phd viva liverpool

The Doctoral Viva: Questions for, with and to Candidates (or supervisors)

• November 2021
• International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies 9(4):2

• The University of Warwick

• University of Macau

Discover the world's research

• 25+ million members
• 160+ million publication pages
• 2.3+ billion citations

• Craig Batty
• Elizabeth Ellison

• Chloe Blackmore

• Jerry Wellington

• Recruit researchers
• Join for free
• Login Email Tip: Most researchers use their institutional email address as their ResearchGate login Password Forgot password? Keep me logged in Log in or Continue with Google Welcome back! Please log in. Email · Hint Tip: Most researchers use their institutional email address as their ResearchGate login Password Forgot password? Keep me logged in Log in or Continue with Google No account? Sign up

• Our story /
• Teaching & learning /
• The city of Liverpool /
• International university /
• Widening participation
• Campus & facilities
• Our organisation

Coronavirus (COVID-19) #LivUniCOVID

Research and response How you can help Information for students, applicants and staff

Computer Science Departmental Website

Prospective PhD Students

PostGraduate Research

Information for year 4 phd students.

The most important thing for you to do during the fourth year is to finish writing your thesis.

IPAP Members and Supervisors

Training and progress monitoring requirements.

• Additionally, attending Departmental Seminars and your research group seminars is expected/strongly encouraged. Seminar attendance helps develop transferable skills such as oral communication skills, presentation skills, persuading skills, analytical/logical thinking skills, critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, decision making skills, research skills.
• If you haven't already attended at the School Seminar Finishing Your PhD: Thesis, Viva, Training in year three, this is strongly encouraged. This is aimed at year three and four students but year two are also welcome. It will be presented annually. This reminds students of the expected training in years three and four; describes the University requirements and standards for a PhD and how they are examined; gives advice on writing a PhD thesis and how to prepare for a viva; and outlines the forms to be completed.
• When you have completed your primary research, normally at the end of 3 years full time study, you can transfer to submission pending status. The form is available on the PGR Forms and Procedures web page . Please check that this will not affect your funding before you do this.
• You must submit an Intent to Submit form at least two months before submission of your thesis. The form is available on the PGR Forms and Procedures web page .
• The Thesis Access Declaration and return this to the Sydney Jones Library. The form is available on the PGR Forms and Procedures web page .
• You need to submit two copies of your thesis to the Student Reception in the Foundation Building. These should be soft bound. The Student office can help you with this. This should be accompanied by a Thesis Submission Form . The form is available on the PGR Forms and Procedures web page . You should also send an electronic copy of your thesis by email to the PGR Team ([email protected]).
• In April/May you should attend the Department of Computer Science Postgraduate Workshop . This helps develop transferable skills such as communication skills, in particular listening and presentation skills, interpersonal skills, and critical thinking skills.
• In June , you will be asked to complete an Annual Progress Report (APR) via Spider/Tulip. Year four students should do this if they may need to register again in September, for example to do corrections. As a rule of thumb if you haven't yet had your viva when these are released you should complete it. Completed training picked up by the system is listed in a box on the report. Following this is a box entitled "any other training courses that are not mentioned above". If any of the expected training is missing please explain why and say when you will complete it. When you have completed this, it will be passed electronically to your supervisor, the DDPR, the PGR Team and (sometimes) the Faculty.

Thesis Writing and Submission

Call the department

Maintained by [email protected]

• PhD Viva Voces – A Complete Guide
• Doing a PhD
• A PhD viva involves defending your thesis in an oral examination with at least two examiners.
• The aim of a PhD viva is to confirm that the work is your own , that you have a deep understanding of your project and, overall, that you are a competent researcher .
• There are no standard durations, but they usually range from one to three hours, with most lasting approximately two hours .
• There are six outcomes of a PhD viva: (1) pass without corrections (2) pass subject to minor corrections, (3) pass subject to major corrections, (4) downgrade to MPhil with no amendments, (5) downgrade to MPhil subject to amendments, (6) immediate fail.
• Almost all students who sit their viva pass it, with the most common outcome being ‘(2) – pass subject to minor corrections’.

What Is a PhD Viva?

A viva voce , more commonly referred to as ‘viva’, is an oral examination conducted at the end of your PhD and is essentially the final hurdle on the path to a doctorate. It is the period in which a student’s knowledge and work are evaluated by independent examiners.

In order to assess the student and their work around their research question, a viva sets out to determine:

• you understand the ideas and theories that you have put forward,
• you can answer questions about elements of your work that the examiners have questions about,
• you understand the broader research in your field and how your work contributes to this,
• you are aware of the limitations of your work and understand how it can be developed further,
• your work makes an original contribution, is your own and has not been plagiarised.

Note: A viva is a compulsory procedure for all PhD students, with the only exception being when a PhD is obtained through publication as opposed to the conventional route of study.

Who Will Attend a Viva?

In the UK, at least two examiners must take part in all vivas. Although you could have more than two examiners, most will not in an attempt to facilitate a smoother questioning process.

One of the two examiners will be internal, i.e. from your university, and the other will be external, i.e. from another university. Regardless, both will be knowledgeable in your research field and have read your thesis beforehand.

In addition to your two examiners, two other people may be present. The first is a chairperson. This is an individual who will be responsible for monitoring the interview and for ensuring proper conduct is followed at all times. The need for an external chairperson will vary between universities, as one of the examiners can also take on this role. The second is your supervisor, whose attendance is decided upon by you in agreement with your examiners. If your supervisor attends, they are prohibited from asking questions or from influencing the outcome of the viva.

To avoid any misunderstandings, we have summarised the above in a table:

Note: In some countries, such as in the United States, a viva is known as a ‘PhD defense’ and is performed publicly in front of a panel or board of examiners and an open audience. In these situations, the student presents their work in the form of a lecture and then faces questions from the examiners and audience which almost acts as a critical appraisal.

How Long Does a Viva Last?

Since all universities have different guidelines , and since all PhDs are unique, there are no standard durations. Typically, however, the duration ranges from one to three hours, with most lasting approximately two hours.

Your examiners will also influence the duration of your viva as some will favour a lengthy discussion, while others may not. Usually, your university will consult your examiners in advance and notify you of the likely duration closer to the day of your viva.

What Happens During a Viva?

Regardless of the subject area, all PhD vivas follow the same examination process format as below.

Introductions

You will introduce yourselves to each other, with the internal examiner normally introducing the external examiner. If an external chairperson is present, they too are introduced; otherwise, this role will be assumed by one of the examiners.

Procedure Explained

After the introductions, the appointed chair will explain the viva process. Although it should already be known to everyone, it will be repeated to ensure the viva remains on track during the forthcoming discussion.

Warm-Up Questions

The examiners will then begin the questioning process. This usually starts with a few simple opening questions, such as asking you to summarise your PhD thesis and what motivated you to carry out the research project.

In-Depth Questions

The viva questions will then naturally increase in difficulty as the examiners go further into the details of your thesis. These may include questions such as “What was the most critical decision you made when determining your research methodology ?”, “Do your findings agree with the current published work?” and “How do your findings impact existing theories or literature? ”. In addition to asking open-ended questions, they will also ask specific questions about the methodology, results and analysis on which your thesis is based.

Closing the Viva

Once the examiners are satisfied that they have thoroughly evaluated your knowledge and thesis, they will invite you to ask any questions you may have, and then bring the oral examination to a close.

What Happens After the Viva?

Once your viva has officially ended, your examiners will ask you to leave the room so that they can discuss your performance. Once a mutual agreement has been reached, which can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, you will be invited back inside and informed of your outcome.

PhD Viva Outcomes

There are six possible outcomes to a viva:

• Immediate award of degree: A rare recommendation – congratulations, you are one of the few people who completely satisfied your examiners the first time around. You do not have to do anything further at this point.
• Minor amendments required: The most common recommendation – you obtain a pass on the condition that you make a number of minor amendments to your thesis, such as clarifying certain points and correcting grammatical errors. The time you have to make these changes depends on the number of them, but is usually one to six months.
• Major amendments required: A somewhat uncommon recommendation – you are requested to make major amendments to your thesis, ranging from further research to collecting more data or rewriting entire sections. Again, the time you have to complete this will depend on the number of changes required, but will usually be six months to one year. You will be awarded your degree once your amended thesis has been reviewed and accepted.
• Immediate award of MPhil: An uncommon recommendation – your examiners believe your thesis does not meet the standard for a doctoral degree but meets the standard for an MPhil (Master of Philosophy), a lower Master’s degree.
• Amendments required for MPhil: A rare recommendation – your examiners believe your thesis does not meet the standard for a doctoral degree, but with several amendments will meet the standard for an MPhil.
• Immediate fail: A very rare recommendation – you are given an immediate fail without the ability to resubmit and without entitlement to an MPhil.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

What Is the Pass Rate for Vivas?

