• Home
• About SPA
• Good Practice
• Contextual Data
• Schwartz Review
• Data & Statistics
• Admissions Tests
• National Developments
• Applicant Experience
• HE in FE
• Institutional Support
• FAQs
• Useful Links
• SPA Media
• Contact SPA

• Bookmark
• Print page
• Email a link to this page

Good Practice

Interviews

Good Practice in Interviewing Applicants for admission to HE

The request for good practice guidance in this area came from a number of HE institutions either during or following a SPA visit.

The good practice statement has now been updated with information in areas including video-conference interviews, some commentary on linguistic penalties and some examples of types of interview questions, and to reflect different types and modes of provision e.g. postgraduate. As with all of SPA's good practice work, due consideration has been given to equality and diversity issues and the UK wide nature of admission to HE.

One of SPA's objectives in issuing the original good practice statement was to encourage institutions to be proactive in the management of this process, to ensure applicants are interviewed fairly and without discrimination. This part of the selection process can be the subject of scrutiny, debate and challenge by the public and media. Transparency with regard to requirements and process should help institutions to minimise the likelihood of such challenge or discriminatory procedures.

The statement includes details of aspects of the process which institutions are advised to consider when thinking about areas of good practice pre and post interview and the specifics of the actual interview process.

The statement includes examples of interview questions and subjects which SPA considers to be inappropriate. Institutions are advised to review their interview questions and consider these in the light of the statement. The statement also includes a sample interview report form/score sheet. SPA recognises that these will vary from institution to institution and from course to course and the form is offered as a generic example which institutions may wish to modify for their own use.

This Good Practice Statement, in common with all SPA materials, will be kept under review and updated to make sure it reflects the best of current knowledge and practice. If you have any comments or if there is anything you would like to bring to our attention, please contact Annie Doyle, SPA Senior Project Officer.

Interviews: Good Practice Statement

---

SPA takes no responsibility for the content of external websites

back to Good Practice main page

Reviewed: August 2011