Enter now! Applications close Friday 26 June 2026.
Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ). The premise is simple but the challenge is real: a three minute video, one slide, and your entire thesis distilled into something a non-specialist audience can follow, enjoy, and remember. AUT runs the competition every year, and it’s one of the highlights of the postgraduate research calendar.
Why enter?
- The prizes are excellent (including cash research awards and plenty of swag)
- You’ll sharpen your research communication skills
- The AUT winner earns a place in the prestigious Asia-Pacific finals
- It’s a genuine CV highlight, especially if you reach the finals
Who can enter?
The competition is open to doctoral candidates (including professional doctorates) who have successfully passed their Confirmation of Candidature by the date of their first presentation. Students whose thesis is under submission are also eligible. Graduates are not eligible.
How does it work?
Entry is by video submission. You’ll record yourself presenting your research (remembering just one slide and three minutes) and submit it for judging. The good news: video quality and editing are not scored. What matters is your ability to communicate your research clearly and engagingly to a non-specialist audience.
If you’d like some inspiration, check out videos from our recent AUT doctoral winners:
- 2025 – Zahraa Ozeer
- 2024 – Ryan Howard
- 2023 – Madeline Hayward
Key dates
- 26 June – entries close
- 3 July, 10–11am – optional drop-in Q&A for competitors (WU524, AUT City Campus)
- 9 July, 10–11am – optional drop-in Q&A for competitors (WU524, AUT City Campus)
- 17 July – video submission and headshot due
- After 31 July – competitors notified whether they’ve progressed to the finals
- 13 August – finalists’ video and headshot due
- 3 September – Finals event at AUT City Campus, with live audience and livestream (part of AUT Wiki Rangahau | Research Week)
- 11 September – AUT winner submits video for Asia-Pacific Competition entry
Ready to enter?
Complete the entry form here. At this stage you’re just signalling your intention to compete – the video comes later, so you have time to prepare.
Full competition details – including rules, judging criteria, and resources – are available on the AUT 3MT competition page.
You may also like to visit Thesislink for our “Tips for producing an engaging 3MT video submission“.
Questions? Get in touch at red@aut.ac.nz.
