Checked 8 November 2026. Dates, shortlisting and scoring as published by the University of Oxford (ox.ac.uk) and its Department of Physics (physics.ox.ac.uk), read 8 November 2026 for the December 2026 interviews (2027 entry). Your interview invitation and college emails are the authority for your own interviews.
An Oxford physics interview is an online academic conversation in which tutors watch how you apply physics and maths to unfamiliar problems. The Department of Physics says the interviews are "purely academic", that most of the time goes on physics or mathematics rather than your wider interests, and that knowledge of the entrance test (ESAT) syllabus is assumed. For 2027 entry, Physics interviews at two colleges are scheduled for Wednesday 9 to Tuesday 15 December 2026 (some may fall outside these dates), and each candidate gets three physics interview marks, each out of 10 (Physics and Philosophy candidates also have philosophy interviews). Below: the official facts with links, how the department turns interviews into offers, what tutors say they look for, the kinds of question to expect, and 2 original problems talked through as one way you might say them aloud. Independent practice, not affiliated with the University of Oxford.
For how Oxford interviews work across all subjects (invitations, the day itself, other courses), see our Oxford interview questions guide. This page is about Physics, and Physics and Philosophy, only.
Key facts: the Oxford physics interview (official pages, read 8 November 2026)
| Fact | Detail | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Course and UCAS code | Physics, UCAS code F303 (3 or 4 years); Physics and Philosophy is a separate joint course | Physics course page |
| Admissions test | ESAT, taken 12 to 16 October 2026; Oxford physics applicants sit Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2 and Physics | Physics course page; Department: How to apply |
| Who is interviewed | A shortlist of around 2.5 candidates per place (around 500 in total); the primary shortlisting criterion is the ESAT score, read with contextual data | Department: Admissions procedures |
| Interview dates (2026) | Interviews at two colleges between Wednesday 9 December and Tuesday 15 December 2026; no separate additional-interview round is listed for Physics | Interview timetables |
| How many interviews | First college: two marks, normally from two interviews, each out of 10. A second college, chosen at random, gives one more interview and one mark out of 10 | Department: Admissions procedures |
| What is asked | Principally maths and physics questions; some colleges hold separate maths and physics interviews, others combine them. The ESAT syllabus is assumed | Department: Admissions procedures; Interviews |
| Format | Online, on Microsoft Teams, with a shared Miro whiteboard; Physics is in technology tier 3 (a touchscreen device and a basic universal stylus to write) | Interview technology |
| Decisions | Shortlisted candidates hear on 12 January 2027 via UCAS; colleges follow up the same day | Interviews guide |
| Admissions statistics | Interviewed 31%, successful 11%, intake 173 (3-year average, 2023 to 2025) | Physics course page |
How interview marks turn into offers for Oxford Physics
The Department of Physics publishes an outline of its admissions procedure (Admissions procedures for physics courses). It is centrally coordinated, so your chance should not depend on which college you chose. After shortlisting, some candidates are reallocated to another college so that, as far as possible, the ratio of interviewed candidates to places is the same for every college, and every shortlisted candidate is also given a second college at random. The interviews themselves are held "in and by the colleges", and all of them are virtual.
| Stage | What the department says happens | What it means for you (our reading) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Shortlisting | Typically 8 to 10 applicants per place are cut to around 2.5 per place, about 500 candidates. The ESAT score is the primary criterion, interpreted with contextual data | The ESAT score was the primary shortlisting criterion and still counts in the final score; the interviews are the part you can still prepare for |
| 2. First college | Two interview marks, normally from two separate interviews each marked out of 10 (sometimes one long or three short interviews, combined into two marks) | Expect two conversations, which some colleges split into maths and physics; each gives one of your three marks |
| 3. Second college | One more interview, after the first-college interviews, marked out of 10. If your first college cannot offer you a place, the second college has first refusal | Treat it as a full interview, not a formality: it is a third mark and a second route to an offer |
| 4. Score and bands | A total score from the ESAT and interview marks, moderated by context, places candidates in band A (about the top 100), band B (about the next 200) or band C | Normally almost all band A candidates are offered a place, while rather few in band C are; the rank is not used as an absolute rule |
| 5. Final decisions | Made by colleges at a joint meeting of all college physics tutors; slightly over 200 offers a year, and an offer can come from a college that did not interview you. For Physics (not Physics and Philosophy) it may also be an open offer with no college named | The department says the process is designed so that college choice has as little effect as possible on your chance |
Figures from the Department of Physics admissions procedures and FAQ, read 8 November 2026. The department gives "around 500" interviewed and "slightly over 200" offers a year; on those two figures, about 2 in 5 interviewed candidates get an offer (our arithmetic, not an official rate).
