Reaching the EPQ presentation means you’re at the finish line of your project. As the final assessed component of your Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), the presentation gives you the opportunity to showcase your work, explain the decisions you made along the way, and reflect on what you learned during the process.

Although presenting can feel daunting, the EPQ presentation is not designed to catch students out. In this article, we’ll outline what the EPQ presentation entails, offer tips for structuring your presentation, and provide guidance on how to prepare confidently.

What is the EPQ presentation?

The EPQ presentation typically takes the form of a short 10-minute talk about your project, followed by a 5- to 10-minute question-and-answer (Q&A) session. You will normally present to your EPQ supervisor or centre coordinator, alongside a small group of peers, and your presentation may include visual support such as a PowerPoint, flipchart, or poster.

Rather than summarising your written project, the EPQ presentation focuses on the process behind your final outcome. As your supervisor will already have read your essay or reviewed your artefact, the presentation is your opportunity to explain how you planned and developed your project, the decisions you made along the way, the challenges you faced, and what you learned from the experience.

In some centres, alternative formats may be used instead of a traditional oral presentation. Depending on the exam board and your school or college’s arrangements, this could include a recorded video presentation, an exhibition-style display where students present their work in a shared space, or a presentation shared digitally before a follow-up discussion. The key requirement remains the same: you must communicate your project clearly and take part in a discussion with your supervisor.

How is the EPQ presentation assessed?

The EPQ is marked holistically, meaning your work is judged as a whole rather than as separate, isolated tasks. Assessment is based on four assessment objectives (AOs), which together make up the final EPQ grade.

The EPQ presentation is assessed under AO4: Review (or ‘Review and Communicate’ for students following the WJEC specification). This AO focuses on your ability to evaluate your own learning and performance, and to convey evidenced outcomes and conclusions from your project clearly. Depending on your exam board, AO4 is worth 17-20% of the overall EPQ.

For further information, you can refer to your exam board’s specification:

A student completes their EPQ presentation in front of a class of peers.

During your EPQ presentation and Q&A session, your supervisor may look at several aspects of how you communicate and reflect on your project, including:

  • Clarity of ideas: How clearly you explain your project, outcomes, and conclusions.
  • Structure and organisation: How logically your presentation is structured and how well different sections link together.
  • Pace and delivery: Whether your presentation is well-paced and easy to follow.
  • Use of voice: Whether you speak clearly and confidently, rather than reading directly from slides.
  • Use of visual aids: How effectively slides or other materials support your presentation, without being overcrowded.
  • Engagement with the audience: How clearly you communicate with listeners and hold their attention.
  • Handling questions: How calmly and clearly you respond to questions, and how well your answers demonstrate understanding of your project.

What to include in the EPQ presentation

While every EPQ project is different, strong EPQ presentations tend to cover the same key areas. You may wish to include:

  • An overview of your project topic: Explain what your EPQ was about and what you set out to explore or create. Remember that you’re speaking to an audience of non-specialists. Aim to keep your language clear and accessible, avoiding unnecessary jargon.
  • Your reasons for choosing the topic: Outline why you chose this area of study. This might link to your personal interests, future degree plans, or career aspirations. You could also describe how your research topic or question was refined as the project developed.
  • Your aims and objectives: Clearly state what your project aimed to achieve and the specific objectives you set.
  • Your research and evidence: Describe how you gathered and used information to support your project, and provide an overview of the evidence you found. Reflect on which sources or methods were most useful, how you evaluated their reliability, and how your research informed your final outcome.
  • Your findings or the final product: Explain what your project ultimately produced, including whether your research question was answered or, for an artefact, how you evaluated the finished product.
  • Challenges and limitations: Discuss any difficulties you faced, such as accessing resources, refining your focus, managing time, or interpreting results, and how you addressed them. You should also acknowledge any limitations in your project or findings, and consider how these may have affected your conclusions.
  • What you learned from the project: Reflect on what completing the EPQ taught you, both in terms of subject knowledge and wider skills such as independent research, organisation, or critical thinking. You could also consider what you might do differently if you were to repeat the project, and how the skills you developed may be useful beyond the EPQ or influence your future plans.
A teenage girl thinks about what to include in her EPQ presentation.

What is the EPQ presentation Q&A session?

After your presentation (whether delivered live, recorded, or as part of an exhibition), you will take part in a 5- to 10-minute Q&A session. Many students find this the most daunting part of the EPQ presentation, often because they are unsure what questions might be asked or how they are expected to respond.

