phd viva australia

Slip to main content

Lex Academic®

• Blog & Resources

Viva, Soutenance, Disputation: How PhD Students around the World Defend Their Thesis | Lex Academic Blog

22 November 2021

Our recent posts on avoiding major and minor PhD corrections focused primarily on the run-up to and aftermath of defending a thesis in the UK. It occurred to us that for students considering a PhD, or established UK-based academics who have been asked to examine a PhD abroad, it would be useful to know how students in different countries defend their thesis. For the sake of readers unfamiliar with the UK system, let’s begin with a summary. In the UK, students defend their thesis in front of two examiners, at least one of whom must be external to the student’s university, in an examination called a viva voce , or viva. After the exam, the examiners make one of four recommendations: pass with no corrections, pass with minor corrections, pass with major corrections, or fail – resubmission. The majority of students pass with corrections (for more on the difference between minor and major corrections, click the links above), which the student must implement before they can be awarded their degree.

Like those in the UK, students in the US and Australia are usually required to make amendments to their thesis after examination. PhD programmes in the US require students to take and pass oral examinations, or ‘defences’, at regular intervals. Unlike in the UK, where students rarely know their examiners well, as this testimony shows, students in the US system are examined by the same committee throughout their studies. In Australia, the process of submitting and defending a thesis seems to vary between institutions. At the University of Sydney , for instance, students, in consultation with their supervisor, choose between a viva-like oral examination and a thesis-only examination, where the examiners each produce an extensive review of the thesis. The University of Melbourne requires students to present their research at a public completion seminar in the six months before submission.

In many European countries, the concept of PhD corrections doesn’t exist. At the Freie Universität Berlin in Germany, students are awarded a grade ( summa cum laude (distinction), magna cum laude (very good), etc.) for their doctorate, based on the thesis itself and their performance at their viva, or Disputation . Once the thesis has been corrected by the examiners, it is made available for viewing by postdoctoral members of the student’s department before the Disputation . Students in Germany must also publish their thesis in order to receive their award. Unlike a viva in the UK, a French soutenance is a public event. Students defend their thesis in front of a jury , or panel, of examiners. The supervisor, who in the UK may attend a viva but is prohibited from speaking, is usually a member of the panel. The student first gives a presentation about their thesis topic and then responds to questions from each examiner. Unlike in the UK, students in the French system don’t make corrections to the thesis after defending. Instead, the examiners produce a report on the strengths and weaknesses of the thesis, which is a key part of academic job applications, even for senior positions.

In Scandinavian countries, the defence of a PhD thesis is often a ceremonial, highly coded event (this piece by an American academic who was the external examiner for a thesis at a Swedish university describes how the student had to nail – literally – their abstract to a plank in a department common room as a symbol of the public release of the thesis!). At Halmstad University in Sweden, the student defends their thesis publicly and in the presence of an external specialist known as the ‘opponent’. The student may present their thesis, but it’s also possible for the opponent to present the thesis and compare it to existing research in the field. A similar system is used at the University of Helsinki in Finland, where traditionally a strict formal dress code must be adhered to. These codes may sound rather daunting, but in practice few students fail their defence (and the rules on dress are now the subject of debate). The public event is usually cancelled if an examiner deems the work to be below doctoral standard.

Because the process of submitting and defending a thesis varies considerably between countries, students thinking about a PhD, as well as those advising them, would be wise to make this process, as well as other factors like funding and duration, a part of their decision making when applying to universities. Even if you don’t really mind how your thesis is examined, it’s good to know what you’re letting yourself in for.

Be notified each time we post a new blog article

Martin Cortazzi University of Warwick United Kingdom

Lixian Jin City University of Macao China

• Other Journals
• For Readers
• For Authors
• For Librarians

Follow IJELS on

Language Editing Service

Reporting Qualitative Research Results   By Jean Kirshner

Top 10 Reasons Why IJELS Submissions Are Rejected   By Vahid Nimehchisalem

• Editorial Team
• Focus And Scope
• Author Guide and Submissions
• Reviewer Guidelines
• Code of Conduct
• Abstracting and Indexing

The Doctoral Viva: Questions for, with and to Candidates (or supervisors)

Bitzer, E. (2014). Learning the language of the doctorate: doctorateness as a threshold concept in doctoral literacy. Per Linguam, 30(3), 39-52.

Burner, T., Bjerkholt, E., Gaathaug, A. G., Kleiven, S., & Ljoså, T. M. (2020). Doctorateness across higher education institutions in Norway, Uniped, 43 (1), 3-18.

Brien, D. L., Batty, C., Ellison, E., & Owens, A. (Eds.) (2019). The doctoral experience: Stories from the creative arts and humanities. Palgrave Macmillan.

Carter, S. (2008). Examining the doctoral thesis: a discussion. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 45(4), 365-374.

Carter, S. (2012). English as an additional language (EAL) viva voce: The EAL doctorate oral examination experience. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 37(3), 271-284.

Cornér, S., Pyhälto, K., & Löfström, E. (2019). Supervisors’ perceptions of primary resources and challenges of the doctoral journey. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 31(3), 365-377.

Crossoard, B. (2011). The doctoral viva as a cultural practice: The gendered production of academic subjects.

Gender and Education, 23(3), 313-329.Dally, K., Holbrook, A., Graham, A., & Lawry, M. (2004). The processes and parameters of fine art PhD examination. International Journal of Educational Research, 41, 1360162.

Delamont, S., Atkinson, P., & Parry, O. (2004). Supervising the doctorate, a guide to success. Open University Press.

Denholm, C. & Evans, T. (Eds.) (2007). Supervising the doctorate downunder, keys to effective supervision. ACR Press.

Denicolo, P., Duke, D., & Reeves, J. (2020). Delivering inspiring doctoral assessment. Sage.

Dobson, S. (2018). Assessing the viva in higher education, chasing moments of truth. Springer.

Finn, J. A. (2005). Getting a PhD, an action plan to help manage your research, your supervisor and your project. Routledge.

Jackson, C., & Tinkler, P. (2001). Back to basics: A consideration of the purposes of the PhD viva. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 26(4), 355-366.

Jonghin, G. (2010). A short guide to oral assessment. Leeds Metropolitan University & University of Wollongong.

Kelly, F. (2010). Reflecting on the purpose of the PhD oral examination, Research Note. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 45 (1), 77-83.

Kiley, M., Holbrook, A., Lovat, T., Fairbairn, H., Starfield, S., & Paltridge, B. (2018). An oral component in PhD examination in Australia. Australian Universities’ Review, 60(1), 25-34.

Lantsoght, E. O. L. (2018) The A-Z of the PhD trajectory: a practical guide for a successful journey. Springer.

Lee, L., Blackmore, B., & Seal, E. (Eds.) (2013). Research journeys: a collection of narratives of the doctoral experience. Cambridge Scholars.

Leonard, D. (2001). A woman’s guide to doctoral studies. Open University Press.

Lovat, T., Holbrook, A., Bourke, S., Fairbairn, H., Kiley, M., Paltridge, B. & Starfield, S. (2015). Examining doctoral examination and the question of the viva. Higher Education, (3), 5-23.

Mežek, Š., & Swales, J. (2016). PhD defences and vivas. In Hyland and P. Shaw (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of English for Academic Purposes (pp. 361-375). Routledge.

Mullins, G., & Kiley, M. (2002). ‘It’s a PhD, not a Nobel Prize’: how experienced examiners assess research theses. Studies in Higher Education, 27(4), 369-386.

Murray, R. (2015). How to survive your viva, defending a thesis in an oral examination (3rd ed.). Open University Press.

Paltridge, B., & Starfield, S. (2007). Thesis and dissertation writing in a second language; a handbook for supervisors. Routledge.

Pearce, L. (2005). How to examine a thesis. Open University Press.

Phillips, E., & Pugh, D. S. (2015). How to get a PhD: a handbook for students (6th ed.). Open University Press.

Poole, B. (2014). The rather elusive concept of ‘doctorateness; a reaction to Wellington. Studies in Higher

tives from a sample of UK academics. London Review of Education, 13(3), 92-105.

Powell, S., & Green, H. (2007). The doctorate worldwide. Open University Press.

Salmon, P. (1992). Achieving a PhD – ten students’ experience. Trentham Books.

Smith, P. (2014). The PhD viva: how to prepare for your oral examination. Palgrave Macmillan.

Taylor, S; Kiley, M. & Humphrey, R. (2018) A handbook for doctoral supervisors (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Tinkler, P., & Jackson, C. (2000). Examining the doctorate: Institutional policy and the PhD examination process in Britain. Studies in Higher Education, 25(2), 167-180.

Tinkler, P., & Jackson, C. (2004). The doctoral examination process: A handbook for students, examiners and supervisors. Open University Press.

Tinkler, P., & Jackson, C. (2007). In the dark? Preparing for the PhD viva. Quality Assurance in Education, 10(2), 86-97.

Trafford, V., & Leshem, S. (2002a). Starting at the end to undertake doctoral research: Predictable questions as stepping stones. Higher Education Review, 34(1), 31-49.

Trafford, V., & Leshem, S. (2002b). Anatomy of a doctoral viva. Journal of Graduate Education, 3, 33-41

Trafford, V., & Leshem, S. (2008). Stepping stones to achieving your doctorate: focussing on the viva from the start. Open University Press.

Trafford, V., & Leshem, S. (2009). Doctorateness as a threshold concept. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 46(3), 305-316.

Trafford, V., Leshem, S., & Bitzer, E. (2014). Conclusion chapters in doctoral theses: some international findings,

Higher Education Review, 46(3), 52-81.Watts, J. H. (2012). Preparing candidates for the viva: issues for students and supervisors. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 36(3), 371-381.

Wellington, J. (2013). Searching for ‘doctorateness’. Studies in Higher Education, 38(10), 1490–1503.

Wellington, J. (2021) Examining doctoral work: exploring principles, criteria and processes. Routledge.

Wellington, J. J., Bathmaker, A. M., Hunt, C., McCulloch, G., & Sikes, P. (2005). Succeeding with your doctorate. Sage.

Wisker, G. (2012). The good supervisor. Palgrave Macmillan.

Yazdani, S., & Shokoosh, F. (2018). Defining doctorateness: A concept analysis. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 13, 31-48.

• There are currently no refbacks.

2013-2023 (CC-BY)  Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD .

International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies  

You may require to add the 'aiac.org.au' domain to your e-mail 'safe list’ If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox'. Otherwise, you may check your 'Spam mail' or 'junk mail' folders.

How to Excel in Your Doctoral Viva

• © 2022
• Stacey Bedwell 0 ,
• Isabelle Butcher 1

Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

• Explains what the viva is, how the process works, and what the purpose of the viva is
• Explores the course of preparing for a viva examination, focusing on organisation through to dealing with viva concerns
• Features contributions from over 25 academics for a unique insight into the experiences of PhD candidates and examiners

3053 Accesses

1 Citations

4 Altmetric

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

Subscribe and save.

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or eBook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

About this book

Similar content being viewed by others.

Why Tourette syndrome research needs philosophical phenomenology

Enactments in Transference: Embodiment, Trauma and Depression. What Have Psychoanalysis and the Neurosciences to Offer to Each Other

The Madness of Interpretation and Meaning in Psychoanalytic Treatment and Literature: Reading Patrick Casement’s ‘A Retrospective Overview’

• life sciences
• social sciences
• research degree

Table of contents (11 chapters)

Front matter, introduction.

• Stacey Bedwell, Isabelle Butcher

What Is the Viva?

Isabelle Butcher

Urban Myths about the PhD Viva

Stacey Bedwell

Real Viva Experiences

Making the most of and enjoying your viva, after the viva, practice questions, being confident in your thesis, the viva preparation timeline, participating in a mock viva, viva concerns, back matter.