Based on an  analysis of 26,076 PhD students  who took their viva exam between 2006 and 2017, the PhD viva pass rate in the UK is 96%; of those who passed, about 80% were required to make minor amendments to their thesis. The reason for this high pass rate is that supervisors will only put their students forward for a viva once they confidently believe they are ready for it. As a result, most candidates who sit a viva are already well-versed in their PhD topic before they even start preparing for the exam.

How Do I Arrange a Viva?

Your viva will be arranged either by the examiners or by the chairperson. The viva will be arranged at least one to two months after you have submitted your thesis and will arrange a viva date and venue that is suitable for all participants.

Can I Choose My Examiners?

At most universities, you and your supervisor will choose the internal and external examiners yourselves. This is because the examiners must have extensive knowledge of the thesis topic in order to be able to examine you and, as the author of the thesis in question, who else could better determine who they might be than you and your supervisor. The internal examiner is usually quite easy to find given they will be from your institution, but the external examiner may end up being your second or third preference depending on availability.

Can I Take Notes Into a Viva?

A viva is about testing your competence, not your memory. As such, you are allowed to take notes and other supporting material in with you. However, keep in mind that your examiners will not be overly impressed if you constantly have to refer to your notes to answer each question. Because of this, many students prefer to take an annotated copy of their thesis, with important points already highlighted and key chapters marked with post-it notes.

In addition to an annotated copy of a thesis, some students also take:

• a list of questions they would like to ask the examiners,
• notes that were created during their preparation,
• a list of minor corrections they have already identified from their viva prep work.

How Do I Prepare for a PhD Viva?

There are several ways to prepare for a PhD viva, one of the most effective being a mock viva voce examination . This allows you to familiarise yourself with the type of viva questions you will be asked and identify any weak areas you need to improve. They also give you the opportunity to practise without the pressure, giving you more time to think about your answers which will help to make sure that you know your thesis inside out. However, a mock viva exam is just one of many methods available to you – some of the other viva preparation methods can be found on our “ How to Prepare for a PhD Viva ” page.

Browse PhDs Now

Join thousands of students.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

What is a PhD Viva Like? Sharing Graduates’ Experiences

When you’re trying to prepare for a PhD viva it can be really difficult to know what to expect. Unlike pretty much every other exam you’ll have experienced, the viva isn’t a standardised exam so you won’t find any past papers to practice on!

In this post I’ll be sharing the inside scoop on what a PhD viva is like. Both from my own experiences plus those of a few other PhD graduates.

Preparing for your viva? You may also want to take a look at some of the other PhD viva content I’ve written:

How to Defend a Thesis: An Introduction to the PhD Viva

Common phd viva questions.

Note: Every viva is different, in this post I’m focussing on my viva which took place in the UK. Two PhD graduates in Spain and the US also share their experiences.

What is a PhD viva?

For those who aren’t already familiar with what a PhD viva is, I’d highly recommend reading my full post on How to Defend a Thesis: An Introduction to the PhD Viva . This delves into how a PhD viva is assessed, who is present, the potential outcomes and what follows after.

As a quick recap, a PhD viva (also called a defense in some countries) is the final assessment a PhD student undertakes in order to pass their PhD. The format the viva can take varies from country to country and even institution to institution, but it typically involves discussing and defending your PhD thesis with experts in your field.

In this post you’ll hear about the viva experiences of three PhD graduates, each with a slightly different format.

To get the best understanding of how PhD vivas take place at your university I’d recommend:

• Checking out any webpages your university have which formally outline the viva process
• Speaking to your PhD supervisor
• Chatting to colleagues such as postdocs who’ve been through it

Viva Experiences from PhD Grads

Prof elizabeth bondi-kelly , phd from harvard university, usa. assistant professor in computer science at university of michigan.

What was your PhD viva like? At my (virtual) defense, I had my committee, adviser, labmates, and family/friends. I was fortunate to give my job talk presentation again for my defense, so I had already had a lot of practice with presenting it and being asked questions about it.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? For anyone who hasn’t had that opportunity, I highly recommend practicing to get a polished talk and practice answering questions about it.

Prof Raúl Santos-Rodríguez , PhD from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain. Full Professor in AI at University of Bristol.

What are PhD vivas like in Spain? The viva process in Spain varies from university to university. In most cases there are a few previous filters (internal/external reports) that make it such that, once you are through those, most of the pressure is off for the actual defence. The viva consists of a public presentation (usually with colleagues, friends and family in the audience) followed by questions from a panel, with each member asking their questions in turns. Both presentation and Q&A tend to be time limited (around 45 minutes each). 

What was your PhD viva like? My viva experience was nerve-wracking but rewarding too. I remember how the exercise of putting together the presentation with the panel in mind actually gave me quite a different perspective on how to tell the story of my thesis. The event took place in a rather formal lecture room in our faculty. The panel consisted of five examiners (three externals including one from abroad, and two internals), all of whom were experts in my field of study. The panel asked me a wide range of questions, covering both very specific details and very high level matters. Once I answered their questions to their satisfaction, and after a short deliberation, I was given the good news. Overall, I found the viva to be a challenging but stimulating experience — and a good memory.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? In terms of advice, I would suggest to:

• Expect to be surprised by unexpected questions about your research
• Be clear and concise, allowing examiners to ask for more details if needed
• Practice your presentation without being constrained to say the same things every time
• Not be afraid to ask for clarification if you don’t understand and take your time to respond
• Enjoy the interaction with the examiners as they are experts that have a lot to add to your work

Me! PhD from Imperial College London, UK. Research Fellow in AI at Bristol.

What was your PhD viva like? My viva, which took place over Microsoft Teams, included just an internal examiner, external examiner and myself. I gave a short presentation giving a summary of my PhD then about five hours were spent giving suggestions to improve content I was preparing to submit to journals. It was much less intimidating than I was expecting.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? I mainly suggest to not over prepare! Sure, reread your thesis and swot up on any content you don’t feel comfortable describing (for instance certain techniques you’ve used), but I would caution against rehearsing too much: come to terms with the fact that you won’t be able to predict all the questions you’ll get asked.

I’ll be sharing more details on my viva experience in the rest of the post.

How To Prepare For a PhD Viva: The Advice I Was Given

Ahead of my own viva I typically got told to:

Relax and take your time in replying . This is somewhat sensible advice but a bit like telling someone to calm down: it doesn’t always work. Furthermore, relaxing can be hard to do when you also get told to…

Be prepared to answer questions about every part of your work . At face value this can seem reasonable: if you did the work, and deserve a PhD, you should be able to explain your work. Like many of us I heard the horror stories of examiners asking students to provide an explanation of fundamental techniques from first principles such as: “derive energy”!

However, I don’t think any rational examiner can expect a student to be able to answer every possible question about their PhD work. Not least because many students aren’t relaxed during the viva and instead are filled with nerves.

Thankfully, the reality is that examiners simply need to check that you’ve done the work and understand it. Therefore, yes you should be able to give a broad explanation of the techniques you’ve used but you can’t be expected to know everything about every technique.

Once it strays from your work to underlying principles I suggest that you explain as much as you feel comfortable then push back – the internal examiner (who acts as a moderator) should also step in if unreasonable questions are being asked. For more details on what PhD examiners are looking for, read this section of another post I’ve written .

How I Prepared for My PhD Viva

The time between submitting my thesis (14th February) and viva (25th March) was shorter than for most people. On top of that I didn’t spend long writing my thesis, meaning that the time between finishing my actual research and my viva was pretty short (around two months). Therefore I didn’t feel the need to “revise” for my viva. As in, sometimes you’ll hear of people reminding themselves of how certain experimental or analytic techniques work, but it was pretty fresh in my memory.

Instead, about 48 hours before my viva I started to read through my thesis. This is going to sound really bad but this was actually my first (and only) time properly reading through my thesis. No, I didn’t outsource or use ChatGPT to write my thesis!

When I submitted my thesis I had of course assembled all the chapters but had never given it a proper cohesive read all the way through. I read through the thesis over the course of 4-5 sittings. Reading fiction is definitely more fun .

