APA 7 vs Your University Template: What to Trust When They Conflict

One of the most confusing moments in dissertation formatting is discovering that APA 7 says one thing and your university template says another. Here is exactly what to trust, what to prioritize, and how to navigate the conflict without derailing your submission timeline.

You have spent weeks formatting your dissertation according to APA 7th edition. You have the heading levels right, the margins set, the reference list formatted correctly. Then you download your university's dissertation template and realize something is different. The margins do not match. The heading format looks different. The title page looks nothing like what APA describes.

This moment of confusion stops more doctoral students in their tracks than almost any other formatting challenge. Which one do you follow? What happens if you follow the wrong one? Will your committee reject your dissertation if it does not match the template exactly?

This guide answers those questions directly and clearly — so you can make confident formatting decisions and get your dissertation submitted without second-guessing every page.

The Fundamental Rule That Resolves Every Conflict

Before covering specific conflict scenarios there is one rule that resolves almost every APA versus university template conflict:

Your institution's graduate school guidelines always take priority over APA 7.

This is not a matter of preference or opinion. It is the position of APA itself. The seventh edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association explicitly states that for dissertations and theses students should follow their institution's requirements when they differ from APA guidelines.

This means that when your university template says something different from APA 7 you follow your university template — every time, without exception.

Understanding why this is the rule makes it easier to apply confidently. APA style was designed primarily for manuscripts submitted to academic journals for publication. A dissertation is not a journal manuscript. It is an institutional document that must meet the specific requirements of your university's graduate school. Those requirements exist for legitimate reasons — binding specifications, archival standards, institutional consistency — and they take precedence over a general style manual's recommendations.

Why Do Conflicts Exist in the First Place?

Understanding why APA and university templates sometimes conflict helps you navigate those conflicts more confidently.

Reason 1 — University templates may be based on an older APA edition:

The seventh edition of APA was published in 2019 and introduced significant changes from the sixth edition. Many university dissertation templates were developed using sixth edition guidelines and have not been fully updated. This means your template may reflect sixth edition rules — such as including publisher location in book references or requiring a running head — that are no longer required in the seventh edition.

In this case the conflict is not really between APA 7 and your institution — it is between your institution's outdated template and current APA guidelines. The safest approach is to contact your graduate school and ask which edition they require. If they confirm APA 7 then follow APA 7 where the template appears to conflict due to outdated guidance.

Reason 2 — Universities add institutional requirements on top of APA:

Many universities use APA as their citation style but add their own institutional formatting requirements for elements that APA does not specifically address. Title page layout, binding margins, front matter order, and header and footer positioning are elements that APA provides only general guidance for but that universities often specify precisely.

These institutional additions do not contradict APA — they supplement it. Follow the institutional requirements for these elements and follow APA for everything the institution does not specifically address.

Reason 3 — Genuine institutional preference:

Some universities have made deliberate formatting decisions that differ from APA recommendations based on their own institutional standards. These are intentional choices and must be followed regardless of what APA says.

The Most Common APA versus University Template Conflicts

Conflict 1 — Margins:

APA 7 specifies one inch margins on all sides. Many universities require a wider left margin — typically 1.5 inches — for binding purposes.

What to follow: Your university's margin requirements. The binding margin is a physical necessity and takes absolute priority over APA's general recommendation.

Conflict 2 — Running head:

APA 6th edition required a running head — a shortened version of the title in the page header — for all manuscripts. APA 7th edition eliminated the running head requirement for student papers. However many university templates still include a running head based on sixth edition guidance.

What to follow: Check with your graduate school which edition they require. If they confirm APA 7 the running head is not required. If their template specifically requires it follow the template.

Conflict 3 — Title page format:

APA 7 specifies a particular title page format for student papers including the title, author name, institutional affiliation, course name, instructor name, and date. Most university dissertation title pages look very different — they include the degree sought, committee members, department, and submission date in a specific institutional format.

What to follow: Your university's title page format without exception. The APA student paper title page format is not designed for doctoral dissertations and your institution's requirements are mandatory.

Conflict 4 — Heading format:

APA 7 specifies five heading levels with precise formatting requirements. Some university templates show headings formatted differently — different capitalization, different alignment, or different bold and italic specifications.

What to follow: Check your graduate school guidelines carefully. If they specify a particular heading format follow it. If they simply say to follow APA then apply APA 7 heading levels throughout. If there is genuine ambiguity contact your graduate school office and ask directly before formatting your entire dissertation.

Conflict 5 — Font and font size:

APA 7 allows several font options including Times New Roman 12pt, Calibri 11pt, Arial 11pt, and others. Many university templates specify Times New Roman 12pt exclusively.

What to follow: Your university's font specification. If they specify Times New Roman 12pt use Times New Roman 12pt regardless of APA's broader options.

Conflict 6 — Line spacing:

APA 7 requires double spacing throughout the manuscript with specific exceptions for block quotations, tables, and figures. Most university dissertation requirements are consistent with this. However some universities specify different spacing for front matter elements such as the title page, dedication, and acknowledgements.

What to follow: Your university's spacing requirements for front matter elements. Follow APA double spacing for the body of the dissertation unless your institution specifies otherwise.

Conflict 7 — Page numbering:

APA 7 places page numbers in the header flush right on every page. University dissertations typically use Roman numerals for preliminary pages and Arabic numerals for the body beginning at page one. The specific positioning may also vary by institution.

