ETH Zurich Thesis Formatting Guide: Complete Requirements

Introduction

ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich), one of the world’s leading research institutions, maintains rigorous thesis formatting standards across all graduate programs. These guidelines ensure consistency and professional presentation of research across science, technology, and engineering disciplines. This comprehensive guide covers formatting specifications for Master’s and Diploma theses as well as doctoral dissertations at ETH Zurich.

Page Setup and Margin Requirements

Paper and Page Configuration

ETH Zurich requires A4 paper (210mm × 297mm) with the following margin specifications:

• Top margin: 25mm
• Bottom margin: 25mm
• Left margin: 25mm
• Right margin: 20mm

The margins accommodate both digital display and printed archival while providing space for binding.

Line Spacing

Use 1.5 line spacing throughout your thesis, including body text, block quotations, and footnotes. This spacing improves readability while maintaining professional appearance.

Font and Typography Standards

Font Selection

• Body text: 11 or 12-point Times New Roman, Arial, or Helvetica
• Headings: 12-point or larger, consistent with body text font family
• Footnotes: 10-point, same font as body text
• Captions: 10-point, can be single-spaced

Maintain consistent font throughout the entire document. Avoid mixing serif and sans-serif fonts within the same section unless specifically required.

Text Formatting

Use bold for chapter titles and major section headings. Italics are appropriate for book titles, journal names, and emphasis. Underlining should be avoided in favor of bold or italic formatting.

Preliminary Pages Structure

Title Page Format

Your thesis title page must include:

1. ETH Zurich logo and name (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich)
2. Department or institute name
3. Thesis type: Master Thesis, Diploma Thesis, or Doctoral Dissertation
4. Complete thesis title
5. Your full name
6. Examiner/Advisor names (Examiner and Co-Examiner)
7. Month and year of submission

The title page should follow ETH Zurich’s official template. Do not include a page number on the title page.

Declaration of Originality

Include a signed declaration confirming:

• The work is your own original research
• It has not been submitted to any other institution
• All sources have been properly cited
• Understanding of academic integrity policies

The declaration must be signed and dated by you.

Abstract

Provide an abstract of 150-300 words summarizing:

• Research objectives and significance
• Methodology employed
• Key findings and results
• Conclusions and implications

The abstract should enable readers to understand your thesis scope quickly.

Thesis Structure and Organization

Required Components

A complete ETH Zurich thesis includes:

1. Title page (following ETH template)
2. Declaration of originality
3. Abstract
4. Acknowledgments (optional)
5. Table of contents
6. List of figures (if applicable)
7. List of tables (if applicable)
8. List of abbreviations (if applicable)
9. Introduction
10. Chapter 1-N (Main research chapters)
11. Conclusion/Summary
12. References/Bibliography
13. Appendices (if applicable)

Chapter Organization

Each chapter should contain:

• Clear chapter number and title
• Logical section organization
• Consistent formatting throughout

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

ETH Zurich accepts Harvard, IEEE, and Chicago citation styles:

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

Müller, H. (2019). Engineering and sustainability. ETH Publishers.

IEEE Style: [#] Initial(s). Surname, “Article title,” Journal Title, vol. #, no. #, pp. page range, Month Year.

[1] H. Müller, “Sustainable engineering design,” IEEE Eng. Rev., vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 112–130, Mar. 2020.

Reference List Format

Arrange all references alphabetically by author surname. Include complete publication information for every source. For electronic sources, include URLs and access dates where applicable.

All references should be formatted consistently using your chosen citation style throughout the document.

Tables and Figures

Table and Figure Captions

Tables have captions above (Table 1: Description). Figures have captions below (Figure 1: Description). Number tables and figures either continuously or by chapter (Table 1.1, Table 1.2).

Quality Standards

All figures must be high-resolution (minimum 300dpi). Tables should use professional formatting with clear borders and consistent spacing. Ensure color figures remain understandable when printed in black and white.

Illustration Lists

Provide comprehensive lists of figures and tables if your thesis contains more than five of each.

Page Numbering and Headers

Numbering Conventions

Front matter pages are not numbered. Main body content uses Arabic numerals starting from 1 at the introduction. Page numbers appear in the bottom right corner of every page.

Running Headers

Include chapter number and title in the header or footer. Maintain consistent header/footer formatting throughout the document.

Submission Requirements

Printed Submission

Submit the required number of bound copies (typically 1-2) in professional binding:

• Professional binding (spiral, hardback, or according to department guidelines)
• Clear spine with surname, short thesis title, and year
• Protective cover (color or clear plastic per department requirements)

Digital Submission

Submit one PDF copy through ETH’s publication system:

• Format: Searchable PDF (not scanned images)
• File naming: Surname_Firstname_Year_ThesisTitle.pdf
• File size: Under 50MB
• All pages with correct numbering
• Bookmarks for main chapters
• Functional cross-reference hyperlinks

Using GenText for ETH Zurich Thesis Formatting

GenText is a valuable tool for managing ETH Zurich’s comprehensive thesis formatting requirements. This software ensures your document meets all institutional specifications while maintaining visual consistency throughout.

GenText provides:

• Automated style sheet application for uniform formatting
• Consistent font and size management (11 or 12pt body text)
• Hierarchical heading structure maintenance
• Automatic generation of tables of contents and illustration lists
• Page numbering system with proper front matter handling
• Citation formatting in Harvard, IEEE, or Chicago styles
• Professional table and figure caption generation
• Cross-reference linking for document navigation

By implementing GenText from the beginning of your thesis writing, you’ll eliminate manual formatting tasks and ensure full compliance with ETH Zurich requirements.

Common Formatting Mistakes

1. Inconsistent line spacing: Verify 1.5 spacing throughout including quotations
2. Font size variations: Ensure body text is 11 or 12pt and maintain heading hierarchy
3. Improper margins: Verify margins are correctly set on all sides
4. Citation inconsistencies: Check all references match bibliography entries exactly
5. Missing page numbers: All content pages should be numbered sequentially

Pre-Submission Verification

Before finalizing submission:

• ✓ All margins are correctly set (25mm top/left, 25mm bottom, 20mm right)
• ✓ Body text is 11 or 12-point in consistent font
• ✓ Line spacing is 1.5 throughout entire document
• ✓ Title page follows ETH official template
• ✓ Page numbers appear in bottom right corner
• ✓ All chapters begin on new pages
• ✓ Table of contents and illustration lists are accurate
• ✓ All tables and figures have descriptive captions
• ✓ References list is complete and properly formatted
• ✓ Declaration of originality is signed and dated
• ✓ Required number of printed copies properly bound
• ✓ Digital copy is searchable and properly named

Conclusion

Following ETH Zurich’s thesis formatting guidelines demonstrates your commitment to academic professionalism and institutional standards. By carefully implementing these requirements and utilizing formatting tools like GenText, your thesis will present your research in the professional manner expected at one of the world’s leading technical universities.