Carfax Education Group, which was founded in Oxford and has an office in the city, is a leading educational consultancy. Principal consultant Eleonora Suhoviy gives her tips for how to survive the interview process for Oxford University.

Oxford interviews are notoriously challenging and can put the most confident candidate on edge.

As a leading education consultants, Carfax Consultants offer invaluable advice on how to get through the demanding and rigorous interview process.

Possessing years of relevant personal and professional experience and contacts across the university network, we provide bespoke support to ensure applicants reach their maximum potential.

Oxford and Cambridge seek to find the brightest students regardless of external factors such as socio-economic background and schooling.

Unlike most other universities, they are searching beyond the pages of a standardised UCAS application for intelligent, focused candidates and invest their time into meeting and interviewing prospective applicants in person

I have developed some top tips on how applicants can survive the challenging interview process.

• Love your subject –it is crucial that you live and breathe your chosen subject as you will be studying this for three to four

years. A deep-rooted passion and curiosity for your subject will reflect in your answers.

• Expect the unexpected – you never know what could happen during the interview, you may be asked extensively on your chosen subject one minute then on something completely irrelevant the next. So do not be fazed by anything, be prepared to answer interesting questions and think creatively.

• Work with a mentor – often candidates lack faith in their own abilities, have doubts about their suitability for Oxford and therefore benefit from someone who can mentor them, inspire them and help them through the process.

It is a good idea to find a person who has personal experience of Oxford and who can provide you with support, information and above all confidence. This can be a teacher at your school, a parent or a consultant.

• Confidence is key - ignore external negative factors, hearsay about ‘typical’ Oxford candidates or unrealistic expectations.

Belief in yourself and sheer determination is the way forward, you have to truly want to succeed and show confidence during your interview, however nervous you may be.

Staying focused for the duration of the application process and interviews is crucial. Otherwise, admissions tutors will wonder, does the candidate really want to be here?

• College change - some colleges suit particular candidates better than others.

For example, Oxford allocates an additional college to all candidates other than their first choice.

It has been known that during the interview process some tutors recommend their candidates to yet another college so it is possible to receive a telephone call from a third college with an invitation to attend the interview the following day.

• Dress code – is an important factor not to be forgotten. You need to be relaxed and comfortable but also dress appropriately for your audience.

• Reapply – don’t be afraid to reapply if you do not pass your interview the first time, this is a truly viable option and shows you truly want to be there.

However, remember to structure your gap year sensibly to enrich your second application with work experience, and engagement in various projects relevant to your field of study.