Thesis defence in Poland: how the obrona works and how to prepare

What you need before you are admitted to the defence

Before you are admitted to the obrona, several conditions usually have to be met:

1. all the courses and internships in your curriculum have been completed;
2. your promotor (supervisor) has accepted the final version of the thesis;
3. the thesis has passed the JSA (Jednolity System Antyplagiatowy, the national anti-plagiarism system) check and your promotor has assessed the report (see our guide to how the JSA plagiarism check works);
4. the file and metadata have been uploaded to APD (Archiwum Prac Dyplomowych, the thesis archive) or USOS (the university student information system);
5. the promotor and the reviewer (recenzent) have submitted their reviews and grades;
6. the required documents have been submitted to the dean’s office (as your faculty requires).

The defence date is usually set by the dean’s office or your promotor. You are often notified via USOS or by email.

Who sits on the defence committee

At most universities, the examination committee (komisja egzaminacyjna) has at least three members:

At some faculties, other academics may also sit on the committee. Its membership is decided by the dean in line with the university’s rules.

How the egzamin dyplomowy works

The egzamin dyplomowy (final diploma examination) typically runs like this:

1. Opening. The chair checks your identity and opens the exam.
2. Presenting the thesis. You briefly outline the topic, aim, method and results — usually for a few minutes. At many faculties you do this with slides.
3. Questions about the thesis. The promotor and the reviewer ask questions about your topic and their reviews.
4. Questions on your field. Many universities also ask questions from a list covering the curriculum (pytania kierunkowe or zagadnienia na egzamin dyplomowy). The list is often published in advance.
5. Committee deliberation. You leave the room while the committee discusses your performance and agrees on the grades.
6. Announcement of the result. You are invited back in and told the result.

The final grade on your diploma usually takes into account your average grade over the course of your studies, the thesis grade and the exam grade. Each university sets its own formula — look it up in the regulations.

Some universities allow the defence to be held remotely. Check with the dean’s office whether this option is available to you.

The defence presentation: slides and structure

If your department requires a presentation, keep it short and clear. A sample structure (the number of slides depends on your time limit):

• title slide: topic, your name, promotor;
• aim and research question;
• research method and material;
• two or three slides with the key results;
• conclusions;
• (optional) limitations and directions for further research.

A few practical rules:

• keep text on the slides to a minimum and speak to the main points rather than read them out;
• use a large font and contrasting colours;
• use charts rather than tables where the data allows;
• keep to time: rehearse out loud with a timer.

If you would like slides built from your thesis, see our thesis defence presentation service.

Before the defence, it helps to run through your presentation once in front of someone who does not know your topic. If after a few minutes they understand what you studied and what you found, the presentation is ready. If not, simplify the wording and cut unnecessary detail.

Common thesis defence questions

Nobody knows the exact questions in advance, but some come up often:

• Why did you choose this topic?
• What is the aim of the thesis, and did you achieve it?
• Why did you choose this particular research method?
• What are the main conclusions of your thesis?
• What are the limitations of your research?
• What could have been done differently or investigated further?
• How would you respond to the reviewer’s comment about…?
• Explain concept X, which you use in your thesis.

If a question is unclear, it is fine to ask for it to be repeated or clarified. It is better to think for a moment than to answer at random.

How to answer the committee’s questions

The committee assesses not only whether your answers are correct but also whether you understand your own thesis. A few principles will help you answer calmly:

• Start with a short answer. One or two sentences that get to the point, followed by an explanation or an example from your thesis if needed.
• Refer to your thesis. “In Chapter 3, I show that…” is more convincing than general reasoning.
• Acknowledge limitations. If the reviewer pointed out a weakness, calmly accept what is fair and explain why you chose your approach.
• Do not make things up. If you do not know the answer, it is better to say honestly that the question goes beyond the scope of your research and suggest how it could be investigated.
• Speak slowly. Especially if the exam is not in your first language: pausing to think is acceptable.

If the committee asks questions from the list for your field, structure your answer: definition, main elements, example. This approach works for most theoretical questions.

How to prepare for the obrona: a timeline

A month before the defence

• Find the defence regulations and the list of questions for your field, if there is one.
• Read the reviews from your promotor and the reviewer, and prepare a short response to each comment.
• Start revising the questions for your field — a few every day.

Two weeks before

• Prepare your presentation and what you are going to say.
• Reread your whole thesis, especially the introduction, methodology and conclusions.
• Write down the key concepts and definitions you use.

A few days before

• Hold a mock defence: give your presentation to someone who will ask you questions.
• Check the technical details: file format, USB stick, or access to the platform if the defence is online.
• Get formal clothes and any necessary documents ready.

If Polish is not your first language, practising your answers out loud is especially useful: you will get used to the terminology and the pace. We offer thesis defence preparation with mock questions in Polish and feedback on your answers, and egzamin dyplomowy preparation based on your department’s question list.

After the defence

Once the result has been announced, a few formalities usually remain. The university prepares your diploma, and this takes some time — the timeframe is set by the university’s rules. Until you receive it, you can ask for a certificate of completion (zaświadczenie o ukończeniu studiów) if you need one for a job or further study.

If the defence does not go well, the study regulations usually provide for a resit. Check the conditions and deadlines with the dean’s office straight away so that you have time to prepare.

Also check whether you need to submit a clearance form or return your student ID card or library books; this procedure varies from one university to another.