Scientific Poster Size Requirements: Selected European Congresses Compared (Date-Checked Table)

• There is no single standard scientific poster size: congresses set their own orientation, size and e-poster format.
• A0 (84.1 × 118.9 cm) is common, but ESMO 2026 used 190 × 110 cm landscape and ESGO allowed up to 200 × 95 cm portrait.
• Build the e-poster separately: many congresses want a 16:9 PDF, and ECR uses an online form.

Scientific poster size is one of the most common causes of last-minute rework. A poster built for one congress often does not fit the next: one expects a landscape board, another a portrait A0 sheet, and e-poster files have their own formats. A scientific poster is a large display, often around 1 × 2 m, designed to convey research findings1, so the sheet size shapes every layout choice.

This resource compares poster size requirements at selected European congresses (2026 editions) in a date-checked table, explains how to read the numbers, and shows how to prepare one design for several events. For design and printing support, see our poster preparation service.

Size sets the space for figures and text. In a study of posters at two gastroenterology meetings, the delegates’ favourite posters contained an average of 326 words per m², compared with 782 for the posters ranked fifth and sixth2. A smaller or differently shaped poster board makes it harder to keep text density low, so check the size before drafting the layout.

The table summarises paper and e-poster rules for six congresses whose organisers publish them in detail. All six 2026 meetings have now taken place, so use the table to plan, then check the next edition’s instructions, which can change from year to year.

• A0 is a fixed paper size: 84.1 × 118.9 cm (841 × 1189 mm) under ISO 216. It can be portrait or landscape, so always check the orientation10.
• Recommended, maximum and required differ: ESGO gives a recommended size and a hard limit7, ACNAP gives a maximum6, and ESMO states an exact size3.
• E-poster rules are separate: format, aspect ratio and file size can differ from the paper poster. ESMO and the ESC congresses ask for a 16:9 PDF, while ECR uses an online form with separate image files459.
• Page count may be limited: FEBS and EHRA accept one sheet only58.

1. Pick the orientation first and keep the content in a safe area that fits the smallest board you may face.
2. Leave margins: ESGO asks for at least 1 cm on each side7.
3. Build the file at the board’s final aspect ratio and export a PDF for print.
4. Keep text light and figures large; text-heavy posters were less favoured by delegates2.
5. Build the e-poster to its own format, such as a 16:9 PDF for ESMO and the ESC congresses or the online form for ECR, with the file-size limits in view459.
6. Reconfirm size and orientation in your acceptance email before printing.

• Reusing last year’s template without checking the new instructions.
• Printing a landscape poster when the board takes a portrait poster, or the reverse.
• Exceeding a maximum height or width.
• Submitting several pages when only one is accepted58.
• Forgetting the required e-poster: ESMO 2026 made the e-poster mandatory3, and ESGO asks paper-poster authors to submit one too7.
• Exporting the paper poster as the e-poster when the congress wants a different format or ratio.
• Mixing up centimetres, pixels and inches.

There is no single standard scientific poster size. Use the table as a starting point, decide orientation first, design to the stricter limit, and prepare the e-poster separately. Before printing, confirm the rules in your acceptance email. If you are still choosing a format, see our poster, e-poster or oral presentation decision tree, and if AI tools helped with the layout or figures, read our guide on AI-generated figures disclosure.