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Grad School Resume 2024: Tips, FAQs, and Templates

When applying to grad school, you’ll probably be asked to submit your resume. As grad school admissions become increasingly competitive, it’s critical that you have a strong resume to help you stand out from other applicants and impress the selection committee.

The perfect grad school resume is short and concise but persuasive enough to convince your dream grad school that you’re the perfect candidate. An academic resume is quite different to an employment resume, so it’s important to know how to write a winning CV for grad school.

Table of Contents

Why Do I Need a Grad School Resume?

When preparing your grad school application, you’re probably consumed with many tasks like chasing down your academic transcripts and preparing for the  entrance exam . Your graduate school resume might be the last thing on your mind, but you’ll almost certainly need to prepare one.

Grad school admission requirements vary depending on the school you’re applying to, but you’ll typically need to submit the following for your grad school application:

• Completed application form
• Academic transcript
• Entrance exam
• Reference letters
• Personal statement

You shouldn’t use whatever resume you have on hand from the last time you applied for a job. A grad school resume is quite different from an employment resume , so you’ll need to create one specifically for this purpose. A well-crafted and comprehensive resume helps the admissions team understand your strengths, qualifications, experience, and interests. Ultimately, this will help them determine whether or not they’ll accept you into the program.

Related: How To Prep Your Resume For Success (When You’ve No Work Experience)

Tips for Writing a Winning Graduate School Resume in 2024

Follow these tips to show any selection committee that you’re the perfect candidate for their program!

Write a Strong but Concise Introduction

Grad school selection committees go over hundreds, if not  thousands , of resumes to find candidates who meet their standards and who could be excellent ambassadors for the program. Because of sheer volume, they may spend only a few seconds reviewing each resume.

This makes the introduction critical—this part will grab their attention and persuade them to keep reading. So, take your time to write a brief but strong professional profile. In as few words as possible, mention your qualifications, experience, and relevant skills, why you want to join the program, and why you’re the perfect candidate.

Your letter of intent for admission to graduate school gives you a unique way to separate yourself from the rest of the applicants.

Include your Contact Details

Your contact details should go at the top of your resume, right below your name.

Be sure to include the following details:

• Your first name and surname
• Your physical address

Your email address

• At least one contact phone number
• Links to your social media profiles.

You don’t need to include extra information about yourself such as your race, age, or citizenship. In fact, by law, institutions are not allowed to discriminate based on these details; so, it’s best to leave them off your resume entirely.

On the other hand, social media links are important, especially LinkedIn. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile already, consider signing up for one. The selection committee may check your profile to verify your connections, work experience, internships, volunteer work, and educational background.

Pay Attention to Formatting

Good formatting is vital for any resume—a sloppy layout will make you look unprofessional and could damage your chances of getting accepted into a grad program. Keep it short, simple, and precise—make it no more than one page if possible. Don’t include any unnecessary details or information that isn’t relevant to the program.

The exact layout can vary, but your grad school resume should include:

• Your name and contact details
• Summary/introduction
• Education history and educational achievements

Awards and achievements

• Significant research projects
• Extra-curricular activities
• Volunteer work
• Skills and hobbies

Some grad schools want you to follow a standard format, so be sure to check with the admissions office if they have any grad school resume examples or templates. You can’t expect a call back from the selection committee if you can’t follow a simple format instruction!

For more on formatting, take a look at the sample CVs for graduate school admission later in this article.

Detail your Education History

Many grad schools require candidates to have a minimum level of education in order to be considered for their program. Even if a school doesn’t have strict grade prerequisites, at a minimum you will need to have completed an undergraduate degree. Your education history is one of the first things the selection committee will check when going over your resume.

Because this information is so important, you should outline your education in a prominent spot near the top of your resume. Mention the schools you’ve attended, your qualifications, GPA, and any other courses or certifications you took before or after your undergraduate studies. It’s also essential to include any teaching experience and major research projects.

Be sure to include these details in the education section:

•       Name of the school
•       Location
•       Graduation date
•       Degrees
•       Awards

Include your Professional Experience

An academic resume doesn’t need to be limited to your education experience. It’s usually a good idea to also include work experience outside of academia, along with teaching and research experience .

Detailing your diverse work experience may demonstrate additional skills and experience that is relevant to the program. It can also help to build a complete picture of your journey to grad school that will be more compelling to the selection committee. Furthermore, some programs, such as most MBAs, particularly look for professional work experience.

Related: How To Apply To Grad School

Highlight Your Awards and Achievements

Your achievements set you apart from other candidates so it’s vital to highlight them in your resume. Achievements demonstrate your skills and strengths in a very concrete way, giving the committee a good reason to choose you over other applicants. Achievements could include volunteer awards, leadership positions, prizes won as part of extracurricular activities, academic achievements such as honors, and internships. Be sure to also briefly mention what you learned from your achievements.

Detailing your academic achievements can certainly enhance your resume, but it’s not necessary to include every small award you’ve won over the years. Make this section detailed, but without any fluff. Only include awards that are relevant to the program you are applying for.

Stick with Reverse Chronological Order

The selection committee will be most interested in hearing about your latest experience and achievements. Therefore, it’s important to list everything in reverse chronological order: start with your most recent awards, projects, or positions and work backwards chronologically.

You should follow this approach for all the elements in your academic resume. This includes academic and professional work experience, research projects, publications, awards, and other achievements.

Include Key Skills and Proficiencies

At the end of your resume, you should include a section covering your skills and abilities . Detail both the hard and soft skills picked up from your undergraduate program and professional experience. You can also list your hobbies, but remember to avoid fluff – only include extracurricular activities that are relevant to your application.

This doesn’t mean that all the skills and hobbies you mention must be directly related to the graduate program; however, they should show the school that you are a strong candidate for one reason or another. For example, sporting achievements demonstrate dedication and motivation, even if they aren’t directly related to the program you’re applying for. Anything that adds value to your resume will help make your application stand out.

Wherever possible, back up your statements. Rather than just stating that you possess certain skills, provide examples of academic projects that allowed you to build a specific capability, or awards you won that recognize your proficiency in a certain area.

Don’t be Repetitive

Avoid repeating information. If you have only a few achievements to show and you’ve already mentioned them under the education section, you don’t need to create a separate section for achievements and awards. A lengthy resume filled with fluff isn’t going to help you get into your dream school. It’s always better to keep your resume short, concise, and to the point.

Proof Read to Pick up any Errors

Don’t underestimate the importance of proofreading your academic resume for graduate school. Even one or two spelling mistakes, typos, or messy formatting can be a big turn off the selection committees.

Read over your resume to check for errors. Then proofread it again. Just to be sure, ask a friend, family member, or mentor to take a look. Most importantly, make sure your contact details are accurate and up to date!

How to Write a Resume for Your Graduate School Application

Here’s a brief step-by-step guide to writing a resume for grad school applicants.

Step 1: Write a Strong Introduction

Your academic resume should start with a brief but compelling introduction to catch the selection committee’s attention and encourage them to keep reading.

Your introduction should summarize your most relevant skills and academic history, as well as mentioning your main professional objective. A strong graduate school resume objective is authentic, direct, and compelling.

Step 2: List your Academic Experience

In the next section, detail your academic qualifications and experience. Include not only your undergraduate degree and any other studies you’ve completed, but also key coursework, major academic projects and research and teaching experience.

