UCLA Thesis & Dissertation Formatting Guide
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)
Professional UCLA Thesis Editing
Our editors know UCLA Graduate Division requirements inside out. We format to UCLA specs, check every margin, and prepare your thesis for a smooth filing.