— Sarah Lloyd , final year PhD candidate

— Gemini Katwa , PhD candidate

Authors and Affiliations

About the authors.

Dr. Isabelle Butcher  was awarded her PhD in Psychology in 2021 from the University of Manchester, UK, for her work on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and traumatic life events. Isabelle’s current research interests are in the area of adolescent mental health and the impact of traumatic life events. Isabelle also has a keen interest in the ethics of research and is currently chair of an NHS ethics research committee.

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : How to Excel in Your Doctoral Viva

Authors : Stacey Bedwell, Isabelle Butcher

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10172-4

Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan Cham

eBook Packages : Education , Education (R0)

Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022

Softcover ISBN : 978-3-031-10171-7 Published: 16 September 2022

eBook ISBN : 978-3-031-10172-4 Published: 15 September 2022

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XIII, 183

Number of Illustrations : 69 b/w illustrations

Topics : Science Education , Higher Education , Psychology, general

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

• Current Students

• Your Account Account Overview Support History Account Settings

Scripting must be enabled to use this site.

Viva voce preparation

Answer id 3495 | last updated on 02/07/2024 04.11 pm.

• Practice the 10-minute opening summary of your thesis and seek feedback from your supervisory team.
• Review the examiners' reports and ensure that you will be able to address highlighted concerns.
• Take note of the viva voce date and time and accept the calendar invitation.
• Prepare your UWA student ID card for verification.
• If you are undertaking your viva voce via video conferencing, log on at least 10 minutes before the scheduled time to ensure a clear connection. Prepare a headset or earphones with a microphone for optimal audio quality.
• For students undertaking their viva voce at a physical venue, be present at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time. Bring your laptop, charger and headset as a backup in case of technical difficulties.

Was this answer helpful?

Need more info, related answers.

• Viva voce outcome
• Thesis corrections
• Revision timeframe after viva voce
• Booking a room for viva voce
• Viva voce location

The University of Western Australia

• University Homepage
• Future Students
• Business and Industry
• Alumni and Friends

University information

CRICOS Code: 00126G

• Accessibility
• Contact the University
• Indigenous Commitment
• Terms of use

[page information]

The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

What is a PhD Viva Like? Sharing Graduates’ Experiences

When you’re trying to prepare for a PhD viva it can be really difficult to know what to expect. Unlike pretty much every other exam you’ll have experienced, the viva isn’t a standardised exam so you won’t find any past papers to practice on!

In this post I’ll be sharing the inside scoop on what a PhD viva is like. Both from my own experiences plus those of a few other PhD graduates.

Preparing for your viva? You may also want to take a look at some of the other PhD viva content I’ve written:

How to Defend a Thesis: An Introduction to the PhD Viva

Common phd viva questions.

Note: Every viva is different, in this post I’m focussing on my viva which took place in the UK. Two PhD graduates in Spain and the US also share their experiences.

What is a PhD viva?

For those who aren’t already familiar with what a PhD viva is, I’d highly recommend reading my full post on How to Defend a Thesis: An Introduction to the PhD Viva . This delves into how a PhD viva is assessed, who is present, the potential outcomes and what follows after.

As a quick recap, a PhD viva (also called a defense in some countries) is the final assessment a PhD student undertakes in order to pass their PhD. The format the viva can take varies from country to country and even institution to institution, but it typically involves discussing and defending your PhD thesis with experts in your field.

In this post you’ll hear about the viva experiences of three PhD graduates, each with a slightly different format.

To get the best understanding of how PhD vivas take place at your university I’d recommend:

• Checking out any webpages your university have which formally outline the viva process
• Speaking to your PhD supervisor
• Chatting to colleagues such as postdocs who’ve been through it

Viva Experiences from PhD Grads

Prof elizabeth bondi-kelly , phd from harvard university, usa. assistant professor in computer science at university of michigan.

What was your PhD viva like? At my (virtual) defense, I had my committee, adviser, labmates, and family/friends. I was fortunate to give my job talk presentation again for my defense, so I had already had a lot of practice with presenting it and being asked questions about it.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? For anyone who hasn’t had that opportunity, I highly recommend practicing to get a polished talk and practice answering questions about it.

Prof Raúl Santos-Rodríguez , PhD from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain. Full Professor in AI at University of Bristol.

What are PhD vivas like in Spain? The viva process in Spain varies from university to university. In most cases there are a few previous filters (internal/external reports) that make it such that, once you are through those, most of the pressure is off for the actual defence. The viva consists of a public presentation (usually with colleagues, friends and family in the audience) followed by questions from a panel, with each member asking their questions in turns. Both presentation and Q&A tend to be time limited (around 45 minutes each). 

What was your PhD viva like? My viva experience was nerve-wracking but rewarding too. I remember how the exercise of putting together the presentation with the panel in mind actually gave me quite a different perspective on how to tell the story of my thesis. The event took place in a rather formal lecture room in our faculty. The panel consisted of five examiners (three externals including one from abroad, and two internals), all of whom were experts in my field of study. The panel asked me a wide range of questions, covering both very specific details and very high level matters. Once I answered their questions to their satisfaction, and after a short deliberation, I was given the good news. Overall, I found the viva to be a challenging but stimulating experience — and a good memory.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? In terms of advice, I would suggest to:

• Expect to be surprised by unexpected questions about your research
• Be clear and concise, allowing examiners to ask for more details if needed
• Practice your presentation without being constrained to say the same things every time
• Not be afraid to ask for clarification if you don’t understand and take your time to respond
• Enjoy the interaction with the examiners as they are experts that have a lot to add to your work

Me! PhD from Imperial College London, UK. Research Fellow in AI at Bristol.

What was your PhD viva like? My viva, which took place over Microsoft Teams, included just an internal examiner, external examiner and myself. I gave a short presentation giving a summary of my PhD then about five hours were spent giving suggestions to improve content I was preparing to submit to journals. It was much less intimidating than I was expecting.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? I mainly suggest to not over prepare! Sure, reread your thesis and swot up on any content you don’t feel comfortable describing (for instance certain techniques you’ve used), but I would caution against rehearsing too much: come to terms with the fact that you won’t be able to predict all the questions you’ll get asked.

I’ll be sharing more details on my viva experience in the rest of the post.

How To Prepare For a PhD Viva: The Advice I Was Given

Ahead of my own viva I typically got told to:

Relax and take your time in replying . This is somewhat sensible advice but a bit like telling someone to calm down: it doesn’t always work. Furthermore, relaxing can be hard to do when you also get told to…

Be prepared to answer questions about every part of your work . At face value this can seem reasonable: if you did the work, and deserve a PhD, you should be able to explain your work. Like many of us I heard the horror stories of examiners asking students to provide an explanation of fundamental techniques from first principles such as: “derive energy”!

However, I don’t think any rational examiner can expect a student to be able to answer every possible question about their PhD work. Not least because many students aren’t relaxed during the viva and instead are filled with nerves.

Thankfully, the reality is that examiners simply need to check that you’ve done the work and understand it. Therefore, yes you should be able to give a broad explanation of the techniques you’ve used but you can’t be expected to know everything about every technique.

Once it strays from your work to underlying principles I suggest that you explain as much as you feel comfortable then push back – the internal examiner (who acts as a moderator) should also step in if unreasonable questions are being asked. For more details on what PhD examiners are looking for, read this section of another post I’ve written .

How I Prepared for My PhD Viva

The time between submitting my thesis (14th February) and viva (25th March) was shorter than for most people. On top of that I didn’t spend long writing my thesis, meaning that the time between finishing my actual research and my viva was pretty short (around two months). Therefore I didn’t feel the need to “revise” for my viva. As in, sometimes you’ll hear of people reminding themselves of how certain experimental or analytic techniques work, but it was pretty fresh in my memory.

Instead, about 48 hours before my viva I started to read through my thesis. This is going to sound really bad but this was actually my first (and only) time properly reading through my thesis. No, I didn’t outsource or use ChatGPT to write my thesis!

When I submitted my thesis I had of course assembled all the chapters but had never given it a proper cohesive read all the way through. I read through the thesis over the course of 4-5 sittings. Reading fiction is definitely more fun .

I personally didn’t prepare by trying to come up with answers for lots of potential questions. But if you’re keen to have those to hand, read my Common PhD Viva Questions .

Preparing for your own viva? I’ve created a set of viva preparation worksheets which are available for free in the resource library. Click the image below for access!

Why didn’t I prepare more?

I felt pretty relaxed about my viva. This isn’t because I am crazy clever or knowledgable. In fact, like many of us I’ve felt imposter syndrome, waiting for the moment that my lack of knowledge gets discovered: and if there ever a moment you’d expect this to happen it would be at your viva.

These three things relaxed me for the viva:

• The external examiner seemed nice from the time I’d met him in the past at a conference. Certainly not a sure-fire sign that he wouldn’t turn into a scary beast during a viva but it seemed like a good starting point.
• It was virtual. My viva took place right at the start of COVID and as such took place over Teams. For some reason this felt reassuring, as if I could get away with just unplugging my internet connection if they asked anything particularly scary. Thankfully I didn’t ever feel the need to try this out!
• I had published PhD work in a well-ranked respected peer-reviewed journal. This was far and away the most reassuring thing. As mentioned in another post, examiners have to be confident in all of the following things to let you pass your PhD viva. If you have published some of your work somewhere respectable you tick many of the boxes immediately:

Oh, and I also didn’t prepare much because I was preoccupied with moving from London the week before my viva because of COVID and the start of lockdowns. Unexpectedly I ended up moving in with my girlfriend’s parents. It was rather chaotic but probably a useful distraction too.

My PhD Viva Experience

Who was at my viva.

Unlike vivas in other countries, such as the two international experiences shared above, a viva in the UK usually only involves:

• PhD student – me in this case!
• Internal examiner – an academic working in the same research area from the host university. They’re there to moderate the discussion and check that the university’s viva regulations are followed.
• External examiner – another academic working in the research area from a different university. In my case this was someone who was a leader in the field who came from another UK university.

Optionally the PhD student may ask their supervisor to attend. I’ve known of a few people who’ve had their supervisor there too, though it’s pretty rare and unnecessary in my opinion.

How long did my PhD viva last?

All in all it was about five and a half hours.

This was much longer than I anticipated. When we scheduled the viva to start at 10am I naively expected us to be finished by lunch. Admittedly the examiners did suggest stopping for a break at lunch time but again I naively thought we’d be done shortly afterwards, so declined the opportunity for more than a 5 minute comfort break. In the end we finished up around 3:30pm.

How was my PhD viva structured?

• Introductions (2 minutes) . I’d actually never met my internal examiner (who should act as a moderator) so introductions were necessary.
• Presentation (10 minutes) . A few weeks in advance of the viva I asked whether or not the examiners would like a presentation, and if so of what length. They said yes, 10-12 minutes. My supervisor strongly suggested making it on the shorter side: short and snappy is good and you’re about to have hours to discuss the details.
• Discussion (5 hours, yes, really!) . More on this in a moment.
• Decision and final comments (10 minutes) . I was asked to leave the metaphorical room (Teams call, remember!) and after a few minutes was invited back in after which they told me I’d passed with minor corrections. They gave a summary of the next steps, which were mostly administrative with paperwork, and briefly went over what changes/corrections they were expecting to the thesis.

What did we discuss for five hours?

Before my viva I had visions of it being like a job interview that lasts for hours and hours. They ask a slightly tough or awkward question, you try and answer, rinse and repeat x 100. The reality was really different.

The experience was much less intense than I was expecting. The examiners said from the outset that they were happy with the quality of the work and just aimed to give feedback to improve both the thesis and publications.

