Cairo University Thesis Formatting Requirements

Introduction

Cairo University, Egypt’s premier research institution, maintains rigorous thesis formatting standards across all graduate programs. With requirements spanning Arabic and English content, Cairo University theses present unique formatting considerations. This comprehensive guide walks you through all requirements for Master’s theses and doctoral dissertations.

Page Setup and Margin Specifications

Paper and Page Configuration

Cairo University requires A4 paper (210mm × 297mm) with these margin specifications:

• Top margin: 25mm
• Bottom margin: 25mm
• Left margin: 25mm
• Right margin: 25mm

The uniform margins provide balanced page appearance suitable for both digital and printed formats.

Line Spacing

Use 1.5 line spacing throughout your thesis, including body text, block quotations, footnotes, and references. This spacing improves readability of both Arabic and English text.

Font and Typography Standards

Font Selection for Arabic Content

• Body text: Traditional Arabic or Simplified Arabic (اللغة العربية) at 12-point
• Headings: Arial Bold or Simplified Arabic Bold at 14-16pt
• Footnotes: Same font at 10-point

Font Selection for English Content

• Body text: Times New Roman or Garamond at 12-point
• Headings: Times New Roman at 14-16pt
• Footnotes: Times New Roman at 10-point

Maintain consistency within each language section. Do not mix font families within the same paragraph.

Preliminary Materials

Cover Page and Title Page

The cover page should display:

1. جامعة القاهرة (Cairo University)
2. Faculty name in both Arabic and English
3. Department name in both languages
4. Thesis title in both Arabic and English
5. Category: رسالة ماجستير (Master’s thesis) or رسالة دكتوراه (Doctoral dissertation)
6. Student name in Arabic and English
7. Advisor name and title in both languages
8. Submission date

Ensure the cover page is clean and centered, with no page number displayed.

Abstract and Keywords

Provide abstracts in both Arabic (الملخص) and English (Abstract), each 300-500 words. The Arabic abstract should appear first, followed by the English abstract.

Include 4-6 keywords (الكلمات الرئيسية/Keywords) in both languages, arranged alphabetically.

Table of Contents

Generate a comprehensive table of contents (جدول المحتويات) listing all chapters, sections, and subsections with corresponding page numbers. Create separate versions in both Arabic and English if needed.

Thesis Structure and Organization

Required Sections

A complete Cairo University thesis includes:

1. Cover page
2. Certification of originality (شهادة الأصالة)
3. Acknowledgments (شكر وتقدير, optional)
4. Table of contents
5. List of figures (if applicable)
6. List of tables (if applicable)
7. Introduction (المقدمة)
8. Chapter 1-N: Research content
9. Conclusion (الخلاصة)
10. References (المراجع)
11. Appendices (if applicable)

Chapter Organization

Each chapter must have:

• Clear chapter number
• Title in both Arabic and English
• Hierarchical section organization

Use this heading hierarchy:

• Chapter title: 14pt, bold
• Section heading: 13pt, bold
• Subsection heading: 12pt, bold
• Paragraph heading: 12pt, italic

Citation and References

Citation Methods

Cairo University accepts two primary citation approaches:

Harvard Style: Author, A. (Year). Title. Publisher.

القاضي، محمد. (٢٠١٨). طرق البحث في العلوم الاجتماعية. دار النشر الجامعية.

(Al-Qadi, M. (2018). Research Methods in Social Sciences. University Publishing House.)

Author-Date Style (Chicago): (Author Year: page)

(القاضي ٢٠١٨: ٤٥)

Bilingual References

Arrange all references in one bibliography, with Arabic references listed first, followed by English references. Within each section, list alphabetically by author surname.

Tables and Figures

Formatting Requirements

Tables must have captions above (الجدول ١:…) displayed in both Arabic and English. Figures have captions below (الشكل ١:…) in both languages.

Number figures and tables separately: الشكل 1, الشكل 2 and الجدول 1, الجدول 2.

Quality Standards

All figures must be high-resolution (minimum 300dpi) and suitable for black-and-white printing if required. Ensure tables use professional formatting with clear borders and aligned text.

List of Illustrations

If your thesis contains more than five figures or tables, include separate lists of figures (قائمة الأشكال) and tables (قائمة الجداول).

Page Numbering and Headers

Numbering System

Front matter uses lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii). Main body uses Arabic numerals starting from 1 with the introduction as the first numbered page.

Page numbers appear in the bottom center of the page or bottom right corner consistently.

Headers and Footers

Include chapter number and title in the header or footer consistently. Maintain separate header styles for front matter and main body content.

Submission Requirements

Printing and Binding

Submit two printed copies in professional binding with:

• Clear spine displaying surname, short title in Arabic, and year
• Protective cover (usually clear plastic or board)
• Professional binding (comb, spiral, or case binding)

Digital Submission

Submit one searchable PDF file following naming convention: FirstName_LastName_YearSubmitted_ThesisTitle_Arabic.pdf

The PDF should include:

• All pages with correct numbering
• Bookmarks for main chapters
• Searchable text layer
• File size under 50MB

Using GenText for Cairo University Thesis Formatting

GenText is particularly valuable for managing the complexity of bilingual Cairo University theses. This sophisticated formatting tool handles the dual-language requirements that make these documents challenging.

GenText enables you to:

• Maintain separate formatting styles for Arabic and English text
• Automatically manage character spacing and line breaks in Arabic text
• Generate bilingual tables of contents and figure lists
• Apply consistent heading hierarchies across both languages
• Handle complex citations in both formats
• Create properly formatted bilingual abstracts and keywords
• Track figure and table numbering across sections
• Manage page numbering transitions between front matter and body text

By integrating GenText early in your writing process, you’ll eliminate the formatting challenges inherent in bilingual academic documents and ensure complete compliance with Cairo University standards.

Common Formatting Mistakes

1. Inconsistent font families: Verify you use Traditional Arabic for Arabic and Times New Roman for English consistently
2. Mixed character sets: Ensure proper Arabic character rendering throughout
3. Incomplete bilingual content: Confirm all sections have both Arabic and English versions
4. Incorrect citation formats: Check citations match your chosen style exactly
5. Poor table alignment: Verify tables display correctly with proper cell alignment

Pre-Submission Checklist

Before finalizing your submission:

• ✓ All margins are correctly set (25mm on all sides)
• ✓ Arabic text uses Traditional Arabic at 12pt, English uses Times New Roman at 12pt
• ✓ Bilingual abstracts included (Arabic first, then English)
• ✓ Keywords provided in both languages
• ✓ Page numbering is consistent and properly positioned
• ✓ All figures and tables have bilingual captions
• ✓ References list separates Arabic and English sources
• ✓ Certification of originality is signed and dated
• ✓ Two printed copies properly bound
• ✓ One searchable PDF prepared and properly named

Conclusion

Successfully formatting a Cairo University thesis requires attention to the unique demands of bilingual academic writing combined with Egypt’s specific institutional standards. By carefully implementing these guidelines and leveraging tools like GenText, your thesis will demonstrate the professionalism expected at one of the Middle East’s most prestigious universities.