I personally didn’t prepare by trying to come up with answers for lots of potential questions. But if you’re keen to have those to hand, read my Common PhD Viva Questions .

Preparing for your own viva? I’ve created a set of viva preparation worksheets which are available for free in the resource library. Click the image below for access!

Why didn’t I prepare more?

I felt pretty relaxed about my viva. This isn’t because I am crazy clever or knowledgable. In fact, like many of us I’ve felt imposter syndrome, waiting for the moment that my lack of knowledge gets discovered: and if there ever a moment you’d expect this to happen it would be at your viva.

These three things relaxed me for the viva:

• The external examiner seemed nice from the time I’d met him in the past at a conference. Certainly not a sure-fire sign that he wouldn’t turn into a scary beast during a viva but it seemed like a good starting point.
• It was virtual. My viva took place right at the start of COVID and as such took place over Teams. For some reason this felt reassuring, as if I could get away with just unplugging my internet connection if they asked anything particularly scary. Thankfully I didn’t ever feel the need to try this out!
• I had published PhD work in a well-ranked respected peer-reviewed journal. This was far and away the most reassuring thing. As mentioned in another post, examiners have to be confident in all of the following things to let you pass your PhD viva. If you have published some of your work somewhere respectable you tick many of the boxes immediately:

Oh, and I also didn’t prepare much because I was preoccupied with moving from London the week before my viva because of COVID and the start of lockdowns. Unexpectedly I ended up moving in with my girlfriend’s parents. It was rather chaotic but probably a useful distraction too.

My PhD Viva Experience

Who was at my viva.

Unlike vivas in other countries, such as the two international experiences shared above, a viva in the UK usually only involves:

• PhD student – me in this case!
• Internal examiner – an academic working in the same research area from the host university. They’re there to moderate the discussion and check that the university’s viva regulations are followed.
• External examiner – another academic working in the research area from a different university. In my case this was someone who was a leader in the field who came from another UK university.

Optionally the PhD student may ask their supervisor to attend. I’ve known of a few people who’ve had their supervisor there too, though it’s pretty rare and unnecessary in my opinion.

How long did my PhD viva last?

All in all it was about five and a half hours.

This was much longer than I anticipated. When we scheduled the viva to start at 10am I naively expected us to be finished by lunch. Admittedly the examiners did suggest stopping for a break at lunch time but again I naively thought we’d be done shortly afterwards, so declined the opportunity for more than a 5 minute comfort break. In the end we finished up around 3:30pm.

How was my PhD viva structured?

• Introductions (2 minutes) . I’d actually never met my internal examiner (who should act as a moderator) so introductions were necessary.
• Presentation (10 minutes) . A few weeks in advance of the viva I asked whether or not the examiners would like a presentation, and if so of what length. They said yes, 10-12 minutes. My supervisor strongly suggested making it on the shorter side: short and snappy is good and you’re about to have hours to discuss the details.
• Discussion (5 hours, yes, really!) . More on this in a moment.
• Decision and final comments (10 minutes) . I was asked to leave the metaphorical room (Teams call, remember!) and after a few minutes was invited back in after which they told me I’d passed with minor corrections. They gave a summary of the next steps, which were mostly administrative with paperwork, and briefly went over what changes/corrections they were expecting to the thesis.

What did we discuss for five hours?

Before my viva I had visions of it being like a job interview that lasts for hours and hours. They ask a slightly tough or awkward question, you try and answer, rinse and repeat x 100. The reality was really different.

The experience was much less intense than I was expecting. The examiners said from the outset that they were happy with the quality of the work and just aimed to give feedback to improve both the thesis and publications.

The vast majority of the viva was spent going page by page through the thesis covering points that the examiners had written down: not questions, merely suggestions. Very little of the viva involved me getting questioned: most of what I said was probably along the lines of “I agree, that’s a great idea”.

The examiners commented that they liked the [short] length of the thesis (140 pages before references) which may have helped. I was expecting at least a few dodgy questions such as explaining the content of a particular reference or deriving something from first principles. In all honestly I’m not sure I’d have been prepared for some of this, so was fine with not getting a hard time of it.

There were very few questions in general which was somewhat of a relief, though I was kind of looking forward to more of a discussion around the project. There were only two actual questions I think I got asked: one explaining why a particular technique wasn’t representative, and secondly a much more fluffy question of what would I do differently if I was starting again. That was it. I was really expecting more questions.

Every viva is unique so I can’t claim that my experience is representative but I will say that it was a relief to get through it unscathed.

What I wish I’d done differently

Asked more questions myself . The viva is one of the few times you’re likely to have hours of access to academic experts with such a keen interest in your work.

Was it tiring?

A little, just as any meeting which lasts over five hours would be. But because I didn’t feel like I was actually getting quizzed the whole time it was nowhere near as tiring as it could have been. Mostly I was tired just from having to pay attention for that long: I usually don’t sit still for more than 20 minutes!

What happened afterwards?

My viva was in March 2020, at the start of lockdown. I’d moved from London just the week prior and had to cancel the scheduled celebratory drinks with colleagues. So instead I had a glass of champagne with my girlfriend and her parents (who I was staying with).

After that, I got cracking right away the next morning on making the examiners’ suggested changes to my thesis.

My Advice If You’re Preparing For Your Own PhD Viva

• Download my free viva preparation guide .
• Read your thesis!
• Look up likely questions (if you want), here are some Common PhD Viva Questions
• Don’t over prepare
• Be honest. If you’re not sure about something, make this clear. Feel free to say you’re not sure.
• Ask questions
• Enjoy it! Channel those nerves as excitement and make the most of having experts show such an interest in your work.

Do you have any other questions about the PhD viva experience? Let me know in the comments and I’ll answer them as best I can!

If you’d like personalised help with preparing for your PhD viva I am now starting to offer a small number of one-to-one sessions. Please contact me to find out more or click here to book a call.

If you’re currently preparing for your own PhD viva, best of luck and remember to enjoy it! Be sure to check out the couple of other viva-related posts I’ve written .

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related Posts

21st January 2021 30th January 2024

26th November 2020 2nd June 2024

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Privacy Overview

• What is the PhD Viva?

Written by Mark Bennett

The viva voce is the final assessment for a PhD. It is an oral examination where the student defends their research to two academic examiners. This involves answering questions about your work, typically related to the literature, methodology, your findings and the significance of your conclusions. In some countries (like the USA ) the viva is actually referred to as a 'PhD defence', because the candidate defends their thesis from these questions.

This guide explains exactly how the viva works, what to expect on the day, how to prepare and what happens afterwards.

An overview of the PhD viva

The PhD viva can seem like an intimidating process, but it actually serves a very simple purpose: proving that your research is original, that you understand its contribution to knowledge and – most importantly – that your work is your own. It's also very rare for students to fail.

Who attends a viva?

A PhD viva usually involves two examiners: one internal examiner (from your university) and one external examiner (from another university). Both should be familiar with your field and the external examiner in particular should be a recognised expert in your specific research area.

The internal examiner usually acts as the chairperson for the exam, making sure it follows your university's procedures.

Your supervisor doesn't normally attend the viva itself, but they will help you prepare for it and should be around to provide support on the day.

How long does a PhD viva take?

There is no set length for a viva voce exam, but most take between one and three hours .

A longer viva doesn't necessarily indicate any problems with your thesis: it may simply be that the examiners are enjoying the discussion. Equally, a shorter viva may just mean that your examiners are satisfied with the thesis and your responses to their questions.

Why is the viva necessary?

The most basic function of the viva is to prove that your work is original (i.e. not plagiarised). This is especially important because the criteria for a doctorate is to offer a significant new contribution to knowledge.

By discussing your work with you directly and confirming that you fully understand your thesis, examiners can be confident that this is your own research.

Do all PhD students have to have a viva?

Almost always. One exception is for PhDs by publication (as the work in these will already have been through academic peer review). Some countries such as Australia and New Zealand also take a slightly different approach as their location makes it harder to invite external examiners for a face-to-face defence.

The viva format

Universities set their own viva voce processes, but most will follow a fairly similar format.

Before the exam

Many supervisors let you choose an external examiner . They need to have expertise in the topics you have researched, but not someone you have collaborated closely with during your PhD or who you have a strong personal friendship with (as these might create a conflict of interest).

Your supervisor will normally discuss possible options and then submit the invitation on your behalf. This usually happens just before you complete your PhD.

The next step is to submit your thesis . Nowadays most universities only ask for a digital submission which is sent out to your examiners for you.