FreeTests: Estimation: checking an answer · Mechanics: scaling · Gravity: free fall · Units: dimensional analysis
Oxford Interview Questions: Physics: interview warm-up: free sample
Answer 4 questions against the clock, like the real exam. You then see the right answer, the reason and your time on each. About 8 minutes · free · no sign-in.
4 questions to answer
Start nowabout 8 minThis one is free · no sign-in needed
Your result shows how long each question took you.
What Oxford physics tutors say they look for
The Department of Physics lists five qualities (How to apply), and the University's course page adds that tutors want "the ability to apply basic principles to unfamiliar situations" and to "formulate a problem in mathematical terms and then extract the physical consequences from the solution" (Physics course page). The middle column is the department's wording, shortened; the right-hand column is our suggestion of how each one shows up when you think aloud, not a marking scheme.
| Quality | The department’s wording (shortened) | How it shows aloud (our suggestion) |
|---|---|---|
| Motivation | A real interest and strong desire to learn physics | You stay curious when a problem turns hard, and you ask what happens next rather than waiting to be told |
| Mathematical ability | Ability to express physical ideas using mathematics | You turn a sentence into an equation early, name your variables and say what each term means |
| Reasoning | Ability to analyse and solve problems using logical and critical approaches | You say which principle you are using and why, and you check a result against a case you know |
| Physical intuition | Seeing how one part of a system connects with another, and predicting what will happen | Before calculating, you guess the answer or its rough size, then compare |
| Communication | Ability to give precise explanations both orally and numerically | You keep a running commentary short and exact, and you write clearly on the whiteboard |
What kinds of questions come up in an Oxford physics interview?
Oxford publishes one physics sample question, and we do not try to predict what a given college will ask. What the official pages do say is that interviews "will principally consist of maths and physics questions", that the ESAT syllabus is assumed (Department: Interviews), and that the department wants to see you "use this material in an unfamiliar context" (FAQ: admissions). The University's tutors give one physics example, a ball pushed upwards by a constant force whose velocity you sketch against time, and the tutor writes: "while I am looking for a correct answer in the end, I'm even more interested in rigorous thinking" (sample interview questions). From those descriptions, these are the broad types worth practising (our grouping):
| Type | What practising it involves (our suggestion) | Skill on show |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanics from first principles | Forces, energy and motion in a set-up that is not in your textbook | Choosing the right principle and drawing a clear diagram |
| Estimation | A rough number for something you cannot look up | Sensible assumptions, round numbers, checking the size against something known |
| Maths in a physical context | Calculus, exponentials, series or a differential equation that falls out of a physical situation | The department’s "key skill": applying mathematical ideas in a physical context |
| Graphs and sketches | Sketching how a quantity changes, without plotting points | Reading slopes, limits and turning points before any algebra |
| Limiting cases and units | Checking an answer when a mass goes to zero, an angle to 90 degrees, or the units do not match | Self-checking, which tutors can see you do |
| Your personal statement | A topic you wrote about, explored a step further | The department says interviewers may ask about specific topics you have mentioned |
How to talk through a physics problem you have never seen
The University calls this its top tip: "Keep practising explaining what you are thinking - almost as if you are thinking out loud". It also reminds candidates that "your final answer is only part of what they find out" (Interviews guide). A method helps you keep talking when you are stuck. This one is our suggestion, not an official method:
A five-move method for thinking aloud (our suggestion)
- Restate and sketch. Say the problem back in your own words and draw it on the whiteboard, with the quantities labelled.
- Guess first. Say what you expect the answer to look like (bigger or smaller, a rough size) before you calculate.
- Name the physics. Say which law or conservation principle you are using, and what you are assuming (no air resistance, a uniform density).
