Guide
Conducting Viva and Oral Exams Online
Methods for running structured viva and oral examinations through online platforms, and what institutions gain by moving voice assessments online.
A viva tests something a written paper cannot: how a candidate reasons and responds in real time. Moving that format online raises questions a purely written exam does not — scheduling across examiners, recording for review, and keeping the format fair when candidates are not in the same room.
What this guide covers
- Structuring a viva or oral exam so it is consistent across examiners and candidates
- Delivering voice-based assessments through an online platform
- Recording and reviewing sessions for moderation or appeals
- Benefits and trade-offs of moving oral exams online rather than running them in person
Who it is for
Faculty and examination departments responsible for conducting viva and oral assessments as part of a course or qualification.
The guide focuses on keeping the oral format's strengths — real-time reasoning and follow-up questioning — intact once the exam moves to an online setting, rather than treating it as a video call bolted onto an existing process.
For: Faculty and examination departments