“How long is the viva?”
It’s the number one question I have been asked in over twelve years of doing work related to the viva.
The most appropriate response I feel that I can give is to say that two to three hours is quite common; consequently it helps a candidate to be ready to talk and focus for that length of time.
The quickest response is to say that I don’t know and the person won’t know until their viva!
Perhaps the truest response would be that it doesn’t matter in the big picture: a viva takes as long as is needed.
And one more response: it may take hours but it might not feel like that. You could be so engaged and deep in conversation that the question of how long it is taking just slips away.
