Thesis Template: Université de Montréal (UdeM)

Submitting a thesis or dissertation at Université de Montréal requires precise formatting that complies with the guidelines of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (FESP). A submission rejected for formatting reasons can delay your graduation by several weeks. This guide gathers everything you need: official standards, downloadable templates and practical tips.

Official formatting requirements (FESP, March 2025)

ParameterRequirement
Paper sizeNorth American letter (21.6 × 27.9 cm)
MarginsMin. 2.5 cm on all sides; 3.5 cm on the binding side recommended
FontTimes New Roman 12 pt (body text)
Line spacing1.5 or double
Front matter numberingLowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii…)
Body numberingArabic numerals (1, 2, 3…) starting from the introduction
Dissertation summary (master’s)≤ 150 words
Dissertation summary (doctoral)≤ 350 words
Submission formatPDF only, via Papyrus

Generative AI use declaration (new, March 2025)

Since March 2025, if you used generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Copilot, etc.) in preparing your thesis or dissertation, you must state it explicitly in a specific declaration at the start of the document. Check the FESP Guide for the exact format of this declaration.

Accepted formats: monograph or article-based

UdeM accepts two structures:

  • Monograph format: traditional structure with thematic chapters.
  • Article-based format: the central chapters are published or submitted articles. Each article must be preceded by an introduction and followed by an integrating conclusion.

Both formats must follow the same formatting standards.

Available templates

Word

The Word template (.dotx) is available through the UdeM Libraries Toolbox:

LaTeX

Two LaTeX templates are provided by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics:

The templates are not mandatory, but they are strongly recommended to avoid formatting errors.

Required document structure

Here is the standard order of sections for a thesis or dissertation at UdeM:

  1. Title page
  2. Committee identification
  3. Summary (French) + keywords
  4. Abstract (English) + keywords
  5. Table of contents
  6. List of tables (if applicable)
  7. List of figures (if applicable)
  8. List of acronyms and abbreviations (if applicable)
  9. Acknowledgements (optional)
  10. Foreword (optional, or AI declaration if needed)
  11. Introduction
  12. Chapters (numbered)
  13. General conclusion
  14. Bibliographic references
  15. Appendices (if applicable)

Citations and references

UdeM does not impose a single bibliographic style. The following styles are accepted:

  • APA (social sciences and humanities)
  • Vancouver (health sciences)
  • Chicago (history, certain humanities fields)
  • MLA (literature)

Make sure you are consistent throughout the document and that you follow your research supervisor’s recommendations.

Official resources

The most common formatting mistakes at UdeM

  1. Table of contents that does not match the actual headings: page numbers must be updated before submission.
  2. Insufficient margins: especially on the binding side (left on single-sided, inner on double-sided).
  3. Summary too long: 150 words maximum for a master’s, 350 for a doctoral dissertation.
  4. Missing AI declaration: mandatory since March 2025 if you used a generative AI tool.
  5. Inconsistent styles: using the Word template avoids most style problems.

Format your UdeM thesis in a few clicks with Uniformat

Uniformat automatically generates a Word or LaTeX document compliant with the UdeM FESP standards. You import your content, you select your university, and Uniformat applies the right styles, margins, numbering and structures.

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Sources: FESP guide to the presentation of theses and dissertations (March 2025), UdeM Libraries. Last updated: March 2026.