- Do the maths in the open. Write each line, say what it means, and keep symbols until the end so the result can be checked.
- Check and extend. Test the units and an extreme case, compare with your guess, then say what you would change if an assumption were dropped.
If a tutor gives you a hint, use it straight away and say how it changes your plan. The University says tutors may "suggest an alternative way of looking at a problem" and are trying "to stretch you", not catch you out.
2 worked problems, talked through aloud
These two problems were written by ProSyllabus for independent practice; we do not present them as Oxford interview questions, and neither reuses the University’s published sample. The spoken steps show one good way through, in the first person, as a candidate might say them; there is more than one right route. The follow-ups are our own practice prompts, not predictions of what a tutor will ask.
Worked problem 1 · Mechanics and estimation
A satellite moves in a circular orbit just above the Earth’s surface (treat the Earth as a sphere and ignore the air). Using only g = 9.8 m/s² and the Earth’s radius R ≈ 6,400 km, roughly how long does one orbit take?
Step 1
“I’ll draw the Earth as a circle and the satellite moving round it at radius R. In a circular orbit, gravity is the only force, and it has to supply the centripetal force.”
Why it helps: restating with a sketch, and naming the principle before any numbers.
Step 2
“Just above the surface, the gravitational acceleration is g, so g = v²/R, which gives v = √(gR). The time for one orbit is the distance round, 2πR, over v, so T = 2π√(R/g).”
Why it helps: keeping symbols to the end; the formula can now be checked for units.
Step 3
“Units check: R/g is metres over metres per second squared, so seconds squared, and the square root is seconds. Good.”
Why it helps: a quick dimensional check that tutors can see you make.
Step 4
“Numbers: R/g ≈ 6.4 × 10⁶ / 9.8 ≈ 6.5 × 10⁵ s², and the square root of that is about 808 s. Times 2π is about 5,080 s, so roughly 85 minutes.”
Why it helps: rounding deliberately and saying so.
Step 5
“Sanity check: the International Space Station takes about an hour and a half, and it is about 400 km up, so a slightly longer orbit than mine makes sense: it goes further round, and g is a little weaker there.”
Why it helps: comparing with something known, and explaining the gap in the right direction.
Where it lands: about 85 minutes, from T = 2π√(R/g) (v is about 7.9 km/s). Our ISS comparison uses its usual altitude of roughly 400 km, which gives about 93 minutes by the same method with R replaced by R + h and g reduced by the inverse-square law.
Our follow-up practice prompts:
- What if a planet had the same density as the Earth but twice the radius? Write g in terms of the density before you guess.
- If thin air drag makes the satellite spiral slowly inward through nearly circular orbits, does its speed go up or down? Reason it out before you answer.
- How would the answer change on the Moon? Say which way first, then estimate.
Worked problem 2 · Maths in a physical context
A cup of tea cools from 80 °C to 60 °C in 10 minutes in a 20 °C room. Assuming it cools at a rate proportional to how much hotter it is than the room, how long after it was 80 °C will it reach 40 °C?
Step 1
“My first instinct is 20 minutes, because it dropped 20 degrees in 10 minutes. But the rate depends on the temperature difference, so it should slow down; the answer must be more than 20 minutes.”
Why it helps: saying the tempting answer and why it is wrong is good thinking aloud, not a mistake.
Step 2
“Let θ be how far the tea is above the room. Then dθ/dt = −kθ, so θ falls exponentially: θ = θ₀e^(−kt). It starts at 60 above the room.”
Why it helps: turning the sentence into an equation and naming the variable.
Step 3
“In 10 minutes θ went from 60 to 40, so every 10 minutes it is multiplied by 2/3. To reach 40 °C, θ must fall to 20, which is a factor of 1/3 overall.”
Why it helps: using the ratio instead of finding k: a shortcut worth saying out loud.
Step 4
“So I need (2/3)^(t/10) = 1/3, which gives t = 10 × ln 3 / ln 1.5. Without a calculator: after 20 minutes θ is 60 × 4/9, about 27; after 30 minutes it is about 18. So the answer is between 20 and 30 minutes, nearer 30.”
Why it helps: bracketing the answer when the logs are awkward, then committing.
