What is PDF/A and why do universities require it?

PDF/A is a variant of the PDF format designed for long-term archiving. The "A" stands for "Archive". Unlike a normal PDF, PDF/A guarantees that the document is displayed identically even 50 years from now: all fonts are embedded in the file, no external links that can break, no JavaScript, no encryption. Universities require it because the thesis is deposited in libraries and digital repositories, where it must remain accessible for decades.

Do I absolutely have to submit my thesis as PDF/A?

It depends on your degree programme's regulations. Most Italian universities require it for the official deposit of the archived digital copy. Some universities still accept a normal PDF, but they are rapidly moving to mandatory PDF/A. Check on your registrar office's website or on the thesis submission portal (e.g. PICA for many Italian universities).

Which version of PDF/A should I use?

PDF/A-1b is the default and the universally accepted one. If the regulations don't specify anything else, use PDF/A-1b. PDF/A-2 and PDF/A-3 are accepted in specific cases (theses with attachments, complex graphics). Avoid PDF/A-4 unless your university explicitly requires it: it's too recent to be supported everywhere.

PDF/A-1a or PDF/A-1b: which should I choose?

PDF/A-1a is the "accessible" version (semantically tagged, optimised for screen readers). PDF/A-1b is the "basic" version (it only guarantees visual reproducibility). For a standard thesis, PDF/A-1b is sufficient and easier to generate. PDF/A-1a requires the document to have been semantically structured in Word (correct use of Heading styles, alt text on images): if you laid it out properly, you get PDF/A-1a with no extra effort.

Can I use free online tools to convert to PDF/A?

Yes, but with caution. Services like PDFen, iLovePDF and PDF24 offer free PDF/A conversion. They work well for simple theses (text + a few images). For complex theses (mathematical formulas, LaTeX graphics, high-resolution images) prefer Adobe Acrobat Pro or Word itself. WARNING: never upload theses containing sensitive data (patient research, company data under NDA) to online services — always prefer offline solutions.

How do I check whether my PDF is really PDF/A conformant?

The quickest way is our free PDF/A verification tool (guug.it/verifica-pdf-a): you upload the file and in a few seconds you see whether it's conformant, with a list of any problems in plain language. It uses veraPDF, the ISO-certified validator. Alternatively: open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader (if it's PDF/A the blue "conforms to the PDF/A standard" bar appears), or in Acrobat Pro go to Tools → Preflight → PDF Standards → Verify PDF/A conformance.

What should I do if the PDF/A conversion fails?

The most common error is "Fonts not embedded": open the PDF, File → Properties → Fonts, check which fonts are NOT "Embedded". They're often system fonts or exotic characters. Solutions: (1) Replace the font in the original Word file with a standard one and reconvert. (2) In Acrobat: Tools → Edit → Edit text, select the problematic text and change it. (3) In desperate cases: print the PDF to a virtual PDF/A printer (Microsoft Print to PDF doesn't work, but "doPDF" or "Bullzip PDF Printer" do).

Is a PDF/A heavier than a normal PDF?

Yes, on average by 20-40%. The reason is that all fonts must be embedded in the file (even system ones), and images must be saved without aggressive "lossy" compression. A 100-page thesis can go from 8 MB as a normal PDF to 12-15 MB as a PDF/A. To reduce the size: lower the resolution of the images to 150-200 dpi (enough for print) and use PDF compression when exporting.

◆ Thesis guides

PDF/A for your thesis: how to create it (Word, Mac, Acrobat)

A practical guide to PDF/A for your thesis: what it is, why universities require it, and how to create it from Word, Mac and Acrobat.

GUUG · June 2026

◆ In short

PDF/A is the "archival" PDF required by almost every university for digital submission. How to generate it, depending on your software: Word (Windows) — File → Save As → PDF → Options → tick "ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A)"; Mac — Word for Mac doesn't always export to PDF/A, the reliable method is to convert the PDF with Preview or Acrobat; Adobe Acrobat — File → Save As Other → Archivable PDF/A, or Tools → Preflight → convert to PDF/A. Always verify PDF/A conformance and check that all fonts are embedded.

What PDF/A is and why it matters

PDF/A is a variant of the PDF format designed for long-term archiving. The "A" stands for "Archive". It is an ISO standard (ISO 19005) developed to guarantee that a digital document remains readable in exactly the same way even 30 or 50 years from now, regardless of which software, operating system or technology will be available in the future.

The practical difference from a normal PDF: in a PDF/A all fonts are embedded in the file (even system fonts), no JavaScript, no external links that can break, no encryption, no transparency (in version 1) and complete XMP metadata. All of this makes the file a bit larger than a normal PDF, but guarantees that it opens identically everywhere.