The vast majority of the viva was spent going page by page through the thesis covering points that the examiners had written down: not questions, merely suggestions. Very little of the viva involved me getting questioned: most of what I said was probably along the lines of “I agree, that’s a great idea”.

The examiners commented that they liked the [short] length of the thesis (140 pages before references) which may have helped. I was expecting at least a few dodgy questions such as explaining the content of a particular reference or deriving something from first principles. In all honestly I’m not sure I’d have been prepared for some of this, so was fine with not getting a hard time of it.

There were very few questions in general which was somewhat of a relief, though I was kind of looking forward to more of a discussion around the project. There were only two actual questions I think I got asked: one explaining why a particular technique wasn’t representative, and secondly a much more fluffy question of what would I do differently if I was starting again. That was it. I was really expecting more questions.

Every viva is unique so I can’t claim that my experience is representative but I will say that it was a relief to get through it unscathed.

What I wish I’d done differently

Asked more questions myself . The viva is one of the few times you’re likely to have hours of access to academic experts with such a keen interest in your work.

Was it tiring?

A little, just as any meeting which lasts over five hours would be. But because I didn’t feel like I was actually getting quizzed the whole time it was nowhere near as tiring as it could have been. Mostly I was tired just from having to pay attention for that long: I usually don’t sit still for more than 20 minutes!

What happened afterwards?

My viva was in March 2020, at the start of lockdown. I’d moved from London just the week prior and had to cancel the scheduled celebratory drinks with colleagues. So instead I had a glass of champagne with my girlfriend and her parents (who I was staying with).

After that, I got cracking right away the next morning on making the examiners’ suggested changes to my thesis.

My Advice If You’re Preparing For Your Own PhD Viva

• Download my free viva preparation guide .
• Read your thesis!
• Look up likely questions (if you want), here are some Common PhD Viva Questions
• Don’t over prepare
• Be honest. If you’re not sure about something, make this clear. Feel free to say you’re not sure.
• Ask questions
• Enjoy it! Channel those nerves as excitement and make the most of having experts show such an interest in your work.

Do you have any other questions about the PhD viva experience? Let me know in the comments and I’ll answer them as best I can!

If you’d like personalised help with preparing for your PhD viva I am now starting to offer a small number of one-to-one sessions. Please contact me to find out more or click here to book a call.

If you’re currently preparing for your own PhD viva, best of luck and remember to enjoy it! Be sure to check out the couple of other viva-related posts I’ve written .

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related Posts

21st January 2021 30th January 2024

26th November 2020 2nd June 2024

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Privacy Overview

You're viewing this site as a domestic an international student

You're a domestic student if you are:

• a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
• an Australian permanent resident, or
• a holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.

You're an international student if you are:

• intending to study on a student visa,
• not a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
• not an Australian permanent resident, or
• a temporary resident (visa status) of Australia.

We have the answers to your research questions.

07 3346 0503

+61 7 3346 0503

 Send an enquiry

Email us, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

[email protected]

Doctor of Philosophy

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is an internationally recognised graduate research program that will enable you to become an independent researcher. 

With the guidance of an advisory team, you'll undertake a research project, produce an 80,000-word thesis and complete an oral examination.

A PhD takes 3 to 4 years full-time. Under guidance, you'll develop advanced research skills and knowledge in your chosen field.

The thesis is a substantial document that makes an original contribution to your field of research. Your thesis may involve an alternate format .

You'll need a strong academic background and you may need to submit a research proposal and other documents to support your application. About 1,000 PhD candidates join UQ each year researching a wide range of topics.

Research at UQ

UQ is one of Australia’s top research-intensive universities. Our research makes an impact on the world's cultural, environmental, economic and social challenges.

Learn more about UQ's research

Program highlights

• Be inspired and challenged to explore new ideas and develop greater understanding of complex questions with leading researchers.
• Access premier resources including one of Australia’s largest libraries, with more than 2 million physical resources and 116,800+ journal subscriptions.
• Foster and improve your skills through the Career Development Framework, created with industry.
• Learn from researchers whose work addresses national and global cultural, environmental, economic and social challenges.

41 in the world

CWTS Leiden Ranking 2024

51 in the world

Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023

Supervision

You have to find and contact a thesis supervisor before you apply

This supervisor will support, guide and mentor you through your research, and can introduce you to professional networks that will start your career.

Find a supervisor

3-Minute Thesis

The showcase event for research candidates is the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT). 

3MT is held each spring.

Learn more about the 3MT

Career development

UQ offers a range of development opportunities via the Career Development Framework (CDF) to help you develop portable skills for any career or industry.

Learn more about the CDF

Studying at UQ gave me the flexibility to expand my knowledge across different areas of science outside of my chosen specialty. Keeping my scientific and translational skills broad has allowed me to adapt to different environments and opportunities throughout my career.

5 September - 6 September

Science Research and Honours Week

23 October - 4 November

MBA Information Event

Queensland Biology Winter School, Year 11

What do dietitians do?

5-minute read

Careers in pharmacy: what you need to know

Why study physical education at UQ?

4-minute read

Entry requirements

Gpa equivalent.

Select where you studied and your qualification to see the GPA you need to be considered for this program.

Meeting the GPA requirement doesn’t guarantee admission.

Academic entry requirements

You have to prove you are prepared for PhD study. You do this by showing you:

• have completed some research experience
• have completed an approved university degree  and
• can meet the English language requirements.

Approved degrees

An approved degree needs to be:

• in an area relevant to your proposed PhD project and
• completed no more than 10 years ago.

You need one of the following approved degrees to apply for a PhD:

• Master of Philosophy (or another research master’s degree); or
• Bachelor’s degree from an approved university with at least honours class IIA or equivalent; or
• Coursework master’s degree with an overall grade point average of 5.65 on the 7-point UQ scale which includes relevant research experience, approved by the dean; or
• Postgraduate degree (at least one year full-time or equivalent) with an overall grade point average of 5 on the 7-point UQ scale, together with demonstrated research experience equivalent to honours class IIA will be considered on a case-by-case basis; or
• Bachelor’s degree plus at least 2 years of relevant research experience , including research publications.

Research experience

You'll meet the requirements for admission into a PhD in terms of 'research preparedness' if you can provide evidence that you've planned and executed project work and/or a body of research with some independence.

To demonstrate this, we'll ask you to provide one of the following:

• with completed courses that aim to develop research skills (minimum value of #1 unit e.g. 50 per cent of a #2 unit course), and/or
• the completion of a supervised research project that includes an individually graded written report with a combined minimum course volume equal to #4 units at UQ.
• Scholarly papers involving a substantial contribution as an author, appearing in recognised academic journals or in volumes published by recognised academic publishers.
• Research or technical reports prepared for industry, government or business, which adhere to the broad conventions of academic publishing (i.e. contain an up-to-date review of relevant literature, a description of relevant research methods and an evaluation of results, etc.) and which identify you as a significant contributor.
• A portfolio of published creative work together with published critical discussion of some or all of that work, or of a comparable body of work by others, and which demonstrates your development of a scholarly approach to creative work as research investigation.
• Demonstrable industry or work experience where you can demonstrate that you have planned and executed a project, working with a high level of independence.

Student visas

International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Doctor of Philosophy are eligible to apply for an Australian Student visa (subclass 500).

This program has two CRICOS codes:

• 0100213 – Architecture, creative arts, education, health, information technology, management and commerce, mathematical sciences, social and cultural studies
• 0100214 – Agriculture and environmental studies, dentistry, engineering, human movement, medical studies, natural and physical sciences, pharmacy, psychology, veterinary science

Discuss your proposed project with us to determine which CRICOS code is most relevant for your visa application.

There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the genuine temporary entrant (GTE) requirement.

Learn more about student visas

Additional entry requirements

Many departments will have additional entry requirements and may request documents to support your application, such as a research proposal. You should discuss these additional requirements with your potential thesis supervisor.

Additional application information

Minimum English language proficiency requirements apply, please refer to the English proficiency policy .

English language requirements

There are a few ways you can meet our English language requirements. If you sit a test, the following scores are needed for PhD admission:

Read our English language requirements

Scholarships

There are several types of PhD scholarship:

• tuition fee scholarship : this covers the fees charged by UQ for PhD study
• living stipend scholarship: this is a   fortnightly payment (or stipend) to support your daily expenses
• top-up scholarship: may be provided by external organisations, supervisors, or philanthropic donations. When awarded, they provide an additional payment on top of a living stipend scholarship. They cannot be held without a living stipend scholarship.

Each year, we award more than 600 scholarships to attract and support the highest quality higher degree by research applicants.

View all postgraduate research scholarships

University scholarships

UQ scholarships include:

• Graduate School Scholarships
• Graduate School Tuition Fees Scholarship
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarships
• Earmarked Scholarships
• The Graduate School Scholarship

Other scholarships

Throughout the year we advertise a range of other research scholarships, including top-up scholarships, travel grants and external scholarships, including:

• Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship

How to apply for a scholarship

You can apply for many scholarships using the same form as your PhD application. External scholarships might have different ways to apply. 

Our Scholarships website explains how to apply for each scholarship. If you are applying for a non-UQ scholarship, outcome dates may vary.

Fees and costs

Tuition fees.

Your fees will vary according to your academic field, study load and whether you study internally or remotely.

Learn more about postgraduate research fees

Research costs

The department you enrol with will meet all necessary costs for your project, including:

• resource and facility costs: at UQ, which may include other organisations in Australia or overseas
• travel costs: to complete fieldwork, collect data, or to visit libraries or other repositories
• coursework costs: for courses studied outside the department
• relevant training: in particular methodologies or techniques.

How to apply

Before you apply, 1. check your eligibility.

Check your eligibility by reviewing the entry requirements for UQ's Higher Degrees by Research. If applying for a scholarship, check the scholarship's eligibility and important dates.

2. Approach a potential supervisor or find a project

You'll either need to find:

• a supervisor in your field who will support your proposed project.  Find a supervisor .
• a project you can join that suits your interests.  See available projects .

If you're choosing a supervisor, you'll need to find one with relevant expertise and get agreement to support your PhD and project.

Many departments will require additional information to make a decision around your motivation, understanding, commitment, and financial support required.

They may request documents to support your application, such as a research proposal. You should discuss these additional requirements with your potential thesis supervisor.

3. Gather your documents

You will need to compile the necessary documents. We will accept scanned copies of original documents, but you will have to keep all original documents for the duration of your studies.

Upload all documents as PDFs and name your files like this: LASTNAME_firstname_document-name.pdf

If any of your documents is in a language other than English, you will need to send both the original document and an official translation.

Send the following documents with your application:

An academic CV assists us to determine your readiness to commence a higher degree by research. For the purposes of this application, your academic CV should be current (i.e. no more than 6 months old) and include information under the following headings:

Personal details

• your full name
• your contact details (phone number, email address, city and country of residence)
• nationality
• languages spoken and proficiency level for each
• your ORCID ID or other research output identifier (such as Google Scholar) if you have one (see the ORCID ID and research identifiers information provided by UQ Library).

As the purpose of this academic CV is to determine your academic suitability for a higher degree by research program at UQ and your competitiveness against other applicants, we only require information that is of direct relevance to our decision-making processes. With this in mind, please do not include the following in your academic CV:

• photographs/head shot
• marital status
• driver’s license
• date of birth/age
• hobbies and interests.

