APA Title Page Format Simplified | Examples + Free Template

• Jun 12, 2025
• 5 min read

• Tags: Formatting

The 7th edition of the APA title page (introduced in 2019) has separate formatting guidelines for student and professional research papers. The student version and professional version of the title page each have their own required elements and formatting. It replaced the APA 6th edition, which was introduced in 2009. The APA 7 formatting guidelines allow for more flexibility when it comes to font size and style.

If you have questions about how to format your cover page, this article is for you. We will be taking a look at the formatting guidelines for the APA style cover page for students as well as professional papers. In order to help you create an appropriate cover page, we’ve also included an APA 7 title page template and plenty of APA cover page examples. This article will cover both the student title page and professional title page formats, highlighting the differences between the student version and professional version to ensure your paper meets APA requirements.

What is the title page for an APA paper?

The APA title page is the first page of your academic paper that provides information on the title, author(s), instructor’s name, and author affiliation with the institutions connected to your research paper. There are separate APA cover page formats for student and professional papers.

An APA 7 title page consists of the following components:

Student paper

• Page number*
• Title of the paper (the paper’s title should be centered and placed in the upper half of the page; the correct paper title placement is important for proper formatting)
• Name of author(s)
• Author affiliation (include on the next line below the author names)
• Institutional affiliation
• Name and number of the course
• Name of professor(s)
• Date of submission

*A running head (shortened version of the title) is generally not required for student papers unless explicitly stated by the professor.

Professional paper

• Page number 
• Running head (an abbreviated version of the paper title in capital letters and must not exceed the maximum length of 50 characters)
• Title of the paper
• Name of author(s)
• Institutional affiliation(s)
• Author note (Author’s ORCID ID, affiliation changes, disclosures of conflicts of interest, and the author’s contact information)

Now that we’ve gotten a gist of the APA title page format, let’s understand how to construct cover pages for both these versions in detail.

How to construct an APA title page

Before you start formatting the APA first page, there are a few ground rules you must consider. Here are the rules for formatting an APA title page:

• Leave a one-inch margin for all pages. 
• Use double spacing throughout your cover page.
• Maintain consistency in font size and style. Instructors may provide specific guidelines for font selection and formatting.
• Avoid using any titles (Dr, Prof) or degrees (MA, PhD).
• Include the running header and the page number on the top left and right corners, respectively. (Simply include the page number for student papers.)
• After leaving 4–5 lines, input and centrally align the title of your paper. Leave a double-spaced blank line between the title and the author names.
• Include the first, middle initial, and last name(s) of the author(s) respectively, exactly below the title. For multiple authors, list their names in order of contribution.
• Include the name of the affiliated university/universities below the names of the authors involved. If authors have the same affiliation, it should be clearly indicated. For different affiliations, use superscript numbers to match each author to their institution.
• For student papers, include the name of the course professor and the due date below the affiliated university. 
• For professional papers, include the author note a few lines below the affiliated university/universities.
• The author note should be bolded and centrally aligned.
• Details such as the author’s ORCID ID, contact information, affiliation changes, and disclosures of conflicts of interest should be right-aligned and placed under the author note.  

Organizing information into separate paragraphs or starting a new paragraph for each section improves clarity and professionalism in your title page formatting.

The APA 7 format is pretty flexible when it comes to the font style. You can use any of the following font styles in your paper:

• 12-point Times New Roman 
• 11-point Calibri
• 11-point Arial
• 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode  
• 11-point Georgia  
• 10-point Computer Modern  

Now, let’s take a closer look at how to construct the individual elements of both student and professional versions of APA 7th edition title pages:

The following APA cover page examples will help you locate the exact position of each component. These examples cover both student and professional papers and will guide you in constructing your own cover page. We’ve labeled each of these components and will guide you on how to format them.

Here are the main components of the above APA title page examples:

1. Page number

The page number in an APA style title page should be present on the top right corner of each page, and the title page should always be considered page number “1”.

Follow these steps to correctly format the page number in Microsoft Word: 

• Activate the header by double-clicking on the top of the page.

• Click on the “Insert” tab.

• Select the “Page numbers” option.

•  Hover over “Top of Page” and select “Plain Number 3”.

Once this process is complete, you should have a page number for all your sheets.

2. Running head

A running head consists of the title of your paper in all caps. It is compulsory when it comes to professional research papers, but it is generally not mandatory for student papers. The running head is an abbreviated version of the paper title, displayed in all capital letters.

The running head should be in line with the page number, left aligned, and under 50 characters long (including spaces). If your title is longer, you’ll have to shorten it so it can fit the character count of the running head. Make sure to include the main idea of the title here and exclude the less important parts.