Step 5
“ln 3 is about 1.10 and ln 1.5 about 0.41, so t is about 27 minutes. That fits my bracket.”
Why it helps: checking the exact form against the estimate.
Where it lands: about 27 minutes after it was at 80 °C (about 17 minutes after it reached 60 °C), not the 20 minutes a straight-line guess gives.
Our follow-up practice prompts:
- When would this model break down for a real cup of tea? (Think about evaporation from the surface, and radiation when the difference is large.)
- Compare adding the same amount of milk, kept at 5 °C until it goes in, at the start or at the 10-minute mark. Assume it mixes instantly, the room stays at 20 °C and the same cooling constant applies before and after. Which gives cooler tea at 10 minutes?
- Sketch θ against time and mark where the slope is steepest. What does the area under a graph of the rate of heat loss (in watts) against time represent?
More Oxford physics interview questions to practise aloud (no answers)
These are original practice prompts in the style the official pages describe, not real or past Oxford questions. They come without answers on purpose: set a timer for 10 minutes, explain each one aloud to someone (or a recording you delete afterwards), and use the five-move method above.
| Type | Prompt | What it lets you show |
|---|---|---|
| Estimation | Roughly how many air molecules are in the room you are sitting in? | Sensible assumptions and powers of ten |
| Dimensional analysis | For waves on deep water, ignoring surface tension, the wave speed depends only on wavelength and g. How must the speed scale with wavelength? | Getting a result from units alone, then asking what is missing |
| Limiting cases | Two masses hang from a light string over a light, frictionless pulley. Before any algebra, what must the acceleration be when the masses are equal, and when one is far heavier? | Checking a formula before you have it |
| Unfamiliar situation | If gravity on Earth were twice as strong, how high could you jump compared with now? State your assumptions. | Modelling a person simply, and defending the model |
| Electricity | Why can a bird perch on one high-voltage wire without a dangerous current through it, and what changes if its wing touches a second wire at a different voltage? | Potential difference across the body, and the current it drives |
| Maths sketch | Sketch y = x e^(−x) for x ≥ 0. Where is its maximum, and what physical quantity could follow this shape? | Turning points, limits, and linking maths to physics |
| Waves and light | The sky is blue but sunsets are red. Turn that into a statement about how scattering depends on wavelength. | Going from an observation to a rule |
| Thermal physics | At the same air pressure, why does the same hot-air balloon, heated to the same inside temperature, lift less on a hot day? How could the pilot make up for it? | Density, buoyancy and a practical fix |
Want answers to practise against? The Oxford Interview Questions: Physics pack has more problems talked through the same way, a mock-interview script to run with a parent or friend, and a self-review checklist. None of its problems repeats the two above.
FreeTests: Estimation: checking an answer · Mechanics: scaling · Gravity: free fall · Units: dimensional analysis
Oxford Interview Questions: Physics: interview warm-up: free sample
Answer 4 questions against the clock, like the real exam. You then see the right answer, the reason and your time on each. About 8 minutes · free · no sign-in.
4 questions to answer
Start nowabout 8 minThis one is free · no sign-in needed
Your result shows how long each question took you.
Physics and Philosophy interview questions: what is different
Physics and Philosophy candidates go through the same physics process, plus philosophy. The department says the first college provides one or more philosophy interviews (or joint physics and philosophy interviews), and the second college may add more (Admissions procedures). After interviews, candidates are banded "as if they were physics candidates, ignoring the results of philosophy interviews"; those acceptable on physics grounds are offered Physics and Philosophy if judged suitable for the joint course, or a Physics place if they wish. Open offers are not made in Physics and Philosophy, and you will be asked whether you also want to be considered for Physics. Interview dates are the same as for Physics (Interview timetables), and no written work is needed (How to apply).
Our suggestion: prepare the physics exactly as above, then practise reading a short philosophical argument and saying where you think it goes wrong, with a reason. The department points to the Faculty of Philosophy's own criteria for joint courses.
