Checklist · Graduate Education Thesis Office

Georgia Tech thesis format checklist

The formatting rules from Georgia Institute of Technology's official thesis and dissertation guide, condensed into a list you can tick off before your format review.

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Margins

Right 1 inch, bottom 1 inch, left 1.5 inch (master's: 1 inch left allowed if it will never be bound).

Top: either 1 inch on all pages, or major headings start 2 inches from the top — pick one and be consistent.

Font and size

One font preferred throughout. Recommended: Arial 11, Courier 11–12, Century Gothic 11–12, Geneva 11, Helvetica 11–12, Times/Times New Roman 12 pt.

No special symbol fonts in the title.

Line spacing

Generally double-spaced; 1.5 allowed only if lines are at least 5/16 inch apart (e.g., Arial 11 must be double-spaced).

Footnotes, references (double space between entries), quotations and captions single-spaced; two blank lines around tables and figures.

Page numbers

Centered at the bottom within the 1-inch margin, no less than 1/2 inch from the edge.

Title and approval pages count as i and ii but show no number; first visible Roman numeral is usually iii on the acknowledgments.

Roman numerals run through the summary; Arabic starts at 1 on chapter 1 and continues through appendices, references and vita.

Front matter order

Title page

Approval page

Epigraph (optional)

Dedication (optional)

Preface (optional)

Acknowledgments

Table of contents

List of tables

List of figures

List of symbols or abbreviations

Summary

Figures and tables

Every table and figure gets an Arabic number and a caption.

Table number and caption ABOVE the table; figure number and caption BELOW the figure.

Captions must match the list of tables/figures.

References

References come in the end pages after any appendices (vita optional, Ph.D. only, last).

Citation style: Not stated in official guide in the sections reviewed — follow your department.

Submission

Email a PDF to the Thesis Office for a format check; only final copies go to the Georgia Tech ETD site.

Supporting forms via DocuSign; works go to SMARTech and are shared with ProQuest.

Deadlines

Fall 2026: initial format check Dec 4, 2026; thesis and required forms due Dec 11, 2026 at noon.

Spring 2027: format check Apr 23; due Apr 30, 2027 at noon.

Summer 2027: format check Jul 23; due Jul 30, 2027 at noon.

Check your department, which may set earlier dates.

Items the official pages we read did not state: References. Ask your thesis office or check your department.

Official sources

• Thesis and Dissertation Manual (PDF, April 2026) — checked October 22, 2026
• Thesis Deadlines — checked October 22, 2026