Oxford Economics and Management interview: how it works and sample questions
Oxford Economics and Management (E&M) is one of the hardest courses in the UK to get into. Across 2023–25, 18% of applicants were interviewed and 5% received an offer. Shortlisted applicants have at least one online interview, mostly on 9, 10 or 11 December 2026.
How the E&M interview works
- When: invitations usually arrive between mid-November and early December. First-college interviews are on Wednesday 9, Thursday 10 and Friday 11 December. If a second college wants to see you, you will hear by 10am on Monday 14 December and interview on 15 or 16 December.
- Format: online, normally with two tutors. You may be given a short passage, chart or problem to read beforehand.
- Admissions test: E&M uses the TARA, which was sat in October 2026.
- Results: 12 January 2027.
What E&M tutors look for
Oxford says the interview is not mainly a test of what you already know. Tutors look for motivation for the course, the ability to build and criticise an argument, clear expression, flexible thinking and problem-solving. Expect a mix of economics and management questions, and often some simple numbers.
Three sample questions
These are original questions in the style of an E&M interview, with what a tutor would be listening for.
A company’s sales rise by 20% but its profit falls. Give three explanations, then tell me what data would let you choose between them.
Management tutors want structured thinking: costs rising faster than sales, discounts to win volume, or a one-off expense. The second half matters more. Naming the data that separates the explanations shows you can test an idea, not just list ideas.
Why might a firm choose to pay its workers more than other firms pay for the same job?
This is the efficiency wage idea, but you do not need the name. Tutors want reasons (lower staff turnover, more effort, attracting better applicants) and a sense of when the extra cost is worth it.
A café next to a university raises its prices during exam weeks. Is that good business, unfair, or both?
Separate the economics (demand rises, so does the price that clears it) from the judgement about fairness. Then ask what happens to the café’s reputation with students for the rest of the year. Tutors like candidates who spot the longer game.
How to prepare
- Practise structuring answers out loud: state the question, break it into parts, then work through them.
- Do simple arithmetic without a calculator: percentages, averages and break-even.
- Read about real firms: be ready to discuss one business decision you found interesting and why.
- Know your personal statement: tutors may pick up anything you wrote.
Guide to Oxbridge Economics Interviews
The method for answering any interview question, what each course’s interview is like, and worked examples, written by a Cambridge economist. Read it before you start practising.
Interview guides by course
- Oxford PPE interview
- Cambridge Economics interview
- Cambridge Land Economy interview
- Cambridge HSPS interview
- Oxford and Cambridge interview dates
Weighing up tutors, courses and mock interviews? Interview preparation compared.
Questions people ask
When are the Oxford E&M interviews in 2026?
First-college interviews are on Wednesday 9, Thursday 10 and Friday 11 December 2026. Second-college interviews are on 15 and 16 December.
How competitive is Oxford Economics and Management?
On average across 2023–25, 18% of applicants were interviewed and 5% were offered a place.
Do I need to have studied economics at A-level?
No. Tutors assess how you think and argue, not prior knowledge.
Is the interview online?
Yes. Oxford interviews are online and cannot be rearranged.
Sources: Oxford E&M course page; Oxford interview timetables 2026. Checked 21 October 2026.
Practise with questions that come with a mark scheme
Interview questions for Economics, E&M, PPE, HSPS, Land Economy and History and Politics, each with what the tutor is looking for, plus an AI interviewer that asks follow-ups.
Designed by a Cambridge Economics graduate. Original questions and guidance; none are official university questions. contact@econcoaching.com