How to Answer Why This Course in a University Interview

At UK universities, especially Oxford and Cambridge, interviews are run by academics who teach the course. They want to know whether you are genuinely curious about the subject, whether you have explored it beyond school, and whether you understand what studying it involves day to day.

US college interviews are usually more conversational and often run by alumni, but the same principle applies: a specific, personal reason is far more convincing than a general one.

Weak reasons: "It has good job prospects", "It is ranked highly", "My parents want me to". Strong reasons: a question you could not stop thinking about, a topic you taught yourself, a project that showed you what the subject is really like.

Use this as a skeleton, not a script. Learning it word for word makes answers sound rehearsed.

Economics: "I got interested in economics when fuel prices in my city rose sharply and I wanted to understand why some goods rose more than others. I read about price elasticity and later worked through an online microeconomics course. What surprised me was how much economics depends on assumptions about behaviour, which is why I want to study the econometrics and behavioural modules in this course, to see how those assumptions are tested with data."

Computer Science: "I started programming to automate a boring task for my family business, a stock spreadsheet. When my script slowed down as the data grew, I learned about algorithmic complexity. That made me realise computer science is really about reasoning, not just writing code. I want a course with a strong theoretical core, which is why the algorithms and discrete maths content here appeals to me."

Medicine: "Volunteering at a rural health camp, I saw doctors adapt the same treatment to patients with very different circumstances. I followed that up by reading about health inequality and shadowing at a local clinic. I learned that medicine is as much about communication and judgement as science, and I want a course with early patient contact so I can develop both."

These are illustrations. Your answer must use your own experiences, because interviewers will ask follow-up questions about anything you mention.

Leading with prestige, rankings or salary. Mention a career only after the academic reason.

Name-dropping a book you have not properly read. Expect to be asked what you disagreed with in it.

Describing the subject at school level only. Show you know what the university course covers.

Giving a five-minute monologue. Interviewers want a clear answer they can question, not a speech.

Repeating your personal statement word for word. Use it as a starting point and go deeper.

"Why are you suitable for this course?" Use the same evidence, but end on the skills it shows: problem-solving, persistence, independent reading.

"Why this university?" Keep the academic core and end with something specific to that university: course structure, teaching style (such as tutorials or supervisions), particular modules or research areas.

"What would you do if you could not study this?" Show that your interest connects to related subjects, which suggests curiosity rather than a narrow plan.

Say your answer out loud and record it. If it runs over 90 seconds, cut the exploration part first. Then ask someone to interrupt with "Why?" or "Can you give an example?" after each sentence, since that is how real interviews feel.

Oxbrivy mock interviews let you practise university and visa interview questions by voice and get feedback on clarity and specificity.