Educational qualifications and academic awards

List each of your formal educational qualifications in reverse chronological order (i.e. with the most recent formal educational qualification listed first). For each qualification, include:

• the commencing and end dates (month and year) for the qualification
• the full title of the qualification (e.g. Bachelor of Arts instead of B.A.)
• the institution attended and the enrolling school/administrative unit
• the city and country where the institution is located
• your Grade Point Average (GPA) for the overall qualification
• any academic achievement awards (e.g. Dean’s awards, subject prizes, University medals, thesis prizes etc.) received for the qualification
• if a research thesis was part of the qualification, include the title and word length of your dissertation.

As part of your application, please submit academic transcripts and degree certificates for each educational qualification you list.

Please do not include:

• high school qualifications
• the individual subjects/courses undertaken throughout your qualifications or the grades awarded for these
• training courses/professional development activities not resulting in a formal qualification.

Professional affiliations and memberships

List any professional/disciplinary associations or committees that you a member of and include:

• the commencing and end date (in years) for the affiliation/membership
• the name of the professional association or committee
• your membership type (e.g. student member, affiliate member, full member etc.) or role (e.g. committee member, secretary, president etc.).

Employment history

List each of your previous employment roles in reverse chronological order (i.e. with the most recent/current employment listed first) and include:

• the commencing and end dates (month and year) for the employment
• the title of each position
• the name of the employing organisation, the city, and country where you were based
• your main duties or accountabilities in that role, providing detailed information on any research-related activities
• any achievements during that role that are relevant to your proposed field of research .

Other research experience

List any voluntary, unpaid, or extra-curricular research-related projects or experiences you have undertaken (e.g. summer research projects, internships etc.) and include:

• the commencing and end dates (month and year) of the experience
• the name of the organisation, the city, and country where you were based

Research outputs

In reverse chronological order (i.e. the most recent output first) list your research outputs,  including for example research published or accepted for publication, research reports, and research by creative practice.

If needed, use sub-headings to separate refereed journal articles, published conference proceedings, edited book chapters, books, creative works, industry reports, invited papers, patents, media commentary, conference presentations and posters, invited talks etc. If applicable, use additional sub-headings to indicate if outputs are published , accepted for publication (but not yet in print), or (submitted but) under review .

Do not include any outputs/publications that are ‘in preparation’ .

For all research outputs, include:

• the output/publication reference using an official bibliographical style (such as Turabian/Chicago, APA, Harvard), including listing all authors in the order that they appear in the work with your name in bold
• the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), PubMed Identifier (PMID), International Standard Book Number (ISBN) or URL where applicable
• the standing of the journal or conference and the impact of the work (e.g. impact factors, citations and other metrics indicators)
• relevant indicators of national or international significance
• rejection rates for the outlet etc.
• how much of the original research you were responsible for (i.e. what was your role in the conception and design of the project and how involved were you in the analysis and interpretation of the research data on which the publication is based?)
• the extent to which you authored the paper.

Research grants and relevant awards

Include only those research grants and relevant awards that you have received at the time of making your application (i.e. do not list grants or awards that you applied for and did not receive or are awaiting a decision on). For each research grant/award, include:

• the name of the granting/awarding body and the country in which they are based
• the name of the grant/award
• the year(s) in which the grant was active or the year in which the award was made
• the amount of the research grant/award
• if relevant (e.g. for research grants), the title of your application.

Applicants from creative and professional-based disciplines may also include non-research grants and awards related to their creative or professional practice.

Research achievements relative to opportunity (optional)

In recognition of the diverse personal and professional pathways that applicants have experienced, you are invited to provide information ( maximum 200 words ) to contextualise your research outputs and achievements, relative to the opportunities that you have had to participate in research-related activities.

This section of the CV is optional and should only be included if you believe there are factors relevant to your research achievements that you would like the selection panels to know. Examples of factors include (but are not limited to):

• study/career disruptions due to illness, caregiving, natural disasters etc.
• non-linear academic or career progression, or a change in career direction
• reduced ability to take up research-related opportunities (e.g. attend conferences) due to caregiving responsibilities.

Academic referees

Please provide us with two referees who can comment on your academic work. For each referee, include their:

• honorific and name
• employing organisation and the city and country where they are located
• contact details, including office address, telephone, fax and email (preferably an institutional, rather than private, email address)
• an indication of the capacity in which you know this person (e.g. were they a lecturer or thesis supervisor, an employer, how long you’ve known them etc.). 

If possible, please include at least one:

• senior person (preferably your supervisor or the head of your organisational unit) closely associated with your current work, and
• person who is not a member of your proposed advisory panel/supervisory team.

Formatting and document specifications

We recommend that you use the below formatting settings to improve the readability of your CV:

• margins of at least 1.5 centimetres
• single line spacing
• no smaller than 12 point Times New Roman font (or equivalent)
• left justify text (not full justify)
• include your name and page number on each page
• be consistent in your formatting and spelling throughout
• limit the use of bold, underline, italics, and multiple font types.

Please proofread your CV carefully before uploading it to your application.

Save as a PDF and name your file: LASTNAME_firstname_CV.pdf

There is no page limit to your academic CV – it can be as long as required to include the information requested here.

Please include in your CV all the headings listed above – if you do not have any content to add for a particular heading please list ‘None to date’ under that heading .

An academic CV for employment purposes within Australia would not include the information requested here outlining your three most significant publications or your research achievements relative to opportunity. It would, however, include information about professional and service activities undertaken and may include a summary of your relevant research/teaching interest areas and skill sets – this information is not required in the CV you submit here for application to an HDR program.

This should show all study you have undertaken since secondary school, whether complete or incomplete, including the institution grading scale. The grading scale is often found on the final page or the reverse page; be sure to include all pages.

An academic transcript can also be called an:

• academic record
• diploma supplement
• statement of learning
• record of achievement.

A degree certificate is a legal document, imprinted with a university seal. It should state the name of your qualification and areas of study.

Include all degree certificates (testamurs) for post-secondary study with your application. If you studied in China, you must provide a:

• award certificate and
• graduate statement/certificate.

All applicants have to prove they can meet English language requirements . Any test scores have to be valid at your proposed commencement date.

Include a copy of the information page (with your photo) in your passport. This will verify your identity and ensure we can make offers correctly.

Include the contact details of two referees who will support your application. These referees will need to provide insight into your research experience.

We will contact your referees for a report, but you will need to enter their details into the application form.

Other documentation, originals or certified copies, may be required depending on your individual circumstances, for example:

• evidence of change of name
• proof of citizenship, if you are not a citizen of Australia or New Zealand by birth
• evidence of your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status
• previous research program information .

If you don't provide us with all documents it will take us longer to process your application. Your start date might then be delayed, or you might miss an admission or scholarship deadline. 

4. Apply online

Once you have prepared your application and contacted a potential supervisor, use the online application form to apply. Your application can only be assessed once your referees have responded to us, and all outstanding documents and school/institute endorsements have been received.

Important dates

The academic year for research students is divided into four research quarters (RQ).

Candidates applying for a Student Visa or UQ scholarship may need to apply earlier. Make sure you check  scholarship round application deadlines  and outcome dates before applying.

The agreed start date will be included on your Confirmation of Enrolment.

Find out more about research quarter dates

The academic year for research students is divided into four research quarters (RQ). You can start a PhD in any quarter, as long as the Census Date hasn't passed.

Candidates applying for a UQ scholarship may need to apply earlier. Make sure you check scholarship round application deadlines and outcome dates before applying.

The agreed start date will be included on your offer of admission.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants

For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

Contact the ATSIS Unit

Explore other programs

Express yourself. and your interest..

They say choosing a degree is hard, which is why we've made it easy. Register your interest and we'll send you everything you need to know about applying to UQ.

Sign up for updates

We will use your information to keep you informed about UQ programs, news, events and scholarships. By submitting this form, you consent to the terms of UQ's Marketing consent and privacy notice .

The dreaded doctoral defense

An oral defence, or Viva, is common in the UK, Europe, NZ. The viva is less common in Australia.  Most Australian students will do a final presentation before the PhD, but many universities are currently discussing how to introduce a defence as part of the examination process, so we can expect a defence of some … continue reading .

Share this:

Enjoying your viva.

The Viva – a live presentation of your thesis to examiners – is not common in Australia. Our thesis examination is a blind peer review process, which has its own fears, but nothing like the anxiety that a viva can provoke. Horror stories tend to circulate, which is why I was happy to be sent … continue reading .

Fail Your Viva: Book Review

This is a book review of “How to fail your Viva: 12 steps to failing your PhD and 58 tips for passing” a new book by Dr Nathan Ryder, who is an expert on helping students get through the Viva. The viva is the oral examination at the end of the thesis process in the … continue reading .

The Thesis Whisperer is written by Professor Inger Mewburn, director of researcher development at The Australian National University . New posts on the first Wednesday of the month. Subscribe by email below. Visit the About page to find out more about me, my podcasts and books. I'm on most social media platforms as @thesiswhisperer. The best places to talk to me are LinkedIn , Mastodon and Threads.

• Post (609)
• Page (16)
• Product (6)
• Getting things done (259)
• Miscellany (139)
• On Writing (139)
• Your Career (113)
• You and your supervisor (66)
• Writing (48)
• productivity (23)
• consulting (13)
• TWC (13)
• supervision (12)
• 2024 (8)
• 2023 (12)
• 2022 (11)
• 2021 (15)
• 2020 (22)

Whisper to me....

Enter your email address to get posts by email.

Email Address

Sign me up!

• On the reg: a podcast with @jasondowns
• Thesis Whisperer on Facebook
• Thesis Whisperer on Instagram
• Thesis Whisperer on Soundcloud
• Thesis Whisperer on Youtube
• Thesiswhisperer on Mastodon
• Thesiswhisperer page on LinkedIn
• Thesiswhisperer Podcast
• 12,222,950 hits

• Apply now Enquire now

Study at UniSA

Accounting and Finance Business Management and HRM Marketing Property Tourism, Sports and Events

Architecture Communication Contemporary Art Creative Industries Design Film, Television and Visual Effects Journalism Urban and Regional Planning

Biomedical Science Health Science Human Movement, Sport, Clinical Exercise Physiology Laboratory Medicine Medical Radiation Science Nursing or Midwifery Nutrition and Food Sciences Occupational Therapy Pharmacy Physiotherapy Podiatry Speech Pathology

• Law & Criminal Justice

Aboriginal and Australian Studies Arts Human Services Languages Psychology Social Work

Aviation Construction Management Defence Engineering Environmental Science Information Technology Mathematics Science

• Teaching & Education
• What can I study
• Entry pathways
• Find an education agent
• Sponsorships
• Living in Adelaide
• UniSA Online
• Scholarships
• Postgraduate study
• Research degrees
• Executive Education
• Regional students
• Aboriginal students
• Discover our research Partner with us
• Research projects
• How to apply
• Check your eligibility
• Research scholarships
• Concentrations
• Cooperative Research Centres
• Research studies & volunteers
• Research experts
• Industry & collaboration
• Mawson Lakes
• Mount Gambier
• Psychology Clinic
• Health Clinics
• Disability Hub
• Wirringka Student Services
• Museums and galleries
• Industry & partnerships
• Enterprise Hub

About UniSA

• Our history
• Vice Chancellor
• Achievements
• Mission, values, vision
• Strategic action plan
• Staff directory
• UniSA Allied Health & Human Performance
• UniSA Business
• UniSA Clinical & Health Sciences
• UniSA Creative
• UniSA Education Futures
• UniSA Justice & Society
• Working at UniSA
• Publications
• Aboriginal engagement
• Login Staff Students Alumni

Why UniSA for a PhD

At UniSA our PhD connects research students to partnered grand challenges in research, and enhances employability and future careers.

UniSA is committed to ensuring that research degree candidates experience excellent and contemporary research training and that, in the course of their candidature, they acquire a skill set that expands their employment choices post-PhD.

