Oxbridge Interview / The Oxford interview / Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Oxford PPE interview: what philosophy, politics and economics tutors actually ask
Tutors say they're 'less concerned with what you know than with how you think', and they've published questions on plane journeys and climate, the experience machine, pensions and why Burundi is poor.
Updated September 2026Oxford's PPE course interviews about 38% of applicants and admits about 12%, with an intake of 227 (three-year average, 2023-25). All applicants sit the TARA (Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions) in October, taking all three modules; no written work is required. Oxford's course page says admissions tutors want to find out if you can think clearly and analytically, that they are 'less concerned with what you know than with how you think and use your knowledge', and that they seek evidence of interest in all three subjects. The published sample questions cover all three: a philosophy argument about whether one plane journey carries moral weight, Nozick's experience machine, whether our deaths are bad for us, why income per head is 50 to 100 times higher in the US than Burundi, whether the British political system can address long-term problems like pensions, and sorting out 'lie', 'deceive' and 'mislead'. 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 PPE practice is a spoken mock in the tutorial style: five questions drawn across philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford's published questions and criteria, one follow-up each, about fifteen minutes, then spoken feedback and a written report. It does not split into three subject interviews or use a panel.
- 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 Philosophy, Politics and Economics 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 Philosophy, Politics and Economics interview2 free coaching sessions · available until used · no card needed · no subscriptionHow this interview works
- 1Sit the TARA on 12-16 October 2026 (booking 20 July to 28 September). All three modules (Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Writing Task) are required for Oxford. No written work is submitted.
- 2Shortlisting: about 38% of applicants are interviewed. Invitations arrive from mid-November to early December.
- 3Interviews are online in December, usually two tutors; for a joint course like PPE expect tutors representing each subject, sometimes in separate interviews.
- 4Philosophy questions test whether you can accept a premise for the sake of argument, deal with counter-examples and draw distinctions. Tutors say prior philosophy is not expected.
- 5Economics and politics questions are open problems: why countries differ in wealth, whether democracy can plan long-term. Tutors say the precise solution matters less than 'the refining of ideas and self-correction where necessary'.
- 6Decisions are released on 12 January 2027 via UCAS.
Interview questions
Six questions below are Oxford's own published sample questions, marked (published by Oxford). The rest are Merra practice questions written to the tutors' stated criteria; they are not Oxford's.
“'Whether or not I make a given plane journey, the plane will fly anyway. So there is no moral reason for me not to travel by plane.' Is this a convincing argument?”
“Suppose you could plug into a machine for the rest of your life that gives you every experience you find enjoyable and valuable, and you wouldn't know. Would you go in?”
“Are our deaths bad for us?”
“Why is income per head between 50 and 100 times larger in the United States than in countries such as Burundi and Malawi?”
“There was talk of a pensions crisis for decades and little was done. Is there a fault with the British political system that means it can't sensibly address serious long-term problems?”
“Lie, deceive, mislead: they seem similar but not the same. Help me sort them out.”
“Which of the three subjects do you know least about, and what's the last thing you read in it?”
“Should voting be compulsory? Give me your view, then the best objection to it, then tell me if you've changed your mind.”
Pricing
FAQs
How competitive is the Oxford PPE interview?
About 38% of applicants are interviewed and about 12% are successful, with an intake of 227 (three-year average 2023-25).
Do I need to have studied philosophy for the PPE interview?
No. Oxford's tutors say the interview is not meant to test knowledge of philosophy since most candidates have not studied it; it tests critical thinking, handling counter-examples and drawing distinctions.
What test do I need for Oxford PPE?
The TARA, all three modules, sat on 12-16 October 2026. No written work is required.
Does Oxford publish PPE interview questions?
Yes, six across the three subjects, each with the tutor's explanation of what they listen for.
Will I be interviewed by tutors from all three subjects?
Oxford says joint-course applicants should expect tutors representing each subject, sometimes in separate interviews.
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.
Your first mock takes about 15 minutes: an unseen question, a follow-up, and feedback on how you reasoned. Free, no card.
Practise an Oxford-style Philosophy, Politics and Economics interview2 free coaching sessions · available until used · no card needed · no subscription