Related: When To Apply For Grad School

Step 3: Detail your Professional Experience

The next part of your academic should cover your professional experience. If you’re a recent graduate with limited experience, list your internships, fellowships, teaching positions, or any other relevant experience you have.

Step 4: Detail your Key Skills

Next, describe your most relevant skills that will impress the admissions committee. It’s essential to include as many relevant keywords as possible, as admissions committees are increasingly using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to automatically filter applications.

Key skills and proficiencies you could add to your resume include:

• Academic research
• Business knowledge
• Social sciences
• Written communication skills
• Skills in specific disciplines, such as accounting, actuarial science, biology, calculus, cell-based analysis, cognitive behavioral therapy, economics, engineering, finance, nursing theory, psychology, social work, and statistics

Step 5: List Important Academic Achievements

Finally, highlight your most impressive academic achievements. Include details such as your GPAs, academic memberships and associations, and any awards you’ve received.

Graduate School Resume Template

Below, we’ve included three graduate school resume examples that showcase different ways to format your resume for graduate school. These graduate school resumes include all the critical information, such as academic projects, relevant skills, and professional experience in a clear, concise way.

Grad School Resume Template 1: General Academic Resume

Your First Name, Last Name

Your phone number

LinkedIn profile, other social media profiles

Introduction : 2-3 sentences outlining your qualifications, experience, why you want to join the program, and why you make the perfect candidate.

School name

Completion date – Degree name

• List of accomplishments

Work Experience

Position title Start date – End date

Organization name, address

• Responsibilities and achievements
• List of skills and proficiencies
• List of awards and achievements

Template 2: Professional-Focused Academic Resume (for MBA and similar programs)

Introduction: 2-3 sentences outlining your qualifications, experience, and main career goals.

Template 3: Recent Graduate Academic Resume

Academic Projects

Project subject, Institution, City, State

Start date – End date

• List of key courses

Volunteer Experience

Grad School Resume FAQs

Is an academic resume the same as a regular resume.

A grad school or academic resume is totally different from a resume that you might use to apply for a job. Most students have limited work experience, particularly in the professional sector. Furthermore, grad school selection committees generally look for applicants with a strong academic background. Therefore, an academic resume can focus on qualifications, achievements, test scores, and extracurricular activities.

What Should a Grad School Resume Include?

Contact information, educational qualifications, internship programs, awards and achievements, and any extracurricular activities are the basic essentials you should include in your masters degree resume or graduate school resume. You should also have a strong introduction or summary near the top of your resume which tells the selection committee what they need to know at a glance. You can add additional information, such as professional experience and other projects if it’s relevant to the program.

How Long Should My Grad School Resume Be?

Generally speaking, your grad school resume should be no more than one page. However, if you have a lot of experience and a detailed history of qualifications, you can make your resume 1.5-2 pages. But, we don’t recommend going over two pages! The most important thing is to keep your professional resume for graduate school both relevant and concise.

What is the Best Graduate School Resume Format?

There are a few different graduate school resume formats, and the best one for you will depend on your chosen field of study, as well as your level of experience. Equally, it’s important to format your resume so that you showcase your strengths and achievements in the best way possible.

If you already have professional experience, it’s usually best to open with your most recent experience, then continue the list in reverse chronological order. If you have little to no work experience, its preferable to follow your opening summary with your most impressive academic achievements and qualifications.

How do you Align your Resume with a Job Description?

When applying for jobs, you should never use a one-size-fits all resume. Instead, it’s critical to adapt your CV to the job description each and every time. If the job description mentions certain skills, ensure that your resume shows that you have these capabilities. Additionally, be sure to clearly demonstrate the experience and qualifications detailed in the job description.

Likewise, prospective graduate students should tailor their academic resume to the specific program they’re applying to. Many grad schools are highly competitive, so it’s essential that every part of your application, including your resume, helps you to stand out and clearly shows why you’re an excellent fit for the program.

How Far Back Should a Resume go for Grad School?

Your graduate school application should be as comprehensive as possible, but you don’t need to go overboard. Therefore, for most graduate programs, it’s best to include your undergraduate qualifications and any other relevant certifications, but you don’t need to mention your high school GPA or SAT scores , for example.

Likewise, you should generally include professional work experience going back around 10 – 15 years, as long as it’s relevant to the program.

Wrapping Up

Getting into grad school can be tough, especially if you’re applying to one of the  Ivy Leagues . These schools receive thousands of applications, so you really need to make sure yours stands out. It’s important to take your time and make the effort to present a strong application, from your academic transcript and GPA to your winning grad school resume.

Are you putting together a grad school application? Check out this guide on how to ace your grad school interview .

Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

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Gre prep online guides and tips, what’s a good objective for your graduate school resume.

Once a staple of the resume template, the resume objective has fallen out of style for most job applications. But do you still need a resume objective for a graduate school resume?  What are the cases where a graduate school resume objective helps rather than harms you?

In this guide, I explain what objectives are, when you should use them, and how to craft a perfect one for your grad school resume.

What’s a Resume Objective?

A resume objective is a one to two sentence formal statement, placed at the beginning of your resume, about how your skills match up with the description of the specific position you’re applying for.

Resume objectives are most often used to pull together your disparate experiences into a coherent package that the person reviewing the resume can easily digest.

Do You Need a Resume Objective for Graduate School?

For the most part, no, you don’t need an objective for your graduate school resume .

Objectives on resumes for grad school make even less sense than regular resume objectives. Most grad programs require some sort of personal statement, which is where you’ll get the best opportunity to tell the school why your experiences and interests make you the best candidate for the program.

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If you’re applying to grad school during or right after college, your personal statement is where you should show that you have clear goals in applying to that specific graduate program.

Your resume, on the other hand, is where you’ll showcase your work and research experience, publications and presentations, and any organizations or affiliations that are relevant to the program you’re applying to.

A graduate school resume objective only makes sense if your past positions don’t seem to directly relate to the program you’re applying for and you need a way to emphasize how the narrative of your resume supports your application.

Writing a Graduate School Resume Objective

If you’re applying to programs that do not directly relate to the field you’ve been working or studying in, a resume objective can be helpful in framing how the person reviewing your application will see your resume .

For instance, let’s say that you graduated with a BA in Psychology, did Teach for America and taught elementary school for eight years, getting your Masters in Education along the way, but now want to apply to med school.

Your statement of purpose will be where you put the bulk of your explanation for why you now want to pursue a career in medicine. Adding in a clear statement of your objective at the beginning of your resume, however, can enhance your application, if done skillfully.

Next, we’ll look at three examples of bad objectives for a grad school resume, followed by one well-written objective. For each objective, I’ve continued to use the med school applicant I described a couple of paragraphs ago.

Bad Resume Objective: Inaccurate or Misleading

Recent college grad with a BA in Psychology looking to achieve her career goals of becoming an adolescent psychiatrist by attending ABC School of Medicine.

Yes, it’s true that you have a BA in Psychology, but at eight years out, you’re hardly a recent college grad. Plus, your eight years of teaching experience are right there on your resume. If you don’t mention your most recent job experience as having been at all valuable in your resume objective, that’s going to raise a red flag.

Bad Resume Objective: Too General

Passionate, ambitious, and experienced educator looking to take the next step in her career by attending ABC School of Medicine.

This objective barely mentions the pertinent detai l that makes you stand out from everyone else (your teaching experience) and instead wastes space on adjectives that aren’t backed up by any evidence.