The gap between submission and viva is usually one to three months. This allows time for both examiners to thoroughly read and consider your thesis and for you to prepare.

Your supervisor/s should offer to conduct a mock viva with you shortly before the real exam. They'll ask the sort of questions an examiner might have about your thesis so that you can practice answering and discussing them.

Your supervisor will normally meet with you before the viva begins to help you relax and ease any last minute nerves.

The exam room will be somewhere on your university campus that has been booked for the occasion. It will be laid out very similarly to a job interview, with space for you and the examiners to sit with your notes. Drinking water is also normally provided.

Most vivas are recorded and will begin with the internal examiner explaining the rules and regulations as a formality. Either they or the external will then begin asking questions about your thesis.

The examiners will usually help you relax and settle in to the discussion by asking something quite general, such as what interested you in this PhD project or what the most enjoyable part of the research was. Subsequent questions will be more specific, often referring the arguments made at particular points in your thesis.

The examiners will end the viva once they have completed their questions and feel able to come to a judgement. You will then be asked to leave the room whilst they discuss your performance and decide on a result to recommend. This normally takes around fifteen minutes or so.

After the viva

The next steps depend on your viva result. The examiners will invite you back in to explain their recommendation and provide general feedback on your work. This may include advice on whether or not you should seek to publish any of your PhD thesis and what sort of edits or further work might be required to prepare it for that.

Hopefully you'll then be able to celebrate with your supervisor, but they should be on hand to offer their to support and advise you whatever the outcome.

The majority of students have some corrections (usually minor) to make before resubmitting a final version of the thesis to be checked by the internal examiner. Once the final copy of your thesis is approved, you will be awarded your PhD! It's time to look forward to using your new title (and wearing some exceptionally elaborate robes at your graduation).

Viva preperation tips

It may feel like you're at the end of a long PhD journey by the time the viva comes around (and you are) but the oral exam is an important part of your doctorate and you should prepare accordingly.

Whatever else you do or don't do, listen to the advice of your supervisors. They'll have experience of all sides of the process, from sitting their own viva voce to preparing previous students for theirs. Chances are they've also served as internal or external examiners too and will know exactly what sort of questions they'd ask about a thesis like yours.

Here are seven tips for effective viva preparation.

#1 Take a (short) break first

Chances are you've been working very hard on your PhD recently, getting it written up, responding to feedback from your supervisor, making edits, sorting the bibliography (which you still left to the last minute, right) and getting the whole thing printed in time for the final deadline.

Whatever happens next, you've just successfully submitted a PhD thesis and you deserve a break. So take one.

A week or two away from your PhD will be ideal (no, don't take a copy of your dissertation with you). You'll get some mental rest and be in a better place to take a fresh look at your thesis and think clearly about it.

There's no need to feel guilty: the time between submission and viva is partly intended to make this possible.

#2 Read through your thesis

You may feel pretty familiar with your thesis by now but, actually, you aren't. You're familiar with a series of chapters that may well have developed separately over several years. It was probably only recently that you wrote them up in their final form, added an introduction and conclusion and turned the whole thing into a dissertation setting out your entire PhD thesis.

You need to know that thesis inside out and be completely familiar with the structure of the dissertation that contains and communicates it: which page a key concept or topic appears on for the first time, where key stages of your argument occur, where you cite or critique particular scholarship, and so on.

At the very least, this means reading your full thesis through at least once. Really though, you should be re-reading each chapter a couple of times and. . .

#3 Annotate key points

The PhD viva isn't a closed-book exam and you're expected to take a copy of your thesis with you. It's perfectly fine to consult it in response to questions, so make that process easy by annotating the most important stages of your argument.

There are lots of ways to do this, but, really, there's no substitute for sticking markers through your dissertation and scribbling in the margins.

If the copy of the thesis you take into the exam room looks like it's survived an explosion in a post-it note factory and then spent several years being read by rough-fingered undergraduate students in the library, well, you're on the right track.

#4 Note down potential questions (and answers)

You'll never be able to guess all of the questions that will come up at your viva, but you should be able to anticipate a few of them. Sketching out some bullet-point answers in advance will help you think critically about your thesis and boost your confidence going into the exam.

Spend extra time on any questions you're concerned about. If there's a point where your argument gets a bit strained or where you think your conclusions might be easy to challenge, have a think about how you'd defend them. Remember that your thesis doesn't have to be perfect, but you do need to be able to make a case for it – so practice doing that.

Incidentally, no one has been able to completely test the hypothesis that preparing for a viva question ensures it doesn't actually come up, but, well, the anecdotal evidence is strong. Prepare anyway.

#5 (Re)familiarise yourself with your examiners' work

The viva is about your thesis, but your examiners will have been selected due to the relevance of their own research and their perspectives will be at least partly informed by it.

It makes sense to consider how their work might inform their attitudes towards yours (this should also help you antitipate some questions, as above).

#6 Definitely take up the offer of a mock viva

Your supervisor/s should offer to arrange a mock viva with you shortly before the actual exam (once you've had time to prepare). This is a really helpful process.

The mock viva won't be anything like as long as the real thing and it won't cover every question your examiners will ask (or necessarily predict any of them). But it doesn't need to.

The most valuable feature of a mock viva is to get feedback on how you answer questions. Your supervisors will be able to spot whether you're coming across as too hesitant or too confident, or whether your answers are sufficiently clear.

#7 Try to enjoy it

Chances are you'll be sick of hearing this advice by the time your exam comes around, but it's true. A PhD viva voce really can be fun.

This is your chance to sit down with two experts in your academic field who have read and carefully considered your thesis and whose attention, for the duration of the exam, is entirely on your research. That's a privilege and it's one you've earned by getting to this stage.

Prepare effectively and give the viva voce the respect it deserves. But, once you get into that exam room, be confident, own your ideas and enjoy the chance to let them take centre stage in a serious academic discussion.

Viva results

The vast majority of PhD students pass their viva. By the time you're ready to submit your PhD you will be an expert in your subject area, more than capable of discussing and debating it. You'll also have done so many times before: at conferences, in conversations with your supervisor, and in your own writing.

Your supervisor will also ensure your thesis is ready for examination before they recommend you proceed to this stage. The only exceptions to this will be if you submit against the advice of your supervisor (never a good idea) or if you've over-run the time period for your PhD and have to hand in a thesis that isn't ready (you're unlikely to get to this point unless your PhD has been going badly for some time).

PhD viva outcomes

It's rare to fail a viva, but it's also rare to pass outright. Instead, most students are asked to make some corrections to their thesis.

Here are the possible outcomes of a PhD viva voce:

• Pass with no corrections – (uncommon) – Your viva has revealed no significant issues with your thesis and the dissertation itself is error-free. Congratulations, you are eligible to receive your PhD now!
• Pass with minor corrections – (very common) – Your thesis is essentially sound, but there are some minor issues with your dissertation (such as typographical errors, or missing references). You will normally have three months to submit a corrected thesis.
• Pass with major corrections – (fairly uncommon) – There are some parts of your argument that need to be clarified, expanded or otherwise rewritten. You will normally have six months to submit a revised thesis, but won't need a second viva.
• Revise and resubmit – (fairly rare) – Your thesis is potentially good enough for a PhD, but it needs some significant work, usually including some substantial additional research. You will have around a year to re-submit an improved and updated version of your dissertation for a second viva voce exam.
• Be recommended for MPhil – (rare) – Your thesis isn't good enough for a PhD, but it is sufficient for an MPhil (a research Masters that doesn't require a substantial original contribution to knowledge). You may receive the MPhil outright, or after some edits and corrections.
• Fail – (exceptionally rare) – Your thesis does not meet the required standard for a PhD (perhaps due to fundamental flaws in your data and analysis, or due to evidence of plagiarism) and it cannot be converted into an MPhil. You have failed your doctorate and cannot resubmit your thesis.

Those last couple of results may appear scary but, in practice, it's only a few % of candidates each year who don't pass with corrections. The only way a PhD is likely to fail outright is if you have run down the clock on your registration period, submitted a poorly written thesis based on insufficient data and probably done so against the advice of your supervisor/s. The entire PhD process is designed to prevent this happening.

So relax. The likelihood is that your PhD will pass with minor corrections (or better) and that your next challenge will be deciding what to use your new 'Dr' title on first.

Can you appeal a viva result?

If you think your viva outcome was incorrect or unfair, then you may be able to appeal it with your university. The first thing to do is check their guidelines and appeal process. Your students' union may also be able to support and advise you.

