🎤 Resource · ~10 min read · Updated 7 August 2026 · By Dr. Deepak Malik

How to prepare for a PhD interview

A PhD interview is rarely an exam. Most supervisors already know your academic record — what they actually want to understand is how you think, how you communicate, and whether you'll fit into the research group.

In short: know your own research thoroughly, understand the lab's recent work, prepare thoughtful questions of your own, and be ready to explain your motivation with confidence and honesty.

Know your own research inside out

Expect detailed questions about your thesis, your methods, your experimental design, any unexpected results, its limitations, and how you'd improve it. If it's on your CV, assume you'll be asked about it.

Read the lab's recent papers

Focus on work published in the last 2–3 years. Understand their research questions, methods, key findings, and where the work seems to be heading next.

Prepare for the common questions

Expect variations of:

Tell us about yourself
Why this lab?
Why this project?
What research challenge interests you most?
Describe a difficult experiment
Tell us about a failure and what you learned from it

Prepare questions of your own

Strong questions include:

What would the first six months of the project look like?
How often do students meet with supervisors?
What collaborations does the lab have?
What skills would be most valuable before starting?

Practise explaining your science clearly

Skip the memorised speech. Instead, practise explaining your research naturally, in two or three minutes, to someone outside your immediate field.

Handle the practical details in advance

Test your microphone and camera, check your internet connection, review your own application documents, and keep a copy of your CV within reach during the call.

Remember it's a two-way conversation

You're also evaluating whether this lab is right for you — pay attention to communication style, enthusiasm, mentoring philosophy and overall lab environment as the conversation unfolds.

⚠️ Common mistakes we see every cycle

Not remembering the details of your own thesis
Failing to read the supervisor's recent papers
Giving memorised, generic answers
Having no questions prepared for them
Speaking negatively about a previous supervisor or institution

FAQ

How technical are PhD interviews?▼

It varies — some focus mainly on motivation, others explore your research methods and scientific reasoning in real depth.

Should I prepare a presentation?▼

Only if it's requested. If a presentation is part of the interview, practise explaining your work clearly within the time you're given.

Is it acceptable to admit I don't know an answer?▼

Yes. It's far better to acknowledge uncertainty and explain how you'd approach the problem than to guess or give an incorrect answer.

Want me or one of our mentors in your exact research field to look at this with you, one on one? The first conversation is always free.

Book a Free Discovery Call → Get the Free Handbook →