The UniSA PhD:

• Connects candidates with partnered grand challenges in research
• Accelerates PhD graduates towards career success through extensive skill development opportunities
• Engages end-users of research from public and private organisations and communities
• Establishes the researcher in their disciplinary community.

UniSA EDGE  is a development model designed to support our PhD candidates' career preparation, through:

• Development of research and professional skills
• Structured & experiential learning opportunities
• Enhanced research outcomes for the benefit of candidate, supervisor and uni 

Find out more

Enhanced end-user involvement in research, through supervisory panels, mentoring and internship experiences, allowing for:

• Shaping research projects, to achieve real-world outcomes
• Candidate exposure and experience with industry
• Formation of networks & collaborations in and beyond the University

Panel Supervision

Each candidate has a panel of qualified supervisors, established according to the needs of the candidate and their project. The panel may include supervisors from more than one discipline, and end-user advisors from industry partners, including private, government, not-for-profit or community groups.

Panel supervision provides:

• Opportunity to enrich the project with multidisciplinary expertise & perspectives
• Continuity of supervision
• Broadened networks
• Development of disciplinary expertise, and expert research skills.

Oral Defence

Following the examination of the written thesis or exegesis, candidates discuss their work in depth with their examiners. This provides opportunity for:

• Interaction with leaders in their fields of study
• Clarification of any concerns or questions raised by examiners
• Examination of the candidate as well as the product of the research
• Establishment of the candidate in their disciplinary community.

“Having regular access to multiple supervisors on my panel provided diverse perspectives on my research, and paved the way to innovation in my project. My advisor helped me to meet others in his industry, and helped me frame my approach to maximise success when engaging with them.”

Dr Felicity Braithwaite, UniSA PhD graduate

“Being able to discuss my examiners’ written comments helped to cement my understanding and have real clarity around the meaning of their comments. And I guess it helped them understand my work better, because in the end, I only had to make some of the thesis changes identified in their written reports, rather than all of them. The longer term benefit of the defence is feeling more confident about meeting my examiners in the future or, indeed, following up with them for future advice or collaboration.”

Dr Joel Fuller, UniSA PhD graduate

Partnerships

The UniSA PhD provides an opportunity for existing, and prospective partners to engage with UniSA to:

• Access new knowledge and insights that benefit your business
• Have the opportunity to spot new talent
• Provide your organisation with staff development opportunities, and
• Shape the direction of research and knowledge coming from UniSA.

If you would like to know more about the unique partnering opportunities available at UniSA, please contact us at  [email protected]

Australian students

Phone: +61 8 8302 2376 Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/enquiry

International students

Phone: +61 8 9627 4854 Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/enquiry

Australian Permanent Residency Pathways for PhD Graduates

PhD Graduates are highly skilled in their fields and Australian States and Territories value the skilled employment prospects. The following pathways to permanent residency are available to PhD graduates.

Queensland also offers a Graduate stream for subclass 190 and subclass 491. PhD graduates have the option of applying for either the 190 visa or the 491 visa. Usually, all other tertiary education levels can only apply to subclass 491. The criteria applicable to PhD graduates are:

• Must have graduated from a Queensland university
• Must obtain 65 points or higher in the points-test
• Occupation must be on the Medium to Long Term Skills Shortage List, Short Term Skilled Occupations List or the Regional Occupations List (491 only) in accordance with migration policy LIN 19/051
• Must have completed 100% of course in QLD and has received a decision on a thesis or graduated in last 2 years
• No employment offer is required
• 491 Visa Criteria for Queensland
• State Requirements for 190 Visa
• Queensland Skilled Occupations List
• Visa Options to Migrate to Queensland

Previously, Victoria had a PhD pathway under the Skilled Migration Program for PhD graduates. However, it no longer forms part of Victoria’s Skilled Migration Program. Therefore, PhD graduates are assessed alongside all other applications for subclass 190 and 491.

Subclass 190

To apply for subclass 190 visa, the following criteria apply:

• Applicant’s Registration of Interest application must be selected
• PhD Graduate must live and work in Victoria
• Medical Research
• Life Sciences
• Advanced Manufacturing
• New energy, emissions reduction and circular economy
• Creative industries
• *Applicants using their STEMM skills in a business precinct are highly regarded i.e. Parkville, Footscray or Docklands
• Must be under 45 years of age
• Applicant must demonstrate competent English
• Must have had a valid skills assessment
• Must obtain a minimum of 65 points on the points-test – see our Calculator here

Victoria is currently selecting occupations for subclass 190 with the following skill level: ANZSCO skill levels 1 and 2 and STEMM skills or qualifications

Subclass 491

To apply for subclass 491, the following criteria apply:

• Applicant’s Registration of Interest application selected
• PhD Graduate must live and work in regional Vic
• New energy, emissions reduction, and circular economy

Victoria is currently selecting occupations for subclass 491 with the following skill level: ANZSCO skill levels 1, 2 and 3 and STEMM skills or qualifications.

Although Victoria does not offer a direct PhD Graduate stream, the State offers further advice regarding an application. PhD Graduates must meet the eligibility requirements above to be selected and this includes living and working in Victoria. It is also stated that if you are receiving a scholarship or undertaking a professional placement as part of your qualification, this cannot be considered as employment.

• State Requirements for 491 Visa
• Victoria Skilled Visa Nomination Program 2021-2022 (190 and 491 Visa)
• Victorian Occupations List

Tasmania offer a Graduate Stream as part of their Skilled Migration Program for subclass 190 and subclass 491 visas. The following criteria apply:

• Must have completed and graduated from a CRICOS tertiary institution
• Must have studied full time and on-site in Tasmania
• PhD Graduate must live in the state for at least 2 years during study prior to submitting their application
• Must demonstrate a genuine ongoing commitment to remain in Tasmania
• If you are not currently in skilled employment, you must provide a career plan that explains how your studies have increased your ability to find skilled work in Tasmania
• Must have completed a minimum of one academic year at a CRICOS tertiary institution (i.e. 40 academic weeks)
• Must have completed full-time study on campus – does not include online study unless this was mandated by COVID-19 lockdowns
• PhD Graduate’s study load must have been at least 75% to 100% each semester
• Employment is not a requirement for the subclass 491 however it is taken into consideration in the assessment
• Tasmania 190 Visa Requirements
• Tasmania 491 Visa Requirements
• Tasmania Skilled Migration Nomination Requirements
• Tasmanian Skilled Occupations List

South Australia

South Australia offers the International Graduate of South Australia Stream for international students to apply for subclass 190 and subclass 491. To apply under the International Graduate of South Australia Stream, PhD graduates must meet the following requirements:

• Must have completed a CRISCOS registered course with a minimum duration of 46 weeks
• Minimum 50% of your qualification must have been completed in South Australia
• Must have resided in South Australia for at least 1 year during your study
• Must have continuously resided in South Australia after course completion
• Must be working at least 20 hours per week or equivalent in your nominated or closely related occupation in SA
• Must meet the Department of Home Affairs requirements for the applicable visa type

Visa-Specific Requirements

To apply for subclass 190, PhD graduates must meet the following requirements:

• Under age of 45
• Valid skills assessment
• Occupation on South Australia’s Skilled Occupation List
• Must meet work experience requirements for your occupation
• Minimum English language for your occupation
• Minimum points requirement listed for your occupation

It is important to note that research work undertaken as part of your PhD will not be accepted as skilled work experience.

To apply for subclass 491, PhD graduates must meet the following requirements:

• South Australia Skilled Migration Program 2021-2022

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory do not offer a specific program for PhD Graduates. However, their skilled migration program for subclass 190 and subclass 491 remain open to PhD Graduate applicants. To apply the following criteria, apply:

• Must have a valid skills assessment
• Must demonstrate competent English level – i.e. IELTS minimum 6 for each component or equivalent
• PhD Graduates must commit to living and working in the NT within their nominated skilled occupation for at least 3 years upon visa grant
• PhD Graduate must have their occupation on the Skilled Occupation list. Please note there is a Northern Territory Occupations List. However, this list details occupations that are in high demand in the Northern Territory.
• Demonstrate good prospects of employment i.e. offer of employment, statement of skills
• Must demonstrate financial capacity – provide a list of all financial assets and meet minimum value of net assets requirements in the table below. Please note this is only an offshore applicant requirement.

• Northern Territory 190 Visa Requirements
• Northern Territory Migration English Requirements

New South Wales

New South Wales do not offer a specific PhD Graduate stream for subclass 190 within their skilled migration program. However, PhD Graduates apply for subclass 190 alongside all other applicants. For subclass 491, New South Wales offers a Study Pathway for PhD Graduates.

To apply for visa subclass 190, PhD Graduates must meet the following criteria:

• Eligible for the 190
• Submitted an expression of interest
• Skills assessment
• Currently residing in NSW AND
• Genuinely and continuously resided in NSW for the past three months or
• Gainfully employed in SNW for long-term in nominated occupation for minimum 20 hours per week
• Continuously resided offshore for past three months
• Valid skills assessment for the ANZSCO unit group that accepts offshore applications
• Minimum three years’ work experience

To apply for Stream 2 – Study pathway for subclass 491, PhD Graduates must meet the following criteria:

• PhD Graduates must have a valid skills assessment
• They are eligible to claim points for ‘study in regional Australia’ due to study in a regional area of NSW
• Their qualification is assessed as closely related to their nominated occupation

Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory offers a Doctorate Streamlined Nomination program as part of their skilled migration program. To apply for the Doctorate Streamlined Nomination program, PhD Graduates must meet the following criteria:

• PhD Graduates may nominate an occupation on the Australian Government’s Skilled Occupation List
• PhD Graduates must have lived in Canberra for at least 12 months at the time of their application
• PhD Graduates must have completed a professional research or doctoral degree at an ACT university

Significant Economic Benefit

If PhD Graduates do not meet the above eligibility criteria, the ACT Government have indicated that they may invite PhD candidates to apply if their employment is of significant economic benefit to the ACT. This cannot be requested or applied for.

Please note if you live in another state or territory or overseas, you may be eligible to apply for the ACT doctorate streamlined nomination program if you were awarded a professional or research doctoral degree from an ACT university within the last 2 years

• ACT Skilled Migration Nomination Requirements (190 and 491 Visa)
• ACT Critical Skills List

Western Australia

Western Australia offers a graduate stream for subclass 190 and subclass 491. The WA Graduate Stream requires:

• International students must have completed a minimum of two years study at a WA university
• Applicant to have proficient English
• Applicant to have been offered full time employment and provide evidence of an employment contract
• Occupation to be on Western Australia’s Graduate Occupation List (GOL)
• If you are not yet living in WA, you must prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself

International students usually can only apply for some occupations on the GOL. However, international students with masters or PhD-level qualifications have all occupations available on the GOL. See below the WA Graduate Occupation List to determine whether your occupation is listed.

• Western Australia 190 Visa Requirements
• State requirements for 491 visa
• English Language Requirements for Western Australian State Nomination 
• Western Australian Skilled Migration Occupation List

Graduate Occupation List

Other Visa Types

PhD Graduates can also extend their stay in Australia through other visa types including:

• This visa lets invited workers with skills we need, to live and work permanently anywhere in Australia.
• This visa enables employers to address labour shortages by bringing in skilled workers where employers can’t source an appropriately skilled Australian worker.
• This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by an employer, live and work in Australia permanently.
• This visa lets you observe or take part in a research project at a research or tertiary institution in Australia. You and your family who apply for the visa with you can stay here for up to 2 years.
• The Global Talent Visa Program is a streamlined visa pathway. It is for highly skilled professionals to work and live permanently in Australia.

Select a state below to see it’s 190 visa requirements:

State and territory requirements

Each state and territory has its own list of occupations, requirements and processes you must follow.