Italian universities require it because the thesis ends up in the university's digital repository (library, open archive, doctoral site) where it must remain accessible for decades. Without PDF/A, 20 years from now a thesis might no longer display correctly. With PDF/A, it's guaranteed.

The 4 versions of PDF/A: which one you need

The PDF/A standard has been updated over the years. Each version has slightly different rules. For a standard Italian university thesis, the version you need is almost always PDF/A-1b.

ⓘ The "a" suffix (e.g. PDF/A-1a) means "accessible" (semantically tagged). "b" (e.g. PDF/A-1b) means "basic" (visual reproducibility only). For a thesis, "b" is enough.

PDF/A-1

2005

The first version, the most restrictive. It does not allow transparency, JavaScript or attachments. Universally accepted by every Italian university. If the regulations just say "PDF/A" without specifying, it's almost always PDF/A-1.

PDF/A-2

2011

Allows transparency, layers, JPEG 2000 and PDF/A attachments. Suited to theses with complex graphics (architecture, design). Compatible with most university archiving systems.

PDF/A-3

2012

Like version 2 but allows attachments of ANY type (Excel, images, video). Useful for experimental theses with attached datasets. Check that your university accepts it, though: some registrar offices still require 1 or 2.

PDF/A-4

2020

The latest version, based on PDF 2.0. Still not widely adopted by Italian university registrar offices. Don't use it unless your programme's regulations explicitly require it.

3 methods to create a PDF/A

Three practical routes, from the simplest to the most professional. For 90% of theses, the Word method is enough.

From Microsoft Word (Windows)

Open the final Word file of your thesis (final version, already laid out and with the bibliography).
Go to File → Save As (or Export).
Choose the "PDF (*.pdf)" format.
Click "Options" below the file name.
In the options window, tick the box "ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A)".
Confirm and save. Word generates a valid PDF/A-1.
Check the result by opening the PDF: in Adobe Reader the blue "PDF/A conformance" bar appears at the top.

Word 2010 onwards. The most recent versions (Word 365, Word 2021) support up to PDF/A-3 with a similar interface.

From macOS (Preview + Pages)

Open the Word file in Pages (or save directly in Word for Mac).
Export to PDF: File → Export To → PDF.
For the PDF/A conversion, open the freshly generated PDF with Preview.
File → Export → PDF format, expand the advanced options.
Set the "Standard" to "PDF/A" and choose the level (1b is usually enough).
Save the file. Preview generates a conformant PDF/A.
Alternatively: use your university's online tool — many offer free conversion services for students.

macOS doesn't have a fully reliable native PDF/A converter for the most recent versions. If the PDF is rejected by the submission platform, try Adobe Acrobat (even the free 7-day trial works fine).

From Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Open the normal PDF file in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Go to Tools → PDF Standards → Wizards.
Choose "PDF/A conversion" and select the required version (PDF/A-1b is the safest).
Acrobat analyses the file and flags any problems (non-embedded fonts, images with transparency, etc.).
Let Acrobat fix them automatically, or intervene manually.
Save the file under a different name (e.g. "thesis_final_PDFA.pdf") so you don't overwrite the original.
Check conformance: Tools → Preflight → PDF Standards → Verify PDF/A conformance.

Adobe Acrobat is the most reliable and complete solution. Free 7-day trial at acrobat.adobe.com. For anyone handling many theses, it's worth it.

PDF/A conformance checklist

Seven checks to run before you consider the PDF/A ready for submission. If even one of these points isn't in order, the validator will report an error.

All fonts embedded

Every font used in the thesis must be "embedded" in the PDF. To check: in Adobe Reader, File → Properties → Fonts — each entry must say "(Embedded)" or "(Embedded Subset)".

No JavaScript

Interactive forms, calculators and animations are forbidden in PDF/A-1. If you exported from Word you won't have this problem.

No transparency (PDF/A-1 only)

Images with a transparent background or transparency effects must be "flattened" before export. Acrobat does this automatically during conversion.

No broken external links

Links in the PDF must point to valid URLs or be converted to plain text. Links to "file://" or "C:..." must always be removed.

Complete XMP metadata

Title, author, subject and keywords must be filled in in the PDF metadata. In Word: File → Info → Properties.

Identifiable colour spaces

CMYK images with a missing colour profile cause errors. All the images in the thesis should be saved in sRGB before importing them into Word.

No encryption/password

PDF/A does not allow password protection or encryption. If you protected the PDF, you must remove the protection before conversion.

6 common mistakes to avoid

Mistakes we see regularly: the thesis is perfect, but the PDF/A conversion fails at the last minute and everything has to be redone against the deadline.

⚠︎ Exporting Word as just a "normal PDF"

The "normal" PDF generated by Word is NOT a PDF/A. It's just a generic PDF. If the university requires PDF/A you must explicitly tick the "ISO 19005-1" box when exporting.

