What the interview is actually for

The admissions interview at most international schools is not a test in disguise. It is a conversation designed to confirm three things: that the child can engage thoughtfully with an unfamiliar adult, that the child’s account of their own interests and motivation aligns with the rest of the application, and that the school and the family share a working understanding of expectations. Schools rarely use the interview to reject candidates who otherwise clear the bar. They use it to confirm fit and to inform placement.

The corollary is that most families significantly overestimate how much the interview can shift the decision. A well-prepared child with weak academic records will not interview their way into a Tier 1 academic school. A relaxed, articulate child with strong records will not interview their way out of an offer through a clumsy answer. The interview is one signal among several, and a relatively low-weight one.

Primary-age interviews (ages 5 to 11)

Interviews for children at primary age are short, often combined with the admissions assessment, and almost always informal. The format is typically a fifteen to twenty minute conversation with an admissions teacher or senior leader, sometimes with the child first, then the parents joining for the last few minutes. The teacher will ask about hobbies, favourite books, school subjects the child enjoys, and what the child is looking forward to about a new school. There may also be a brief reading aloud or storytelling exercise.

Preparation at this age is simple. Read with the child the week before. Talk about their current school, what they like, what they find tricky. Help them prepare a one-sentence answer to "what do you enjoy at school?" so the question does not arrive cold. Do not coach polished responses. The school is looking for an authentic seven-year-old, not a small adult.

Secondary-age interviews (ages 11 to 16)

Senior school interviews run longer, typically thirty to forty-five minutes, and involve more substantive questions. Schools ask about academic interests, motivation for choosing this particular school, current reading, hobbies, and what the child would contribute to the school community. Some schools include a short academic component: a reading comprehension, a piece of writing, or a numerical task. Others combine the interview with a CAT4 or MAP assessment on the same day.

Preparation for this band is more substantive. The child should be able to explain why they want to attend this particular school, what they would bring to it, and what they are reading or working on outside the classroom. None of this needs to be polished or rehearsed; it needs to be authentic. Read our piece on the broader interview questions parents face for the family-side preparation. The compare schools tool at compare helps you and the child articulate why a particular school sits at the top of the list.

One interview, three schools.

Most families prepare in isolation for each school. The strongest preparation is generic: the child becomes comfortable talking to unfamiliar adults about their interests. Our school finder outputs a per-school question pattern so you can spot the common ground.

Sixth-form interviews (ages 16 to 18)

Sixth-form admissions interviews are the closest international school interviews come to university-style discussions. They tend to last forty-five minutes to an hour, often with the head of sixth form or a subject specialist. Questions cover intended A-Level or IB Diploma subjects, university aspirations, motivation for moving school, and broader intellectual interests. Some schools include a subject-specific component, particularly for applicants seeking competitive places in mathematics, sciences or economics.

Preparation for sixth form should focus on the student’s account of themselves. The interviewer wants to see a young person with a clear sense of direction, who has thought about why they are choosing this school rather than the alternatives. A familiar disaster is the student who arrives with a memorised list of the school’s achievements but cannot speak credibly about their own interests. Reverse the prep: spend ninety per cent of the time on the student’s own voice.

The parent meeting alongside the child interview

Almost every international school runs a separate parent meeting as part of the admissions process. The school is assessing whether the family will be a constructive presence in the community. Topics covered include reasons for choosing the school, expectations of the academic programme, the family’s history of school moves, and any specific support needs or concerns.

The single best preparation for the parent meeting is to be honest about the family’s situation. Schools have seen every variation: dual-career relocations, families with one parent in another country, blended households, late diagnoses of additional needs. The school is not looking for a perfect family; it is looking for a family that will communicate openly and act consistently. Read our documents checklist for the supporting evidence that strengthens the parent meeting.

Formats: in-person, video, group

The most common format is in-person, with the child interviewed at the school during a campus visit. Video interviews are increasingly common for overseas applicants, conducted on Zoom or Microsoft Teams. A small number of schools use group interviews, where three or four candidates take part in a structured discussion or task. Group interviews assess teamwork, listening, and the ability to contribute without dominating.

If the interview is over video, treat it with the same preparation as in-person. Use a quiet room, good lighting, a stable internet connection, and a single device. Test the technology the day before. Wear clothes the child would wear to school, not pyjamas. The school is forming an impression of the family alongside the child.

Over-preparation and its costs

The most common preparation mistake is coaching the child to memorise answers. Schools detect this immediately. A nine-year-old delivering a polished paragraph on the school’s pastoral programme is not a credible interview signal; it is a parental projection. The interviewer will gently probe, and the prepared answer will fail to stand up.

Trust the child. Explain the format, run two or three practice questions in a relaxed setting, and let them speak for themselves. The interviewer is highly experienced at distinguishing authentic from coached, and will reward the former every time.

Practical points for the day

Arrive fifteen minutes early. Bring a copy of the application documents in case the school asks. Make sure the child has eaten and used the bathroom. Brief the child on who they will meet and roughly what to expect. Reassure them that there are no wrong answers and that the school is interested in them as a person. After the interview, let the child decompress before asking questions about how it went.

Most importantly, do not introduce new themes in the days before the interview. The child should arrive familiar with their own life, their own interests, and the simple fact that this is a conversation rather than an examination. Our piece on school tour questions covers the other half of the visit, which is the parent’s opportunity to evaluate the school in return.

A note on siblings: many families bring all the children to the campus visit, then negotiate with the school which children formally interview. Younger siblings sit in on parent meetings and play in adjoining spaces. This is normal and fine. Schools find it useful to observe the family as a unit, particularly at the pre-prep age band where the younger child may be the next applicant. If the visit involves a long tour and a multi-part interview, plan for the practical needs of any toddler in the group.

Finally, treat the interview as the first real conversation with a school that may be a part of your child’s life for the next decade. The parents in the room are forming their own impression of the school’s warmth, professionalism and honesty. A school that handles the interview well is usually a school that will handle the rest of the relationship well. A school whose interview feels rushed, formulaic, or evasive is signalling something about how it will operate later. Pay attention.

Frequently asked questions

Should the child wear school uniform from their current school? Smart casual is fine. Uniform is unnecessary and can feel performative.

Will the school give feedback after the interview? Rarely in detail. Schools provide an admissions decision; they do not normally provide interview feedback.

Can the child ask questions of the interviewer? Yes, and schools welcome it. One or two thoughtful questions about the school is a positive signal, three or more prepared questions can read as performative.

What if the child says they do not want to attend the school? This is uncomfortable but useful information. If the child resists strongly, the school is probably not the right choice. Listen to the signal.