The Viva

What is a viva?

After submitting your thesis, if your degree requires it, you will have a viva voce (known more commonly as a viva). This is a verbal examination in which you ‘defend’ your thesis, answering questions about your research and methodology. In the UK, this is normally with one internal and one external examiner. You can discuss suitable examiners with your supervisor, who will contact them on your behalf.

The viva is normally held three months after submission, although this depends on how long it takes to contact and appoint examiners, and arranging a date with them, which your supervisor will organise when everyone is available.

Vivas usually last between two to four hours but can be a bit shorter or longer.

The University has put together a document on Research Degree Examinations. The aims of the viva are described as follows:

"The purposes of a viva voce examination is to confirm the candidate's authorship of the thesis; to discuss points arising from the examiners' reading; to discuss with the candidate the wider context of the specific area of research; and to clarify areas of uncertainty or doubt."

You can read more in the Research Degree Examinations guidance here: Research Degree Examinations - Guidance

Please note that not all degrees require a viva.

The viva can be daunting, especially when you don't know what to expect. This page gives you some top tips and outlines what to expect.

Before the viva

Speak to your supervisor and research the examiners you are interested in having as your external.

There are some great tips on preparing for your viva on Vitae's "The viva" page here: The Viva - Vitae. Vitae has a 'thesis defence checklist' which includes statements like ‘I have written a one-page summary of each chapter’ and ‘I have kept up to date with relevant literature’.

You can also book workshops on PDMS (Personal Development Management System) such as "Preparing for your viva". There are also great resources such as the chapter on vivas in "Stepping Stones to Achieving Your Doctorate" (2008) by Vernon Trafford and Shosh Leshem. Another book we’d recommend is "How to Survive Your Viva: Defending a Thesis in an Oral Examination" (2009) by Rowena Murray. Both are available from the library - links can be found at the end of this page.

Practice answering questions you might get, even if this is just out loud to yourself.

Reframe the viva in your head as an opportunity to discuss your research with interested experts. Visualise yourself discussing your PhD successfully with your examining committee. Think about all the times you’ve discussed your work well before, whether that’s with supervisors or at conferences. Remember that every viva is different and you’re the expert in your own research.

Many students worry about what they’re allowed to take with them into their viva. You can take a copy of your thesis with you. You can also take notes, any minor corrections you’ve noticed yourself, and even responses to questions you’ve practised. Think about practicalities such as:

What time is your viva?
Should you take food or water for the day?
Do you want to organise a mock viva with your supervisors before the actual exam?
Have you checked where the room is and what the set up might be?

During

If you feel like you’re being challenged during the viva, that’s okay. Your thesis will have strengths and weaknesses, and you should be prepared to discuss both. Criticism doesn’t mean that you aren’t going to pass. You can ask for clarification on questions, take time to think and, if you don’t know the answer, you can say so. You can also ask to take a comfort break whenever you need.

After the viva

You’ll receive an outcome, from an outright pass, minor corrections to major corrections or resubmission to fail. In some cases, you may be asked to resubmit or are awarded a lower degree. Remember, if your supervisors and you have agreed you’re ready to submit, they are confident in your work.

Celebrate! The viva is the culmination of so much work you have put into your PhD; make sure you have planned something after to look forward to, even if it’s just catching up on much-needed sleep.

Testimonial from PGRs about the viva

Dr Sarah Gharib Saif talks about her experience with the viva process.

Video transcript

>> DR SARAH GHARIB SAIF: I'm Dr Sarah Gharib Saif. I did my PhD here at the University of St Andrews in IR, International Relations. My PhD looks at the relationship between the media and the government when it comes to narratives about terrorism.
My viva was in December 2024 - the 3rd December 2024, so just about a week ago.

Yeah, I think my top tip for it is that it's really good to hear about other people's experiences with the viva, but I think one thing that's really important to know is that vivas are subjective, so you don't want to put too much pressure on comparing yourself to other people's experiences, because it might mean that you get to the viva and you have a different experience, and you might think that means that something has gone wrong when that's not necessarily the case. So the first tip, I would say, is don't compare too much. Some comparison is good for prep, but not too much.

I think having a printed copy of your PhD is one of the most important things that I didn't think of. I didn't think it was gonna be important but it was really helpful to actually put notes down, to read through it in print.

I had a mock viva with my supervisors - that was really helpful for me because it made me think about some questions that I wouldn't have thought of before. I also did a sort of mini viva with some friends and I would really recommend that especially if you don't have the opportunity to do a mock viva, because we're all working on very different topics even when we're in the same schools. So, having people ask you questions from different perspectives can make you think about things in a different way.

The most important thing is to get used to talking about your PhD. We don't talk about it very often - we do a lot of writing and a lot of thinking but not a lot of talking. So getting used to talking about it is a really important thing I think, as well.

Another postgraduate research student’s perspective:

The viva experience was less daunting than I expected. Although I was nervous, I visualised it like an annual review, which helped me feel more confident.

I had prepared by rereading over my thesis, making small corrections I noticed such as typos, and practicing answering questions. I also made sure to research my examiners’ work and make sure I was aware of any new research in my field. I listened to podcasts about the viva too, to make myself feel more prepared (The PhD Life Raft Podcast).

My viva was around two hours, and I received typographical corrections. I had a really great discussion with my examiners, as they framed all criticism as an opportunity for me to develop my thesis into a convincing book proposal. I had anticipated most of the questions, but, of course, many that I’d prepared for didn’t get asked, simply because of time!