Academic CV Template for Scholarship Applications (Copy-Paste Ready)

An academic CV is different from a job resume. Scholarship and admissions committees want to see your education, research, academic achievements and impact, presented clearly and in reverse chronological order. Use the template below, then tailor it for each application.

Formatting rules

• Length: two pages is ideal for most master’s applicants; PhD applicants can use three or more if they have publications.
• Font: a clean font such as Calibri, Arial or Garamond, 10.5 to 12 point.
• Layout: one column, clear headings, consistent dates, no photos unless requested.
• File: save as PDF, named like “FirstName_LastName_CV.pdf”.

The template

FULL NAME
City, Country | +00 000 000 0000 | email@example.com | linkedin.com/in/yourname | ORCID or portfolio link

EDUCATION
Bachelor of [Degree] in [Field], [University], [City, Country]          [Month Year] – [Month Year]
• CGPA: [3.75/4.00] | Class rank: [top 5% of 210]
• Thesis: "[Title]" – supervised by [Dr. Name]; grade: [A]
• Relevant courses: [Course 1], [Course 2], [Course 3]

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Research Assistant, [Lab or Project], [University]                       [Month Year] – [Month Year]
• [Action verb] [what you did] using [method/tool], resulting in [outcome]
• Collected and analysed data from [number] [participants/samples] using [software]

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
[Author, A., Your Name, B.] ([Year]). [Title]. [Journal or Conference], [Volume(Issue)], [pages].
[Your Name] ([Year]). [Poster/Talk title]. [Conference], [City].

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
[Job Title], [Organisation], [City]                                      [Month Year] – Present
• [Achievement with a number: e.g. reduced processing time by 30%]
• [Leadership or responsibility: e.g. supervised a team of 4 interns]

HONOURS AND AWARDS
[Award name], [Awarding body]                                             [Year]
[Merit scholarship], [University] – awarded to top [x]% of students        [Year]

LEADERSHIP AND VOLUNTEERING
[Role], [Organisation]                                                   [Year] – [Year]
• [What you led and the measurable impact]

SKILLS
Technical: [Python, SPSS, MATLAB, GIS, lab techniques]
Languages: [English (IELTS 7.5)], [Urdu (native)], [French (A2)]

REFERENCES
[Dr. Name], [Title], [University] – [email]
[Mr./Ms. Name], [Title], [Organisation] – [email]

Section-by-section tips

Education

List your most recent degree first. Include grades only if they are strong, and add rank or distinctions to give context.

Research experience

This is the most important section for research degrees. Describe your role, methods and results. Start each bullet with a strong verb: designed, analysed, built, tested, published, led.

Publications

Use one citation style consistently (APA is common). Include accepted and under-review papers, clearly marked.

Professional experience

Show results, not duties. “Managed social media” becomes “grew Instagram followers from 2,000 to 11,500 in eight months”.

Awards, leadership and volunteering

Scholarships value leadership and service. Include positions where you organised people, raised funds or created change.

Tailoring checklist

• Move the most relevant section for this scholarship to the top.
• Use keywords from the scholarship’s selection criteria (leadership, research, development impact).
• Remove anything older or less relevant to keep it concise.
• Check that dates, titles and names match your other documents.

How long should an academic CV be?

Follow the limit in the application if there is one. Schwarzman Scholars, for example, accepts a CV of two pages at most. If there is no limit, two pages is right for most bachelor’s and master’s applicants. PhD applicants with publications, conference talks and teaching can use three or four pages. A longer CV is not a stronger CV. The reader should find your degree, your best result and your most relevant experience in the first half of page one.

How to write strong bullet points

Use this formula: action verb + what you did + how + result. Start with a verb, keep each point to one or two lines and add a number when you can.

Only write numbers you can prove. Panels and interviewers often ask about them.