Note that you can't normally appeal on academic grounds . Your examiners' judgement is generally final. It is also difficult to appeal a PhD result if you submitted without the support of your supervisor/s or have otherwise ignored their advice at other points in your project.

You may have grounds for appeal if you can demonstrate that you have been poorly advised or supervised (you will need evidence of this and of the specific impact it has had) or if there was an irregularity in the conduct of your viva (such as interruptions, an unsuitable venue, or a lack of consideration for relevant disabilities or health conditions that may have impacted your performance).

Common viva questions

The questions your examiners ask will obviously be very specific to your thesis and anticipating them is a big part of your specific viva preparation . There are a few things that are likely to crop up more often than not, though.

Here are some example viva questions , along with some tips for answering them well.

"Why did you choose this PhD project?" / "What interested you most about this topic?"

This is a classic icebreaker: it's an invitation to speak generally and positively about your work. As well as being a fairly easy question to answer (after all, there must be at least something you enjoyed about your PhD) this should also help you channel your passion and enthusiasm for your research as the viva gets going.

"What was the most challenging part of the project?"

This probably won't be the first question you're asked, but it might also come up early in the viva as the examiners ease you into talking about your project. It doesn't mean that they think your PhD is flawed. All research involves overcoming obstacles. This is an invitation to talk about how you did that and reflect on the practicalities of your project.

"What is the original contribution to knowledge made by this thesis?"

This question is highly likely to come up at some point in the viva and it's one you absolutely must have a clear answer for. You should be able to explain in one or two sentences what your contribution is, how it's original and why it matters.

Some examiners might not be so explicit or direct in asking this, so be on the lookout for questions like "why is this PhD important?", "why was this project worth completing?", "what were your main findings?" or "why does this research matter?". If you hear any of those, it's time to deploy the original contribution answer.

"Why did you include / exclude X?"

All doctoral projects need to be selective about what they can and can't include, and successful PhD students need to set boundaries for their research. At some point your examiners will probably want to see the logic behind yours.

Be confident and own your decisions. If there was a particular topic or approach you didn't include, then give your reasons for that.

Remember that there are lots of reasons why something might not make the cut for a PhD and the examiners aren't trying to catch you out. They don't even need to agree 100% with your decisions, but they do need to hear that you had credible reasons for making them.

It may be that there wasn't space to cover everything (in which case you should justify prioritising the material you did include). Or perhaps you felt that there was already sufficient scholarship related to a particular source or concept and your aim was to take the field in a different direction (this is a very good answer, if you can make it convincingly).

"If you were to repeat this project, what would you do differently?"

This question (or one like it) may come towards the end of the viva as you reflect on the project as a whole.

Again, the aim isn't to try and undermine your thesis, but rather to see whether you can constructively critique your own work and approaches. Or, to put it another way, have you learned anything from the experience of doing a PhD? You should have. After all, a doctorate is partly about learning to become an effective researcher and mistakes are a great thing to learn from.

In any case, this shouldn't be too hard to answer. There are likely to be all sorts of things you would do differently in future: from adopting different approaches or directions sooner, to heading off blind alleys or methodological mistakes.

"What do you think the next steps might be for this research?"

Relax, your examiners aren't expecting you to dive straight into another PhD. But they may want to hear where you would take this research next, or what you think other scholars could do to build on your findings. After all, part of the value in a new contribution to your field should lie in what it makes possible, as well as what it is .

It's best to be modest and realistic here, rather than making sweeping claims for how your findings will allow other researchers to reinvent the wheel (unless you have actually come up with a new technique for designing wheels, in which case, go ahead).

"Do you have any questions or comments for us?"

Your examiners will probably end the viva by asking if you'd like to ask them any questions, or say anything else about your thesis. This might seem a bit odd, but it's actually a helpful way for you to revisit or clarify any of your earlier answers.

For example, you might like to acknowledge a specific critique and reiterate your reasons for believing the thesis to be valid in spite of it. Or you might want to confirm that the examiners understood what you meant at a particular point in the previous discussion.

It's not a good idea to try and rehash large chunks of the viva here, but it's fine to pick out one or two things and be assertive. This demonstrates your confidence and commitment.

Equally, you can take the opportunity to ask the examiner's opinions on areas of the thesis that haven't come up, if you wish. This is fine, provided you're confident in those sections and comfortable discussing them.

Browse current PhD opportunities

Ready to begin the journey towards your own viva? Search thousands of PhDs on our site right now.

Our postgrad newsletter shares courses, funding news, stories and advice

You may also like....

What happens during a typical PhD, and when? We've summarised the main milestones of a doctoral research journey.

The PhD thesis is the most important part of a doctoral degree. This page will introduce you to what you need to know about the PhD dissertation.

This page will give you an idea of what to expect from your routine as a PhD student, explaining how your daily life will look at you progress through a doctoral degree.

Our guide tells you everything about the application process for studying a PhD in the USA.

The UK education system is divided into levels. This guide is your one-stop overview into what these levels are and what they mean for postgraduate students.

Is your supervisor moving universities? Or have you discovered another doctoral programme that better suits your goals? In this guide we take a look at how you can transfer a PhD to another university.

FindAPhD. Copyright 2005-2024 All rights reserved.

Unknown    ( change )

Have you got time to answer some quick questions about PhD study?

Select your nearest city

You haven’t completed your profile yet. To get the most out of FindAPhD, finish your profile and receive these benefits:

• Monthly chance to win one of ten £10 Amazon vouchers ; winners will be notified every month.*
• The latest PhD projects delivered straight to your inbox
• Access to our £6,000 scholarship competition
• Weekly newsletter with funding opportunities, research proposal tips and much more
• Early access to our physical and virtual postgraduate study fairs

Or begin browsing FindAPhD.com

or begin browsing FindAPhD.com

*Offer only available for the duration of your active subscription, and subject to change. You MUST claim your prize within 72 hours, if not we will redraw.

Do you want hassle-free information and advice?

Create your FindAPhD account and sign up to our newsletter:

• Find out about funding opportunities and application tips
• Receive weekly advice, student stories and the latest PhD news
• Hear about our upcoming study fairs
• Save your favourite projects, track enquiries and get personalised subject updates

Create your account

Looking to list your PhD opportunities? Log in here .

How to Excel in Your Doctoral Viva

• © 2022
• Stacey Bedwell 0 ,
• Isabelle Butcher 1

Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

• Explains what the viva is, how the process works, and what the purpose of the viva is
• Explores the course of preparing for a viva examination, focusing on organisation through to dealing with viva concerns
• Features contributions from over 25 academics for a unique insight into the experiences of PhD candidates and examiners

2885 Accesses

1 Citations

4 Altmetric

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

Subscribe and save.

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or eBook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

About this book

Similar content being viewed by others.

Why Tourette syndrome research needs philosophical phenomenology

Enactments in Transference: Embodiment, Trauma and Depression. What Have Psychoanalysis and the Neurosciences to Offer to Each Other

The Madness of Interpretation and Meaning in Psychoanalytic Treatment and Literature: Reading Patrick Casement’s ‘A Retrospective Overview’

• life sciences
• social sciences
• research degree

Table of contents (11 chapters)

Front matter, introduction.

• Stacey Bedwell, Isabelle Butcher

What Is the Viva?

Isabelle Butcher

Urban Myths about the PhD Viva

Stacey Bedwell

Real Viva Experiences

Making the most of and enjoying your viva, after the viva, practice questions, being confident in your thesis, the viva preparation timeline, participating in a mock viva, viva concerns, back matter.

— Sarah Lloyd , final year PhD candidate

— Gemini Katwa , PhD candidate

Authors and Affiliations

About the authors.

Dr. Isabelle Butcher  was awarded her PhD in Psychology in 2021 from the University of Manchester, UK, for her work on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and traumatic life events. Isabelle’s current research interests are in the area of adolescent mental health and the impact of traumatic life events. Isabelle also has a keen interest in the ethics of research and is currently chair of an NHS ethics research committee.

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : How to Excel in Your Doctoral Viva

Authors : Stacey Bedwell, Isabelle Butcher

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10172-4

Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan Cham

eBook Packages : Education , Education (R0)

Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022

Softcover ISBN : 978-3-031-10171-7 Published: 16 September 2022

eBook ISBN : 978-3-031-10172-4 Published: 15 September 2022

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XIII, 183

Number of Illustrations : 69 b/w illustrations

Topics : Science Education , Higher Education , Psychology, general

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

How to structure your viva presentation (with examples)

Most PhD vivas and PhD defences start with a short presentation by the candidate. The structure of these presentations is very important! There are several factors and approaches to consider when developing your viva presentation structure.