Here’s an example of an APA format title along with the running head:

Passing the Genetic Torch: Examining the Mechanisms of Genetic Variation

EXAMINING THE MECHANISMS OF GENETIC VARIATION

3. APA title

The title of your APA cover page must be succinct, informative, and eye-catching. It should also contain the relevant keywords of your paper, essentially providing a gist of your paper. Although not mandatory, it is a good idea to limit your title to under 12 words.

Here’s how to create your APA format title as per the specified guidelines:

• Position your title 4–5 lines from the top of your page.
• Select your title to centrally align and bold it.
• Use the title case* while creating your heading.
• Ensure that the title and author information together do not exceed three or four lines for a concise and aesthetic presentation.

*Capitalize the first letter of each word apart from articles and prepositions.

4. Name of the author(s)

After adding your title, mention the names of the authors under the title of the paper (leave a blank line in between). For each author, include the middle initial in the name as per APA guidelines. The APA formatting guidelines for the names of authors are different for student and professional papers.

If there are multiple authors, list their names in order of contribution. After listing the author names, place the author affiliation on the next line below the names.

Take a look:

Student papers

Student papers only include the names of the authors involved in the process of writing the paper.

• Make sure to include the first, middle, and last names of the authors in precisely this order.
• In the case of two authors, separate the names with an “and”.
• In the case of three or more authors, separate each name with a comma and input the last name with an Oxford comma as well as an “and”.
• Don’t mention titles such as “Dr” and “Prof” or degrees such as “MA” and “PhD”.

Professional papers  

The names of authors in professional papers follow similar guidelines to those of student papers. However, they do include a few additional elements.

• In the case of multiple affiliated institutions, use superscript numbers after the names of the authors. If authors have different affiliations, each affiliation should be clearly indicated using superscript numbers to distinguish them. If authors share the same affiliation, this should be noted accordingly, either by using the same superscript number or by placing the shared affiliation directly below their names.

5. Institutional affiliations

The author’s affiliation is a key component of the title page, as it identifies the institutional context of the author in both student and professional research papers. An author’s institutional affiliation is placed below their name on an APA cover page.

• Add the department and university name, separated by a comma. 
• In the case of multiple affiliations, mention the institutions corresponding to each author in the order of their names.
• Add a superscript number before the name of each institution to indicate the corresponding author.

6. Name and number of the course

It’s mandatory to include the name and number of the course for student papers. 

• Align the information centrally and place it below the institutional affiliation. 
• Write the course number in all caps, followed by the course name, and separate them by a colon. (For example: HISTORYLIT303: Historical Writing)
• Write the name of your course professor below the course name and number, and align it centrally. Be sure to follow the instructor’s specific requirements for formatting this information.
• Include the designation as well as the first and last name of your professor. 

7. Author note

Professional papers often contain an author’s note.

• Place the “Author Note” label at the bottom half of the page, bolded and aligned centrally.
• Add an indent of 0.5 inches for all entries in the author note and align them to the left.
• Follow the authors’ names with their ORCID IDs.
• Mention any changes in the authors’ affiliation.
• Disclose any conflicts of interest.
• Add the authors’ contact information.
• The author note may also include information about data sharing and study registration to promote transparency and ethical research practices.

8. Date of submission

The date of submission for the paper is only to be included for student papers and should be placed below the professor’s name. When adding the date, the date provided should follow the assignment due date format specified by your instructor.

• Centrally align the date of submission using the “Month, Day, Year” format. 
• Spell out the month and avoid abbreviating it. 
• Include the complete year instead of just the last two digits.

Here’s an example: October 02, 2023

APA 7 title page template

Our expertise in providing superior paper editing services has helped us create an APA 7 title page template for students and research professionals. These templates are written using the 12-point Times New Roman font. They also follow all the guidelines for an APA 7 cover page that we’ve highlighted above.  

 APA 7 Title Page Template for Students

APA 7 Title Page Template for Professionals

Cover Page vs. Title Page

In APA style, the terms “cover page” and “title page” are often used interchangeably, but they both refer to the same essential first page of your paper. According to the APA publication manual, the title page is the official term and is a required element for all APA style papers. The title page includes the paper title, author name, and institutional affiliation, and serves as the formal introduction to your work.

While a cover page in other contexts might include additional elements such as a logo or image, the APA title page is strictly text-based and follows the formatting rules outlined in the publication manual. No matter which term you use, the purpose remains the same: to provide readers with key information about your paper right from the first page.

Creating a properly formatted APA title page is a crucial first step in presenting your research or assignment. By following the guidelines set out in the APA publication manual, you can ensure your title page includes all the necessary elements and meets academic standards. For more help, you can visit the official APA website, which offers detailed examples of APA title pages and comprehensive formatting instructions.

By using these resources and adhering to the best practices outlined in this guide, you can confidently create APA title pages that are clear, complete, and ready for submission. If you need help polishing your research paper. PaperTrue provides the best research paper editing and formatting services available!

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