Every Viva Has A Start

The start of your viva can be prepared for even if you don’t know exactly how it will begin.

There are many questions people suggest are typical for the start of the viva:

• Can you tell us why you wanted to do a PhD?
• What attracted you to this area?
• How would you summarise your main project?
• Can you start by giving us an overview of your thesis?

Assuming these questions and similar are typical you don’t need to prepare scripted responses. They are the kinds of questions that connect with topics you’ve talked about many times before. They’re asked to be a good opening, something to ease you past any initial nervousness and into the main discussion.

Some examiners ask candidates to prepare presentations to start the viva for the same purpose. They always do this with plenty of advance notice and clear expectations in terms of length, purpose and logistics.

There are lots of possible starting points to a viva. You can be prepared even if you don’t know which question will start yours. More importantly, you can decide how you want to start your viva and take steps to be ready.

PS: got questions of what to expect from the viva and yourself? You’ll find a lot of answers and ideas in  Viva Survivors Select Volume 1, which released this week! Volume 1 is my complete collection of helpful viva zines from last year: eight issues, 165 posts from the archives and lots of new resources – and available at an introductory offer price until 31st January 2026!