How to prepare for the Advanced Master's admission interview at Solvay Brussels School?

Written by Advanced Masters Team | 9/11/23 2:48 PM

What preparation does it take to go through a successful admission interview? Read our Admission's Team guide below - and relax! We are just making sure that we are a good fit for each other, and we are just as excited to meet you! Let's get some frequently asked questions out of the way:

What is an admission interview?

The admission interview is the second step of the admission process to Solvay Brussels School’s Advanced Masters.

All applicants who have completed the first step of the selection process (online application form) and whose profile matches the selection criteria, are invited for an interview with the admission jury. Usually, the jury includes the academic director of the programme and the admission manager.

Admission interviews take place online via Hangout or Zoom and last on average 45 minutes. The interview allows the admission jury to get to know the candidate better and to assess aspects and qualities that are not immediately disclosed from the documentation provided, such as the personality of the student and the ability to present and defend one's point of view.

As it is not necessary to provide proof of English proficiency to apply for an Advanced Master's degree at the Solvay Brussels School, the interview is also the time when the English language proficiency of the student is assessed.

How do I book an interview?

Advanced Masters candidates do not have to book the interview themselves. Students who have submitted the online application form and passed the assessment of their CV and motivation letter are contacted by email to arrange an interview. Each student is offered several dates and time slots to choose from.

How do I prepare for the interview?

The interview aims to get to know our future students, their personalities and ambitions better. With these objectives in mind, we recommend that before an interview you prepare a short presentation of yourself and your reasons for wanting to follow the Advanced Master's programme.

Reflect on your skills, strengths and weaknesses, be honest and transparent and be prepared to
justify your answers with concrete examples. It is very important to us that our students adhere to our values and that, in addition to being curious, motivated and eager to learn, they are also open-minded and willing to be flexible and adapt to new experiences, people and cultures.

We recommend that you research the Solvay Brussels School, its mission statement and values. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the alumni and, last but not least, prepare some questions about aspects of the programme that are not yet clear to you.

How do I make a good impression during the interview?

Prepare yourself for the interview! Try to practice your presentation and reflect on some possible topics of discussion: your objectives, your motivation, your strengths and weaknesses.
Don’t over-rehearse: it may seem contradictory to the first advice, but it is not! It is important to think about some possible topics of conversation to be prepared, but during the interview, you might want to sound prepared but not scripted ;-)
Take a deep breath before the interview and present yourself clearly and concisely.
Be yourself! There is no such thing as a better profile, the most important thing is to be honest and show a good level of self-knowledge!
Argue your answers! Don't just answer "Yes" or "No" to our questions but try to mention examples from your own experience.
Don't hesitate to ask us to repeat a question if it's not clear.
Don't hesitate to ask your own questions!

Questions that are typically asked:

Could you introduce yourself and take us through your educational/professional path?
What are your career ambitions?
Why did you choose the Solvay Brussels School and this Advanced Master?
Could you give us examples of accomplishments and failures and describe their impact on your growth?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Tell us your experience with teamwork, what you liked and disliked about your past group work experiences

Still one of the best ways to prepare is to come to one of our info sessions: during these, you can ask all the questions you may have, meet the academic team and get a step ahead in the preparation.