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Tag: viva regulations

Nathan

Unique, Unknown

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Every viva is unique because every person, their research and their thesis are unique.

There are regulations, broad expectations and local norms for the viva process so no viva should be a complete unknown. However, every viva has aspects that will be unknown until a candidate experiences it.

There is a tension between what you can reasonably expect and what you can’t know – and that tension pulls you in the direction of preparation and building confidence. Unique but expected, a little unknown but in no way impossible.

 

PS: I’ll be digging into more viva tensions tomorrow afternoon at my 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva webinar. Registration includes a catch-up recording, follow-up email and my pdf guide 101 Steps To A Great Viva. There are full details for all of my June and July webinars here. Hope to see you at a session soon!

Nathan

How It’s Done

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Good viva expectations follow from considering three sources of information:

  1. Read the regulations for your institution. This will give you the big picture, the formal process and who to get official help from.
  2. Listen to viva stories. Find out more of the general experiences of people who have vivas. From a few stories you’ll get a sense of viva length, flow, process and more.
  3. Ask about local norms. Talk to staff and graduates from your department to get a sense of what vivas are like locally. Are people asked to prepare presentations? Are there any common post-viva traditions?

Good viva expectations are not difficult to find out and can help you unpack how it’s done.

 

PS: if you want to explore viva expectations in greater depth then check out this week’s 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva live webinar on Wednesday 17th June 2026. You can find full details for all my June and July webinars here. Registration includes a catch-up recording, follow-up email and my pdf guide 101 Steps To A Great Viva. Hope to see you there!

PPS: if you just need to know how examiners get things done at the viva then check out The Examiners Issue. The 11th issue of Viva Survivors Select came out last week and contains twenty posts from the blog covering examiners and two new pages of ideas.

Nathan

Unspoken Rules

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“Everyone knows that about the viva!” – except when they don’t.

Regulations can be consulted but only show some of the picture of what to expect. Your department could have expectations that are assumed as common knowledge. There may even be expectations within your discipline that “everyone knows” about viva lengths, discussion focus and examiner selection.

Everyone knows what to expect – except when they don’t. If you don’t know what to expect or don’t know how something is supposed to be with your viva then find the right person to ask – and ask!

Then, whenever you can, share what you do know with others to help them on their journey to PhD success.

Nathan

Times Change

Daily Post

Check the thesis examination regulations for your institution before you submit your thesis.

It’s not that long ago that video vivas would have been exceptionally rare. Who knows what else could have changed in the regulations for your institution?

Perhaps the process for submitting your thesis? It’s probably worth checking that. Also check the expected timescale for your submission period, the time and process for completing corrections and a dozen other things.

Don’t rely on the experience of your supervisor or your friend: regulations change or are updated every few years. Make sure that you’re doing what needs to be done in the way that’s expected.

 

PS: What do you do when you’ve got the regulations all checked and sorted in your mind? If you’re looking for more pre-viva support then take a look at The Submission Issue, the latest Viva Survivors Select collection – twenty posts from the archive and two original pages of help for £3.

Nathan

Different

Daily Post

There are regulations that cover every viva at your university: strong ideas of what needs to happen at a viva.

There are viva expectations that filter out into common understanding: patterns, trends and descriptions that guide future candidates (and examiners) in their anticipation and preparation.

There are viva norms for your department or discipline: common ideas of practice for the viva and for what you need to have as a candidate, both on the day and in your past experience.

All of these aspects combine with you and your thesis to create a different viva every single time – and still you might expect your viva to be even more different from other vivas because of your personal circumstances, your specific thesis, your personal needs and more.

 

Get a sense of what might happen from regulations, expectations and norms. Get a sense of what you, your work and your situation might do to make changes from past experiences. Get a sense of what you might need to do or ask for to be ready.

A different viva doesn’t mean a difficult viva or anything worse.

 

PS: checking regulations is a good use of your time when you get to submission. There’s a lot you can do then to get ready and work towards viva prep. If you’re looking for more pre-viva support then take a look at The Submission Issue, the latest Viva Survivors Select collection, out this week, and featuring twenty posts from the archive and two original pages of help for £3.