More information about the requirements and processes on  how Australian states or territories nominate applicants  is available.

Australia visa options

• I want to IMMIGRATE
• I want to STUDY
• I want to INVEST
• I want to SPONSOR PARENTS
• I want to apply for CITIZENSHIP
• I want to VISIT (TOURIST)
• I want to appeal a VISA REFUSAL
• Partner Visa Melbourne
• 485 Graduate Visa
• Global Talent Visa (GTI)

Employer Sponsored

• Employing Overseas Workers
• Standard Business Sponsorship
• Accredited Sponsorship
• Overseas Business Sponsorship
• 186 ENS visa
• 494 Employer Sponsored Regional
• 482 TSS visa

Immigration Lawyer* Melbourne

We are Australian immigration agents  and experts based in Melbourne , Australia. Conveniently located close to Melbourne CBD: 513/566 St Kilda Road, Melbourne 3004 VIC. As experienced  immigration agents & lawyers we provide accurate and detailed information about Visas to Australia.

Unlike most migration agencies, we have Australian lawyers who specialise in immigration law on staff which we believe allows us to provide a superior service.  Continue reading…

• 457 visa to PR
• 482 TSS visa to PR
• Student visa to PR
• 485 Graduate visa to PR
• NZ citizen to AU PR

Book a Consultation

Immigration tools.

• Partner visa eligibility 2024
• PR Points Calculator 2024
• Business visa eligibility
• Corporate eligibility
• Immigration fees
• Visa processing times
• latest Australia Immigration News
• Skilled Occupation List Australia 2024
• How to become an Australian PR
• Student visa funds calculator
• Migration Agent Melbourne
• Immigration News
• Google Play
• Code of Conduct

MARA registered agents

• Simon Long (1574118)
• Voya Kablar (1575120)
• Ben Watt (1570098)
• Victor Organero (1796030)
• Angela Parmeter (1387039)
• Jamie Lim (1799460)
• NZ Licensed Adviser
• Canada Visas
• Schengen visas

Melbourne Office

Phd-Study-In-Australia

• Top 20 Universities for PhD Study in Australia in 2024

Written by Hannah Slack

There are 43 universities in Australia . All of them are publically-funded institutions, supported and accredited by the Australian Government. These institutions are also responsible for carrying out research and training PhD students - like you.

Other higher education institutions in Australia are usually Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions. These focus on practical and professional training. They offer some postgraduate qualifications at or around Masters-level, but don't award PhDs .

University groups

Australia has several university associations or 'mission groups'. These bring together similar institutions with shared aims and objectives.

They include:

• The Group of Eight (Go8) - An elite organisation of established research-intensive universities with (surprisingly enough) eight members:
• Innovative Research Universities (IRU) - A network of seven younger universities, focussing on inclusive teaching and research.
• Regional Universities Network (RUN) - A group of six universities located in more rural areas of Australia.
• Australian Technology Network (ATN) - A group of universities focussing on industrial and enterprise partnerships, including the establishment of an Industry Doctoral Training Centre.

Don't get too caught up with a university's affiliation when considering PhD opportunities.

A doctorate from a Group of Eight member is a prestigious qualification, but other institutions offer equally excellent research opportunities in their areas of expertise. Don't forget, after all, that specialism is what PhD study is all about.

The strength – and breadth – of Australian research has traditionally been reflected in global league tables. 2024 is no exception. 20 universities in the top 300 according to the latest Times Higher Education Rankings.

So, how good are Australian universities for PhD study?

Australia’s diverse culture and unique ecology means that some subjects can only be researched there. Plus, if you’re not keen on the idea of an oral exam, many Australian universities don’t actually assess doctoral candidates using a viva .

If you'd like some more tips and tricks on how to use PhD rankings effectively to choose the best university for postgraduate study, have a look at our guide.

Search for a PhD in Australia

Ready to start looking for your ideal study abroad opportunity? Browse PhDs in Australia on FindAPhD.com or read our guides to studying a PhD in Australia .

A guide to everything you need to know about working in Australia both during and after your postgraduate degree.

You can earn up to AUS$760 per fortnight while studying a postgraduate course in Australia. Find out about the Austudy payments including eligibility criteria, applications and amounts.

A quick guide covering everything you need to know about driving in Australia as an international student, including licensing, costs and more.

Australian universities have two prominent intakes. In this guide, we take a look at the February intake. We have information about important dates and application timelines

Australian universities have two prominent intakes. In this guide, we take a look at the July intake. We have information about important dates and application timelines

Wondering how much you'll need to study in Australia? We look at the key costs for a student in Australia including tuition fees, visas and a comparision to the USA.

Our postgrad newsletter shares courses, funding news, stories and advice

FindAPhD. Copyright 2005-2024 All rights reserved.

Unknown    ( change )

Have you got time to answer some quick questions about PhD study?

Select your nearest city

You haven’t completed your profile yet. To get the most out of FindAPhD, finish your profile and receive these benefits:

• Monthly chance to win one of ten £10 Amazon vouchers ; winners will be notified every month.*
• The latest PhD projects delivered straight to your inbox
• Access to our £6,000 scholarship competition
• Weekly newsletter with funding opportunities, research proposal tips and much more
• Early access to our physical and virtual postgraduate study fairs

Or begin browsing FindAPhD.com

or begin browsing FindAPhD.com

*Offer only available for the duration of your active subscription, and subject to change. You MUST claim your prize within 72 hours, if not we will redraw.

Do you want hassle-free information and advice?

Create your FindAPhD account and sign up to our newsletter:

• Find out about funding opportunities and application tips
• Receive weekly advice, student stories and the latest PhD news
• Hear about our upcoming study fairs
• Save your favourite projects, track enquiries and get personalised subject updates

Create your account

Looking to list your PhD opportunities? Log in here .

Doctor of Philosophy

By choosing to study a Doctor of Philosophy at UNSW, you can make a significant, original contribution to knowledge and understanding in the arts, humanities, or social sciences.

A PhD in Arts, Design & Architecture will provide you with advanced specialist research training and expert knowledge in an international context. It will open doors to academic research and professional roles nationally and internationally.

Constructing your thesis

You'll demonstrate excellent research skills by producing a high-quality thesis in your field of interest. Your research will be supervised by scholars who are progressive thinkers, creators and national leaders in their fields.

Your thesis will provide evidence of your independent investigation and summarise the research you've completed over three to four years.

You'll be considered an integral part of the Arts, Design & Architecture research community and can mix with a diverse grouping of enquiring and adventurous scholars.

The minimum length of candidature is 3-years and the maximum length is 4-years.

Candidates are required to submit a thesis for examination not exceeding 100,000 words in length.

Research areas

We offer supervision in a wide range of subject and research areas that contribute to the faculty's research strengths. UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture encourages interdisciplinary collaboration within the faculty and across the university.

Find a research supervisor

Entry requirements

Admission to the Doctor of Philosophy degree requires one of the following qualifications:

a completed undergraduate degree with Honours 2-1 or equivalent (for example, at UNSW, this is graded as distinction level or 75%+)

a completed Masters by Research degree or equivalent postgraduate qualification that includes a substantial research component written as an academic thesis, awarded at or above distinction level or equivalent

in exceptional circumstances, sufficient evidence of research experience that demonstrates exceptional research skills and the ability to undertake the proposed research program.

All applicants must meet the  English language entry requirements  of the university.

Art, Design & Media

Built Environment

Built Environment (practice-based PhD)

Creative Practice

Indigenous Studies

Social Sciences

Get the Reddit app

A subreddit dedicated to PhDs.

I passed my PhD viva yesterday! Plus a note for current candidates [UK]

The journey is finally over. My examiners recommended a pass with "very minor" corrections. I'm overjoyed, not only because it's the culmination of 4 years of work, but how I was feeling in the run-up to the viva.

The week prior, I found myself in a bubble of stress and worry and it was really difficult to try and prep for the viva. Normally I find these sorts of stresses productive, motivating me to knuckle down and work hard. This time, they felt paralysing - I couldn't focus, I was struggling to sleep, and I couldn't even summarise my research for a short presentation.

Over the weekend, I looked through this sub at other people's experiences, and it turns out that feeling like this is incredibly common - we are literal experts in our research topic, yet we struggle to rationalise this final step.

However, I want to echo the majority of the post-viva comments on these sorts of posts - it's not nearly as bad as you think it's going to be. I actually enjoyed the discussion with my examiners, especially once I'd quelled the nerves. We get the opportunity to sit down with a few people who have actually read the thesis from cover to cover, and take an interest in our work - they want our research field to advance, and they want to pass us.

If you find yourself like me, stressed out of your skin, take a deep breath and go for a walk, come back to your prep later. It will be okay, you've got this - you're the expert.

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue

Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

Why no oral exam for phd in Australia?

Oral examination for PhD is common in many countries.

However, most (all?) Australian PhD degrees don't require oral examination. Any particular reason?

• Which kind of oral examination do you have in mind? A comprehensive final examination? The thesis defense? –  Massimo Ortolano Commented Mar 1, 2017 at 16:59
• 3 @MassimoOrtolano from my experience, there is no thesis defense in Australia. So I guess that's what the question is about. And I've always wondered why. –  Emilie Commented Mar 1, 2017 at 20:20
• This is becoming somewhat out of date, my Univeristy has run oral defenses for the last couple of years. –  young_man Commented Jan 14 at 19:21

Background : In Australia, PhD theses are examined by at least two external examiners; they must be more than an arms length away from the student or supervisors; e.g., no previous collaboration or have worked recently at the same university. Critically, they must be internationally recognized experts in the student's subject matter. The examiner reports are then deliberated upon by a committee with members drawn from across the university; this means the award of a degree is not done at the school or faculty level.

The examiners serve as independent auditors of the quality of an Australian PhD thesis. They certify/vouch that an Australian thesis is at an international level. They do this by presenting a report that justifies that a thesis contains 'significant contributions that extend the state-of-the-art'.

To achieve the said claim for an oral exam, Australian universities will need to either hold video conferences or fly examiners in. The former is an admin nightmare; e.g., different time zones, getting all involved people to attend/agree, etc. The latter is too expense. Now imagine doing the former or latter for hundreds of theses every year.

Having said that, at my university, oral defense is an option that can be requested by an examiner. This is only for very exceptional cases and rarely granted.

• 3 A ph.d. from Australia here. The above answer is comprehensive. What I observed while working at many universities in the USA, since my ph.d., the final thesis defense procedure seems to be leaving ways the student can get away with a bad thesis. No need to be peer-reviewed by independent experts in the thesis area, and the thesis committee made of advisor(s) and his/her friends across the university and, rarely, 1-2 friends from outside the university, makes me nervous. Though most thesis coming out of US universities I have seen are still great. –  John Commented Mar 1, 2017 at 21:27
• In most of the well known North American schools an independent authority inside the university evaluates the credentials of external examiners on whether they are eligible for examining a thesis, this includes, ensuring no collaboration with the student and the supervisors for last 10 years. PhD without defense is a highly dubious process where one can pass a PhD even not writing their thesis, because they are not asked critical questions that ensures that it is entirely their work. Therefore, australian PhDs are usually not of same standard of North American PhDs. –  N. F. Commented Mar 4, 2023 at 17:13

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged phd ..