The purpose of the Q&A is not to test you on factual knowledge or to catch you out. Instead, it gives your supervisor the opportunity to explore your understanding of the project in more depth and to support their assessment of your reflection, evaluation, and communication skills. It also gives your peers the chance to ask questions or explore aspects of your project they found particularly interesting.

It’s important to remember that there are rarely ‘right’ answers in the Q&A session. If you’re unsure how to respond to a particular question, it’s better to be honest than to guess. Acknowledging that something did not work as planned, or that further research is needed to explore an issue more fully, shows awareness and maturity.

Don’t feel pressured to respond to a question immediately. Taking a moment to think before answering is perfectly acceptable.

Tips for preparing for the EPQ presentation

Creating your EPQ presentation

While formats such as posters, flipcharts, handouts, or short videos can often be used, most students choose to present their EPQ using slides, typically created in PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote, or Prezi. It’s a good idea to check with your supervisor in advance whether they have any preferences or requirements regarding the format you use.

Whichever format you choose, your presentation should support what you are saying rather than compete with it. Avoid overcrowding slides with large blocks of text, as this can be difficult to follow and encourages reading directly from the screen. Focus instead on highlighting key points – often, less is more. Images, diagrams, and charts can often communicate ideas more clearly than text, particularly when explaining data.

Use clear headings and simple layouts to help guide your audience through your EPQ presentation. While bright colours or funky fonts might be tempting, they can make slides harder to read and distract from what you are saying. Choose a clear font and make sure the text is large enough for everyone in the room to read easily.

If you’re delivering your presentation live and feeling nervous, it can also be helpful to prepare a few cue cards with brief prompts or keywords. You may not need to use them, but they can provide reassurance and help you stay on track.

A student makes notes for her EPQ presentation.

Practising your EPQ presentation

One of the most important ways to prepare for your EPQ presentation is to practise, practise, practise!

Practising your presentation out loud builds confidence and allows you to become more comfortable explaining your project in your own words. Try running through your presentation with friends, family members, or peers who are not familiar with your project. If they can follow your explanations, it’s a good sign that your presentation is clear.

It can also be helpful to ask them to come up with a few questions at the end. This will help you prepare for the Q&A session and get used to responding without relying on prepared slides.

Finally, remember to time your practice runs so you can make sure that everything you want to say fits comfortably within the time limit.

Confidence often comes from familiarity. The better you understand your own project and reflections, the more comfortable the presentation will feel.

The EPQ presentation is not about being the most confident speaker in the room or delivering a flawless performance. It’s about showing that you understand your project, can explain the decisions you made, and can reflect meaningfully on what you learned.

Approached in the right way, the EPQ presentation can be a positive and rewarding conclusion to your EPQ.

FAQs

How long is an EPQ presentation?

An EPQ presentation is typically a short 10-minute talk about your project, followed by a 5- to 10-minute question-and-answer session. Exact timings can vary slightly between schools and colleges, so it’s always worth checking with your supervisor or centre coordinator in advance.

How many marks is the EPQ presentation worth?

The EPQ presentation is assessed under AO4: Review, which typically makes up 17-20% of the overall Extended Project Qualification.

Where does the EPQ presentation take place?

The EPQ presentation usually takes place in a classroom or similar space at your school or college. You will normally present to your EPQ supervisor or centre coordinator, alongside a small group of other students completing the EPQ.

When does the EPQ presentation take place?

The EPQ presentation usually takes place after you have submitted your final essay or artefact and completed your production log. The exact timing can vary between centres, so it’s important to check with your supervisor for specific details.

Does an EPQ presentation have to be delivered live?

In many centres, the EPQ presentation is delivered live in front of your supervisor and a small group of peers. However, depending on your exam board and your school or college’s arrangements, alternative formats may be used. These can include recorded video presentations, exhibition-style displays, or digitally shared presentations followed by a discussion. In all cases, you will still be required to take part in a question-and-answer session.

Who do you deliver the EPQ presentation to?

You are required to deliver your EPQ presentation to your supervisor or centre coordinator, as they are responsible for assessing this part of the qualification. In many centres, a small group of peers who are also completing the EPQ may be present, although this is not a formal requirement.

Do you have to do a presentation for the EPQ?

Yes. As part of the Extended Project Qualification, all students are required to complete an EPQ presentation. The presentation and accompanying Q&A form the final assessed component of the qualification and contribute to the overall EPQ grade.

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Molly Wood

Molly is a first-class graduate from the University of St Andrews, where she studied biology. As Senior Project Manager at PMT Education, she oversees SEO, digital content, and media management, and plays a key role in coordinating PMT Courses.

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