What is the main-text page limit for ICLR 2026, and do references count?

The main body is commonly limited to 8 pages; the reference list is usually not counted toward that 8-page cap. Always confirm the current ICLR Author Guide and OpenReview instructions for the year you submit.

What are ICLR’s abstract length and citation style?

The abstract is typically capped at 200 words. Citations are usually in APA style (author–year). Use the official LaTeX template and BibTeX setup from the conference.

What should I watch for when submitting to OpenReview for ICLR?

Beyond PDF layout, you must complete metadata, anonymity settings, and supplementary materials in OpenReview. The PDF should meet that year’s requirements (often US Letter, single column, ~1-inch margins on all sides).

ICLR 2026 Paper Formatting Template

Submission essentials

ICLR is known for OpenReview, where reviewers and readers can see discussions and author responses. Beyond paper quality, the community values honesty, reproducibility, and constructive debate. Format-wise, ICLR typically uses US Letter, single-column layout with an 8-page main limit, APA-style citations, and a strict abstract length. Format mistakes hurt the “ready to publish” first impression—especially on a public platform where they draw more attention.

Common rejection reasons include insufficient experiments, weak baselines, or overstated claims. On formatting: watch single-column page counts, consistency between in-text citations and the reference list, and anonymity and metadata on OpenReview.

Format specifications in detail

Page and layout: US Letter; single column; main text typically 8 pages; references usually do not count toward that cap (confirm against the ICLR 2026 Author Guide).
Margins: 1 inch on all four sides.
Fonts: Body text Times New Roman 10pt; section titles 14pt.
Required skeleton: Abstract, Introduction, References; other sections must work with the official class file.
Submission: Submission and metadata on OpenReview—see ICLR 2026.

Writing the abstract

Length: At most 200 words.
Content: Problem, method, results, and contributions; OpenReview readers often skim the abstract first—it should stand alone.
Tone: Avoid hype; align with figures and conclusions in the paper.
Public review context: Avoid attacking other work in the abstract; focus on your own contribution.

Citations and references

Style: APA with BibTeX.
Consistency: Author–year in text must match bibliography fields; update preprint vs. published metadata.
Typical mistakes: Mixing IEEE numbered style with APA; misconfigured natbib; unescaped special characters when pasting BibTeX into OpenReview.

Common formatting mistakes

Main text over 8 pages: Appendix material slipped into the main PDF.
Layout drift: Switching to two columns or shrinking margins to fit more text.
Metadata leaks: Author-identifying information in OpenReview during the anonymous phase.
Non-standard PDF: Wrong paper size or fonts not embedded.
Broken references: Citation keys out of sync with the .bib file, showing ? in the PDF.

How to convert your paper to ICLR format with AutoSCI

Upload your paper — PDF or Word.
Choose a template — Select ICLR 2026 from the template list.
Export in one step — Export to LaTeX, PDF, or Word.

AutoSCI applies page limits, margins, font sizes, and citation style automatically so your output aligns with ICLR submission expectations.

OpenReview workflow and public discussion

ICLR’s public comments can be sharp. Read the review ethics and response guidelines before you submit; in rebuttal, reply point by point and point to where you changed the paper. Fix formatting feedback (unclear figures, page overruns) early so discussion stays on science.

Single column and readability

Single-column lines are long—use sections, subheadings, lists, and bold keywords so reviewers can scan for contributions. When figures are nearly full width, keep captions self-contained.

Anonymity and identity

For anonymous submission: PDFs, supplements, and code links must not reveal affiliation; use anonymous GitHub repos when needed. When citing your own prior work, follow the double-blind instructions.

Reproducibility and code

ICLR encourages open code and data; if you cannot share, explain why and what alternatives exist. The main paper should state the minimum information needed to reproduce key results.

LaTeX and the official template

Use the official iclr style; avoid packages that conflict with the class. Address compiler warnings—especially overfull hboxes—before final upload.

Pre-deadline checklist

US Letter, single column, 1 inch margins.
Main text ≤ 8 pages.
Abstract ≤ 200 words.
APA + BibTeX consistent end-to-end.
OpenReview anonymity and PDF metadata checked.
Figures and tables clear, no bad line breaks or overflow.

Notes for authors writing in English as a second language

Under public review, ambiguous wording gets questioned more often. Consider having peers polish the introduction and contribution statements.

Time zone: Deadlines are usually Anywhere on Earth (AoE). Mindset: Public discussion is normal; respond with evidence and experiments.

Migrating from NeurIPS or CVPR

NeurIPS: If both use single-column APA, migration is lighter—still verify page counts and style version.
CVPR (IEEE two-column): Expect to redo layout and the entire citation system; budget time accordingly.

Extra FAQ

Q: Can rebuttal add pages to the main paper?

A: Follow that year’s policy; you usually cannot arbitrarily exceed the main-text page limit.

Q: How should supplementary materials be formatted?

A: Package them per OpenReview instructions; figure and table numbering should align with the main paper.

Related work and positioning

End the introduction with a clear list of contributions; related work should compare concretely, not as a generic literature survey.

Math and notation

Number equations clearly; if notation is heavy, a short notation table helps.

Working with AutoSCI

Treat 8-page single column and APA as fixed anchors; convert after content is stable to avoid repeated renumbering.

Review ethics

For generative misuse, privacy, and similar topics, discuss risks and mitigations as the guidelines require.

Versioning and disclaimer

The ICLR 2026 Author Guide is authoritative.

Figures and color

Use color-blind-friendly palettes; explain error bars and confidence intervals and report sample sizes.

Proofs in supplementary material

Put long proofs in the appendix; keep proof sketches and intuition in the main paper.

PDF checks

Embed fonts; search the PDF for TODO, author names, and email addresses.

Team collaboration

Lock the template version; merge only after a clean local build.

Writing under public review

Avoid personal attacks and unverifiable accusations; keep comparative experiments fair.

Citation completeness

Cover both classic and recent work—gaps are often called out in public comments.

Wide tables and appendix

Very wide tables can be rotated or moved to the appendix; cite appendix table numbers from the main text.

Final upload

After upload, download the PDF again to verify; check attachment size and formats.

Relationship to arXiv

Follow that year’s policy; watch for conflicts between anonymity and public preprint versions.

Common misconceptions

Large rewrites in rebuttal without page references.
Supplementary material contradicting the main conclusions.
Ignoring “visible to authors” fields on OpenReview.

Writing workflow

Finish experiments and the core argument first, then compress to 8 pages—it is usually faster than expanding blindly.

Print vs. screen

Print preview single-column PDFs to check margins; avoid reader zoom skewing your sense of page count.

Responding to reviews (pattern)

For each comment: thank the reviewer → respond → give page/section of the change → if you disagree, cite data and references.

Data and licensing

For public datasets, state version and split protocol; for commercial data, clarify permissions.

Symbols and units

Use SI units consistently; label axes with full units.

The last hour before deadline

Only verify and upload—avoid restructuring content.

Format Overview