FAQs: Dissertation & Thesis

The most common mistake students make is related to the formatting of the preliminary pages. It is important to remove both the copyright page “ii” and signature page “iii” in the electronic dissertation or thesis before uploading and final submission.

Following the title page (which is not physically numbered but counts as “i”), page numbering should start with “iv” at the Abstract (or a blank page with "iv", if your document is formatted for double-sided printing and you want the Abstract to start on a right-hand page). The Stanford Libraries will automatically insert both the copyright page (ii) and signature page (iii) into your electronic copy of the dissertation or thesis.

The Dissertation & Thesis Center is located online in Axess. You must first apply to graduate and enroll before you can access the Dissertation & Thesis Center, which opens to submissions on the first day of instruction each quarter. However, at any time, you may preview the Axess submission process through a step-by-step guide. 

Once you finish submitting your dissertation or thesis in Axess, and it has been approved by the university, the submission is considered final and no further changes are permitted.

Before the Registrar's Office can begin processing your submission, the designated Final Reader must first electronically certify that they have reviewed the final draft. Note: Upon submission, an email is automatically sent to the Final Reader informing them that they have a dissertation ready for review in Axess. 

Once they have finished the review, it takes up to a week for the Registrar's Office to complete the processing of your dissertation or thesis. You can also track the status in the Dissertation & Thesis Center in Axess, which will indicate when your Final Reader and the Registrar's Office has approved the submission.  

Please refer to this step-by-step explanation of the Dissertation & Thesis Center in Axess, which outlines the submission process and includes screenshots.

After your dissertation or thesis is approved by your Final Reader and the Registrar (the final two steps in the submission process), all files and information are handed off to Stanford Libraries. Stanford Libraries staff catalog and ensure preservation of your dissertation or thesis in the Stanford Digital Repository, where it is made available via a Persistent URL according to the embargo and copyright terms you have selected.  

You may submit your dissertation or thesis either double-sided or single-sided; it is your choice. If you choose double-sided and prefer that each section starts on a right-hand page, be sure to pay close attention to the pagination and insert blank, numbered pages as appropriate. See this webpage for specific Format Requirements.

The abstract field that you enter online during submission has a limit of 9,999 characters. The library uses this abstract field for cataloging purposes. Note: There is no maximum abstract length in the dissertation itself.

Once you complete the five pre-submission criteria listed in the Dissertation & Thesis Center, you will then be able to click on your "Proceed with Dissertation" link. This page is where you will actually upload your dissertation, abstract, and additional information. It is at this point that you will have an opportunity to place an embargo on your dissertation. 

Students have the option to delay the release by 6 months, 1 year, or 2 years. View more about embargo options on the Submit Your Dissertation or Thesis webpage.

Yes, the same margins would apply on the title page within your dissertation. On the binding edge, margins should be 1.5 inches, and 1 inch on all other sides. See this webpage for specific Format Requirements.

You will not be able to submit your dissertation or thesis until the first day of the quarter for which you have applied to graduate.

If you get this error, resave your file using Adobe Pro and upload again. Doing so will re-write your file as a valid PDF. If you do not have Adobe Pro, you can easily get access at the Lathrop Learning Hub, or email edissertations@lists.stanford.edu for further assistance.

It is your choice whether to use Microsoft Word or LaTeX when creating your dissertation. All electronic dissertation submissions must be submitted in their final format as a PDF document.

For students interested in a Stanford dissertation Latex template, please refer to the the Latex style file suthesis-2e.sty.  The information is unofficial, and you should always double check against the current format guidelines.  

No. These documents are never available to library users. Permission letters are preserved as administrative documentation and are not made available online.

If copyrighted material belonging to others is used in your dissertation or thesis, or is part of your supplementary materials, you must give full credit to the author and publisher of the work in all cases, and obtain permission from the copyright owner for reuse of the material unless you have determined that your use of the work is clearly fair use under US copyright law (17 USC §107). 

For additional information on fair use, see

Stanford Libraries' Copyright & Fair Use page, and the Libraries' Copyright Considerations resource.

The file limit is 20 permissions documents (in PDF format). If there are more, it is advised that you combine all permissions letters into a single PDF file for upload.

No. You must complete the 5 required steps in the Dissertation & Thesis Center in Axess before you can upload your dissertation electronically. These 5 required steps are:

1. Apply to Graduate online through Axess by the appropriate deadline.
2. Confirm the names of all reading committee members in Axess, and designate a Final Reader.
3. Submit signature page documents through the Student eForms portal in Axess.
4. Confirm your candidacy is valid through your degree conferral date.
5. Confirm completion of all required university Milestones.
6. Complete the Copyright and Publication Review

Do not include a copyright page ii and signature page iii in the PDF you upload in Axess. A copyright page and augmented signature page that is unique to your dissertation or thesis record will be automatically included after you have submitted in Axess. These automatically inserted pages will be numbered pages ii and iii. 

If you inadvertently include a page ii and iii in your dissertation or thesis, you will end up with duplicates, which is the most common formatting error.

There are no exceptions to the posted dissertation and thesis deadlines. If you are unable to make the posted dissertation/thesis deadline, you may submit the following quarter, as early as the first day of instruction.

You would need to reapply to graduate in Axess (for the following quarter) and maintain an enrollment status. Please check with your department Student Services Officer, who could further assist in this regard, if necessary.

For your dissertation or thesis, you may use a preferred name, such as on the title page, with the caveat that your primary or legal name appears in the dissertation or thesis copyright page and in the Stanford Libraries’ catalog record detail.

If you designate an embargo period (of 6 months or 1 year) during the initial submission and later wish to either extend their original embargo setting (to 1 year or 2 years from the time of submission), you should submit a Service Support Request to the Office of the University Registrar no later than four weeks before their original embargo selection expires.