What to follow: Your university's page numbering system. The two-sequence numbering system for dissertations is an institutional convention that APA does not specifically address for dissertation formatting.

Conflict 8 — Reference list versus bibliography:

PA uses a reference list — only sources directly cited in the text. Some universities require a full bibliography that may include sources consulted but not directly cited. This is a genuine conflict between APA convention and institutional requirement.

What to follow: Your university's requirement. If they require a full bibliography include all consulted sources even though APA convention would include only cited sources.

How to Resolve Any Conflict You Encounter

When you encounter a conflict between APA 7 and your university template that is not covered above follow this decision process:

Step 1 — Check your graduate school's official formatting guidelines:

Most universities publish a dissertation formatting guide separate from the template itself. Read it carefully. It often addresses conflicts explicitly or provides enough specific guidance to resolve the question.

Step 2 — Check whether the conflict might be due to an outdated template:

If your template appears to reflect sixth edition APA rules contact your graduate school and ask which edition they require. Many will confirm APA 7 and clarify that the template has not been fully updated.

Step 3 — Contact your graduate school office directly:

When the formatting guidelines and the template leave you uncertain the most reliable source of guidance is your graduate school office. Email them with a specific question — not a general one. Name the specific element that is unclear, describe the conflict you see, and ask which takes priority. Keep their response in writing.

Step 4 — Ask your committee chair:

Your committee chair has seen many dissertations go through your program's review process. They often know from experience which formatting decisions the graduate school is strict about and which have more flexibility.

Step 5 — When genuinely uncertain choose the more specific requirement:

If you have followed steps one through four and still have uncertainty choose the more specific requirement. A university template that specifies an exact measurement or format is more specific than APA's general guideline and is more likely to reflect what the graduate school reviewer will check.

What Happens If You Follow the Wrong One?

The consequences of following APA 7 when your institution requires something different vary depending on the element and the institution.

For some elements — such as margins and title page format — graduate school reviewers check these explicitly and will return your dissertation for correction before it is accepted. This delays your defense timeline and creates additional stress close to your submission deadline.

For other elements — such as minor differences in heading format or spacing — the review may be less strict and the impact may be minimal. However you cannot know in advance which elements your reviewer will check strictly and which they will overlook. The safest approach is always to follow your institutional requirements precisely.

The cost of getting it wrong is always greater than the cost of checking in advance.

A Note on APA 7 Improvements That May Benefit Your Dissertation

While institutional requirements always take priority it is worth knowing that APA 7 introduced several improvements that most universities have adopted or are compatible with:

No publisher location required in book references — most institutions accept this even if their template shows publisher location based on sixth edition guidance.

Up to 20 authors listed in reference list entries — this is an improvement that most institutions welcome.

DOIs formatted as URLs — the https://doi.org/ format is now widely accepted across institutions.

Singular they as a gender neutral pronoun — this is a language guidance update that applies throughout the document regardless of style manual conflicts.

Bias free language guidelines — these apply to the content of your writing and are consistent with the scholarly standards most institutions uphold.

Getting Your Dissertation Formatting Right

Navigating the space between APA 7 and your university's specific requirements is one of the most technically demanding aspects of dissertation preparation. The rule is clear — institutional guidelines take priority — but applying that rule correctly across hundreds of pages, dozens of formatting elements, and a complex document structure requires systematic attention and expertise.

At Two Dissertation Moms we review doctoral dissertations against both APA 7 requirements and institutional guidelines. We identify conflicts, apply the correct priority rule to every formatting decision, and ensure your dissertation meets every standard your graduate school requires before your submission deadline.

We have worked with doctoral students at universities across the United States and internationally — and we know from experience which formatting elements graduate school reviewers check most strictly and how to ensure your document passes review the first time.

FAQ Section:

Q: What should I follow when APA 7 and my university dissertation template conflict?

A: Your institution's graduate school guidelines always take priority over APA 7. APA itself states in the seventh edition that students should follow their institution's requirements when they differ from APA guidelines. When in doubt contact your graduate school office directly and ask which takes priority for the specific element in question.

Q: Why do APA 7 and university dissertation templates sometimes conflict?

A: Conflicts arise for three main reasons. Many university templates were developed using sixth edition APA guidelines and have not been updated to reflect seventh edition changes. Universities also add institutional formatting requirements for elements that APA does not specifically address for dissertations. And some universities have made deliberate formatting decisions that differ from APA recommendations based on their own institutional standards.

Q: Does APA 7 require a running head in a dissertation?

A: No. APA 7th edition eliminated the running head requirement for student papers. However if your university template requires a running head based on sixth edition guidance follow your university's requirement. Check with your graduate school which APA edition they require before making this decision.

Q: What margins should I use for my dissertation — APA 7 says one inch but my university requires 1.5 inches on the left?

A: Follow your university's margin requirement. The wider left margin is required for binding purposes and is a physical necessity that takes absolute priority over APA's general one inch recommendation. This is one of the clearest examples of institutional requirements overriding style manual guidance.

Q: What should I do if I cannot find clear guidance on a formatting conflict between APA 7 and my university template?

A: Follow this process: check your graduate school's official formatting guidelines, check whether the conflict might be due to an outdated template, contact your graduate school office directly with a specific question, and ask your committee chair. When genuinely uncertain choose the more specific requirement — a university template that specifies an exact measurement is more specific than APA's general guideline and more likely to reflect what the graduate school reviewer will check.

APA 7 versus Your University Template: What to Trust When They Conflict