Dates and the online set-up for December 2026
| When | What happens | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-November to early December 2026 | A letter or email saying whether you are invited to interview; you may only be given a week’s notice | Interviews guide; Interview timetables |
| Wednesday 9 to Tuesday 15 December 2026 | Physics, and Physics and Philosophy, interviews at two colleges (UK time). You cannot rearrange them, though technical problems lead to another time, and some interviews may fall outside these dates | Interview timetables; Interviews guide |
| The day before each interview | Any pre-reading is normally emailed then; you agree not to search online for it unless told you may | Interviews guide |
| Tuesday 12 January 2027 | Decisions via UCAS; colleges follow up the same day | Interviews guide |
Physics is a tier 3 subject for interview technology (Interview technology): a computer with a microphone, speakers and a webcam for Microsoft Teams (no Microsoft account is needed), plus a touchscreen device with a screen of at least 8 inches (a mobile phone is not likely to be suitable) and a basic universal stylus to write on a shared Miro whiteboard. The stylus does not need to be an active one like an Apple Pencil, and a touchscreen computer of at least 11 inches may do both jobs. The University says no candidate or school is expected to buy a touchscreen device; colleges discuss arrangements where needed. The University also suggests creating a Miro account so you can practise. Our suggestion: practise writing equations with the device and stylus you will actually use before interview week. Keep plain paper and a pen too; you may be asked to hold working up to the camera.
Interview rate and offer numbers for Oxford Physics
The first three tiles are the University’s course-page statistics; the fourth is the Department of Physics’ figure. Read 8 November 2026.
On the University's three-year averages, about a third of those interviewed are successful (11 ÷ 31 ≈ 35%, our arithmetic). On the department's figures, around 500 interviewed and slightly over 200 offers, it is about 2 in 5. The two use different reporting bases (the course page gives three-year averages of interviewed and successful applicants; the department gives approximate yearly interview and offer numbers), so treat both as rough comparisons, not official rates. As the University puts it, if you are invited for interview, "then you are a strong contender for a place".
What not to do: the rules for online interviews
The University’s code of conduct, in short (from the Interviews guide)
- Do not share the content of your interviews in any form, and do not record them.
- Do not research pre-interview material online unless you are told you may.
- Do not use assistive technology, including AI and automatic transcription, beyond what the subject requires; do not let anyone else take part or watch.
- The University warns that breaking these rules puts an offer at serious risk of being withdrawn.
Because candidates agree not to share interview content, treat anything sold as "real" or "leaked" Oxford questions with caution. The problems on this page and in our pack are original.
How to prepare for an Oxford physics interview in two weeks
The department says most UK candidates do not need "extensive special preparation", but that you should be completely familiar with all the physics and maths you have learnt at school and able to use it in an unfamiliar context (FAQ: admissions). Because interviewers assume the ESAT syllabus, going back over the ESAT Mathematics and Physics content is sensible revision; our ESAT practice set covers that content with worked answers (independent practice, not UAT-UK material). Here is a plan, as our suggestion:
| Days | Task |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Read the department’s Interviews and Admissions procedures pages and the University’s Interviews guide. Re-read your personal statement and note every physics topic you mention. |
| 3 to 5 | Revise mechanics, energy, circular motion, waves and electricity from your A-level (or equivalent) notes, and the maths the department lists as assumed on arrival at Oxford (algebra and trigonometry, logarithms and exponentials, calculus, basic vectors), a useful checklist. |
| 6 to 7 | Work both problems on this page aloud, against a timer, then the eight unworked prompts. Record which of the five moves you forgot. |
| 8 to 10 | Ask a teacher, friend or parent to give you a problem you have not seen and to stop you with “why?” every few lines. The University says practice need not be formal mock interviews: chats with teachers, friends or family work too. The repeated “why?” is our suggestion. |
| 11 to 12 | Set up Teams, a touchscreen and a stylus (or a touchscreen computer), and practise writing equations on a whiteboard app. Check your college’s emails for timings. |
| 13 to 14 | One light practice a day, then rest. Prepare a question to ask at the end if you want one; the University says those questions are not assessed. |
FreeTests: Estimation: checking an answer · Mechanics: scaling · Gravity: free fall · Units: dimensional analysis
Oxford Interview Questions: Physics: interview warm-up: free sample
Answer 4 questions against the clock, like the real exam. You then see the right answer, the reason and your time on each. About 8 minutes · free · no sign-in.
