Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Things to Keep In Mind

As a graduate student submitting an Electronic Thesis or Dissertation (ETD), you should keep several things in mind:

  1. All ETDs will be published online, open access, indefinitely per the University of California Open Access Policy for Theses and Dissertations
  2. Per Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, all ETDs must comply with WGAC 2.1 Level AA Web accessibility requirements starting in April 2026. It is strongly recommended that you use an official accessible template when preparing your manuscript
  3. ETDs should be formatted so they are:
    • Findable by future scholars (e.g. title matches the metadata)
    • Citable by future scholars (e.g. include pagination)
    • Accessible to future scholars who may use assistive technology (e.g. screen readers)
  4. ETDs should not contain:
    • Copyrighted information (unless you have permissions to do so)
    • Private information (e.g. phone numbers)
    • Incorrect information (e.g. degree title that does not match your diploma)

Deadlines and Required Steps

The filing deadline for a Fall 2025 degree is 5:00pm on Friday, December 5, 2025.

 

Submit a manuscript to ProQuest

 

Several steps must be completed by that 5:00 deadline.

  1. Student submits final manuscript to ProQuest 
    • Note: Once an ETD is accepted, it cannot be edited. Make sure that your PDF manuscript is free of typos or errors, formatted correctly, and web accessible before submitting  
  2. Library performs a cursory review of the manuscript. Please allow 2 business days for this step.
  3. ETD is accepted into ProQuest if there is evidence requirements are met. Student receives an acceptance email.
    • Note: Manuscripts submitted less than 48 hours of the filing deadline will be accepted as-is with no review. They may be published permanently with errors.
  4. Student includes acceptance email with final degree paperwork

Please calculate ample time to complete all steps before the deadline. Read more information about the submission process here. 

 

Formatting and Accessibility Requirements

All ETDs must comply with the rules outlined in the UC Irvine Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Manual, linked below. Per Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, all ETDs must also comply with WGAC 2.1 Level AA Web accessibility requirements starting in April 2026.

The Formatting Manual includes example pages, templates, and detailed guidance on how to meet formatting and accessibility requirements.

Read the Formatting Manual

 

Questions?

If you have questions about formatting or the submission process, read through the FAQs or submit a question online. If you have questions or concerns that do not relate to the formatting of your manuscript, please contact grad@uci.edu