Factors to consider when developing a viva presentation structure

Presenting a whole PhD in a short amount of time is very challenging. After all, a PhD is often the result of several years of work!

It is simply impossible to include everything in a viva presentation.

Therefore, tough choices have to be made in terms of what to include, what to highlight, and what to exclude.

The structure of a viva presentation plays a crucial role in bringing across the key messages of your PhD.

Structuring your viva presentation traditionally

A very traditional viva presentation structure simply follows the structure of the PhD thesis.

The disadvantage of this traditional format is that it is very challenging to fit all the information in a – let’s say – 10-minute presentation.

Structuring your viva presentation around key findings

For instance, you can select your three main findings which you each connect to the existing literature, your unique research approach and your (new) empirical insights.

Furthermore, it might be tricky to find enough time during the presentation to discuss your theoretical framework and embed your discussion in the existing literature when addressing complex issues.

Structuring your viva presentation around key arguments

Arguments are sets of reasons supporting an idea, which – in academia – often integrate theoretical and empirical insights.

So, for example, your key argument 1 is your stance on an issue, combining your theoretical and empirical understanding of it. You use the existing theory to understand your empirical data, and your empirical data analysis to develop your theoretical understanding.

Structuring your viva presentation around case studies

Another common way to structure a viva presentation is around case studies or study contexts.

A viva presentation structure around case studies can be easy to follow for the audience, and shed light on the similarities and differences of cases.

Final thoughts on viva presentation structures

The key to a good viva presentation is to choose a structure which reflects the key points of your PhD thesis that you want to convey to the examiners.

The example viva presentation structures discussed here intend to showcase variety and possibilities and to provide inspiration.

Master Academia

Get new content delivered directly to your inbox, 18 common audience questions at academic conferences (+ how to react), 10 reasons to do a master's degree right after graduation, related articles, 13 great academic phrases to write your discussion (+ published examples), how to write a literature review introduction (+ examples), how to disagree with reviewers (with examples), the best coursera courses for phd researchers in 2023.

Viva Survivors

Daily viva help for PhDs

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe and receive new posts by email.

Email Address

Randomly…

Viva prep ebooks, recently….

• Good Answers
• The Questions You Want
• Sooner Than You Think
• Discuss, Explain, Demonstrate
• I Don’t Know
• An Imperfect Thesis

Tags & Themes

Independent webinars and workshops.

I deliver a variety of sessions for universities all around the UK, but more recently have been sharing some of my shorter sessions directly to people who need them. These 1-hour sessions are shared over Zoom, with booking and registration handled by Eventbrite. If you want to see details of upcoming sessions then check out this link to see what’s in my diary and how you can book on to a session.

Viva Survivor

Viva Survivor is a three-hour session designed to help postgraduate researchers be well prepared for their viva. To date, it’s been delivered to over 6000 PhD candidates at universities around the UK. By the end of a session participants will have

• identified what examiners are looking for when they examine a thesis;
• discussed the many ways that others can support preparation;
• explored valuable viva preparation methods;
• established realistic expectations for the viva;
• discussed common questions about the PhD viva.

“The course is very useful for understanding what a viva will be and making it seem less scary. Nathan was very approachable, and clearly explained and structured information.” University of Manchester participant I went to a session of @VivaSurvivors with @DrRyder in @sheffielduni . It was extremelly helpful through my preparation. Dr Ryder's books were also full of useful advices (Got the kindle ones). I successfully passed my VIVA (minor) and just want to say thanks for the help. pic.twitter.com/0BZ0KS4u9V — Luis Ureña (@luisurena06) January 31, 2020

“Thank you very much, this is the most useful course that I’ve taken since I started my PhD.”

University of Liverpool participant

Had a great Viva Survivor session today with @DrRyder , highly recommended! /cc @VivaSurvivors — @[email protected] – Terry Allen🇪🇺🇺🇦 (@MathThyMod) February 26, 2020

“Thank you for the ‘Viva Survivor’ session which really helped with my doctoral viva last Friday – ‘exemplary’!”

Bangor University participant

Fighting off a cold I was dreading a 3h morning training session. .. thank you . @DrRyder for a fantastic . @VivaSurvivors session, including tips on setting expectations, asking for help, and reframing content!! #phdlife #phdchat #PhD . @ThinkAheadSheff . @sheffielduni — Dr. Elisabeth Kugler, AFHEA (@KuglerElisabeth) February 14, 2020

“I passed my viva yesterday and I’ve no doubt that without attending your workshop it would have been not nearly as pleasant an experience! I felt at ease knowing that I’d properly prepared and I enjoyed it.”

University of Sheffield participant

If you would like more information about the Viva Survivor  webinar session for your institution or to check pricing and availability, please contact me .

1-hour Webinars

Since April 2020, I’ve developed and delivered 1-hour webinar sessions that focus on specific aspects of the viva and viva preparation. 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva is a confidence boost to help candidates see that they will pass, and what they then need to focus on. The webinar has been delivered to large groups of participants and received really good feedback for almost three years!

Thank you @VivaSurvivors . A really inspiring and helpful workshop on preparing for my viva. pic.twitter.com/aAMyFsi6Io — Dr Emily LeQuesne (@EmilyLeQuesne) April 8, 2020

Thanks to @VivaSurvivors for a really empowering and motivating session on #7reasonsyouwillpassyourviva . Thank you so much Nathan! pic.twitter.com/P08l5Mjd7C — Thivashni Naidu (@thivash_n) April 22, 2020

These webinars would be useful as part of a researcher development programme for final year researchers, or part of a virtual conference. As well as delivering them for universities, I currently share these and other sessions independently on a semi-regular basis. If you want to know more for your institution then email me , or if you’re looking to attend an independent session then take a look at the @VivaSurvivors Twitter account or my Eventbrite profile .

Share this:

What is a viva? PhD viva, viva voce, viva process and more

If you are a PhD candidate and preparing to take the biggest step in your academic journey, you might be overwhelmed by the thought of your impending viva voce or the oral defense of your thesis.

Worry not, we are here to demystify the process and provide you with actionable tips to successfully navigate this crucial academic milestone.

Here, we will guide you through the viva process, shed light on the perspective of your examiners, and help you understand how to prepare for this pivotal examination. 

Whether you’re just beginning to wrap your head around what a viva entails or are already deep in the trenches of preparation, this blog is designed to offer you comprehensive, step-by-step guidance.

By understanding the process, expectations, and preparing effectively, you can walk into your viva with confidence, ready to defend your thesis and demonstrate your deep understanding of your research area.

What is a PhD viva or viva voce?

A PhD viva or viva voce is an oral examination where you defend your thesis in front of internal examiner(s) from your institution and/or external examiner(s) from another institution specializing in your subject area.

There may be up to 5 people on your viva panel. 

They are testing your knowledge and thought processed to be admitted into the degree.

Typically lasting for an hour and a half to two hours, the viva is a conversation between experts, giving you the chance to elaborate and clarify your research.

Preparation for the viva can involve ongoing conversations, with supervisors and focused development after thesis submission.

As the viva voce derives from the Latin for ‘living voice,’ let your passion for your research come alive in your defense.

As nerve-wracking as it might be, remember to relax and use this opportunity to share your contribution to your field. 

Supervisors will (or at least should) conduct mock vivas to help you prepare for questions and build confidence. Ask for a mock viva if one is not offered by your supervisor. 

During the viva, your supervisor may be present as a silent observer, ensuring examination conduct.

Outcomes of a viva range from:

• passing without corrections,
• passing with minor or major corrections,
• or not passing at all.

Examiners won’t necessarily spot all mistakes, but they read your work thoroughly, engage in a comprehensive discussion, and submit independent reports before the viva.

Understand what’s expected of you in your viva (Examiner point of view)

From an examiner’s point of view, in your viva, you are expected to confidently explain and defend your thesis.

You should be well-prepared, recognizing that examiners will carefully read your work and may identify minor mistakes.

Keep in mind that examiners may not know your thesis as well as you, so be prepared to clarify and elaborate on your research. 

They may ask some really simple and basic questions of you – particularly early on in your thesis defense.

It is essential to demonstrate your understanding of the topic and address any questions posed by the examiners.