• Featured on Meta
• Bringing clarity to status tag usage on meta sites
• Announcing a change to the data-dump process

Hot Network Questions

• RS485 constant chip failure
• Are all citizens of Saudi Arabia "considered Muslims by the state"?
• Is loss of availability automatically a security incident?
• How to Include Mathematical Expressions like \sqrt{8} Inside \qty Command with siunitx?
• How best to cut (slightly) varying size notches in long piece of trim
• How would humans actually colonize mars?
• Why is there so much salt in cheese?
• In roulette, is the frequency of getting long sequences of reds lower than that of shorter sequences?
• Why am I having problems starting my service in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8?
• Geometry optimization of two or more different interacting molecules
• Convert 8 Bit brainfuck to 1 bit Brainfuck / Boolfuck
• What other marketable uses are there for Starship if Mars colonization falls through?
• Expensive constructors. Should they exist? Should they be replaced?
• Asked to suggest referees 9 months after submission: what to do?
• In what instances are 3-D charts appropriate?
• Nearly stalled on takeoff after just 3 hours training on a PPL. Is this normal?
• Replicating Complex Plot (branch cuts, poles, shading)
• What rules of legal ethics apply to information a lawyer learns during a consultation?
• How do I learn more about rocketry?
• Is it possible to travel to USA with legal cannabis?
• Applying for different jobs finding out it is for the same project between different companies
• Invest smaller lump sum vs investing (larger) monthly amount
• What does "if you ever get up this way" mean?
• Second Derivative for Non standard Calculus

• News and articles
• Find us Find nearest IDP offices IDP Bahrain IDP Bangladesh IDP Cambodia IDP Canada IDP China IDP Egypt IDP Ghana IDP Hong Kong IDP India IDP Indonesia IDP Iran IDP Jordan IDP Kenya IDP Korea IDP Kuwait IDP Lebanon IDP Malaysia IDP Mauritius IDP Middle East IDP Nepal IDP New Zealand IDP Nigeria IDP Oman IDP Pakistan IDP Philippines IDP Saudi Arabia IDP Singapore IDP Sri Lanka IDP Taiwan IDP Thailand IDP Turkey IDP UAE IDP Vietnam IDP Corporate
• English English Simplified Chinese
• Course advice
• Free visa help
• Migration services
• Book appointment online
• Scholarships
• Study to migrate
• Study in Australia
• Migrating to Australia
• Study nursing in Australia
• Study aged care in Australia
• Study cookery in Australia
• Visa and Migration
• Latest visa news
• Student visa extension
• Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
• What is IELTS?
• Why take IELTS with IDP?
• IELTS Preparation
• Book an IELTS test
• Student Essentials
• Student health cover
• Money transfer
• Accommodation
• Student banking
• Guardianship
• Thrive events
• Thrive community
• Find a course
• FastLane courses
• THE University Rankings
• CUG University Rankings
• Find nearest IDP offices
• IDP Bahrain
• IDP Bangladesh
• IDP Cambodia
• IDP Hong Kong
• IDP Indonesia
• IDP Lebanon
• IDP Malaysia
• IDP Mauritius
• IDP Middle East
• IDP New Zealand
• IDP Nigeria
• IDP Pakistan
• IDP Philippines
• IDP Saudi Arabia
• IDP Singapore
• IDP Sri Lanka
• IDP Thailand
• IDP Vietnam
• IDP Corporate
• Language Switcher
• English - US
• Simplified Chinese

• IDP australia /
• How to get your PhD in Aust...
• IDP australia

How to get your PhD in Australia, open up a world of possibilities

With unique PhD opportunities in everything from anthropology to zoology, excellent post-grad study visas and a country full of opportunity, it’s the ideal location for your PhD. Australia’s focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) and environmental issues make it one of the foremost research destinations in the world.

Benefits and job outcomes of studying your PhD in Australia

Your PhD can help you to get employment in Australia, and can be a pathway to permanent residency. Choosing the right area of study can give you specialised, in-demand knowledge that employers and Australia need.

There are a range of occupations on the Australian medium to long term skills shortage list. Studying in these areas strengthens the likelihood of gaining relevant employment after your PhD is complete, and this gives you an advantage for PR.

Australia also offers a generous graduate visa (485) that allows you to stay in the country once your degree is complete. It gives you time to find a job in your field and apply for a permanent visa. Once you’ve found employment, the visa system in Australia is points-based. Higher levels of education and studying within Australia award you more points, strengthening your application.

PhD duration

An Australian PhD, when studying full-time, takes around three years. While some students can study part time and stretch the PhD over six years, international students must study full time as part of their visa conditions.

PhD Structure in Australia

The Australian PhD is usually a pure research qualification. While there may be some taught modules or units, most of the course will be spent working towards your doctoral thesis. Once you have a thesis supervisor and have decided on your topic together, you’ll complete a literature review, then begin your own original research. This requires analysis of source materials, producing experimental results or collective survey data.

PhD assessment and examination process in Australia

You will be required to submit your thesis, which is generally around 80,000 - 100,000 words. There can also be practical components or presentations depending on the topic you have researched.Often, you will be required to submit your thesis defence, or ‘viva voce’. This is when the student orally presents the thesis to a board of assessors, who will ask questions and require that you defend your process and results.Sometimes, due to distance and isolation, viva voce is not required in Australia. Instead, your thesis will be sent to external examiners, who will study it and submit their written report on it. This process may take several months. The outcome of your thesis will be one of the following options:

A pass: Awarded a doctorate without corrections

Pass with minor corrections: Minor amendments noted

Pass with major revisions: Amendments noted in the thesis

Revise and re-examination: Requires the student to re-enrol for up to 12 months. The thesis will be resubmitted after changes are made as outlined by the examiners. Once changes are made and all concerns addressed, the thesis is re-examined in its entirety.

Denial of PhD: Rare

PhD fees in Australia

Fees are high in Australia, but there are often funding and grants available to help subsidise the cost. International students can expect to pay between AU$18,000 and $42,000 a year. However, if your topic has funding attached, such as an in a high-demand STEM topic, the cost could be reduced considerably.

Australian universities may fund scholarships, and these can be accessed through the university itself or you can check out PhD funded projects looking for candidates.

Students are also expected to pay for their cost of living, with the government anticipating the average cost of living requiring AU$21,041 a year.

Admission requirements for a PhD in Australia

In general, the first step for your PhD application is finding a potential supervisor. Universities won’t usually accept applications from international students who have not done this. Find someone in your field who is a lead researcher for an area of research related to your proposed topic. Send them an email, clearly outlining your interests and project idea.

Concisely show the link between your proposed topic, and their research

Outline your area of interest of study and proposed topics

Show awareness for current debates and study within that field

Identify any gaps in current knowledge

Suggest your relevant research hypothesis that can fill one of these gaps

Explain your intended approach to methodology

Discuss implications for your research in the real world.

The university may then indicate they want to interview you online. This is a positive sign and indicates they think there is potential.Once the supervisor has expressed an interest, you can formally apply to their university. Each university has their own requirements, but it’s likely you’ll need:

an existing bachelor’s and master’s degree in an appropriate subject

evidence of your qualifications

your research proposal

a personal statement

professional and/or academic references

evidence of English ability with an IELTS, TOEFL, CAE or PTE test

Start applications at least four months prior to your intended PhD start date.

How can you prepare for an interview?

The most important step in your PhD journey is finding your supervisor and thesis topic. The interview will be a crucial step in this journey. Preparing for this, and putting thought into the following questions, may help you.There is no right or wrong answer to this. Your answer should address your passion, motivation, and also your ability to complete the PhD. This is a big undertaking and the interviewers need to know you have the drive to see this through to a successful completion.Why did you choose this university? Why is it special or unique in its field? Are their certain supervisors or professors who are outstanding in their field? Are your goals aligned with theirs? Prove to the interviewers that you don’t just want a PhD; you want one from this institution.While the interviewers will have read your CV/ Resume, this is your opportunity to ensure they understand your skills, strengths, and qualifications. Have you got examples from your bachelor’s degree or employment experience that makes you an ideal candidate for a PhD at their university?Choose a strength that specifically relates to your PhD; are you a meticulous researcher? Do you love to understand the underlying reasons why things happen? Use some examples of a time this strength has helped you.Be honest and choose a weakness you’re aware of. Talk about some examples, and the steps you are taking to overcome this. Do you procrastinate, so you have to set micro-goals?Completing a PhD is a long, meticulous, often frustrating slog. You’re going to encounter a lot of problems. Provide an answer from your academic journey that shows your resourcefulness, ability to use your initiative, and how you overcame the problem.

Why do you want to do a PhD?

Why are you interested in this program?

What experience makes you a good candidate?

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Tell us about a time you experienced a setback

What PhD topics can you study in Australia?

The most common PhD programs in Australia are health, legal, education, engineering and biology/ biomedical sciences.

Health professions

From doctors to nursing, across a broad spectrum of physical and mental illnesses, PhDs are a valuable addition for those in the medical profession. Topics can include:

Biochemistry

Epidemiology

Environmental health

Pharmacology

Biotechnology

Explore more courses here

Engineering professions

A field that’s in demand world-wide, engineering has scope to specialise in:

Civil engineering

Computer engineering

Electrical engineering

Mechanical engineering

Geological engineering

Petroleum engineering

Explore engineering PHD programs here

Education professions

There are a range of specialties:

Educational administration and policy

Education policy

Early Childhood education

Teacher leadership

Higher education

Explore education and teaching PHD courses here

Legal professions

A common PhD in law is the Juris Doctor (JD), but there is also the opportunity to complete a Doctor of Philosophy in some universities. A JD usually study general topics before choosing an area of interest such as business or public law. A PH.D in law is available after a JD graduates and allows trained lawyers to research a particular area of concern.

Biological and biomedical professions

With a combination of lab research and advanced coursework, PhD programs in offer several areas of specialisation.

Developmental biology

Biochemistry and molecular biology

Cancer biology

Genetics and genomics

Gene therapy

Neurobiology of disease

Contact IDP to find out more

Find out how IDP Education can help you search your dream course in Australia. With years of experience helping PhD candidates find supervisors, apply for universities, and get their student visas, we are uniquely qualified to help you.

• PhD Failure Rate – A Study of 26,076 PhD Candidates
• Doing a PhD

The PhD failure rate in the UK is 19.5%, with 16.2% of students leaving their PhD programme early, and 3.3% of students failing their viva. 80.5% of all students who enrol onto a PhD programme successfully complete it and are awarded a doctorate.

Introduction

One of the biggest concerns for doctoral students is the ongoing fear of failing their PhD.

After all those years of research, the long days in the lab and the endless nights in the library, it’s no surprise to find many agonising over the possibility of it all being for nothing. While this fear will always exist, it would help you to know how likely failure is, and what you can do to increase your chances of success.

Read on to learn how PhDs can be failed, what the true failure rates are based on an analysis of 26,067 PhD candidates from 14 UK universities, and what your options are if you’re unsuccessful in obtaining your PhD.

Ways You Can Fail A PhD

There are essentially two ways in which you can fail a PhD; non-completion or failing your viva (also known as your thesis defence ).

Non-completion

Non-completion is when a student leaves their PhD programme before having sat their viva examination. Since vivas take place at the end of the PhD journey, typically between the 3rd and 4th year for most full-time programmes, most failed PhDs fall within the ‘non-completion’ category because of the long duration it covers.

There are many reasons why a student may decide to leave a programme early, though these can usually be grouped into two categories:

• Motives – The individual may no longer believe undertaking a PhD is for them. This might be because it isn’t what they had imagined, or they’ve decided on an alternative path.
• Extenuating circumstances – The student may face unforeseen problems beyond their control, such as poor health, bereavement or family difficulties, preventing them from completing their research.

In both cases, a good supervisor will always try their best to help the student continue with their studies. In the former case, this may mean considering alternative research questions or, in the latter case, encouraging you to seek academic support from the university through one of their student care policies.

Besides the student deciding to end their programme early, the university can also make this decision. On these occasions, the student’s supervisor may not believe they’ve made enough progress for the time they’ve been on the project. If the problem can’t be corrected, the supervisor may ask the university to remove the student from the programme.

