UCLA's Graduate Division has strict formatting and filing requirements. Your thesis must pass the format review before you can file. This guide covers the essential requirements.
UCLA Thesis Format Specifications
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Font | 12-pt Times New Roman, Arial, or similar |
| Margins | 1.5 inch left; 1 inch top, right, bottom |
| Spacing | Double-spaced (except footnotes, block quotes, captions) |
| Page numbers | Bottom center or top right; preliminary pages: lowercase Roman |
| Paper quality | 8.5 × 11 inches, white, unpunched |
UCLA Filing Deadlines
| Quarter | Filing Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | December 11, 2026 |
| Winter 2027 | March 19, 2027 |
| Spring 2027 | June 11, 2027 |
| Summer 2027 | September 10, 2027 |
UCLA Title Page Requirements
- Title in ALL CAPS
- "A dissertation [or thesis] submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree [your degree]"
- "in [your field]" and "by [your name]"
- Year of filing only (not month)
- Committee chair name and all committee members listed
UCLA Common Citation Styles
- Arts & Humanities: MLA or Chicago
- Social Sciences: APA 7th Edition
- Sciences: CSE or discipline-specific
- Engineering: IEEE
LaTeX Template
UCLA provides an official LaTeX template through the Graduate Division website. Overleaf users can find the UCLA thesis template in the Overleaf gallery.
Filing Checklist
- Format review appointment scheduled (required — do this 2 weeks before deadline)
- Title page matches UCLA template
- 1.5 inch left margin throughout
- All committee members listed correctly
- Abstract on separate page
- Table of contents accurate
- Preliminary pages: lowercase Roman numerals
- Body pages: Arabic numerals starting at 1
- Survey approval letter included (if applicable)
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Sources & Accuracy
This guide summarizes formatting requirements as understood from the official graduate school page linked below. Universities revise their requirements (and sometimes their deadlines) between academic years — always confirm current specifics directly with your department or the Graduate School before submitting, since this page cannot guarantee it reflects the latest revision.
Primary source: UCLA Graduate Division — Thesis & Dissertation Filing Requirements
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