Social Work Interview

Here is everything you need to know before attending your Social Work interview. We look forward to meeting you.

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three social work students sitting at a desk working from a laptop in the university library

Arranging your interview

To arrange your interview, please sign in to our University Events Portal. Applicants must attend an interview before being offered a place on the course. If you have received an interview invitation but haven't booked yet, log in now to secure your spot.

If you haven't used our Events Portal before, you can sign in with the same email address you used for your application. To access your account and bookings options, click on 'Forgot your password?', follow the steps to set up your account, and then log in to book your place.

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Can't make an interview date?

If you’re not able to attend any of the interview dates available, or have booked but need to reschedule, you can contact our Admissions Team via email on [email protected] who will help find a suitable date for you.

[email protected]
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Interview advice and preparation

An interview doesn’t have to be a daunting experience.Once you have applied for the course, we will contact you to schedule an online interview if your application is successful. At the University of South Wales we use the interview process to assess your commitment to your chosen course and ensure you will uphold the values expected by the profession.

It’s your opportunity to meet with us and allow us to get to know the person behind the application. It’s also your opportunity to decide if we are the right fit for you and you can see yourself studying with us!

The interview will take place online. Firstly, you will be given a written test that will take approximately 45 minutes. After sending back your test, you will take part in a formal interview conducted by one of the academics. This will take approximately 30 minutes.

Remember, this is your opportunity to think about the role and qualities needed, and how your talents, skills and relatable experience match what we’re looking for.

What to do beforehand:

  • Research the Social Work Degree and the University by looking at the website and, if possible, attend an Open Day.
  • Work experience carried out in a supervised social care setting or agency with a reference from the supervisor submitted at point of interview confirming you have completed the required hours. This work experience must be completed prior to your interview, and you must clearly reference that you are undertaking this experience in your personal statement. If you have previous experience that you feel could contribute towards these hours then please contact the course leader [email protected] to discuss further. Instances such as these will be assessed on a case by case basis.
  • Re-read your application form and personal statement. We will ask you to elaborate on it and it’s vital to be aware of what you have said.
  • Make sure your references are current and still happy to be contacted.
  • Update yourself on current news and issues. Good websites to read are Social Care Wales, Social Care Institute for Excellence and Community Care.
  • Review relevant legislation and the policy framework as the interview will test these.

Common Interview Questions

We’ve gathered some of the typical interview questions, so you can feel confident that you know everything that will be asked of you at your interview.

  • What do you think a social worker does?
  • What skills do social workers need? 
  • What is your understanding of equality? 
  • What is a social issue currently being discussed in the media?

  • Why do you want to become a social worker?
  • What inspired you to consider this profession?
  • Why do you think you are well-suited to become a future social worker? 

  • What parts of the course do you think you will find most challenging?
  • What are you looking forward to most about the course?
  • Where are you hoping to make the biggest difference? 

  • What is the expectation of service-users from social workers?
  • What is your understanding of risk?