If you have a disability or specific condition, you’re entitled to request adaptations for your viva. When communicating your needs, quote relevant legislation and guidance. For example, “As stated in the Equality Act 2010, the following adaptations will help ensure my viva is conducted fairly.” This reminds your institution of their obligations and carries more weight than an informal request.

In-Person Vivas

When making arrangements, be explicit about your requirements. Don’t leave anything to chance — confirm details in writing when you submit your thesis, and again when you’re notified of your viva date.

Physical Disabilities

Depending on your needs, you might need to address the following:

Environment

  • Adequate lighting (important for lip-reading and reading facial expressions).
  • Step-free access to the room, including a wide enough door.
  • Access to a power socket for assistive devices.
  • Sufficient space for a wheelchair, scribe, interpreter, or guide dog.
  • A backup location in case of lift failure on the day.

Examiners

  • Willingness to repeat questions.
  • Ensuring only one person speaks at a time.
  • Using clear language without relying on non-verbal cues.

Much of this might appear obvious, but it won’t necessarily have occurred to examiners with no experience of accessibility needs.

Neurodivergence

The following guidance focuses on Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and A(D)HD, though much of it applies across neurotypes. Your individual needs will vary, but common adaptations include:

Environment

  • A quiet space with minimal distractions.
  • A familiar room, or the option to view it in advance.
  • A separate quiet area for waiting beforehand.

Format

  • Scheduled breaks for decompression.
  • A brief explanation of the format at the start of the viva.
  • Extra time to process and write down questions if verbal processing is difficult.

Examiners

  • Additional time for answering questions.
  • Shorter, clearly structured questions to help with organising responses.
  • Awareness that answers may be detailed or non-linear.
  • Recognition that anxiety may be higher than examiners might expect.

A note on eye contact

Some autistic people find sustained eye contact overwhelming. If this applies to you, try to make brief eye contact during the introductions, then feel free to look at your notes or adopt a thinking pose. Establishing that initial rapport matters. Appearing disengaged at the outset can set an awkward tone, even when there’s a good reason for it.

Mental health issues

If you’re experiencing mental health challenges, factor this into your examiner preferences. For candidates with anxiety in particular, an examiner’s manner may matter more than their academic profile.

You can’t control the questions you’re asked or the tone in which they’re delivered, but you can prepare strategies for managing the pressure — whether that’s breathing techniques, a pre-viva routine, or simply knowing how you’ll handle an aggressive question. This actions can make a significant difference to how you feel on the day.

Disclosing a Condition

Requesting adaptations requires you to disclose your condition. Your institution is most likely to respond appropriately if you can cite a condition covered by the Equality Act 2010.

Examiners may be unfamiliar with your specific needs, so be prepared to communicate clearly what’s required. You’re the expert in your own condition. If this feels daunting, consider asking a supervisor or disability advocate at your institution to liaise on your behalf.

If you’re not confident your institution can make the necessary adaptations for an in-person viva, an online viva may be worth considering.

Online Vivas

Much of the guidance above applies equally to online vivas. A few additional points:

  • If you rely on lip-reading or facial expressions, ask examiners in advance to position their webcams so their face is clearly visible — and be prepared to remind them at the start.
  • If you’re using assistive technology that affects the speed or format of your responses, explain this at the beginning of the viva.
  • Platforms such as MS Teams and Zoom offer live transcription. Check in advance that this feature is enabled and test anything you’re relying on before the viva begins.

Top Tips

  • Give plenty of notice — communicate your needs when you submit your thesis, and again when confirming the viva date.
  • Be explicit — don’t just name your condition, specify exactly what adaptations are required and why.
  • Double-check — where possible, verify arrangements yourself or ask a trusted colleague.
  • Advocate for yourself — if your needs aren’t met, it’s rarely malicious, but you may need to push. A supervisor or disability advocate can help if self-advocacy feels difficult.

Conclusion

Adaptations are there to ensure you can demonstrate your knowledge on equal terms — they’re not about changing the nature of the viva itself. No institution will share the questions in advance or alter the fundamental format; think of it like any other exam, where you can request extra time but not a different paper.

What you can do is make sure the conditions are as fair as possible. Be explicit about your needs, confirm arrangements in writing, and don’t assume anything has been taken care of unless you’ve checked.

Best of luck with your viva.