Bad Resume Objective: Too Informal

Teacher for 8 years in the trenches of an urban public school, with a Masters of Education along the way. Looking to take advantage of my love of learning and talent for keeping it real with teens by attending ABC Med School and becoming an adolescent psychiatrist.

This resume objective provides some useful information about your background and experience, but the tone is too informal for a resume objective for graduate school.

Good Resume Objective: Specific and Tailored to You

Innovative and passionate educator with eight years of teaching expertise, parent-student conflict mediation skills, and experience working for a national nonprofit organization looking to gain the necessary education and training at ABC School of Medicine to begin a career as an adolescent psychiatrist.

This resume objective mentions both your specific expertise and what you’re hoping to get out of med school . When the admissions officers reviewing your resume continue reading through, they’ll be able to fit your various experiences into the story you’ve started for them with your resume objective.

What’s Next?

Struggling with the resume part of your grad school application? Learn how to write a grad school resume or CV , take a look at some great resume samples , or jump right into using our grad school resume templates .

The best place to explain why you want to go to grad school is in your personal statement. We go over what you must include in your statement of purpose for grad schools in this article .

How should you choose what grad schools to apply to, and when do you need to apply by? Read more about grad school rankings , requirements , and application deadlines .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Laura Staffaroni

Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel and fulfill their college and grad school dreams. View all posts by Laura Staffaroni

20+ Graduate School Resume Objective Examples List

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What Is Graduate School Resume Objective?

20+ graduate school resume objectives list, tips for writing resume objectives for graduate school students.

Here are some graduate school resume objective examples tailored for graduate students as inspiration. Look out for this page for more resume objective examples added every week.

Also see: resume career objective examples for entry level and fresher job seekers

A graduate school resume objective is a concise statement at the beginning of your resume that highlights your career goals and aspirations related to the specific graduate program.

It serves as a snapshot of your purpose, giving admissions committees a quick understanding of what you hope to achieve through the program.

Below are the list of resume objective templates for various graduate school students to look into. You can use these resume objective templates as an inspiration and develop yours accordingly.

Writing a graduate school resume objective involves emphasising your academic achievements, research experience, and career goals. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to craft an effective resume objective for graduate school…

Start with a Concise Statement/Clear Goal

Begin your resume objective with a clear statement about your academic background and the specific graduate program you are applying for.

Example: “Dedicated graduate student with a strong academic background in [your field], seeking admission to [specific graduate program] to further enhance knowledge and contribute to groundbreaking research.”

Highlight Academic Achievements

Emphasize your academic achievements, such as your GPA, relevant coursework, and any honors or awards you’ve received during your undergraduate studies.

Example: “Graduated with honors in [Your Major] and maintained a GPA of [Your GPA]. Completed advanced coursework in [Specific Subjects], demonstrating a strong foundation in [Your Field].”

Showcase Research Experience

If applicable, highlight any research experience, projects, or publications you’ve been involved in the school. This demonstrates your engagement with your field and your ability to contribute to scholarly work.

Example: “Actively participated in [Research Project] focused on [Specific Topic], contributing to [Research Outcome]. Published research findings in [Reputable Journal], showcasing a commitment to academic excellence.”

Emphasize Skills and Expertise:

Highlight specific skills and expertise relevant to your field of study. This can include laboratory techniques, software proficiency, language skills, or any other competencies that set you apart.

Example: “Proficient in [Relevant Software or Techniques], with a strong command of [Languages]. Possesses excellent analytical and critical thinking skills developed through rigorous academic coursework.”

Express Career Goals

Clearly articulate your short-term and long-term career goals. This helps admissions committees understand how the graduate program aligns with your aspirations.

Example: “Seeking admission to [Graduate Program] to pursue a career in [Your Career Field]. Aspire to contribute to [Specific Industry/Research Area] by applying advanced knowledge and skills acquired through the program.”

Tailor to the Program

Customize your resume objective for each graduate program you apply to. Mention specific aspects of the program, faculty members, or research opportunities that attract you.

Example: “Inspired by the cutting-edge research conducted by Professor [Faculty Member], I am eager to join [Graduate Program] to work under their mentorship and contribute to advancements in [Your Field].”

Include Relevant Certifications or Training in your career objective

If you have relevant certifications or additional training that complements your academic background, briefly mention them in your graduate school resume objective.

Example: “Certified in [Relevant Certification] with additional training in [Specialized Area], enhancing my ability to contribute to innovative research and academic pursuits.”

Maintain Professional Tone In Resume Objective Statement

Keep a professional and formal tone throughout your graduate school resume objective. Avoid using overly casual language, and ensure that your statement reflects your commitment to academic and professional excellence.

Example: “Aspiring graduate student committed to academic excellence and eager to contribute to the vibrant intellectual community at [University]. Seeking admission to the [Graduate Program] to further my knowledge and pursue a career in [Your Field].”

I Hope above list of graduate school resume objective examples and tips might helped you to get an inspiration on writing a compelling career objective.

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6 Tips for Perfecting Your Resume for Graduate School Application

Most graduate programs require applicants to send in a variety of documents, including a resume. While you likely have already written several resumes in your adult life, don’t expect to simply dust off your latest version and send it in.

In order to make the best impression on the reviewers who will be reviewing your application, it’s best to start from scratch and customize your resume for the program you’re applying to. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide to crafting a solid resume for graduate school.

The difference between a resume and CV for grad school

You might be surprised to learn that “resume” and “curriculum vitae” (or “CV”) are not interchangeable terms in the United States, although in Europe they are often used as synonyms. A resume focuses on your professional and extracurricular experience, whereas a CV focuses on your academic achievements. (Both documents should include contact information, education, work experience, relevant professional skills and language proficiencies.)

A good resume is concise, easily scannable and specific to the job for which you’re applying. The vast majority of graduate school applicants will probably have no trouble getting their resume to fit on one page. A CV, however, goes into far more depth and detail, which means it should be “as long as needed,” since it includes things like research projects, fellowships or grants, teaching experiences, publications, conferences, presentations and references.

How to write a resume for graduate school

Before you sit down to write, take some time to gather all the information you need. It’s imperative that all the dates, names, titles and other data included are accurate. And remember: the best graduate school resume examples are ones that start from scratch and are tailored to the specific program and school to which you’re applying.

If it’s been a few years since you’ve been in school, take some time to refresh your memory on what you achieved during your time as an undergrad. Review your transcripts, papers, publications, essays and projects and take notes on things you want to include. Once you’ve done that, continue on to the first step below.

1. Start with a simple template

Although it may be tempting to try out a creative format in hopes of standing out in the crowd, resist the urge to make your resume overly designed. For the purpose of this document, the content is much more important than fancy graphics or an elaborate layout. Reviewers want to see a resume that’s proofed, easy to read, well-organized and full of relevant information.

You can find a grad school resume template to get yourself started. Microsoft Word offers dozens of options to download for free. Don’t stress if you don’t find one that’s perfect, you can always customize it to accommodate other sections or information as needed. Whichever template you choose, it should include:

• 11- or 12-point font size 
• Bold headlines 
• Bulleted lists 
• A serif font (e.g., Times New Roman, Georgia or Garamond)

2. Craft a clear and compelling objective

Your graduate school resume objective is a short statement at the very beginning of the document that describes what you hope to gain from attending grad school and why you’re qualified to enroll. In just two sentences (or less), you must describe yourself, your strengths and/or relevant work experience, and what you want to accomplish in the program.

An example of a solid resume objective might be:

“An innovative educator with eight years of classroom experience seeking to join the Educational Leadership program in order to develop the skills needed to increase their impact by pursuing a position in school administration.”