You may have the option to include your supervisor or other supportive figures from your institution during the viva for moral support and to witness the examination’s conduct.

Understand that examiners typically work independently and exchange reports just before the viva, so be ready to engage in a comprehensive discussion about your work.

Focus on showcasing your:

• research abilities, and
• significance of your thesis

during the viva.

How to prepare for your viva exam

To prepare for a PhD viva, follow these actionable steps:

1. Familiarize yourself with your examiner’s and supervisor’s work (4-5 days): Know their research interests, potential biases, and recent publications, and consider how they might relate to your thesis.

2. Understand your thesis deeply (5-6 days): Be able to explain your research question/hypothesis, aims, theoretical framework, methods, and key results concisely. Review all the papers you discussed or mentioned in your thesis, noting their relevance to your work. Address any weaknesses in your analysis, and justify your study’s merit to earn a PhD.

3. Practice summarizing your thesis: Prepare a 200-word summary of each chapter and a 2-minute explanation of your whole thesis. Be ready to clarify your work in one or two sentences.

4. Anticipate general questions : Examples include summarizing your thesis, stating your research question or hypothesis, and discussing your main results. Prepare answers for potential questions from both a general and discipline-specific context.

5. Conduct mock vivas with your supervisor: Simulate the viva experience to get comfortable with the format, build confidence, and receive feedback on your performance.

6. Review general questions and answers (last 1-2 days): Brush up on your prepared responses and make any necessary final adjustments.

Remember, most PhD students pass their viva, so focus on preparing and confidently discussing your research.

Things to keep in mind during your viva – top tips

Here are the top tips to keep in mind during your viva:

1. Ask for clarifications if a question is unclear. Be polite and ensure you understand the question before attempting to answer it.   2. Don’t interrupt the examiner while they are asking a question. Give them time to finish, as it shows respect and allows you to fully comprehend the inquiry.

3. Be honest if you don’t know the answer to a question. Prepare a polite response for unexpected questions you cannot answer.

4. Maintain confidence without arrogance. Display a level of nervousness that reflects your dedication to the process, but avoid overconfidence or disrespect.

5. Keep your answers concise and structured. Use a clear format when providing your response, such as breaking it down into key points.

6. Speak at a moderate pace. Avoid talking too fast or too slow, as it can be distracting for the listeners. Practice controlling your speech rate during your preparations.

7. Give yourself plenty of time before the defense to prepare and relax. You should be in the right state of mind for your viva.

8. Be familiar with the protocols, format, and panel of your viva. Attend other thesis defenses, read your institution’s guidelines, and research the background of the examiners on your panel.

By following these tips, you can enter your viva well-prepared and have a successful defense. Enjoy the experience and demonstrate the hard work you have put into your research.

Wrapping up – thesis viva

Concluding our comprehensive guide on the viva process for PhD students, the final thought we leave you with is this: your PhD viva, or viva voce, is an opportunity to defend your research, a unique chance to demonstrate your motivation, strengths, and even your limitations as a researcher.

It’s important to understand the viva definition in its entirety: a viva voce is an oral test undertaken in front of a panel of examiners.

This panel usually includes one internal examiner from your institution and one external examiner from another. It may also include other experts depending on policies and practices.

Preparation is key when you get to the viva stage.

To that end, arranging a mock viva with your supervisor could help you anticipate the types of questions you’ll be asked. This practice could enable you to put your best foot forward during the real deal.

Don’t be surprised if the viva examination lasts anywhere between one and four hours.

You may be asked to elaborate on your PhD thesis, defend your field of study’s claims, discuss its strengths and weaknesses, and suggest future research opportunities. Your response to the assessment task should be in-depth and thoughtful.

Under the current COVID-19 conditions, many students are having their viva over Zoom or Skype.

In these cases, it’s important to arrange your setting to minimise distractions. Feel free to ask for clarification if the audio cuts out or you miss a question.

In preparation for your viva, review the academic profiles of your panel members, anticipate questions they might ask, and keep a copy of your thesis at hand.

Also, remember that while it’s important to provide an in-depth response, a concise explanation is ideal to avoid going on a tangent. If you’re asked about any weaknesses or limitations in your work, be honest and thoughtful in your response, highlighting your problem-solving skills as a researcher.

You’ve worked hard to reach this stage; now it’s your chance to shine! Best of luck!

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

Thank you for visiting Academia Insider.

We are here to help you navigate Academia as painlessly as possible. We are supported by our readers and by visiting you are helping us earn a small amount through ads and affiliate revenue - Thank you!

2024 © Academia Insider

Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Personal tools

• Log in/Register Register

https://www.vitae.ac.uk/doing-research/doing-a-doctorate/completing-your-doctorate/your-viva/your-phd-viva

This page has been reproduced from the Vitae website (www.vitae.ac.uk). Vitae is dedicated to realising the potential of researchers through transforming their professional and career development.

• Vitae members' area

Defending your doctoral thesis: the PhD viva

Format for defending a doctoral thesis.

Every institution will have specific regulations for the thesis defence. In some countries or institutions, the convention is for thesis defences to be public events where you will give a lecture explaining your research, followed by a discussion with a panel of examiners (opponents). Both your examiners and the audience are able to ask questions.

In other countries, including the UK, the oral examination is usually conducted behind closed doors by at least two examiners, usually with at least one being from another institution (external examiner) and an expert in your topic of research. In the UK the supervisor does not participate in the viva, but may be allowed to observe. Sometimes someone from your own institution is appointed as an independent chair. Although it is now becoming more common for the candidate to have an opportunity to give a public lecture in UK institutions, this does not form part of the examination and may or may not be attended by the examiners.

Viva preparation

Take the preparation for your viva seriously and devote a substantial amount of time to it. The viva preparation checklist may be useful to help you prepare.

Your institution may offer courses on viva preparation and there may be opportunities to organise a practice viva. Take advantage of these opportunities: they can be extremely valuable experiences.

Things you may wish to take with you

• your thesis – mildly annotated if you wish
• a list of questions that you might be asked and your planned responses
• any questions that you want to ask your examiners
• additional notes which you have made during your revision
• list of minor corrections that you have come across during your revision.

During the viva

Your study will have strengths and weaknesses: it is essential that you are prepared to discuss both. You could think of any weaknesses as an opportunity to demonstrate your skill at critical appraisal. Examiners will seek to find and discuss weaknesses in all theses. Do not interpret criticism as indication of a possible negative outcome.

Examiners have different personalities, styles and levels of experience. Sometimes a candidate may feel that a challenge is made in a confrontational way. Experienced, effective examiners will not be inappropriately confrontational, but some will. Do not take offence. A relaxed, thoughtful, and non-confrontational response from you will help re-balance the discussion. Having an independent chair can help maintain a constructive environment.

Useful tips for during your viva:

• Ask for clarification of ambiguous questions or ask for the question to be repeated if necessary
• Take time to think before answering
• Be prepared to ask questions and enter into a dialogue with your examiners
• Be prepared to discuss your research in context of other work done in your field
• Be ready to admit if you don't know the answer to a question
• Be prepared to express opinions of your own

You are not expected to have perfect recall of your thesis and everything that you have read and done. If you get flustered, or need to refer to notes your examiners will understand. They have been in your situation themselves!

After your viva

There are several possible outcomes   of a thesis defence. Most commonly, your examiners will recommend to your institution that you are awarded your degree subject to minor corrections, although in some instances they might ask for more substantial work.

Bookmark & Share

Top 12 Potential PhD Viva Questions and How to Answer Them

Breathed a sigh of relief after submitting the PhD thesis you’ve burnt the midnight oil for? Not so soon! While submitting your thesis is a massive achievement, defending it decides whether you will receive the doctoral degree or not. Although every PhD viva examination is different, there are similarities in the types of questions asked at each. In this article, we shall discuss the most common and potential PhD viva questions and how to answer them.

Types of PhD Viva Questions

Generally, examiners prepare a series of questions for you to answer at the PhD viva voce examination. These questions are primarily based on your thesis. However, the questions asked in PhD viva examinations can be broadly grouped under four basic headings:

• General Questions
• Research Context and Methods
• Analysis and Findings
• Discussions and Conclusion/Implications

Therefore, while preparing for your PhD viva and defending your thesis , you must consider the types of questions you’re likely to be asked. This helps in practicing your answers in advance and not being baffled during the viva. Practicing how you would answer questions based on these four basic categories will take you a long way in your preparations.