If you have no research experience or publications

This is normal for bachelor’s and many master’s applicants. You still have material:

• Your final-year project or thesis, written as a research entry
• Course projects, lab reports and term papers with a clear method and result
• Seminars, poster sessions and student competitions
• A short "Research interests" section of two or three lines that connects your past work to the degree you want

Do not add an empty "Publications" heading. Leave out sections that do not apply to you.

How to list a thesis or final-year project

Final-Year Project, BS Chemistry (2025-2026)
Title: Removal of textile dyes from wastewater using banana peel biochar
Supervisor: Dr [Name], Department of Chemistry
- Prepared and tested biochar at three temperatures; best sample removed 91% of dye
- Measured results with UV-Vis spectroscopy; analysed data in Origin
- Presented a poster at the department research day (2nd place of 24)

Give the title, your supervisor, your own tasks, the method and the result. Use the same title in your statement of purpose and your reference letters.

Publications and work in progress

• List published work first, in one citation style, with your name in bold.
• Label everything else honestly: "accepted", "under review" or "in preparation". Never present unsubmitted work as published.
• Add a link or DOI when one exists, so the reader can check it.
• Conference talks and posters go in their own section, with the event name, place and year.

Grades, rank and medals

Write your grade with its scale, for example "CGPA 3.6 out of 4.0" or "82%". Do not convert it to another country’s system unless the form asks you to. If you have a class rank, add it, because it helps a foreign reader understand your grade: "ranked 4th of 112". List medals, merit scholarships and distinctions with the year and who gave them.

A skills section that says something

Lists such as "MS Office, teamwork, leadership" add nothing. Group your skills and give a level or proof:

• Lab and field methods: the techniques you have used yourself
• Software and programming: the tool, your level and where you used it
• Languages: your level, and your test score with the date if you have one

Gaps, job changes and unfinished degrees

Use months and years for every entry, so the reader can follow your path. If you have a gap of more than six months, add one honest line, such as "2024: family care responsibilities" or "2023 to 2024: preparation for competitive examinations". If you left a degree unfinished, list the period and the credits you completed. A short explanation is better than a hidden gap that the panel notices anyway.

Common mistakes on academic CVs

• Too much personal data: your ID card number, father’s name, religion and marital status are not needed on a CV for international applications. Add a photo only if the scholarship asks for one.
• An informal e-mail address: use an address with your name.
• Dates that do not match: check them against your transcript and experience letters.
• Long paragraphs: use bullet points.
• Old school details: after a bachelor’s degree, one line for your secondary education is enough.
• Decorated templates: columns, icons and colour bars can break in online forms. A plain one-column layout is safest.

File format and name

Save the CV as a PDF, unless the form asks for another format, so the layout stays the same on every device. Use a clear file name such as "Ayesha_Khan_CV_Commonwealth_2027.pdf". Use one common font in 10.5 to 12 point, and keep margins of about 2 cm.

A ten-minute final check

1. Is your strongest result visible in the top half of page one?
2. Does every entry have dates, a place and a result?
3. Are entries in reverse order, newest first?
4. Do names, dates and titles match your other documents?
5. Have you removed sections that do not apply to you?
6. Has someone else read it for spelling?

Frequently asked questions

Should I put a photo on my academic CV?

Only if the scholarship or country asks for it. For most English-language applications a photo is not expected.

Should I list my referees on the CV?

Only if the instructions ask. Most applications collect referee details in the form.

Do I need a different CV for each scholarship?

Keep one master CV with everything. For each application, save a copy, move the most relevant items up and cut what does not fit the limit.

I have work experience but no research. Which comes first?

Put first what matters most for the award. For a research degree, lead with your project and methods. For a professional master’s or a leadership scholarship, lead with your work results.

Should I add hobbies and interests?

Only if they show something useful, such as leadership, long commitment or a skill linked to your field. One line is enough. If you need the space for academic work, leave them out.

What should I write next?

Your statement. See how to write a statement of purpose and ask early for recommendation letters.

Applying to a European scholarship? Some require the Europass CV format. Not sure whether to send a CV or a resume? Read resume vs academic CV.