Failing The Viva

Assuming you make it to the end of your programme, there are still two ways you can be unsuccessful.

The first is an unsatisfactory thesis. For whatever reason, your thesis may be deemed not good enough, lacking originality, reliable data, conclusive findings, or be of poor overall quality. In such cases, your examiners may request an extensive rework of your thesis before agreeing to perform your viva examination. Although this will rarely be the case, it is possible that you may exceed the permissible length of programme registration and if you don’t have valid grounds for an extension, you may not have enough time to be able to sit your viva.

The more common scenario, while still being uncommon itself, is that you sit and fail your viva examination. The examiners may decide that your research project is severely flawed, to the point where it can’t possibly be remedied even with major revisions. This could happen for reasons such as basing your study on an incorrect fundamental assumption; this should not happen however if there is a proper supervisory support system in place.

PhD Failure Rate – UK & EU Statistics

According to 2010-11 data published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (now replaced by UK Research and Innovation ), 72.9% of students enrolled in a PhD programme in the UK or EU complete their degree within seven years. Following this, 80.5% of PhD students complete their degree within 25 years.

This means that four out of every five students who register onto a PhD programme successfully complete their doctorate.

While a failure rate of one in five students may seem a little high, most of these are those who exit their programme early as opposed to those who fail at the viva stage.

Failing Doesn’t Happen Often

Although a PhD is an independent project, you will be appointed a supervisor to support you. Each university will have its own system for how your supervisor is to support you , but regardless of this, they will all require regular communication between the two of you. This could be in the form of annual reviews, quarterly interim reviews or regular meetings. The majority of students also have a secondary academic supervisor (and in some cases a thesis committee of supervisors); the role of these can vary from having a hands-on role in regular supervision, to being another useful person to bounce ideas off of.

These frequent check-ins are designed to help you stay on track with your project. For example, if any issues are identified, you and your supervisor can discuss how to rectify them in order to refocus your research. This reduces the likelihood of a problem going undetected for several years, only for it to be unearthed after it’s too late to address.

In addition, the thesis you submit to your examiners will likely be your third or fourth iteration, with your supervisor having critiqued each earlier version. As a result, your thesis will typically only be submitted to the examiners after your supervisor approves it; many UK universities require a formal, signed document to be submitted by the primary academic supervisor at the same time as the student submits the thesis, confirming that he or she has approved the submission.

Failed Viva – Outcomes of 26,076 Students

Despite what you may have heard, the failing PhD rate amongst students who sit their viva is low.

This, combined with ongoing guidance from your supervisor, is because vivas don’t have a strict pass/fail outcome. You can find a detailed breakdown of all viva outcomes in our viva guide, but to summarise – the most common outcome will be for you to revise your thesis in accordance with the comments from your examiners and resubmit it.

This means that as long as the review of your thesis and your viva examination uncovers no significant issues, you’re almost certain to be awarded a provisional pass on the basis you make the necessary corrections to your thesis.

To give you an indication of the viva failure rate, we’ve analysed the outcomes of 26,076 PhD candidates from 14 UK universities who sat a viva between 2006 and 2017.

The analysis shows that of the 26,076 students who sat their viva, 25,063 succeeded; this is just over 96% of the total students as shown in the chart below.

Students Who Passed

The analysis shows that of the 96% of students who passed, approximately 5% required no amendments, 79% required minor amendments and the remaining 16% required major revisions. This supports our earlier discussion on how the most common outcome of a viva is a ‘pass with minor amendments’.

Students Who Failed

Of the 4% of unsuccessful students, approximately 97% were awarded an MPhil (Master of Philosophy), and 3% weren’t awarded a degree.

Note : It should be noted that while the data provides the student’s overall outcome, i.e. whether they passed or failed, they didn’t all provide the students specific outcome, i.e. whether they had to make amendments, or with a failure, whether they were awarded an MPhil. Therefore, while the breakdowns represent the current known data, the exact breakdown may differ.

Summary of Findings

By using our data in combination with the earlier statistic provided by HEFCE, we can gain an overall picture of the PhD journey as summarised in the image below.

To summarise, based on the analysis of 26,076 PhD candidates at 14 universities between 2006 and 2017, the PhD pass rate in the UK is 80.5%. Of the 19.5% of students who fail, 3.3% is attributed to students failing their viva and the remaining 16.2% is attributed to students leaving their programme early.

The above statistics indicate that while 1 in every 5 students fail their PhD, the failure rate for the viva process itself is low. Specifically, only 4% of all students who sit their viva fail; in other words, 96% of the students pass it.

What Are Your Options After an Unsuccessful PhD?

Appeal your outcome.

If you believe you had a valid case, you can try to appeal against your outcome . The appeal process will be different for each university, so ensure you consult the guidelines published by your university before taking any action.

While making an appeal may be an option, it should only be considered if you genuinely believe you have a legitimate case. Most examiners have a lot of experience in assessing PhD candidates and follow strict guidelines when making their decisions. Therefore, your claim for appeal will need to be strong if it is to stand up in front of committee members in the adjudication process.

Downgrade to MPhil

If you are unsuccessful in being awarded a PhD, an MPhil may be awarded instead. For this to happen, your work would need to be considered worthy of an MPhil, as although it is a Master’s degree, it is still an advanced postgraduate research degree.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of stigma around MPhil degrees, with many worrying that it will be seen as a sign of a failed PhD. While not as advanced as a PhD, an MPhil is still an advanced research degree, and being awarded one shows that you’ve successfully carried out an independent research project which is an undertaking to be admired.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

Additional Resources

Hopefully now knowing the overall picture your mind will feel slightly more at ease. Regardless, there are several good practices you can adopt to ensure you’re always in the best possible position. The key of these includes developing a good working relationship with your supervisor, working to a project schedule, having your thesis checked by several other academics aside from your supervisor, and thoroughly preparing for your viva examination.

We’ve developed a number of resources which should help you in the above:

• What to Expect from Your Supervisor – Find out what to look for in a Supervisor, how they will typically support you, and how often you should meet with them.
• How to Write a Research Proposal – Find an outline of how you can go about putting a project plan together.
• What is a PhD Viva? – Learn exactly what a viva is, their purpose and what you can expect on the day. We’ve also provided a full breakdown of all the possible outcomes of a viva and tips to help you prepare for your own.

Data for Statistics

• Cardiff University – 2006/07 to 2016/17
• Imperial College London – 2006/07 to 2016/17
• London School of Economics (LSE) – 2006/07 to 2015/16
• Queen Mary University of London – 2009/10 to 2015/16
• University College London (UCL) – 2006/07 to 2016/17
• University of Aberdeen – 2006/07 to 2016/17
• University of Birmingham – 2006/07 to 2015/16
• University of Bristol – 2006/07 to 2016/17
• University of Edinburgh – 2006/07 to 2016/17
• University of Nottingham – 2006/07 to 2015/16
• University of Oxford – 2007/08 to 2016/17
• University of York – 2009/10 to 2016/17
• University of Manchester – 2008/09 to 2017/18
• University of Sheffield – 2006/07 to 2016/17

Note : The data used for this analysis was obtained from the above universities under the Freedom of Information Act. As per the Act, the information was provided in such a way that no specific individual can be identified from the data.

Browse PhDs Now

Join thousands of students.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

• Current Students
• Faculty & Staff

PhD—Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science

A Holistic View of Nursing Science

The UW School of Nursing Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science (PhD) program faculty are global leaders in nursing science. Students from all over the world create a community of scholars and learn from expert researchers. Our expert nursing scientists provide mentorship tailored to student needs using technology-driven instruction.

The UW PhD program is ideal for students with diverse backgrounds who want to become premier leaders in nursing research.

We maintain a holistic view of nursing science and our faculty’s scholarship represents a broad array of research projects and innovative methodologies. Some examples include:

• Symptom science
• Laboratory sciences
• Health promotion and disease management across the lifespan
• Policy analysis and advancement of cost-effective health care systems
• Health equity
• Innovative methodologies

Hear from #HuskyNurse Sarah McKiddy and her experience with the PhD program.

A Community of Scholars

We welcome applicants with a baccalaureate degree in any field. We encourage post-baccalaureate students, as well as most master’s and DNP students who are ready to begin intensive study of nursing science, to apply.

UW PhD students have a wide range of academic backgrounds, including:

• Public health
• Complementary and alternative medicine
• Healthcare systems and policy
• Music therapy

Our PhD program is highly individualized to create independent thinkers with demonstrated ability to articulate, investigate, and report on original research that substantially contributes to health care knowledge.

The flexible program reflects the enormous scope and impact of the latest nursing research and policymaking. Although the PhD curriculum can be completed in three years of full-time study, individual student program lengths are expected to vary.

Once offered admission as a PhD student, you are matched with a faculty adviser. Your adviser provides guidance and helps answer questions until you select a supervisory committee chair (between years one and three). Your chair then serves in an advisory capacity and as the supervisor for your dissertation.

View the PhD Sample Curriculum Grid PhD Required and Elective Courses

• Optional: Statistics Concentration

The first year of the full-time PhD program and the first two years of part-time focus on required core courses emphasizing nursing philosophy, conceptual frameworks, theory, and research methodologies.

In addition, students complete their statistics sequence and may take selected electives or engage in research or teaching practicum. Students complete the preliminary exam at the end of the first year of full-time study and the end of two years of part-time study.

Students who enter the PhD program with a BSN can earn an MS in Nursing Science during the program following successful completion of the first year of the PhD program and the preliminary examination.

After the first year of full-time study and the first two years of part-time study, courses and other scholarly activities are determined by you and your supervisory committee to comprise your individual program of study. The supervisory chair is a School of Nursing graduate faculty member whose research approach, interest, or research methods align with your proposed dissertation project.

You and your chair complete the supervisory committee by selecting faculty members from the School of Nursing, the UW at large, and other appropriate experts outside the University. This committee approves your program of study and guides you through the general examinations, dissertation research, and final defense.

The Nursing Science Statistics Area of Concentration requires a minimum of 14 credits of advanced statistical methods coursework above and beyond the 10 credits of statistics required for the PhD degree. Of these, two credits are fulfilled by the CSSS Seminar, and a minimum of 12 credits are fulfilled by at least four advanced statistics courses, three of which must come from the list of CSSS courses approved for the concentration.

All courses taken as part of the statistics concentration must be graded.

However, a 500-level course that is graded credit/no credit may be considered for inclusion in your Area of Concentration proposal if:

• In the course, you submit an individual project (i.e., not a group project); and
• Major course assignments are submitted to your Supervisory Committee for review

CSSS seminar: minimum two credits

A minimum of two quarters in CS&SS is required. The most up-to-date course descriptions for statistics course options can be found on the CSSS website .

Approved CSSS advanced statistics course options

The most up-to-date course descriptions for statistics course options can be found on the CSSS website .

Variation in area of concentration coursework

One advanced methodological course in nursing, political science, psychology, public health, sociology, statistics, economics, educational psychology, social welfare, and other related fields may be considered as part of the Nursing Science Statistics Area of Concentration four course requirements if it contributes to the overall coherence of the student’s program of study and is consistent with the student’s research goals.

This course would be in addition to the ten credits of statistics courses required for the PhD in nursing.

Admissions Requirements

• An in-process or earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in any discipline
• A minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0, or a 3.0 GPA for the last  60 semester/90 quarter graded college/university credits
• Meet the  Essential Behaviors for PhD Students
• International applicants   who plan on taking clinical nursing courses  must have an active, unrestricted U.S. RN license  at the time of application
• If your native language is not English,  proof of proficiency in English  (reading, writing, and comprehension)