3. Write in detail about your previous education

Include all the schools you have attended in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. Be sure to list the full name of the institution, city and state, exact title of the major and the degree you earned, and your graduation date. Any impressive test scores, Dean’s list awards or other relevant achievements can also be listed in this section.

4. Highlight work and life experience

Graduate school applicants come from all walks of life. You might have a wealth of professional experience or practically none. Either way, your grad school resume should illustrate how the responsibilities and tasks you’ve taken on in the past make you a good fit for the program.

Be sure to include your current and previous jobs. While you may be tempted to leave off past employment that’s unrelated or may not seem “good enough,” this could backfire and lead to questions about transparency or gaps in a resume.

In addition to employment, you can include things like:

• Internships 
• Extracurriculars 
• Tutoring or mentoring 
• Study abroad experience 
• Professional or academic affiliations/clubs
• Volunteer work (only include longer-term commitments — not one-time events)

In each entry, include two or three bullet points that cover your duties and accomplishments. Be sure to use action verbs and mention specific achievements where possible. For example,   “Responsible for overseeing purchasing team and managing department budget” is much less illustrative than “Supervised six direct report employees on the purchasing team and managed a $200,000 annual budget”.

Pro-tip: Carefully read through the program page and identify important words and phrases. Incorporate these terms throughout your resume, where applicable.

5. Include a list of relevant skills

This section of your graduate school resume is a great opportunity to illustrate your strengths. Don’t forget to mention hard and soft skills, as both are important for  success in graduate school . Make sure they are all relevant to the work you want to accomplish in the program.

Some examples of hard (technical) skills include:

• Mastery of computer programs and software 
• Language proficiency 
• Coding ability  
• Project management skills 
• Grant writing (or other specific writing tasks)

A few examples of soft (transferable) skills include: 

• Conflict resolution 
• Leadership 
• Communication 
• Problem solving 
• Reliability

6. Make sure it’s clean and error-free

One of the biggest mistakes you can make on your resume for grad school is submitting something that contains typos, sloppy formatting or other such errors. This can imply to admissions committees that you are lazy or don’t pay attention to detail. Luckily there are many ways you can avoid this scenario.

Once you’re happy with the content of your resume, run the document through spell check and review it carefully one last time. Then, slowly read the entire document out loud. You’d be surprised at how many mistakes or improvements you’ll discover using this method.

You should also consider asking someone you trust to proofread it for typos that you may have missed. When it comes to an important document like this, having several pairs of eyes on it is a prudent idea.

Pro tip: If you don’t have someone available to proofread your resume, copy and paste text from your document into a program like what is available on Grammarly.com  for a comprehensive and free review of spelling and grammar.

Make a great first impression

Now that you have this actionable advice for creating an impressive resume for graduate school, you can begin working on this important part of the application process. As you continue collecting all of the other necessary materials, you’re likely curious about the financial side of things.

To better understand your options, check out our article “ How to Pay for Grad School: 6 Things to Consider .” 

Curious about what else you need to create a top-notch graduate school application? Review the requirements for Creighton University by visiting our  How to Apply page .

Considering grad school?

Regardless of where you are in your journey, our admissions advisors are ready to help you take the next step.

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Top 20 Graduate School Resume Objective Examples you can Use

A graduate school resume objective is not exactly the same as the usual resume objectives for a job application.

A resume objective for a graduate school is a statement from a candidate, in this case a student, looking to study in a particular graduate school.

Your resume objective helps you make a good case why you want to study the specific discipline you are applying for.

Having a captivating graduate school objective statement in your resume can help you quickly get the admission officer or committee’s interest in your resume to find your application suitable for approval.

How to Make a Great Resume Objective for Graduate School Admission

Your career objective statement is an opportunity to make a connection of your interests and goals with your choice of the university and program.

The objective statement of your resume helps the admissions committee to learn about you and what you want; you should be descriptive by using action oriented words.

It is a good idea to include the name of the graduate school and the program you are going for in your objective statement.

You can also highlight qualities and experiences that you have that are relevant to the course of study you are applying for.

Here are some examples to help you bring this home:

Best 20 Graduate School Resume Objective Examples you can Apply

• Honors undergraduate student in anthropology with strong interest in Southwest Native American pottery hopeful to obtain admission into Howard University’s Master’s program in Anthropology with specialization on Southwest ceramics.
• Individual with strong interest to hone his/her administrative skills seeks admission into the ABC University’s Master’s Program in Business Administration.
• Desirous to advance my career as an Administrator, seeks admittance to the MBA program at HULT University to further improve my skills and foster smooth office operations.
• Energetic and self motivated Sales Associate with strong sale acumen, hopeful to obtain admission in ABC University’s Sales Management Program to sharpen my selling skills and contribute to bottom line.
• Seeking to be admitted into ABC University’s Marketing Management Program to enhance my sales acumen and advance my career as a Sales Representative.
• Enthusiastic and motivated professional with strong drive to contribute to bottom line and 5 years sales representative experience, seeks admission to ABC University’s Master’s program in Marketing, with concentration in Consumer Behavior.
• Individual with passion for building young minds seeks admittance into ABC University’s Graduate program in Early Childhood Education.
• Self dependent and highly organized individual with Bachelor’s degree with honors in Computer Science seeks admission into ABC University’s Master’s program in Computer Science to advance technical expertise.
• Experienced Cyber Security professional with Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology looking to obtain admission into ABC University’s Graduate Program in Information Technology to advance my career.
• Individual with strong analytical and critical thinking abilities with Bachelor’s degree in Biology seeks admission into ABC University’s Master’s Program in Criminal Justice to advance my career as a Crime Scene Technician.
• Freelance real estate agent with strong analytical, quantitative, and critical thinking skills, and Bachelor’s degree in Finance. To obtain admission into the Graduate program of ABC University with concentration in Real Estate Management.
• Highly creative individual with Bachelor’s degree seeks admission into Dominican University of California Master’s Program in Creative Writing.
• Experienced individual with people skills seeks admission into the Human Resources and Industrial Relations Graduate Program at Carlson School of Management, University Of Minnesota.
• Experienced Payroll Officer with analytical mindset seeks admission into the Randy School of Management’s Master of Finance Program with concentration in Financial Engineering.
• Strong communicator with critical reasoning and analytical skills, and Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Desires admission into Baruch College Master’s program in Marketing with specialization in Digital Marketing.
• Honors undergraduate student with passion for sports and interested in working in international sports. Seeks admission into Sunny Cortland’s Master’s program in International Sports Management.
• Honors undergraduate interested in the Jefferson Master of Architecture Program to acquire solid knowledge for professional architectural practice through the development of sustainable design and technology skills; acquisition of project management knowledge and collaborative experiences in an interdisciplinary setting.
• Highly analytical individual with quantitative skills and Bachelor’s in Business. Seeking for admission at Case Western Reserve University’s Master’s of Science in Management Program – Operations Research and Supply Chain Management to advance my career in Operations Management.
• Exceptionally creative designer with passion for fashion and interest in acquiring solid business acumen. Seeking admission into the Rutgers Business School Master’s of Science in Business of Fashion program.
• Experienced entrepreneur with interest in international business seeks admission into HULT’s Master’s of International Business Program to acquire a global perspective of finance, marketing, operations, economics, and strategy.

Graduate school resume objective is not too different from the resume objective that is written by job applicants. Only that in this case, it is written by students looking to apply for graduate school.

