Three Minute Thesis

About Three Minute Thesis

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• What is Three Minute Thesis?

  The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) celebrates the exciting research conducted by Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Professional Doctorate (Research) candidates. It is an international academic competition developed by the University of Queensland to cultivate students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills.

  3MT is a great way to showcase your research project to a whole new audience and engage with fellow researchers in the university and wider community. It supports you in developing your capacity to effectively explain your research in a language appropriate for an intelligent but non-specialist audience.

  There are cash prizes for the winners of the UTS 3MT Finals and the opportunity to represent UTS at the 2026 Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition.

• Prizes

  The following prizes are available for the winners of the UTS 3MT competition.

  First prize: $3000 plus entry into the 2026 Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition

  Runner-up: $1000

  People’s Choice: $1000

   

  The following additional prizes will be awarded at the 2026 Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT competition.

  First prize: $5000 research grant

  Runner-up: $2000 research grant

  People’s Choice: $1000 research grant

• Eligibility, progression and wildcard

  Eligibility

  Active PhD and Professional Doctorate (Research) candidates who have successfully passed their confirmation milestone (or equivalent progress review) by the date of their first presentation are eligible to participate in the 3MT competition. Active means currently enrolled and not on an approved interruption. Candidates whose thesis is under submission are considered active and are eligible to participate. Graduates are not eligible.

  Candidates who meet these requirements are eligible to progress through all stages of the competition, including the Asia-Pacific 3MT competition.

  Please note: Active MPhil and pre-confirmation PhD candidates may participate in the UQ 3MT competition up to and including Faculty or Combined Institute Finals; however, they are not eligible to progress to the UQ 3MT Final or beyond.

  Progression

  To take part in the UQ 3MT competition, candidates will first compete in a centrally coordinated, in-person Faculty-aligned heat. Top-performing candidates from each heat will progress to their Faculty or Combined Institute Final. Progression will be determined based on ranking within each heat, with approximately the top 15% advancing.

  Candidates who progress beyond the Faculty or Combined Institutes Final are expected to represent their Faculty or Institute at the next stage of the competition. Faculty or Combined Institutes winners will advance to the UQ 3MT Final, with runners-up progressing to the UQ 3MT Wildcard Competition. If a selected finalist is unable to attend the UQ 3MT Final, the runner-up will be invited to take their place.

  Wildcard Competition

  The Wildcard Competition is an optional level, where the runner-up from each Faculty/Combined Institutes Final is given the chance to compete for a place in the University 3MT final.

• Competition rules

  Live competition rules

  • Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
  • Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).
  • Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
  • A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations or movement) and is to be presented from the beginning of the oration.
  • No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.
  • No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
  • The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

  Please note: Judging will focus on the presentation and the ability to communicate research to a non-specialist audience.

  Virtual competition rules

  • Presentations are limited to 3 minutes and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
  • Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through speech (timing does not include the 3MT title slide and commences from when the competitor starts speaking, not the start of the video).
  • Videos must meet the following criteria:
    • Filmed on the horizontal;
    • Filmed on a plain background;
    • Filmed from a static position;
    • Filmed from one camera angle;
    • Contain a 3MT title slide;
    • Contain a 3MT PowerPoint slide (top right corner/right side/cut to)
  • A single static slide is permitted in the presentation (no slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any description). This can be visible continuously, or ‘cut to’ (as many times as you like) for a maximum of 1 minute or submitted via email if not included in the presentation.
  • The 3 minute audio must be continuous – no sound edits or breaks.
  • No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment and animated backgrounds) are permitted within the recording.
  • Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).
  • No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted within the video recording.
  • The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.
  • Submissions via video format (only video link provided to Event Coordinators). Files sent in other formats will not be accepted.
  • Entries submitted for final adjudication to Wildcard or University Final are to be submitted from the School/ Faculty/Institute 3MT Event Coordinator. Competitors should not submit their videos directly to 3MT.

  Please note:

  • Competitors will not be judged on video/recording quality or editing capabilities; these are optional inclusions. Judging will focus on the presentation, ability to communicate research to a non-specialist audience, and 3MT PowerPoint slide.
  • After each competition round, competitors have the option to either submit their current presentation or rerecord and submit a new presentation for entry into the next round.

• Judging criteria

  Comprehension and content

  • Presentation provided clear background and significance to the research question.
  • Presentation clearly described the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research.
  • Presentation clearly described the conclusions, outcomes and impact of the research.

  Engagement and communication

  • The oration was delivered clearly, and the language was appropriate for a non-specialist audience.
  • The PowerPoint slide was well-defined and enhanced the presentation.
  • The presenter conveyed enthusiasm for their research and captured and maintained the audience’s attention.

• Resources

  Below are some resources to help you with your presentation. Please check the official Three Minute Thesis website for more information.

  • 3MT competitor guide: Helpful tips for drafting your presentation, creating your slide, and presenting your research.
  • 3MT video recording competitor guide: Additional tips for recording and submitting a video presentation.
  • Video submission examples: See entries from past Asia-Pacific Competition Finalists.