Academic CV for Scholarships and PhD Applications: Format + Tips

An academic CV is different from a job résumé. It highlights education, research, publications and academic skills, and it can be longer than one page.

Recommended sections (in order)

1. Contact information — name, email, phone, city, and a LinkedIn / Google Scholar / ORCID link if you have one.
2. Education — degree, university, years, CGPA, thesis title and supervisor.
3. Research interests — 3–5 specific areas.
4. Research experience — thesis, research assistantships, projects: your role, methods and outcomes.
5. Publications and conference papers — in a consistent citation style (published, accepted, under review).
6. Teaching / work experience.
7. Skills — SPSS, R, Python, NVivo, lab techniques, languages.
8. Awards, scholarships and honours.
9. Workshops, training and certifications.
10. References — 2–3 academic referees (or “available on request”).

Formatting tips

• Reverse chronological order (most recent first).
• Clean, simple layout; one professional font; consistent dates.
• No photo, age or marital status unless the application asks for it.
• Save and send as PDF with a clear filename (e.g. Name_CV_2026.pdf).

Common mistakes

• Listing duties instead of achievements and skills.
• Vague skills (“computer skills”) instead of specific tools.
• Inconsistent formatting of publications.
• Spelling mistakes in names of universities or professors.

Pair your CV with a strong statement of purpose — together they tell one consistent story.

📲 Found this useful? Share it with a classmate on WhatsApp.