4 questions to answer
Start nowabout 8 minThis one is free · no sign-in needed
Your result shows how long each question took you.
Frequently asked questions
What questions are asked in an Oxford physics interview?
Mainly physics and maths problems that test how you apply what you know in unfamiliar situations. The Department of Physics says interviews are purely academic and will principally consist of maths and physics questions, and that knowledge of the ESAT syllabus is assumed. Tutors may also ask about physics topics in your personal statement.
How many interviews do you get for Oxford Physics?
For Physics, normally three. Your first college gives two marks, usually from two interviews each marked out of 10 (some colleges use one long or three short interviews instead), and a second college chosen at random gives one more interview, also marked out of 10. Physics and Philosophy candidates also have philosophy interviews.
When are Oxford physics interviews in 2026?
They are scheduled for Wednesday 9 December to Tuesday 15 December 2026, at two colleges, online; some interviews may fall outside this window. Invitations usually arrive between mid-November and early December, and decisions come on 12 January 2027 via UCAS.
What percentage of Oxford physics applicants get an interview?
The University gives 31% interviewed and 11% successful as 3-year averages for 2023 to 2025. The Department of Physics says it shortlists around 2.5 candidates per place, about 500 in total.
How is the Oxford physics interview scored?
Each interview mark is out of 10. The department combines your ESAT score and interview marks, moderated by contextual information, into a total that places candidates in bands A, B and C. Normally almost all band A candidates get offers; individual colleges make the final decisions at a joint meeting of all college physics tutors.
Do I need to know university physics for the interview?
The department says the interviews have no formal syllabus but assume the ESAT syllabus, and that most UK candidates do not need extensive special preparation. Know all your school physics and maths thoroughly and be ready to use it in an unfamiliar situation.
What if I cannot solve the problem?
Keep thinking aloud. The University says tutors are interested in your thought process, may suggest another way of looking at the problem, and are trying to stretch you rather than catch you out. Your final answer is only part of what they learn.
Are past Oxford physics interview questions available?
The University publishes a physics sample question with a tutor’s commentary, not a list of past questions. Candidates agree not to share the content of their interviews, so treat any list of "real" or "past" questions with caution and practise the thinking instead.
What equipment do I need for an Oxford physics interview?
Physics uses technology tier 3: a computer for Microsoft Teams, plus a touchscreen device (screen at least 8 inches) and a basic universal stylus for the Miro whiteboard; a touchscreen computer of at least 11 inches may do both. The University says no candidate or school is expected to buy a touchscreen device.
How are Physics and Philosophy interviews different?
You have the physics interviews plus one or more philosophy interviews. The department bands joint-course candidates on their physics assessment, ignoring the philosophy interview results; colleges make the final decisions, with suitability for philosophy also assessed. Open offers are not made in Physics and Philosophy.
Keep practising
The Oxford Interview Questions: Physics pack is a PDF of original problems with the working written as thinking aloud, a mock-interview script and a self-review checklist; its free warm-up sample is the box above. Revising the ESAT syllabus the interview assumes? Try the ESAT practice set. For other subjects and the general format, see the Oxford interview questions guide.
Independent practice, not affiliated with the University of Oxford. Ways of thinking to practise, not scripts to memorise; we do not predict what a college will ask.
Sources
- official — Department of Physics: Admissions procedures for physics courses (shortlisting, second college, interview marks, bands A/B/C)
- official — Department of Physics: Interviews (purely academic; the entrance test syllabus is assumed)
- official — Department of Physics: How to apply (the five qualities tutors look for, ESAT modules, entrance requirements)
- official — Department of Physics: FAQ, admissions (how to prepare, two colleges, GCSEs, single maths)
- official — University of Oxford: Physics course page (F303, ESAT, what tutors look for, admissions statistics)
- official — University of Oxford: Interviews, guide for applicants (what happens, code of conduct, decisions)
- official — University of Oxford: Interview timetables 2026 (Physics; Physics and Philosophy)
- official — University of Oxford: Interview technology (tier 3: Teams, Miro whiteboard, touchscreen and stylus)
- official — University of Oxford: Sample interview questions (the tutors’ own examples)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
