Oxbridge Interview / The Oxford interview / History and Politics
Oxford History and Politics interview: what the joint-course tutors ask
Only 46 places, and you're assessed twice over: a history essay and the TARA before you even reach two sets of tutors in December.
Updated September 2026Oxford's History and Politics course interviews about 41% of applicants and admits about 13%, with an intake of 46 and a further 4% admitted to a different course (three-year average, 2023-25). It asks more of you before interview than either parent subject: all applicants sit the TARA in October and also submit one argument-driven historical essay of up to 2,000 words by 10 November. Oxford says tutors look for intellectual curiosity, a flexible approach to unfamiliar concepts or arguments and enthusiasm for history and politics, that you may be asked to discuss your written work and personal statement, and that you may be given a short passage to read and talk about. As a joint course, expect tutors from both subjects, sometimes in separate interviews. Oxford's published history questions and its politics question about the pensions crisis show the range. Shortlisted applicants are interviewed online in December, usually by two tutors, often more than once and sometimes by a second college. Oxford calls it 'a short tutorial with someone who knows the subject well'.
Merra is not affiliated with the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, any college or UCAS.
Merra: practise it out loud before it counts
Merra's Oxford History and Politics practice is a spoken mock in the tutorial style: five questions across both subjects, one follow-up each, about fifteen minutes, then spoken feedback and a written report. It is one interviewer, not two subject panels, and provides no unseen passage.
- 1Sign up free — no card, 2 free coaching sessions available until used.
- 2Practise out loud — answer unseen discussion questions with an AI tutor.
- 3Get readiness feedback — see how you reasoned and how you handled the push, with a recording and transcript.
No card details required. Your first 2 coaching sessions are free.
Practise an Oxford-style History and Politics interview
An AI tutor asks an unseen discussion question out loud, pushes once with a follow-up, then moves on — the same shape as the real thing, minus the science problems on paper.
Practise an Oxford-style History and Politics interview2 free coaching sessions · available until used · no card needed · no subscriptionHow this interview works
- 1Sit the TARA on 12-16 October 2026 (all three modules). Submit one argument-driven historical essay, up to 2,000 words, certified by your school, by 10 November 2026.
- 2Shortlisting: about 41% of applicants are interviewed. Invitations arrive from mid-November to early December.
- 3Interviews are online in December. For a joint course, Oxford says to expect tutors representing each subject, possibly in separate interviews.
- 4You may be asked to discuss your essay and personal statement, and to read and talk about a short passage.
- 5Tutors look for intellectual curiosity, a flexible approach to unfamiliar concepts and arguments, and enthusiasm for history and politics.
- 6Decisions on 12 January 2027. Some applicants are offered a different course: 4% over the last three years.
Interview questions
Three questions below are Oxford's own published sample questions from its History and PPE tutors, marked (published by Oxford). The rest are Merra practice questions written to the course's stated criteria; they are not Oxford's.
“Is violence always political? Does 'political' mean something different in different contexts?”
“What can historians not find out about the past?”
“Pensions crises were predicted for decades and little was done. Is there a fault with the British political system that stops it addressing long-term problems?”
“What's the argument of the essay you sent? Now: is it a historical argument or a political one, and does that matter?”
“Pick a country whose politics you follow. What would a historian of it in 2100 say we got wrong?”
“Does knowing the history of an institution help you predict what it will do next? Give me an example where it did and one where it didn't.”
“If I told you elections don't change policy much, how would you test whether I'm right?”
“What political idea have you changed your mind about, and what changed it?”
Pricing
FAQs
How competitive is Oxford History and Politics?
About 41% of applicants are interviewed and about 13% are successful for an intake of 46, with a further 4% admitted to a different course (three-year average 2023-25).
What do I need before the interview?
The TARA (all three modules, 12-16 October 2026) and one argument-driven historical essay of up to 2,000 words by 10 November.
Will I be interviewed by history and politics tutors?
Oxford says joint-course applicants should expect tutors representing each subject, sometimes in separate interviews.
What are tutors looking for?
Intellectual curiosity, a flexible approach to unfamiliar concepts or arguments, and enthusiasm for history and politics. You may be asked about your essay, your personal statement and a short passage.
Does Oxford publish questions for this course?
Not under this heading, but its History and PPE sample questions (from the tutors who interview for this course's two halves) are published with their reasoning.
Official information
For the official course page and admissions details.
More Oxbridge interview guides
Merra is not affiliated with the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, any college or UCAS. Merra’s feedback is advisory only — it is not a guarantee of any offer or admission outcome.
The Oxbridge interview is spoken. Practise it that way.
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Practise an Oxford-style History and Politics interview2 free coaching sessions · available until used · no card needed · no subscription