⚠︎ Special fonts not embedded

You used a fancy font (calligraphic, specific to one operating system) and during conversion it gets substituted or not embedded. The PDF/A fails validation. Solution: use standard fonts (Times, Garamond, Calibri) or embed the fonts manually.

⚠︎ Transparent images not flattened

You inserted PNG logos or graphics with a transparent background. PDF/A-1 doesn't allow it. Solution: before exporting, "flatten" the images (in Photoshop: Layer → Merge Visible) or save them on a white background.

⚠︎ PDF/A validation not performed

You exported thinking it was PDF/A, but you didn't verify conformance. Check it for free with our online tool (guug.it/verifica-pdf-a, based on veraPDF) or with Adobe Acrobat Reader. Don't submit anything without verifying.

⚠︎ Huge file size

PDF/A tends to be larger than a normal PDF (embedded fonts, high-resolution images). A 100-page thesis can grow by a few MB, typically from ~8 to 12-15 MB. If the university has an upload limit (often 20 MB), reduce the resolution of the images BEFORE converting to PDF/A.

⚠︎ Converting an old version of the thesis

You made changes on the last day and converted the version from two days ago. It sounds obvious but it happens often, especially with multiple files on the desktop. Always rename the final PDF/A with a date: "thesis_final_2024-03-15.pdf".

Frequently asked questions

What is PDF/A and why do universities require it?: PDF/A is a variant of the PDF format designed for long-term archiving. The "A" stands for "Archive". Unlike a normal PDF, PDF/A guarantees that the document is displayed identically even 50 years from now: all fonts are embedded in the file, no external links that can break, no JavaScript, no encryption. Universities require it because the thesis is deposited in libraries and digital repositories, where it must remain accessible for decades.
Do I absolutely have to submit my thesis as PDF/A?: It depends on your degree programme's regulations. Most Italian universities require it for the official deposit of the archived digital copy. Some universities still accept a normal PDF, but they are rapidly moving to mandatory PDF/A. Check on your registrar office's website or on the thesis submission portal (e.g. PICA for many Italian universities).
Which version of PDF/A should I use?: PDF/A-1b is the default and the universally accepted one. If the regulations don't specify anything else, use PDF/A-1b. PDF/A-2 and PDF/A-3 are accepted in specific cases (theses with attachments, complex graphics). Avoid PDF/A-4 unless your university explicitly requires it: it's too recent to be supported everywhere.
PDF/A-1a or PDF/A-1b: which should I choose?: PDF/A-1a is the "accessible" version (semantically tagged, optimised for screen readers). PDF/A-1b is the "basic" version (it only guarantees visual reproducibility). For a standard thesis, PDF/A-1b is sufficient and easier to generate. PDF/A-1a requires the document to have been semantically structured in Word (correct use of Heading styles, alt text on images): if you laid it out properly, you get PDF/A-1a with no extra effort.
Can I use free online tools to convert to PDF/A?: Yes, but with caution. Services like PDFen, iLovePDF and PDF24 offer free PDF/A conversion. They work well for simple theses (text + a few images). For complex theses (mathematical formulas, LaTeX graphics, high-resolution images) prefer Adobe Acrobat Pro or Word itself. WARNING: never upload theses containing sensitive data (patient research, company data under NDA) to online services — always prefer offline solutions.
How do I check whether my PDF is really PDF/A conformant?: The quickest way is our free PDF/A verification tool (guug.it/verifica-pdf-a): you upload the file and in a few seconds you see whether it's conformant, with a list of any problems in plain language. It uses veraPDF, the ISO-certified validator. Alternatively: open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader (if it's PDF/A the blue "conforms to the PDF/A standard" bar appears), or in Acrobat Pro go to Tools → Preflight → PDF Standards → Verify PDF/A conformance.
What should I do if the PDF/A conversion fails?: The most common error is "Fonts not embedded": open the PDF, File → Properties → Fonts, check which fonts are NOT "Embedded". They're often system fonts or exotic characters. Solutions: (1) Replace the font in the original Word file with a standard one and reconvert. (2) In Acrobat: Tools → Edit → Edit text, select the problematic text and change it. (3) In desperate cases: print the PDF to a virtual PDF/A printer (Microsoft Print to PDF doesn't work, but "doPDF" or "Bullzip PDF Printer" do).
Is a PDF/A heavier than a normal PDF?: Yes, on average by 20-40%. The reason is that all fonts must be embedded in the file (even system ones), and images must be saved without aggressive "lossy" compression. A 100-page thesis can go from 8 MB as a normal PDF to 12-15 MB as a PDF/A. To reduce the size: lower the resolution of the images to 150-200 dpi (enough for print) and use PDF compression when exporting.

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