, but our mentors will provide direction and guide you through the process of content building and writing. We offer offline drafting as well as tuition sessions.
Oxbridge History Mentoring
U2 offers HAT admissions test preparation, as well as wider Oxbridge Mentoring programmes (book a free consultation to discuss options). We have a large team of Oxbridge-educated History mentors including 1st Class, Master’s and PhD level graduates.
The Process:
1) We suggest an Oxbridge History graduate as a mentor and send their full CV for review. Our mentors are deeply familiar with the admissions process to study History at the University of Oxford and Cambridge, and are well-placed to guide you through personal statement curation, the entrance exam and interview process. We may suggest a range of application tutors to choose from with slightly differing rates depending on qualifications and level of experience.
2) We typically suggest beginning with a 1.5 hour informal assessment/ taster session, where the mentor will informally assess the student’s current performance level for application, including test and interview. Following this, we issue a report with feedback, and structure a plan to best prepare.
3) U2’s approach for regular History application sessions: The main focus of tutorial sessions will be to explore material that can be discussed in the personal statement and at interview - this may sometimes stretch from A-Level standard to First Year Undergraduate. Mentors ensure each student refines their interests within History, and is exposed to a range of historical approaches and new concepts, guiding students in their reading and wider subject exploration. Together, we build a case for the student, solidifying the stance and direction they will take during interview and honing skills for the HAT if applicable.
Frequency of sessions can be decided between student and mentor. Students can take either ad hoc sessions, or we structure a full programme for preparation, which may include further co-curricular opportunities such as our research projects, History summer school and Oxbridge mock interview days. Honing the skills necessary to succeed for Oxbridge ideally requires long-term preparation and mentoring presents a wonderful opportunity to learn from some of the very best Oxbridge has produced. We also provide GCSE, A-Level or IB History support if needed.
Sessions from £70/h.