Commonly Asked PhD Viva Questions and How to Answer Them

While sticking to answering the most commonly asked questions might sound simple, it is equally important to be prepared for counter questions. Furthermore, it’s easy to go off on a tangent due to nervousness. This leads to opening up other lines of enquiry from the examiners in areas you hadn’t probably expected to be questioned about.

Ideally, you aren’t expected to dictate your thesis as it is. Examiners are interested in knowing your understanding of the research, its methods, analysis and findings, conclusion and implications, etc.

Despite the differences in every PhD viva, you must be prepared to answer these common questions logically. Below are some popular PhD viva questions to prepare:

1. Tell me about yourself.

Introduce yourself and talk about your areas of interest related to research. More importantly, focus on the areas you are extremely positive about. Briefly speak about your past achievements without overwhelming the examiners and sounding boastful. Keep the introduction professional.

2. What is the reason for selecting this research question?

The response to this question is often generalized by saying that you are interested in the topic. However, examiners want to hear the specifications of your interest in the topic. You must plan your answer stating the most interesting aspect of your research and why did you choose the research question over another topic from the same or allied domain. Furthermore, cite certain instances that helped you in selecting the research topic and the particular field for your project.

3. What is the key focus of your research?

Remember that the answer to this question is not about summarizing your research. It involves talking about the area of primary focus of research. Most importantly, in order to demonstrate the viability of your research, it is essential to identify some of the key questions it addresses.

4. Did the research process go as per your plan or were there any unexpected circumstances that you had to deal with?

The purpose of this question is not only to see whether you can work as per your structured plan, but also to understand your readiness with backup plans in case of unforeseen situations. An ideal way to answer this is by clearly stating if the project went as per your predefined plan. Furthermore, be honest in mentioning if you were assisted by others in dealing with it, as it may lead to a new set of questioning from the examiners.

5. After completion of your research, which part of the process did you enjoy the most and why?

Remember that the examiners know about a PhD student’s stressful journey . Therefore, do not elaborate on the hardships that you went through during your research, unless asked otherwise. Emphasize on the aspects of the research project that you enjoyed and looked forward to every time you stepped in your laboratory. Describe how you developed interest in newer approaches to conduct research.

6. As a researcher, what change has this research brought in you?

This question demands a strong, progressive, and positive response. Remember your first day in the research laboratory and compare it to today. Identify the differences in your traits as a researcher. Mention how following, reading, and analyzing other researchers’ works have brought a positive change in you. Furthermore, address how you overcame your shortcomings as a researcher and upskilled yourself.

7. Summarize your thesis.

Be well versed with the entire project. Start by explaining why you selected the topic of your thesis and close your explanation by providing an optimum solution to the problem. You must prepare for 3 types of answers for this question. Prepare a 1-minute, 3-5 minutes, and 10-minute summary and use the correct one based on your audience at the viva.

8. What developments have you witnessed in this field since you began your doctorate? How did these developments change your research context?

Familiarize yourself with the advances in your field throughout your PhD. Mention works of researchers you have referred to while working on your project. Additionally, elaborate on how other researchers’ work influenced your research and directed you to finding results.

9. What original contribution has your thesis made to this field of study?

Answer this question by keeping in mind what was known before in published literature and what you have added as part of being awarded your PhD. Firstly, you must present a major piece of new information during your research project. Secondly, elaborate on how your research expands the existing literature. Thirdly, mention how your work is different from other researchers’ works that you referred. Finally, discuss how you developed a new product or improved an existing one.

10. How well did the study design work?

While answering this question, you must focus on how your planned methods and methodologies were executed. Furthermore, mention how you tackled difficulties in study design and concluded your research.

11. Elaborate on your main findings and how do they relate to literature in your field?

While answering this question, elaborate on how you evaluated the key findings in your research. Mention the key factors involved and the reason for choosing a particular process of evaluation. Furthermore, explain how your findings are related with the literature review of your project. Mention its significant contributions in your field of research. In addition, discuss how your research findings connect with your hypothesis as well as the conclusion of your research.

12. What is the strength and weakness of your research?

While you may want to impress the examiner by emphasizing on the strengths of your research, being aware of the weaknesses and planning a directional move to overcome them is also equally important. Hence, mention the strengths first and elaborate on how they connect with the key findings. Additionally, underline the limitations and the factors that could be transformed into strengths in future research.

How nervous were you while preparing for your PhD viva voce? Did you follow any specific tips to ace your PhD viva voce ? How important is it to prepare for these common PhD viva questions beforehand? Let us know how you prepared for your PhD viva voce in the comments section below! You can also visit our  Q&A forum  for frequently asked questions related to different aspects of research writing and publishing answered by our team that comprises subject-matter experts, eminent researchers, and publication experts.

Really useful in helping me put a plan / script together for my forthcoming viva. Some interesting questions that I hadn’t thought about before reading this article – the proof of the pudding will be how well the viva goes of course, but at least I now have a head start! Many thanks

Thank you, this is super helpful. I have my viva voce in a month and I’ll be using these questions as a guide

Well framed questions

This article has been incredibly helpful in preparing a plan and script for my upcoming viva. It introduced me to several intriguing questions I hadn’t considered before. The real test will be how well the viva goes, but at least I now have a head start. Thank you.

Rate this article Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Enago Academy's Most Popular Articles

• Publishing Research
• Trending Now
• Understanding Ethics

Understanding the Impact of Retractions on Research Integrity – A global study

As we reach the midway point of 2024, ‘Research Integrity’ remains one of the hot…

• Diversity and Inclusion

The Silent Struggle: Confronting gender bias in science funding

In the 1990s, Dr. Katalin Kariko’s pioneering mRNA research seemed destined for obscurity, doomed by…

• Reporting Research

Choosing the Right Analytical Approach: Thematic analysis vs. content analysis for data interpretation

In research, choosing the right approach to understand data is crucial for deriving meaningful insights.…

Addressing Barriers in Academia: Navigating unconscious biases in the Ph.D. journey

In the journey of academia, a Ph.D. marks a transitional phase, like that of a…

Comparing Cross Sectional and Longitudinal Studies: 5 steps for choosing the right approach

The process of choosing the right research design can put ourselves at the crossroads of…

Unlocking the Power of Networking in Academic Conferences

Intersectionality in Academia: Dealing with diverse perspectives

Meritocracy and Diversity in Science: Increasing inclusivity in STEM education

Avoiding the AI Trap: Pitfalls of relying on ChatGPT for PhD applications

Sign-up to read more

Subscribe for free to get unrestricted access to all our resources on research writing and academic publishing including:

• 2000+ blog articles
• 50+ Webinars
• 10+ Expert podcasts
• 50+ Infographics
• 10+ Checklists
• Research Guides

We hate spam too. We promise to protect your privacy and never spam you.

• Industry News
• AI in Academia
• Promoting Research
• Career Corner
• Infographics
• Expert Video Library
• Other Resources
• Enago Learn
• Upcoming & On-Demand Webinars
• Peer-Review Week 2023
• Open Access Week 2023
• Conference Videos
• Enago Report
• Journal Finder
• Enago Plagiarism & AI Grammar Check
• Editing Services
• Publication Support Services
• Research Impact
• Translation Services
• Publication solutions
• AI-Based Solutions
• Thought Leadership
• Call for Articles
• Call for Speakers
• Author Training
• Edit Profile

I am looking for Editing/ Proofreading services for my manuscript Tentative date of next journal submission:

In your opinion, what is the most effective way to improve integrity in the peer review process?

• Postgraduate Research

Research degree fees and how to fund your PhD

How much it costs to study a research degree and ways to fund your PhD and help meet the costs.

Research degree fees and costs

What it costs to study a research degree such as a PhD for UK and international students.

How to fund your research degree

Get funding for your research degree with PhD studentships, scholarships and grants.

Working alongside your PhD

As well as providing many vacancies within the university, we can help you find part time work.

Scholarships and awards

We offer a range of scholarships and awards for UK and international postgraduate researchers.

Find a studentship

Match your research interests to one of our studentships recruiting now

Find a course

• A-Z of courses /
• Studentship vacancies

Undergraduate enquiries

International enquiries

Postgraduate taught enquiries

Postgraduate research enquiries

Ask the University of Liverpool a question

• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate Taught
• Online programmes
• Welcome to Liverpool

Learn about...

• Visits and Open Days
• Accommodation
• Student support
• Careers and Employability
• Continuing Education
• Continuing Professional Development

Information for...

• International students
• Mature students and access courses
• Parents and supporters
• School and careers advisors