In your resume objective you make a case why you want to take the program you are applying for, as well as why choosing the school.

This article has several examples of graduate school resume objectives that you can apply in writing your own. You can go ahead to edit any one of your choice to suit the need of your resume.

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How to write a resume for grad school?

[ Click here to directly go to the complete Grad school resume sample ]

The first hurdle you encounter when you start applying for a grad school is that they all require you to submit a resume for grad school application.

But hold on!

You don't have any idea how to make a resume for grad school!

You don't know what the differences are between a graduate school resume and a professional resume.

These questions can make it really difficult for you to write a resume for grad school.

But don't worry! Writing a graduate school resume is not that difficult.

In this blog, we will tell you everything you need to know about writing a resume for grad school.

Here's a summary of the blog:

• Why do you need a resume for grad school
• How graduate school resume is different from other resumes
• What admission committee look for in a grad school resume
• What are the characteristics of a resume for grad school application

Things to include in your graduate school resume

Why do you need a resume for grad school.

[ Back to Table of Content ]

"I'm not applying for a job! Why do I have to create a resume for grad school application?"

This question might come to your mind when you are filling up your grad school application. Ideally, resumes are not only for jobs. Its primary function is to give a brief introduction to your professional or academic background.

Your resume objective for grad school is the same. It helps the school committee understand your academic qualifications.

Grad schools get a lot of student applications each year. They try to sort those applications and select the candidates who are most suitable for the curriculum.

And, graduate school resumes are the best way for candidates to showcase their interests and stand out among other applicants.

In the next part, we will walk you through the things you need to include in your resume for grad school application to get in front of the competition.

Sample grad school resume

To help you understand how a grad school resume looks, we have included a grad school resume sample for you.

• Conducted primary research to interview 30 + branch managers of various banks & created a report based on the results
• Identified the prevalent lack of knowledge on the topic of mutual funds in the hills of Alabama
• Recommended that Apple Records Sales Representatives conduct presentations in branches to spread knowledge
• Gained proficiency in the domain of Foreign Exchange in concepts such as currency risk , forwards , and options
• Liaised with accounts payable , treasury and payroll teams, and worked on OCS data migration
• Conducted verification of disbursements , overtime claims , insurance details, vouchers and cheques
• Successfully completed multiple internal audits at the firm
• Rendered assistance in administering the authentication of multiple payments including Foreign Exchange Payments
• Carried out all allocated tasks within the stipulated timeline & with zero errors
• Successfully ensured ZERO error rates by 100% control adherence and focus on accuracy
• Built and maintained cordial relationships with interns from Operations as well as the Front Office
• Conducted regression tests on the data to test the validity of the CAPM model
• Carried out Literature Review of CAPM and discussed the extensions of the model in the project
• Concluded the following after completing the entire research:
• The model succeeded in explaining the linear relationship between risk and return but failed in explaining risk completely
• Due to certain sources of error , complete accuracy of the study’s results could not be established
• Computed the Cost of Capital and Net Present Value (NPV) of Valkyrecords
• Calculated the NPV of Valkyrecords as positive to conclude that:
• Long term projects were expected to produce more income than what could be gained by earning discount rate
• The company should go ahead with the project
• Participated as a team member in Blizzart Half Marathon Feb ' 17
• Participated as a team member in Inter-college Volleyball Match '16
• Languages : English and Spanish

Feel free to use the sample to understand the structure of your grad school resume.

If you want to create your grad school resume, go to Online Resume Builder and create one for yourself, or you pick one from our pre-built resume templates.

How does a graduate school resume differ from professional resumes?

Graduate school resumes are similar to professional resumes, but there are many fundamental differences between them. You can not use the same elements of a professional resume in a grad school resume.

Here are a couple of ways a resume for grad school differ from a professional resume:

No strict length restriction

Professional resumes generally stretch between one to two pages. But a grad school resume can extend beyond two pages. This gives the student more space to include their academic achievements and other experiences.

That doesn't mean you can write a novel in your resume. It's still preferable to wrap up your resume within two pages. But it's nice to have the option to add more pages if needed.

Detailed education details

When you're applying for a grad school, you don't have much work experience to show for. So it makes sense to focus on your educational details more.

For example, your graduate school resume should include your GPA, projects, any thesis you've written, any paper you've published, any classes you've taken relevant to your grad school application, etc.

Some grad schools specifically tell what information they need in the graduate school resume to make things easier. Even if they don't, it's a good practice to include detailed academic achievements in your resume.

Importance of internship and volunteer experience

Professional resumes give importance to the past work experience of the candidate. But since grad school applicants don't have full-time work experience, grad schools prioritize candidates' internship and volunteer experience in the graduate school resume.

So, don't shy away from adding all your volunteer and internship experience into your resume.

What admission committee looks for in a grad school resume?

Grad school admission committee gets thousands of applications every year. And they want to make sure they are selecting the right candidate who will be an excellent fit for the grad school program or curriculum.

So, make sure that your resume stands out from thousands of other graduate school resumes.

Here are some characteristics of a standout graduate school resume:

Tailor your resume to the specific program

Add the academic achievements and skills that are important for the program you're applying for. That will give you a higher chance of getting selected for grad school.

Mention your academic details

A rule of thumb for your resume for grad school is to include a detailed academic overview in it. Include your GPA, any academic award you've achieved, or even coursework you've done.

This shows you've been serious with your studies and likely to work hard for your grad school studies as well.

Include internships and volunteer works

If you have a decent internship and volunteer work experience in your resume, it shows the admission committee that you are determined and a hard-working person.

So, don't be afraid to put even the smallest of your internship and volunteer work experience on your grad school resume.

Include your grants or award

If you have received any awards in your undergraduate school or written any grant proposals, include these in your grad school resume.

It looks impressive on your resume and increases your chances of getting selected for grad school.

Make the resume easy to follow

If you search online, you'll see thousands of designed graduate school resume templates available. But often, these designed resume formats are confusing and difficult to read.

Grad school admission committees have to go through hundreds of resumes every day. And they prefer simple formatted resumes that they can understand easily.

So, make sure your resume is well-structured and easy to read.

Format your resume professionally

Do not go for a creative template for your grad school resume. Instead, use a professional resume style. Here are some points for resume format:

• Use sans serif fonts
• Make font size between 10-12 points
• Leave minimum 1-inch margins on all sides
• Use bolded headlines, bullet points to highlight important information

Read this resume format guide to learn more.

Use powerful verbs

Strong verbs get the reader's attention. So, use strong verbs to demonstrate your academic and work experience.

For example, use "Assisted in inventory management for university library" instead of using "worked as an inventory manager in the university library."

Here is a list of power verbs you can use in your resume.

Make sure your resume flows logically

A well-organized resume is easier to read. The grad school admissions committee wants to see that you are organized and know how to present information logically.

Use the reverse chronological resume format to write your information on the resume for grad school. For example, when you give your education information, put the most recent on top, and go in descending order from top to bottom.

There are no definite guides online to show students what to include in a resume for grad school application.

To be honest, there is no single best way to write your graduate school resume. But, there are simple structures that need to be followed. Here is a list of things that you should include in your resume for grad school:

• Personal information- name address, phone number

Resume objective

• Research Experience
• Teaching Experience

Internships

• Volunteer Work experience
• Honors & Awards
• Professional Affiliations
• Academic Publications
• Memberships
• Skills & Abilities
• Community Involvement

Extracurricular activities

• Educational Travel

Note : Do not try to use all these sections on your graduate school resume. Use the ones that are relevant to the program you are applying for. The most important thing is to keep everything clear and concise.

