Overview
Formats differ. A UK-style viva is usually a closed discussion with an internal and an external examiner, often lasting around two hours but sometimes longer, with no formal presentation unless requested. A US dissertation defense typically starts with a 20- to 45-minute presentation to a committee that already knows the work, followed by questions, sometimes in public. Nordic and Dutch public defenses may involve an opponent who summarizes and critiques the thesis before a structured exchange.
Our preparation matches your format. We read your thesis (or a summary if time is short), build a question bank based on it, run a realistic mock examination and give you detailed feedback on content and delivery. For defenses with a presentation, we review your slides and practice timing.
Many candidates find the hardest part is not technical questions but open ones: 'What is your contribution?', 'What would you do differently?' and 'Why this method?' We practice these until your answers are concise and credible.
Who it’s for and the problems it solves
This is for you if you are…
- PhD candidates with an upcoming viva in the UK, Ireland, Australia or similar systems
- US and Canadian doctoral candidates preparing for a final dissertation defense
- Candidates facing a public defense with an opponent
- Master's students with an oral thesis defense
- Candidates with a proposal defense, qualifying exam or confirmation review (upgrade) panel
Common problems we help with
- You submitted months ago and no longer remember details of early chapters
- You freeze when asked broad questions about contribution or significance
- You worry about a known weakness in your methods or data
- You are unsure how long your defense presentation should be or what to include
- English is not your first language and you are nervous about spontaneous questions
- You do not know what the external examiner is likely to focus on
What’s included — and what isn’t
Included
- Briefing on your examination format, regulations and possible outcomes
- A tailored question bank covering your thesis chapter by chapter and at the whole-thesis level
- One or more mock vivas or defenses by video, with examiners' roles played realistically
- Feedback on the substance and structure of your answers, and on pace, clarity and composure
- Slide deck feedback and timing practice for defenses with a presentation
- Coaching on presenting limitations, weaknesses and alternative interpretations
- Strategies for handling questions you cannot answer, misunderstandings and hostile questions
- Preparation of a thesis summary sheet and annotated copy (where allowed)
Not included
- Attending or intervening in your actual examination
- Writing your presentation script or slides for you
- Predicting specific examiner questions or guaranteeing an outcome
- Contacting your examiners
What you receive
- Question bank
- A list of likely questions grouped by category, tailored to your thesis, with notes on what a strong answer includes.
- Mock viva or defense
- A realistic, timed session that simulates your format, recorded if you wish for self-review.
- Feedback report
- Written feedback after each mock on your strongest answers, weak points and specific phrasing to practice.
- Slide feedback
- Comments on the structure, visuals and timing of your defense presentation.
- One-page thesis summary
- Coaching to produce your own summary of contribution, methods, key findings and limitations for final revision.
How it works
Understand the format
We confirm the examination type, date, examiners' fields where known, and whether a presentation is required.
Read and build questions
We read your thesis or summary and prepare a tailored question bank.
Prepare
You work on your answers and slides; we discuss difficult areas in coaching sessions.
Mock examination
One or more mock vivas or defenses, with written feedback after each.
Final polish
A short session close to the date to rehearse your opening summary and key answers.
Question bank categories
- Opening and contribution
- 'Summarize your thesis in five minutes', 'What is original about it?', 'Why does it matter and to whom?'
- Literature and theory
- Why these theories and not others, key debates in your field, work published since you submitted.
- Methodology and methods
- Design choices, sampling, instruments, analysis, ethics, and alternatives you considered.
- Findings and interpretation
- Unexpected results, alternative explanations and how findings relate to prior work.
- Limitations and reflection
- Weaknesses, what you would do differently and how limitations affect your claims.
- Implications and future
- Implications for practice or policy, future research and publication plans.
Presenting limitations without undermining your thesis
Examiners expect limitations; what they assess is whether you understand them. A strong answer names the limitation, explains why you made the choice anyway, describes what you did to reduce its impact, and states how it affects the scope of your conclusions. A weak answer either dismisses the concern or concedes so much that the contribution seems to collapse.
We practice this pattern with your specific limitations — for example, a small sample, a single case site, self-reported measures or cross-sectional data — so that your answers are honest, bounded and confident.
UK viva versus US defense
In a viva, examiners have usually prepared detailed questions from their reading and may move page by page through the thesis. Your supervisor is often absent or silent, and the outcome is typically communicated at the end. In a US defense, the committee has usually approved the dissertation in principle; the presentation and discussion confirm your mastery and may lead to required revisions.
- Viva: closed, examiner-led discussion, often with no presentation
- US defense: presentation followed by committee questions, sometimes public
- Public defense: opponent-led critique before an audience and committee
What the work can look like
Illustrative example — fictional data
Practicing a limitations answer
A fictional engineering candidate's thesis validates a battery-degradation model on data from a single laboratory test rig. The candidate is worried the external examiner will question generalizability.
Question from the bank
'Your model was validated on one rig. Why should we believe it applies to commercial cells in the field?'
First mock answer
The candidate apologized, called it 'a big weakness' and did not explain why the rig was chosen, which suggested the conclusions were weak.
Improved answer
The candidate explained that the rig allowed controlled temperature cycling, noted the chemistry matched common commercial cells, described cross-validation across three cell batches, and stated clearly that field validation is future work — limiting claims without undermining the contribution.
Illustrative, fictional scenario. Mock examinations are practice; they cannot predict actual questions or outcomes.
What you’ll need to provide
- Your submitted thesis (or abstract, table of contents and key chapters if time is short)
- Examination date, format and any instructions from your institution
- Examiners' names and fields if you know them
- Draft presentation slides, if a presentation is required
- Any areas you are worried about
You don’t need everything ready to ask for a quote — tell us what you have and we’ll say what’s missing.
What affects price and turnaround
Price depends on
- Whether we read the full thesis or a summary
- Number of mock examinations and coaching sessions
- Whether slide deck feedback is included
- Length and complexity of the thesis
- Time available before your examination
Turnaround depends on
- Time until your examination date
- Length of the thesis to be read before building the question bank
- Scheduling mock sessions across time zones
Every project is quoted individually. How we price our work.
Questions people ask before starting
How far in advance should I start preparing?
Ideally three to six weeks before the viva or defense, allowing time to reread your thesis, work through the question bank and do at least one mock with time to improve afterwards.
Do you need to read my whole thesis?
Reading the whole thesis gives the most tailored questions. If time is short, we can work from the abstract, introduction, methodology and conclusion.
Can you prepare me for a defense in a field outside your specialty?
Many questions concern contribution, methodology and limitations, which we can help with across fields. For highly technical content, we focus on structure and clarity and let you know where subject depth is limited.
Can you help with my presentation slides?
Yes. We give feedback on structure, visual clarity and timing, and help you practice delivery. You create the slides.
What if I am very anxious?
Repeated realistic practice usually helps. We also discuss practical strategies such as pausing, asking for clarification and structuring answers. If anxiety is severe, your university's wellbeing or disability services may offer additional support or adjustments.