The viva is held to allow your examiners to explore areas of your work that they have queries about and to allow you to respond to any shortcomings identified within the thesis. The viva is used to:

• check that you are well acquainted with your subject matter and have a broader understanding of the subject area
• confirm that the thesis is your own work
• clarify any points that the examiners found unclear
• explore whether you have applied the appropriate research methods and explore why you conducted the research the way in which you did
• confirm that you understand the background for the work you have done and how it links to the work of others.

Candidates are now offered the option to have their viva held via video conference or face-to-face.  For further details and to help you make your choice, please refer to:

• Conducting vivas online - guide for candidates

Your thesis will be dispatched to both examiners and Independent Chair once they have both accepted the invitation to examine. The Doctoral School will let you and your supervisor know when the thesis has been dispatched. At this point, your supervisor will be asked to organise the viva. Please note:

• it is the responsibility of your supervisor to organise the date and venue for the viva
• it is expected that the viva should take place within three months of the theses being dispatched to the examiners
• if you choose for your viva to be held face to gace, the viva should be held at Royal Holloway main campus or Bedford Square or Senate House in central London
• examiners are required to submit individual preliminary reports on the thesis to the Doctoral School prior to the viva.
• The Doctoral School should be advised when and where / how the viva will take place.

• A copy of your thesis (either a hard or an electronic copy)
• Any supplementary materials that support the thesis
• Writing materials (either a notebook and pen or a laptop)
• Light snacks and drinks
• The items you've carried with you to attend the viva (such as a coat, a handbag/rucksuck, phone) to be left on the side of the room

• The viva will follow an interview format of questions and answers.  The questions can address any aspect of the submission.
• For suggestions of common questions, you may find this article helpful.
• There is no standard duration for the viva.   

• Yes - you are allowed to take notes during the viva and point to places in the thesis where you have stated the answers to the questions.  This helps the examiners remember what they have read and shows that you know what’s in your own thesis. 
• Taking notes during the viva can also assist with any post viva amendments pointed out by your examiners.

• If you choose for your viva to be held face-to-face, your supervisor is invited to attend the viva examination as an observer but will not participate in the examination unless invited to do so by the examiners.
• If you choose for your viva to be held online, your supervisor will organise a date for the viva. The independent chair will set up the MS Teams meeting, be present during the viva to record the viva and to co-ordinate participants in case of any technical difficulties.
• Observing the viva enables the supervisor to provide better support to you should you be required to complete amendments after the viva.
• If you would prefer your supervisor not to attend the viva, you have the option to request this on your exam entry form.

• You can ask your department for a mock viva which will help you formulate answers to the questions you may be asked and to gain an experience of the viva format.
• 'The Good Viva Video’, available through the Researcher Development Programme Moodle site will help you prepare for the viva, know what to expect on the day and how to understand the outcome. 
• There is a ‘Preparing for your viva’ class through the Researcher Development Programme
• You can find more resources on how to get ready for your viva here.

If you have indicated on your exam entry form that you are registered with the Disability and Neurodiversity Services (D&N), the Doctoral School will contact the D&N team to ask for information about what reasonable adjustments can be made to the exam to better suit your needs. The examiners will be made aware of the DNS suggestions prior to the viva, as appropriate. Please contact the D&N team for further information on how the viva may be adjusted.

If you feel that your academic performance on the date of the oral examination may be substantially affected by unexpected medical or other personal circumstances, you should inform the examiners of your situation no later than the start of the oral examination so that they can make a decision on whether or not to proceed. The examiners may require you to submit evidence of your condition to the Doctoral School within seven days.

Yes - the Research Degree regulations stipulate that all vivas will be recorded for use in the event that you appeal the outcome of the viva. This is the only reason the recording will be accessed. Recordings will be kept by the Doctoral School until you have been awarded and then destroyed. Requests for access to the recording for post viva corrections will not be permitted and students should not record, download or screen capture the viva.