How to set the page size of a thesis in Word
What the rule sets in the TypesetOS checker apply for page size. Letter (8.5 × 11 in): MIT Thesis, Stanford Dissertation, UC Berkeley Dissertation, Columbia GSAS Dissertation, Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD Dissertation, University of Michigan Rackham Dissertation, ProQuest / UMI Dissertation Submission, Generic US Graduate School Thesis, APA 7th Edition: Student Paper and Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition.
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What this rule means
Page size is the width and height of the paper. Letter is 8.5 × 11 in and A4 is 8.27 × 11.69 in.
The checker reads the page size stored in each section of your file.
What each rule set asks for
Each row is the rule set the TypesetOS checker applies, taken from the guide linked in its last column. Open the school’s own page for the full list of rules.
| School or style | What the checker applies | How it is handled | Guide it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIT ThesisMIT Thesis format requirements | Letter (8.5 × 11 in) | Checked automaticallyThe TypesetOS formatter normally fixes this. | MIT Libraries: Specifications for Thesis Preparation |
| Stanford DissertationStanford Dissertation format requirements | Letter (8.5 × 11 in) | Checked automaticallyThe TypesetOS formatter normally fixes this. | Stanford Student Services: Format Requirements for Your Dissertation or Thesis |
| UC Berkeley DissertationUC Berkeley Dissertation format requirements | Letter (8.5 × 11 in) | Checked automaticallyThe TypesetOS formatter normally fixes this. | UC Berkeley Graduate Division: Dissertation Writing and Filing |
| Columbia GSAS DissertationColumbia GSAS Dissertation format requirements | Letter (8.5 × 11 in) | Checked automaticallyThe TypesetOS formatter normally fixes this. | Columbia University GSAS: Formatting Guidelines and Dissertation Template |
| Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD DissertationHarvard Griffin GSAS PhD Dissertation format requirements | Letter (8.5 × 11 in) | Checked automaticallyThe TypesetOS formatter normally fixes this. | Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences: Dissertation Formatting Guidance |
| University of Michigan Rackham DissertationUniversity of Michigan Rackham Dissertation format requirements | Letter (8.5 × 11 in) | Checked automaticallyThe TypesetOS formatter normally fixes this. | University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School: Formatting Guidelines |
| ProQuest / UMI Dissertation SubmissionProQuest / UMI Dissertation Submission format requirements | Letter (8.5 × 11 in) | Checked automaticallyThe TypesetOS formatter normally fixes this. | ProQuest: Preparing Your Manuscript for Submission to ProQuest |
| Generic US Graduate School ThesisGeneric US Graduate School Thesis format requirements | Letter (8.5 × 11 in)Working reading: source being re-checked. | Shown for reviewThe TypesetOS formatter normally fixes this. | University of Notre Dame Graduate School: Style Guide for Formatting Dissertations and Theses |
| APA 7th Edition: Student PaperAPA 7th Edition: Student Paper format requirements | Letter (8.5 × 11 in) | Checked automaticallyThe TypesetOS formatter normally fixes this. | Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th Edition: APA Style student paper setup guide |
| Chicago Manual of Style, 17th EditionChicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition format requirements | Letter (8.5 × 11 in)Working reading: source being re-checked. | Shown for reviewThe TypesetOS formatter normally fixes this. | The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed.: CMOS Shop Talk (official CMOS editorial guidance on margins and page numbers for Turabian/Chicago-style papers) |
Generic US Graduate School Thesis and Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition are working readings, because the source for each is being re-checked.
TypesetOS is not affiliated with the schools and organisations named on this page. Compare the values with the current guide that applies to your submission.
Fix it in Word
Word on Windows
- Open the Layout tab and click Size.
- Choose the size from the table. If it is not listed, click More Paper Sizes… and type the width and height.
- Next to Apply to, choose Whole document, then click OK.
Word on Mac
- Open the File menu and click Page Setup….
- In the Paper Size list, choose the size from the table.
- Click OK. If Word asks, apply the change to the Whole document.
- A new page size moves text around. After changing it, look through the file for tables, figures and page breaks that no longer sit where they did.
Microsoft’s own instructions:
Then check the file
Run the free format checker on the saved file to see whether this rule now passes. It names what it checked and what it could not check. It does not decide whether your school will accept the file.
Other fixes in Word
- How to fix thesis margins in Word
- How to fix the body font and size in Word
- How to fix thesis line spacing in Word
- How to fix skipped heading levels in Word
- How to start every chapter on a new page in Word
- How to number tables and figures in Word
- How to fix the reference list layout and hanging indent in Word
- How to put the front pages of a thesis in order in Word
- How to add page numbers to a thesis in Word
- How to fix the position of page numbers in Word
- How to fix Roman and Arabic page number formats in Word
Word steps last reviewed: 2026-10-17.