Cover Page Example: 8 Layouts You Can Copy Line by Line

By Mustafa Tarabya, founder of CVBooster · Published 2026-09-12 · Updated 2026-09-12

7 min read

A cover page carries four things and nothing else: the title, who wrote it, who it is for, and the date. Which four depends on the standard you are working to, and the one rule that catches people is that MLA does not use a cover page at all. The formatting quoted below comes from the Purdue OWL APA and MLA guides and the USAJOBS Help Center, fetched in September 2026. Eight complete layouts follow, written out line by line in the order they appear on the page, then the spacing rules and the mistakes that get marks taken off. Written by Mustafa Tarabya, who hired for his own company, read every application himself and now writes CVBooster's guides.

Eight cover page layouts, line by line

Each block shows exactly what goes on the page, in order, top to bottom. Retype it and replace the words.

Tailor my CV to this job

Tailor my CV to this job

The APA rules, quoted

The Purdue OWL states the contents plainly: "The title page should contain the title of the paper, the author's name" and the institutional affiliation, adding that "A student paper should also include the course number and name" plus the instructor name and the due date, on its APA general format page.

The same page sets the page furniture: "Include a page header (also known as the " running head ") at the top of every page" and notes that "For a student paper, this only includes the page number". So a student title page has no running head text, only the number.

MLA has no cover page, and that is the rule

The Purdue OWL is unambiguous: "Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested or the paper is assigned as a group project", on its MLA general format page. Instead, the four lines go flush left at the top of page one, followed by the centered title.

If a group project does need one, the same page says to "list all names of the contributors, giving each name its own line in the header".

Cover page or cover letter: not the same document

A cover page is a title page. It labels a document. A cover letter is a letter that argues for you and carries a salutation, paragraphs and a signature.

Employers set the limit for the whole application, and a decorative cover page can eat into it. The USAJOBS Help Center states: "You must upload or build a resume that is two pages or less and meets all requirements listed in the job announcement", on its resume help page. A cover page in front of a two-page resume is not a bonus page.

See how to write a cover letter for the letter, what is a cover letter for the distinction in full, cover letter format guide for the page layout, and resume header for the block at the top of a resume.

Spacing and typography that will not be questioned

• One typeface for the whole document, and the same one as the body text.
• 11 or 12 point for everything except the title, which may go to 14 or 16.
• Margins of one inch on all four sides.
• No image, no border, no logo, unless the organization's own template has one.
• Date written out in full, never as 10/14/26, which reads differently outside the United States.

Plain wording beats decoration. Plainlanguage.gov states that "The Plain Writing Act of 2010 established the requirement that content for the public is written for its specific audience", which on a cover page means the reader should know in two seconds what the document is and who owns it.

The mistakes that cost marks

• Making an MLA title page when the instructor did not ask for one.
• A title in title case in APA where the guide wants the body font and bold.
• Missing the course number, the instructor name or the due date on a student page.
• A report cover with no document reference, so nobody can file or cite it.
• A clip-art border, which is the fastest way to make a professional document look unfinished.
• Page one of the body numbered as page one when the cover page already took it.

Tip: Check the assignment brief or the client template before you use any layout here. A named house style always beats a generic cover page, and following it is the easiest mark on the whole document.

Frequently asked questions

What is a cover page?

A cover page is the first page of a document that carries only its identity: the title, the author, the intended reader and the date. It contains no body text and no argument. In academic work it is called a title page, and its exact contents are set by the style guide in use.

What should a cover page include?

Title, author, affiliation or organization, intended reader, and date. Academic pages add the course number, instructor and due date. Business pages add a document reference and a classification line. Anything beyond those items is decoration, and decoration is what makes a cover page look unfinished.

How do I make an APA title page?

Center the title in the upper half of the page in bold, then the author name, the department and institution, the course number and name, the instructor, and the due date, each on its own double-spaced line. Add the page number flush right in the header.

Does MLA need a cover page?

No. The Purdue OWL states that you should not make a title page unless it is specifically requested or the paper is a group project. Instead put your name, the instructor, the course and the date flush left at the top of page one, then center the title.

What is the difference between a cover page and a cover letter?

A cover page labels a document and carries no sentences. A cover letter is a one-page letter with a salutation, two or three paragraphs of argument and a signature. A job application needs the letter. A report or a thesis needs the page.

How do I make a cover page for an assignment?

Follow the brief first, because most courses publish a required cover sheet. If none is given, list student name and number, course, instructor, assignment title, word count, due date, date submitted, and a one-line declaration that the work is your own.

Related articles

• 2 Week Notice Letter: Five Templates and the US Rules
• Best Paying Non Degree Jobs in the US: 8 With CV Lines
• Careers With Certification: 7 Jobs and the Resume Line
• Certifications for Jobs: 7 With the Exact Resume Line

More articles

• Customer Service Resume: Metrics That Are Real
• Customer Service Skills for a Resume
• CV Examples: What a Good One Shows You

Looking for a worked example for your job title? Browse the resume examples by job title.

Get your free ATS score · All articles