Personal information

Personal information is a standard for resumes. It goes on top of your grad school resume. However, make sure you add just the right amount of information, not too overly personal information on this section, i.e., date of birth, gender, etc.

Here's what you must include in your grad school resume personal information:

• Email address
• Mailing address
• Contact number
• Linkedin profile link

Here are some tips for nailing your personal information on resume for grad school:

• Make sure to use a decent email address with your name on it, i.e. [email protected] , not [email protected]
• Give your personal mobile number than the home telephone number
• Make sure to optimize your Linkedin profile and keep everything up-to-date

Use Hiration's LinkedIn Profile Review to prepare your Linkedin profile for graduate school application.

A suitable resume object will help to grab the committee's attention and convince them that you are the right candidate for their program.

The resume objective for grad school should not be more than two or three sentences and focuses majorly on your academic achievement and future goal rather than any specific skills.

Things to include in resume objective:

• Undergraduate degree
• Internship/volunteer experience
• Admission goal

*Undergraduate computer science student (3.95 GPA) with six months software engineer internship experience with AT&T Labs. Seeking admission into Cornell University for a master's in computer science program. *

This is the most important section for your resume for grad school application. It gives the admission committee a clear picture of your academic career and performance.

So put a reasonable effort in writing the education section on your grad school resume, and write it in reverse chronological order.

Here's what you should include in your education qualification:

• Degrees you've achieved
• School/college name with state
• Graduation date (year)
• GPA you scored
• Awards and honors you've achieved

Note : High school degrees are irrelevant for a grad school resume. You can choose not to include it on your resume.

Here's an example of the education section on grad school resume:

Education Major in Mathematics (B.S) UCLA, Los Angeles, California Graduation:2019 GPA: 3.8/4.00 Honors: Magna cum laude

Research and teaching experience

Once you're done with the education section, the next section should address your work experiences. This section can be broken down into research experience, teaching experience, internships, and volunteer work.

Make sure the information you are adding is relevant to the program you are applying for.

Example of research experience :

Research Assistant May 2018- April 2019 Assisted Dr. G. Regts in his research paper "Weighted counting of solutions to sparse systems of equations."

Example of teaching experience :

Laboratory Teacher Assistant UCLA, Los Angeles, California March 2018- May 2019 Assisted and instructed 40 undergrads in organic chemistry laboratory Prepare chemical solutions for experiments before each class Maintained chemistry laboratory equipment

Don't have many academic achievements or experiences?

Don't worry! You might have internships or volunteer work experience under your belt worth sharing. It shows that you are hard-working and have the dedication to complete the master's program.

Here's what your internship section should look like:

Internships example :

Software Engineer Intern AT&T Labs, Manhattan, New York March 2017- September 2017 Developed software for clients Assisted in testing new software for clients Collaborated with beta testers and improved existing software

Your volunteer experience addresses your commitment towards society and also addresses your skills.

Here's what your volunteer experience section should look like:

Volunteer experience Example :

Volunteer Teacher XYZ Volunteer Teacher Program, California June 2018- May 2019 Manages a class of 40 students taught English, Mathematics, and Science

Honors, awards, or grants

Having a study grant, scholarship, or teaching assistantship is an incredible achievement in your academic career. And it looks impressive on a resume for grad school application.

You can arrange this section by importance. That means the most important achievement goes first, followed by the rest of the achievements.

Make sure you don't repeat the same honors and awards mentioned in the education section. Also, make sure to add the award name, providing organization, and date of receiving on the graduate school resume.

Grants Alan Moore Memorial Scholarship, University of Prince Edward Island, 2018 Honors & awards Dean’s list for 2018 & 2019, UCLA, California

Affiliations & memberships

If you are a part of any affiliated professional body or a member of any professional group, you can add it to your resume for graduate school. Make sure to include:

• Name of the organization
• City and state
• Affiliation/membership timeline

Note : Only include the membership you are currently part of—no need to include past memberships or affiliations.

Academic publications

Have you published any article, paper, or book anywhere? If you have, add those to your resume.

Note : Ask your prospective graduate school for the correct citation format to follow. Also, bold your name to put emphasis on it.

Here is an example of the Publication section on your grad school resume:

Publications 2019, John S , Trever C., "Optofluidics: Basics, Devices, and Applications" University of California Press. March 2019.

If it's possible, include a couple of references on your resume for graduate school. If you've already included your references on the grad school application, no need to add them to the resume. Here are things to include in the reference section:

• Reference name
• Their professional designation
• Their contact information

Example of reference section on grad school resume:

References Alan Finch Professor, Department of Physics University of California [email protected] (416)234-2343

Skills & abilities

Through your undergraduate degree, internships, volunteer works, you have developed a lot of useful skills. Use the skills and abilities section on your resume to highlight those skills that are relevant to your graduate school application.

However, the importance of certain skills depends on the program you are applying for.

For example, if you apply for a master's in mathematics, your coding skills will not be relevant to the program. Keep that in mind, when adding your skills to the resume.

Add the most relevant skills at first and least relevant skills at last.

Skills & abilities Mathematica Matico lab Ansys Coding language: Java Language: Spanish

Fluency in another language is an impressive addition to a grad school resume. Usually, it's included in the skill section, but if that language is essential for the program you are applying for, highlight it in a separate section.

Leadership experience

If you have worked in any leadership position, add it to your resume. It projects your leadership skills.

Content Lead MBA Insider's blog, UCLA, California May 2017- April 2018 Managed a team of 10 student writers Increased organic traffic by 20% YoY

Grad school does not look for only academic excellence. They want a candidate with broad exposure to different areas. In this extracurricular activities section, you can include various types of activities you have done.

For example, if you are a music player and have been a part of your university music club, you can add it to this section.

Lead Guitarist Music Club of UCLA June 2017- April 2019 Composed songs for UCLA band "Voice of the Moon." Taught guitar to 20+ students

Educational travel

Have you been to another country for educational or research purposes? If so, add that to your resume for grad school application. It shows that you are interested in personal development and have exposure in different cultures.

Things to include:

• Name of the country
• Date of trip
• Purpose of trip

South Africa, June-October,2019 Conducted research for the "Sustainability of Livestock Farming in South Africa" paper.

Key Takeaways

Hopefully, you have got all the answers you needed for your graduate school resume. To sum it up, here are the key takeaways:

• Unlike a professional resume, resume for grad school focus on academic experience more
• Your graduate school resume must be tailored to the graduate program you are applying for
• Use reverse chronological order to format your graduate school resume
• Use a simple format to create resume for grad school
• Do not include overly personal details on your graduate school resume
• Include your research, teaching experience, internship, and volunteer experience to showcase your skills
• Give emphasis on awards, grants, extracurricular activities, publications, etc.

With that, we have come to the end of this blog. If you want to create your graduate school resume, head over to Hiration Online Resume Builder , and get your resume in minutes.

Online Resume Builder

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• Option to save unlimited resumes
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• Unlimited PDF downloads
• A sharable link
• 1-click design change
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• LIVE resume editor

Try our Online Resume Builder and get the perfect resume for grad school application.

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Make sure to review your Linkedin profile with Hiration's LinkedIn Profile Review before adding it on the grad school resume.

Go to Hiration resume builder and create a professional resume for yourself. Additionally, reach out to us at [email protected] and you can get 24/7 professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.

