Ever stared at an APA paper and wondered if the font choice actually matters? Like, really matters? Turns out it does — but not for the reasons most students think.
APA doesn't obsess over typography the way a graphic designer would. And it cares about readability, consistency, and making sure professors (or reviewers, or editors) aren't distracted by your formatting choices when they're trying to evaluate your ideas. The font is just one piece of that puzzle, but it's the one everyone seems to ask about.
So let's break it down properly.
What Font Is Used in APA Format
APA's official guidance is surprisingly flexible. The Publication Manual (7th edition) lists several approved fonts, and the rule is really about choosing one and sticking with it. Consistency matters more than the specific typeface you pick.
The Approved APA Fonts
Here's the short list. These are the fonts APA explicitly recommends:
- Times New Roman, 12pt
- Calibri, 11pt
- Arial, 11pt
- Georgia, 11pt
- Lucida Sans Unicode, 10pt
- Computer Modern (the default LaTeX font), 10pt
That's it. Six options. No Helvetica, no Garamond, no Comic Sans (obviously).
If you're submitting a paper for a college class, your professor might have a preference. When in doubt, Times New Roman 12 is the safe default — it's what most people picture when they think "APA paper."
Why These Specific Fonts
The approved fonts all share a few traits: they're highly legible at small sizes, they render cleanly on most devices, and they have a professional, neutral appearance. None of them are decorative or stylized. APA isn't trying to make your paper look pretty. It's trying to make it look unremarkable — so the focus stays on your argument.
Times New Roman is a serif font, which means it has small decorative strokes at the ends of letters. Serifs are traditionally considered easier to read in long blocks of printed text. So arial and Calibri are sans-serif fonts (no decorative strokes), and they tend to look cleaner on screens. The size adjustment between them — 12pt for serif, 11pt for sans-serif — is meant to keep the visual density roughly equal.
Some disagree here. Fair enough.
Why APA Has Font Rules At All
You might be wondering: does the font really change the grade? In practice, honestly, in most cases, no professor is going to mark you down because you used Calibri instead of Times New Roman. But the rules exist for a reason.
Academic publishing is a weird world. Papers get printed, photocopied, scanned, reformatted, and shoved into PDFs. Standard fonts survive that journey. Exotic fonts sometimes don't. A serif font like Times New Roman also holds up better when printed in black and white, which used to be the norm for academic journals.
There's also a psychological layer. Consistent, professional formatting signals that you took the work seriously. It's a small thing, but small things add up when you're being evaluated Surprisingly effective..
How to Set Up Your APA Document
The font is one piece. Here's how the rest of the formatting typically works in a student paper:
Page Setup
- Margins: 1 inch on all sides
- Spacing: Double-spaced throughout
- Page numbers: Top right corner, starting from the title page
- Font size: Depends on the font (12pt for Times New Roman, 11pt for Arial, etc.)
Title Page
APA 7th edition simplifies the title page for students. You'll need:
- The paper title (bold, centered, roughly 3-4 lines down)
- Your name
- Your institutional affiliation (the school you attend)
- The course number and name
- The instructor's name
- The due date
No more "Running head:" label like APA 6 required. Just clean and simple.
Headings
APA uses a five-level heading system, and the formatting changes depending on the level:
- Level 1: Centered, Bold, Title Case
- Level 2: Flush Left, Bold, Title Case
- Level 3: Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case
- Level 4: Indented, Bold, Title Case, ends with a period
- Level 5: Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, ends with a period
Most student papers only use Levels 1 and 2.
References Page
Centered and bold at the top: "References." Then entries in hanging indent format, alphabetized by the author's last name. Double-spaced, same font as the rest of the paper.
Common Mistakes People Make With APA Fonts
Here's where things go sideways in practice.
Switching Fonts Mid-Paper
Don't do it. That's why aPA is strict about this. Now, pick one approved font and use it for the entire paper — title page, body, references, tables, everything. Even if you prefer Calibri for body text but want your headings in something else, resist the urge No workaround needed..
