In the UK, Australia, Ireland, South Africa and much of Asia, the Harvard Referencing system is the default for business, social science and health assignments. Universities that use it usually ask for a cover sheet with a fairly standard set of facts: student number, module code, module leader, word count, submission date and a declaration that the work is your own. This template gathers all of those on one tidy page and gives it a confident crimson header so your assignment does not look like a photocopied form.
Harvard Is a Referencing System, Not a Title Page Rule
Unlike APA or Chicago, Harvard does not come from a single official manual. Each university publishes its own Harvard guide, and the cover sheet requirements come from your department, not the referencing style. That is why this template is built around the fields departments most often ask for, and why every field can be renamed. If your module handbook calls it unit instead of module, or candidate number instead of student number, just edit the label.
Anatomy of the Crimson Design
The top third of the page is a deep crimson block whose lower edge slopes down from right to left, with a darker crimson band underlining the slope. Inside the block, a small pink label reads Harvard Referencing Style, then Kingsley College of Business in white, then the paper title in large white Playfair Display. On the right, a white laurel wreath surrounds a round crest slot with a white ring. Below the header, a warm sand-coloured card holds six fields in two columns, topped by a thin crimson rule. A short italic declaration sits under the fields, and a crimson footer bar runs along the bottom with a note about the reference list and in-text citation format, plus the logo on a light plate.
Putting Your College Crest in the Laurel
The circle inside the laurel is a photo slot. Click it and choose Replace Image to upload your university crest, faculty logo, or a small portrait. The circle keeps its size and white ring, and your image is cropped to fit. A square logo on a transparent background works best; a long horizontal logo will be cropped at the sides, so use the crest or shield version if your university has one. The laurel itself is an editable vector, so you can recolour it gold to match a crest with gold detailing.
The Six Cover Sheet Fields
| Field label | Sample value | Where to find the right value |
|---|---|---|
| Student name | Aisha Rahman | Your name as registered with the university |
| Student number | KC2024-11873 | Student ID card or portal |
| Module | MGT 205 Business Ethics | Module handbook or timetable |
| Module leader | Dr. Paul Morrison | Module handbook |
| Word count | 3,000 words | Your word processor, excluding the reference list if your rules say so |
| Submission date | 21 November 2026 | Assignment brief |
Getting the Word Count Right
Many Harvard-style modules set a word limit with a tolerance of plus or minus ten percent. Before you fill in the word count field, check what counts. Most universities exclude the reference list, appendices and the cover sheet itself, but include in-text citations, headings and quotations. Some exclude tables. Write the exact figure, not a rounded one, if your handbook asks for it; markers do spot-check. If you are well under the limit, that is worth knowing too: an essay that uses only 2,100 of 3,000 words often lacks depth, and the cover sheet is a good last moment to notice it.
The Academic Integrity Declaration
The small italic line reads: Declaration: I confirm that this work is my own and that all sources are referenced in the Harvard style. Many universities require exact wording, often including a reference to plagiarism, generative AI tools, or collusion. If yours has an official statement, paste it here instead. Keep it short enough to fit the space, or reduce the font size slightly. Some courses also ask for a signature; type your name, or print the page and sign above the line.
A Quick Refresher on Harvard Citations
The footer reminds you of the basics: in-text citations use the author’s surname and year, such as (Morrison, 2023), with page numbers for direct quotes (Morrison, 2023, p. 14). The reference list goes at the end, alphabetised by surname, and each entry gives author, year, title, publisher or journal, and a URL with an accessed date for online sources. Details such as italics and punctuation vary by institution, so always follow your own university’s Harvard guide rather than a generic one online.
Editing Colours to Match Your Institution
Crimson works for many schools, but you can change it in a few clicks. Select the large header shape and pick a new fill, then do the same for the darker band below it and the footer bar. Navy, bottle green, and royal purple all work with the white text. The field labels are in crimson too; select them and change their colour so the whole page stays consistent. The sand card behind the fields can become pale grey or pale blue to suit a cooler palette.
Submitting Online or on Paper
The page is US Letter (8.5 x 11 inches). If your university uses A4, print with Fit to page or ask your printer to scale; the layout has generous margins, so nothing important is lost. For online submission through Turnitin, Canvas or Moodle, use Download As PDF and merge the cover sheet with your assignment so it becomes page one of a single file. For a paper hand-in, print the cover in colour on standard paper and staple it to the top left of your assignment.
Harvard Cover Sheet FAQ
Do I put a title on a Harvard cover sheet?
Yes, if the assignment has one. For essays answering a set question, many students paste the question itself as the title.
Should my name be on the cover if marking is anonymous?
No. For anonymous marking, delete the name field and use only your student or candidate number.
Can I add a second page for a contents list?
The template is a single cover. Add your contents page in your word processor after the cover.
