Before you order (please read)

Before starting your order, make sure you have read the guidelines issued by your University. Some Universities have specific requirements depending on the degree. Please read through this guide, our FAQs and Rates for Document Printing and Thesis Binding.

Turnaround & Delivery

Turnaround time

Our standard turnaround time is two weeks (this may be extended when there are public holidays). Please check your submission date and place your order in good time.

If you require a shorter turnaround, we can offer a one-week (7 days) express service.

How to request express service:

• Place a normal order

• Add an Order Note at checkout requesting Express Service

We will reply on the same day or by the next working day with instructions for the in-store confirmation. If you do not hear from us by the next working day, please contact us immediately.

Important notes for express orders:

• Express service is only available if there is a minimum of 5 working days between your in-store visit and your submission deadline.

• The express service fee is paid in-store after you confirm the contents.

Delivery / pickup options

• Express service: pickup only from Paola or Mosta.

• Standard service: pickup from any store or delivery to your address.

In-store proof check (recommended)

Once your order is received, we will:

• Print all copies of the inner pages according to your instructions

• Prepare the foil text layout for the front cover and spine

We will inform you when it’s ready, and we recommend visiting our shop at the earliest possible to confirm:

• The printed inner pages (to catch any unforeseen issues)

• The final front cover text layout

• The spine layout and spacing (spine width is confirmed once we have a printed copy)

This step is strongly recommended, especially to avoid issues that can happen when text/fonts are not embedded.

For express orders, same-day or next-working-day in-store confirmation is required. If confirmation is delayed, the completion date may extend beyond the standard timelines.

Hard cover type

Our thesis hard covers have a flat, smooth finish (not leather imitation and not leather look/feel).

We have restricted the thesis colour options to classic choices such as black, blue, burgundy, and green. Other colours and materials are available for other binding projects.

For foil printing, the most common choices for thesis are silver or gold. Cover and foil colours are usually specified in your University instructions.

Spine thickness

• Our spines can take up to 340 sheets of 80gsm. If your thesis is longer, consider duplex (double-sided) printing or splitting into 2 volumes.

• If splitting into volumes, upload each volume as a separate PDF file.

For foil printing on the spine, we require a spine thickness of at least 70 sheets of 80gsm. If your document is thinner, consider thicker paper:

• 100gsm and 120gsm premium paper options are available

120gsm sheet limits:

• Minimum: 50 sheets

• Maximum: 225 sheets

How to place your order

1) Choose the product

Select the product that matches your hard cover template. We offer a range of templates, including standard layouts required by Universities and Colleges. We still recommend checking your University’s latest instructions, as minor changes may not be reflected in our templates.

If none of the templates match what you need, choose Custom Template. You can also upload a reference layout as an additional file during upload to help us get it right the first time.

2) Enter the foil text

Depending on the product chosen, you will be guided to enter the text you want printed in foil (for example: thesis title, name, course, year).

Please note: we print exactly what you submit, including CAPS, spelling, and punctuation.

Different degrees and Colleges may have different CAPS requirements (ALL CAPS vs first letter only vs first letter of every word). Please follow your official instructions carefully, especially for degree wording, abbreviations, and punctuation.

If your title is long, it may be challenging to fit it neatly on the spine. We often recommend using a shorter version for the spine. During the in-store proof check, we will guide you on the best option.

Foil font size on the cover is standard based on the template chosen. For the spine, font size depends on spine thickness and text length, but we keep it within a readable minimum.

3) Upload your PDF and set printing instructions

Please export your thesis as a PDF with text and images embedded. This keeps your layout consistent and helps prevent missing images or unexpected font changes. If fonts or images are not embedded, they may not print correctly.

Other important notes:

• Name volume files clearly (e.g., Volume 1 / Volume 2) if splitting.

• Page count is calculated automatically. Pages that should not be printed must be removed from the PDF before uploading.

• PDF should be A4 and set to Actual size. If your document is not A4, choose Fit to page to avoid content being cut off.

A3 pages: Thesis products are printed on A4 only. If you need A3 sheets, place a separate A3 print order and we will include them during the in-store verification.

Single-sided vs duplex: Thesis is usually single-sided, but duplex may be used for very long documents (e.g., above 340 sheets). Always follow your University instructions.

Colour mode: Mixed colour is common. This allows text-only pages to print in black and pages with images/graphs to print in colour. You will need to indicate which pages are colour and which are black. Our order module helps you organise this clearly.

4) Finishing option: cover and foil colour

Choose the correct cover and foil colour based on your instructions. If no finishing option appears, it usually means the page count is outside our limits:

• 80gsm: 70 to 340 sheets

• 100gsm / 120gsm: 50 to 225 sheets

5) Select number of copies

Choose as many copies as you need. The most popular choice is 2 to 4 copies for submission and personal copies.