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APA format has no single required font size. The size depends on the typeface: the American Psychological Association’s own materials name 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 11-point Georgia and 12-point Aptos as acceptable choices, and say that the default font of your word processor is fine. Pick one legible font, set the size that goes with it, and use it for the whole paper. This guide is based on APA 7th edition (2020) and the APA Student Paper Setup Guide; sources and the date checked (2026-10-29) are listed at the end.
APA 7 font size at a glance
- Size: tied to the typeface, 10, 11 or 12 points (see the table below), not one fixed number.
- Typeface: any legible font; the default font of your word-processing program is acceptable.
- Consistency: use the same font throughout the entire paper.
- Body text: standard, meaning not bold and not italic.
- Spacing: double-spaced throughout, with 1-inch margins on all sides.
What size font is APA format? Accepted fonts and sizes
APA’s Guide to What’s New in the 7th Edition (2020) recommends six fonts, each with its own size, and says students and other authors may choose other fonts with accessibility in mind. The newer APA Student Paper Setup Guide adds Aptos. The two lists are shown together so you can see where each entry comes from.
| Font | Size | Where APA lists it |
|---|---|---|
| Times New Roman | 12 point | 7th edition what’s-new guide (2020); Student Paper Setup Guide |
| Calibri | 11 point | 7th edition what’s-new guide (2020); Student Paper Setup Guide |
| Arial | 11 point | 7th edition what’s-new guide (2020); Student Paper Setup Guide |
| Georgia | 11 point | 7th edition what’s-new guide (2020); Student Paper Setup Guide |
| Lucida Sans Unicode | 10 point | 7th edition what’s-new guide (2020) |
| Computer Modern | 10 point | 7th edition what’s-new guide (2020) |
| Aptos | 12 point | Student Paper Setup Guide only (not in the 2020 list) |
Two points follow from the table. First, the often-repeated answer “12-point Times New Roman” is one valid entry, not the rule: an 11-point Calibri or Arial paper is equally APA-compliant. Second, the Aptos entry appears in the current Student Paper Setup Guide but not in the 2020 list, so do not cite the 7th edition book for Aptos.
What is the font size for APA format?
It is 11 or 12 points for the common fonts (11 for Calibri, Arial and Georgia; 12 for Times New Roman and Aptos), and 10 points for Lucida Sans Unicode and Computer Modern.
Font size in APA format for a student paper
The Student Paper Setup Guide tells students to use a legible font and names 12-point Aptos, 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 12-point Times New Roman and 11-point Georgia as examples. It adds that it is fine to use the default font of your word-processing program.
Font size for headings, references and page numbers
APA’s student guidance is to use the same font throughout the entire paper, so headings, body text and the reference list share one font. What changes between them is the style of the text (bold, italic), which is set by the rules below.
- Headings: all headings are boldface. Level 3 and Level 5 headings are also italicized.
- Body text: standard font, not bold and not italic. Use italics sparingly, for example for a key term on first use.
- Reference list: double-spaced like the rest of the paper; block quotations are double-spaced too.
- Page numbers: placed in the top right corner of every page, including the title page.
For how page numbers and headers are set up, see our guide to APA format page numbers.
APA font and layout setup checklist
Use this as a copy-ready setup list for a word processor. Each item comes from the APA Student Paper Setup Guide.
- Font: choose one legible font and the size that matches it from the table above, or keep your program’s default font.
- Margins: 1 inch on all sides.
- Line spacing: double-space the entire paper, including block quotations and the reference list.
- Heading spacing: do not add blank lines before or after headings.
- Paragraph spacing: do not add extra space before or after paragraphs.
- Alignment: align text to the left margin and leave the right margin ragged. Do not use full justification.
- First-line indent: 0.5 inch on every paragraph.
- Page numbers: top right of every page.
- Text style: body text not bold and not italic; headings in boldface.
Template and filled example (fictional)
The template shows the settings; the example fills in a short student-paper opening. All names, courses and dates below are invented for illustration.
Template
Font: [one legible font] at [size that goes with it], whole paper Margins: 1 in. all sides | Spacing: double | Alignment: left, ragged right Page number: top right, every page Paragraphs: first line indented 0.5 in. Heading Level 1 (bold) Body text in standard (not bold, not italic) font ...
Filled example
Font: 11-point Calibri (any listed font and matching size would also be valid)
Page number (top right): 2
Sleep and Recall in Undergraduates (Level 1 heading, bold)
Body paragraph begins with a 0.5-in. indent. This fictional paper
reports an invented survey of study habits. The key term
spacing effect is shown in italics once, at first use.
This example is illustrative only and does not describe a real study or student.
When your instructor or journal names a font
APA’s guidance is that many fonts are acceptable. If your instructor, department or the journal you are submitting to asks for a particular font and size, such as 12-point Times New Roman, follow that instruction; it is a requirement set by that reader on top of APA’s general guidance, not a different version of APA. Where no one specifies a font, any entry in the table is a safe, APA-listed choice.
Related APA pages on CASRAI
- APA cover page for the title-page elements of a student paper
- APA format page numbers for header and numbering setup
- APA literature review sample for a worked paper layout
- How to write a research paper in APA style for the full workflow
Frequently asked questions
Is 12-point Times New Roman required in APA 7?
No. It is one of several accepted combinations. APA also lists 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial and 11-point Georgia, and accepts the default font of your word processor.
What is the APA font size for the whole paper?
Use one font and its matching size from start to finish. APA says to use the same font throughout the entire paper.
Can I use 11-point font in APA format?
Yes, 11 point is the listed size for Calibri, Arial and Georgia.
Do headings use a different font size in APA?
APA’s student guidance gives no separate font size for headings: it says to use the same font throughout the entire paper, boldface all headings, and also italicize Level 3 and Level 5 headings.
Which APA edition does this apply to?
APA 7th edition (2020), plus the APA Student Paper Setup Guide for the Aptos entry; both sources were checked on 2026-10-29.
Sources
- American Psychological Association, APA Student Paper Setup Guide, https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/student-paper-setup-guide.pdf, date checked 2026-10-29.
- American Psychological Association, Guide to What’s New in the 7th Edition, https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/whats-new-7e-guide.pdf, date checked 2026-10-29.