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• Graduate School

The Best Graduate School Resume Example

If the next step in your academic journey is graduate school, you’ll want to review this graduate school resume example! Understanding what specific documents must be submitted with your application, including your graduate school cover letter and statement of intent is crucial. Along with these, your graduate school resume is of vital importance. Read on to learn more about what to include, and how to organize this important application component.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 11 min read

If you’re thinking of taking the next step in your academic career and applying to graduate school, congratulations! In addition to your transcript, as well as any grad school letters of recommendation and your statement of intent, you'll need a resume to include with your application. You may have a resume on-hand that you’ve used for jobs in the past, but it’s important to note that graduate school resumes are– while equally as professional– a bit different than regular resumes.

So, how do you prepare a great resume for graduate school? Keep reading to discover what a graduate school resume is, view a graduate school resume example, and understand what you should include, and how you should format your resume in a way that makes it stand out to the admissions team!

What is a Graduate School Resume, and How is it Different from a CV?

A graduate school resume is a brief summary of your education and experience that will be submitted with your other application documents when you formally apply to graduate school. It is a professional document that contains your personal information, experiential details, and credentials relevant to the program to which you’re applying. Information on your resume will be concise and organized as bullet points. Any extensive details and narrative-style writing should be reserved for your graduate school cover letter or graduate school statement of purpose.

Your graduate school resume should also include specific details about your personal and academic accomplishments, such as extracurricular activities, volunteer experience, qualifications and interests relevant to your program and intended career path. The purpose of a graduate school resume is to briefly highlight your most valuable qualities and experiences that directly relate to your graduate school program, and demonstrate why you would be the perfect fit for your chosen school.

Because your graduate school resume will be sent to admissions teams, it is important that you tailor it to demonstrate your academic experience, and mention relevant work experiences outside of academia in the latter portion of the resume. This makes your graduate school resume different from a traditional, professional resume you’d prepare when seeking employment because traditional resumes are tailored to focus on employment history and skills, whereas graduate school resumes are intended to detail academic experience extensively and only briefly touch on employment experience. In addition to listing your academic experience and accomplishments as the highlight of your graduate school resume, you’ll also want to ensure your objective is clear, and that the employment experiences you do choose to list align with the rest of your resume and academic path. For example, your summer job as a barista may have been a lot of fun and a great experience for you, but if you’re applying for a graduate program in Psychology, this might not be a pertinent job to detail, especially if you’ve had a number of more recent and/or relevant experiences.

Figuring out how to get into grad school requires a lot of preparation and documents. When submitting your application materials through an online portal or by mail at the institution’s admissions office, you’ll want to ensure you’ve covered all bases and submitted all required documents. If you’re hoping to apply to graduate school, you’ll probably need a strong, professional graduate school resume. While it may not always be a required document, it’s a good idea to have a professional academic resume prepared, in case you want to apply to research positions or teaching assistant positions while you are a student.

Your graduate school resume is a professional document. There are several resume templates available online that can be used to guide your layout. Whatever you choose, template or not, your graduate school resume should be legible and easy to follow.

Be careful when selecting templates, and where you gather inspiration! It\u2019s best to keep it simple, so, avoid using extravagant fonts, too many colors, or images. Focus on the structure and flow. ","label":"Tip","title":"Tip"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Before you begin drafting your graduate school resume, look at the description of the program to which you’re applying, and do a bit of research on the academic institution itself. What do they value in their students? Additionally, you should understand what the focus of your desired program is; for example, if it’s research, you should focus on highlighting research experience you’ve had, whereas if it is publications or social work, you’d be best for detail experiences related to written publications and field experience.

You must only include relevant experiences, and keep your details to a minimum. If you have one or two great experiences you’d like to expand on, make sure they’re listed on your graduate school resume, and take time to describe them in greater detail on your separated graduate school cover letter, research interest statement, or the grad school career goals statement !

Always list your academic and employment experiences in reverse chronological order on your graduate school resume! This means that your most recent experiences should be listed first. ","label":"Tip","title":"Tip"}]" code="tab2" template="BlogArticle">

Your graduate school resume must include the following information, and follow this structure: 

Your header should include your full name, address, phone number, and email address in the top of your page. If you use a template, the position of your header may be different,but regardless, your personal information must be clearly listed at the top of your graduate school resume.

Objective Statement

This brief statement will appear under your header information and above your academic experience section.

It should be no more than two or three sentences long as its purpose is to capture the attention of the admissions team by briefly describing why you’re qualified for their program, and what you’re hoping to achieve in it.

You’ll want to list your academic experience immediately after your objective statement. This should include the institution you currently attend, as well as any other relevant schooling/experiences. For example, if you’ve studied abroad, attended college, or completed any internships or practicum placements , you can list them and provide brief details here.

You could also mention your GPA, or any awards you’ve received at your current institution. Be mindful that if your GPA is not great, you may not want to list it here. While there is always ways to get into grad school with a low GPA , you do not want to draw attention to it.

Publications (optional)

Publications are considered to be a huge accomplishment and can definitely be an asset on your graduate school resume. If you’ve had any publications, it is advised that you include this section and list each of your publications accordingly in order to stand out to admissions teams!

Your publications must be properly cited using Chicago style, MLA, APA, or any other style that is required by the discipline that correlates with your program.

Employment Experiences

You’ll want to list relevant employment experiences here. Whether you’ve worked a full-time position, or several part times ones, include the most recent experiences first.

It’s important to remember that if you’ve had several jobs, you don’t have to list every experience. Think of your most recent and relevant experiences that have taught you valuable and transferable skills, and include them on your graduate school resume.

Volunteer and Extracurricular

While it isn’t mandatory to include this information, any volunteer work you’ve done in your community recently, or at your academic institution, is worth noting, as long as it’s relevant.

As for extracurriculars, try to include activities that you have committed to for prolonger periods of time. You do not want to include your one trip to a soup kitchen over Christmas. Your volunteering and extracurriculars must demonstrate dedication and development. You can include items like: 

\u201cVolunteer annually at [your town or city\u2019s] animal shelter holiday food drive 20XX- Current\u201d "}]" code="timeline1">

These types of extracurriculars show ongoing commitment and interest to activities outside of your required academic and employment schedule.

With both volunteer and extracurricular activities, you’ll want to ensure you only include relevant and recent information. Even if you loved a volunteer experience you had as a young child, or, you were briefly a proud member of a school team many years ago, experiences that don’t speak to who you are right now as a graduate school applicant are irrelevant.

Additional Skills, Qualifications, and Certifications

Here, you can detail any additional skills you have, and certifications you’ve earned. For example, you may be certified to teach First Aid, or have obtained a certification to work in a mental health setting, and that could be applicable to your program. You may also have extensive knowledge about a subject or topic related to your field of study, and may even opt to detail any special recognition you’ve received.

Additionally, you can make note of general skills you’ve obtained from past experiences in this section, such as, “Advanced knowledge of assistive devices and technology”, or “Fluent in English, Spanish, and ASL”. 

References are not always required on a graduate school resume, as this is more common for employment purposes. However, it does not hurt to include the names and contact information of a few people–usually two or three– who can speak to your skills and abilities as a student or professional. These should not be close friends or immediate family members, but rather, professors, teaching assistants, colleagues, employers, co-workers, or even volunteer supervisors. You may opt to include somebody who wrote/will write your letter of recommendation as a reference on your graduate school resume, too.

