diff --git a/scipost/models.py b/scipost/models.py
index 38521759a68ffc996dc4d2f45464b4913cbb4bdf..d10c7d9c51004a1b16546a01c04385cf471f5bb5 100644
--- a/scipost/models.py
+++ b/scipost/models.py
@@ -44,10 +44,10 @@ class Contributor(models.Model):
     rank = models.SmallIntegerField(default=0, choices=CONTRIBUTOR_RANKS)
     title = models.CharField(max_length=4, choices=TITLE_CHOICES)
     # username, password, email, first_name and last_name are inherited from User
-    orcid_id = models.CharField(max_length=20, blank=True, null=True, verbose_name="ORCID id", default='')
+    orcid_id = models.CharField(max_length=20, verbose_name="ORCID id")
     affiliation = models.CharField(max_length=300, verbose_name='affiliation')
-    address = models.CharField(max_length=1000, blank=True, verbose_name="address")
-    personalwebpage = models.URLField(blank=True, verbose_name='personal web page')
+    address = models.CharField(max_length=1000, verbose_name="address")
+    personalwebpage = models.URLField(verbose_name='personal web page')
     #vetted_by = models.OneToOneField(Contributor, related_name='vetted_by') TO ACTIVATE
 
     nr_comments = models.PositiveSmallIntegerField(default=0)
diff --git a/scipost/templates/scipost/register.html b/scipost/templates/scipost/register.html
index 6bcee8ed347836785a7386228e0911b167c62afd..b32824b5681b9fb0143b5a0975d653323887fee4 100644
--- a/scipost/templates/scipost/register.html
+++ b/scipost/templates/scipost/register.html
@@ -6,18 +6,27 @@
 
 <section>
   <h1>Register to SciPost</h1>
-  <form action="{% url 'scipost:register' %}" method="post">
-    {% csrf_token %}
-    <table>
-      <ul>
-	{{ form.as_table }}
-      </ul>
-    </table>
-    <input type="submit" value="Submit" />
-  </form>
-  {% if errormessage %}
-  <p>{{ errormessage }}</p>
-  {% endif %}
+  <div class="row">
+    <div class="col-4">
+      <p>Please note that all fields are required.</p>
+      <p>Don't have an ORCID id yet?</p>
+      <p>Get one using this link:  <a href="http://orcid.org">orcid.org</a>.</p>
+    </div>
+    <div class="col-8">
+      <form action="{% url 'scipost:register' %}" method="post">
+	{% csrf_token %}
+	<table>
+	  <ul>
+	    {{ form.as_table }}
+	  </ul>
+	</table>
+	<input type="submit" value="Submit" />
+      </form>
+      {% if errormessage %}
+      <p>{{ errormessage }}</p>
+      {% endif %}
+    </div>
+  </div>
 </section>
 
 {% endblock bodysup %}