Nathan

Finding The Rules

Daily Post

The regulations for your viva shouldn’t be hidden but they might not be obvious. Ahead of your thesis submission find the regulations and take a little time to check:

  • What forms need to be handed in ahead of your thesis submission?
  • When do they need to be in and who else is involved?
  • What is the expected window of time between submission and the viva at your institution?
  • Under what circumstances might you have an independent chairperson as part of your viva?
  • If you have accessibility requirements how do you communicate those to your examiners? (who do you tell and when do they need to know?)
  • How will you be told the logistics for your viva?
  • What is the process for having a video viva?
  • What can you expect from the viva process generally?
  • How will you find out the result of the viva?
  • What deadlines are given for completing different categories of corrections?
  • What is the process for having corrections checked?
  • And what is the process for final thesis submission after corrections have been accepted?

None of these should be especially difficult to answer if you look through the regulations. One final question which might not be obvious though: who would you contact in case of emergency?

If you feel ill the day before your viva, who do you contact? If one of your examiners cancels their involvement, who do you contact?

An emergency might be unlikely but, as part of checking the regulations, figure out who you can turn to if something goes wrong in the days leading up to your viva.

Nathan

Regulations & Exceptions

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If you have a viva soon then your university has regulations for it. These are updated every few years so make sure you have read the most recent version. Pay attention to what they say about the viva process – don’t simply rely on advice and information from a well-meaning friend or supervisor.

The regulations will paint a general picture of a typical viva. They might also describe some exceptions and what those processes could be like:

  • Having more examiners;
  • Ensuring accessibility requirements;
  • When independent chairpersons are needed;
  • How to have vivas over video or hybrid vivas.

Some of these exceptions are not as exceptional as they once were. For example, video vivas might be uncommon compared to 2020 and 2021 but they are far less rare now than before the pandemic.

You might expect your viva to be different from others for many reasons. Maybe your research is explored and explained differently in your thesis. Maybe your own lived experience is not like other people you know. Maybe one of your examiners is not an academic.

Still the regulations will help. Your viva will still happen. Check the regulations, decide on if and how your viva might be exceptional and ask to get the support that you need.

Every viva is unique – and some are a little more different than others!

 

PS: I released the latest issue of Viva Survivors Select yesterday! The 2025 Issue collects twenty of my favourite blog posts from last year and adds two new pages of viva help. Please take a look at the zine and some pages here and pick it up if it seems helpful 🙂 And please spread the word if you can!

Nathan

Questions About Examiners

Daily Post

If you have questions about your viva examiners there are lots of places to find answers.

  • Consult regulations to get a real sense of what they do and how they do it.
  • Explore viva stories to get a feel for how examiners examine.
  • Ask your supervisors about your potential examiners…
  • …and ask them again when your examiners are confirmed.
  • Check your examiners’ recent publications to find out more about what they do.
  • Find their staff pages to explore their interests.
  • Talk with friends and colleagues who might know about them.

Whatever your questions about your examiners there will be a way to find out more. If you’re worried for some reason there is always a way to do something to help move past your concern.

Nathan

Prototypes, Screens & Props

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The typical picture of the viva as imagined by regulations, stories and ideas shows three people sat around a table having a conversation.

  • But you might have something to share with your examiners: a physical prototype or prop.
  • You might need a screen to show part of your research: a computer program needs to be displayed, a video viewed or a data set explored.
  • Or you might have a model, a piece of art or something else that has to be seen live not just read about in advance.

If your research seems a little different or your viva might be atypical as a result of something you’ve made or found then check with your regulations and supervisors to find out what you do.

What are the expectations when you’ve done something a little different? What do you need with you to showcase your research at the viva?

Nathan

On Track

Daily Post

What might it take to convince you that you’re on track to succeed at your PhD?

If you have questions about viva regulations and the process then information is available (from many sources) to satisfy your questions. If you need to finish your thesis or research then time, work and support will help remove those obstacles. Or if you’re done with all of that but need to get ready then there’s a wealth of ideas on good viva prep.

But if you have all of this and you need confidence – something to help you feel certain – then perhaps the only place to find that help is from yourself.

You need to look back, reflect, consider and recognise how you’ve got as far as you have. You did all of that so you can do the work needed at your viva.

You are undoubtedly on track to succeed.

 

PS: I’ll share a lot more about the viva process and confidence at my live 3-hour Viva Survivor webinar this Wednesday 25th March 2026! You’ll get four-week access to a recording of the session and follow-up materials too. Registration closes tomorrow afternoon and there’s more information at the link. Please get in touch if you have any questions or want to know more. Thanks for reading!

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