Formatting your University of Glasgow Thesis? This template sets the required structure, margins, and citations from page one—so you pass the formatting check the first time.
4.2
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 25 July, 2026
A University of Glasgow Thesis thesis/dissertation is most often sent back for formatting, not content: margins, front-matter order, and page numbering. The graduate school formatting office checks these before anything else. This template sets the correct structure from the first draft, following the University of Glasgow Thesis formatting guidance.
It is a formatting shell for a University of Glasgow Thesis thesis/dissertation, built to the official rules. It covers the title page, approval/signature page, abstract, table of contents, chapters, references, and appendices, with a consistent citation style. Confirm the current requirements in the official guidelines before you begin. See also the e-theses guidance.
Set up the front matter and chapters in the required order, apply the correct margins and spacing from the manual, and use the prescribed citation style throughout. Keep figures and tables captioned and numbered as specified.
The signature failure mode is margin, front-matter order, and page-numbering rules. Second is inconsistent citations. Third is missing or out-of-order front matter. Fix all three against the official guidelines before submitting.
The shell mirrors what the graduate school formatting office checks first: structure order, margins, and citation consistency. Use the University of Glasgow Thesis formatting guidance as the source of truth.
| Element | University of Glasgow Thesis requirement |
|---|---|
| Figures/tables | Captioned and numbered per manual |
| References | Citations in the text should be linked to the list of references, preferably following the Vancouver system or the Harvard system. References should be given in full. Journal names may be abbreviated using the recognised abbreviation for each. Students should take advice from their supervisor on what system is best to use for their particular discipline. |
| Peer review | University of Glasgow theses do not undergo traditional peer review. Instead, theses are examined by a Committee of Examiners consisting of a Convener, Internal Examiner, and External Examiner. PhD and EngD candidates are required to present themselves for oral examination (viva voce) on the subject matter of the thesis. For MSc by Research, an oral examination is at the discretion of the examiners. Examiners provide independent pre-oral reports and a joint post-oral report with recommendations. |
| Submission | https://transfer.gla.ac.uk/ |
| Structure | Title page, front matter, chapters, references, appendices |
| Margins/format | Per the official manual |
| Front matter | In the prescribed order |
| Citations | Per the official guidelines |
| Source of truth | gla.ac.uk |
Read the official manual before drafting and before submission. Set margins and front-matter order first. Apply the citation style from the first reference. Compare against a recently accepted University of Glasgow Thesis thesis/dissertation in your department.
Keep numbering and captions consistent. Verify every required page is present and in order. Do a dedicated formatting pass against the official guidelines before submission.
Do one focused pass for margins, front-matter order, and page numbering. Then confirm citation style and that all required pages/sections are present, following the University of Glasgow Thesis formatting guidance.