Using the Wrong Size
If you go with Arial or Calibri, the size drops to 11pt. If you go with Times New Roman or Georgia, it stays at 12pt. Consider this: lucida Sans Unicode and Computer Modern are 10pt. Mix up the size and your paper looks "off" even if nobody can pinpoint why.
Ignoring Professor Preferences
Most professors have a syllabus or rubric that specifies exactly which font they want. Default to that. Don't assume "approved by APA" means "approved by my instructor." The Publication Manual gives you options; your professor narrows them down Easy to understand, harder to ignore..
Fancy Fonts for "Style"
Some students think using something like Garamond or Baskerville makes their paper look more sophisticated. It doesn't. It just makes it non-compliant. APA explicitly tells you to stick to the approved list And that's really what it comes down to..
Forgetting About Tables and Figures
The font rules apply to tables and figures too. If your main text is Times New Roman 12, your table content should match. APA allows some flexibility in figures (where you might be presenting data or images), but even then, consistency is the goal That's the part that actually makes a difference..
Practical Tips That Actually Help
A few things that'll save you real time and headaches:
Use a Template
Most word processors have APA templates built in. This leads to google Docs has one. In practice, microsoft Word has several. Don't try to format from scratch — start with a template and adjust from there.
Set Your Default Font Early
Before you start writing, set the font for your entire document. Worth adding: in Google Docs, that's Format > Paragraph styles > Normal Text. Change it once, and every new paragraph inherits the setting. Saves you from retroactively reformatting 8 pages at midnight Small thing, real impact..
Don't Stress About the Font
Seriously. If your font is on the approved list and your paper is well-written, nobody is going to ding you for picking Calibri over Times New Roman. On the flip side, the bigger formatting traps are in citations, references, and heading structure. Spend your time there.
Proofread the References Page
This is where most points get lost. A perfectly formatted essay with a sloppy reference list looks careless. Double-check hanging indents, alphabetical order, italicization, and DOI formatting. It's tedious, but it's worth it.
When in Doubt, Ask
Your professor, a writing center tutor, or even a classmate who's done it before — all better sources than a random website from 2014. APA has subtle rules that change between editions, and outdated guides are everywhere.
FAQ
Is Times New Roman the only APA-approved font?
No. APA 7 lists six approved fonts: Times New Roman (12pt), Calibri (11pt), Arial (11pt), Georgia (11pt), Lucida Sans Unicode (10pt), and Computer Modern (10pt). You can use any of them, but you must stick with one throughout the paper Less friction, more output..
Can I use size 11 font in APA format?
Yes, but only if you're using a sans-serif font like Arial or Calibri. The size requirements are tied to the font: 12pt for serif fonts, 11pt for sans-serif, 10pt for Computer Modern.
Does the font affect my grade?
Rarely, in a major way. On top of that, a wrong font might cost you a small formatting deduction if your professor is strict, but a well-written paper in a non-approved font usually isn't punished harshly. Most grading emphasis goes to content, argumentation, and citation accuracy.
What's the difference between APA 6 and APA 7 font rules?
APA 6 only listed Times New Roman 12pt and a generic "sans-serif" option. APA 7 expanded the list to include specific named
fonts with specific size requirements, giving students and researchers more flexibility while maintaining readability across submissions.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, font choice in APA format is about following guidelines, not expressing personal style. The rules exist to keep academic writing consistent, professional, and easy to read across countless journals, submissions, and institutions. Pick a font from the approved list, apply it uniformly, and then shift your focus back to what actually matters: your ideas, your arguments, and your evidence.
Easier said than done, but still worth knowing Small thing, real impact..
Most of the stress around APA formatting comes from worrying about tiny details that graders rarely care about. A paper with clean structure, strong citations, and thoughtful analysis will always perform better than one with perfect Times New Roman spacing but shallow content. Use the templates, lean on your university's writing resources, and don't lose sleep over whether Calibri is slightly more "modern" than Georgia.
The font is the wrapper. The work inside it is what counts The details matter here..