As always, read what your program’s application requirements are if you’re unsure what to include. And, ensure that your chosen references are aware that you’re giving their information; always ask for permission first, and advise them that they may be contacted by a program!

In addition to, or instead of references, some graduate school applicants may opt to provide their LinkedIn profile, or another web address for a relevant portfolio. This depends on the applicant, as well as the program requirements.

Still working on your statement of purpose? Check this out:

Graduate School Resume Example One

123 Anywhere Street

Newtown, USA

(123)-456-7891

[email protected]

A fourth-year honors undergraduate psychology student at ABC University, passionate about developmental psychology, and aspiring to pursue a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at your celebrated institution and work toward a future career in youth counselling and psychotherapy. 

Bachelor of Science in Psychology, ABC University, 2018-2022

• GPA: 3.8/4.0
• Honors: I am projected to graduate from my program with honors in June, 2022
• Awards: Glen. R. Anyman Scholarship Recipient 2019, 2021

Autism and Behavioral Sciences, Newtown Community College, 2016-2018

• GPA: 3.2/4.0
• Awards: Dean’s List, 2017
• Practicum: Completed 4 month in-field placement

Publications

“Music Therapy and its Effect on Neurodivergent Stimming.” ABC Journal of Psychology. Doe, Jane. Smith, John. West, Mark et al . April 2021.

Employment Experience

JR. ABA Therapist, Development Minds Centre, Newtown, 2019- Current

• Scheduled for part time and full time (during summer months) shifts
• Attend team training and development courses each quarter
• Assist recurring and new students with learning and skill building exercises 
• Instruct using ABA techniques and knowledge acquired from ABS certification 
• Conduct myself as a professional and role model for all students

Student Key Holder, ABC University Bookstore, 2018-2019

• Responsible for stocking books and organizing academic materials
• Oversaw and revised retail training procedures
• POS operation and training
• Assisted in planning team building events for staff members
• Read plan-o-grams and changed marketing materials and store layout seasonally

Part Time Sales Associate, Walmart, Newtown, 2015-2018

• Organized sales floor accordingly
• Operated POS system
• Supervised staff in-training
• Responsible for opening and closing procedures
• Assisted with loss prevention protocol
• Demonstrated advanced customer service skills

Newtown Arts Dance Academy

• Jazz and Lyrical dance student (2013-2010)
• Volunteer instructor and fundraising events coordinator (2019-2022)

ABC University Running Club

• Club member (2020)
• Co-captain (2021-2022)

Additional Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of assistive technology and devices, including closed-captioning software and speech-to-text (Dragon)
• Certified ABA instructor, certified in de-escalation approaches for youth with ASD
• Fluent in American Sign Language and spoken French

John Doe [email protected]

201-18 Anywhere St. (647)-292-9999

Southtown, ON.

I am a curious and driven History and English major with a minor in Anthropology and experience instructing, researching, writing and archiving. I am eager to attend your M.A in History program and pursue thesis courses with an emphasis on Europe’s development during the Middle Ages, with the intent of eventually becoming a dedicated History instructor myself.

Bachelor of Arts, Honors X University 2018-2022

• Major focus in History and English, with a passion for renaissance literature and the history of the middle ages
• Minor focus in Anthropology

Awards and Publications

• “Literature: How It Developed, Then Shifted, National Patriotism during Britain’s Industrial Revolution.” , X University Journal. Doe, John. May 2022
• Kate. L. Anyperson History Excellency Award recipient, 2019
• X University English Program Scholarship recipient, 2019

Employment 

PT Writer and Editor, Editorial National Post, 2020-Current                         

Following my internship in 2020, my manager hired me to write on a part time basis for the National Post. I complete 1-5 tasks a week, these can include editing submissions for publish as well as curating original content

Teaching and Internships X University, 2020-2022

• Teaching Assistant, “Shakespeare’s Comedies and Tragedies, ENG 204”, 2022
• Teaching Assistant, “Russia during WWI, HIS 103.”, 2021
• Internship, credited, completed at National Post (editorial writing), 2020

FT Summer Camp Counsellor XYZ Camps

As a camp counsellor, I was responsible for scheduling and directing activities, monitoring campers between the ages of 7 and 10 on a daily basis, for 6 weeks each summer. This role taught me invaluable organizational leadership skills.

Volunteer and Extracurricular Experience

• Member of X city Library’s Historical Society, 2011-current
• Founding member of X University Anthropological Archives Club, 2020-current
• Volunteer ‘Big Brother’ with Big Brothers Big Sisters, 2015-2018
• Skilled in computer and software development, advanced technology skills
• Well adept at archiving, organizing, and understanding historical materials and artifacts
• Fluent in (written) Latin

For Reference

Ms. R. Smith

Supervising Professor (for teaching assistant roles), 2021-2022

905-999-1234, ext. 4441

Mr. M. Young

Department Manager, National Post, 2020-current

416-777-4321

Mrs. L. White

M.A, Librarian, X City Library

Historical Society Supervisor and friend, 2011-current

647-000-9999, ext.1234

Personal LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/john-doe-1998

A graduate school resume is an organized, formal document that briefly details your academic experience, qualifications, skills, and employment experiences that are relevant to the graduate school program that you’re applying for.

Yes. Your graduate school resume is meant to showcase your academic accomplishments and abilities first in order to catch the attention of admissions officers. Typically, for employment resumes, you’d mention your education toward the end of the resume and focus on your employment-related experiences and skills; you’ll do the opposite in your graduate school resume. In your graduate school resume, your academic achievements must come first.

Yes. Think of your graduate school resume as a ‘list’, or a collection of concise information about what you have accomplished- academics, jobs, extracurriculars, and additional qualifications. Your graduate school resume is a brief summary that shows the admissions team what you’ve done, and when you’ve done it, it gives an overview of who you are as a candidate.

Your graduate school CV, or curriculum vitae, is a longer document that is similar to the style of a graduate school resume, however, it provides more extensive details about your academic accomplishments. In your CV, you will provide information about each of your teaching experiences, research experiences, publications, awards, academic extracurriculars, GPA, and even courses you’ve taken. It goes much more in-depth, especially academically, than a graduate school resume.

Your graduate school resume can be a bit longer than a ‘typical’ resume, but you should still try to keep it to one page.

In workplaces, people tend to think a resume that is longer than a page is taboo. That is not the case with graduate school resumes. But, you must still keep it brief and omit any unnecessary details. Remember, you only want to include relevant information and experiences on your resume. Even if you loved your summer job from five years ago, or your volunteer experience in high school, if you’ve had more valuable, relevant experiences since, you shouldn’t include them!

If your resume is two pages in length, that is okay! If your resume extends to a third page, try to condense it as much as possible, as three pages is an absolute maximum!

It is best to use a professional, legible font (such as size 11 or 12 Times New Roman or Arial). Your resume should flow nicely, with necessary spacing between your sections.

Oftentimes, graduate school applicants utilize free templates for resume’s, or use the appropriate H2 and H3 headers to ensure their sections are clearly defined.

Your resume will stand out if you have a simplistic, easy-to-read and follow format, as well as relevant, concise information.

The admissions team is looking for the best candidates for their program, so make sure you highlight your academic history and achievements well, and consider looking for keywords or key qualities in their program description and place them strategically (but naturally) throughout your resume, where applicable.

Your graduate school resume is a list of your accomplishments, along with your academic and employment history.

Even if you don’t feel you’ve accomplished anything remarkable, you must have some academic experience to apply to graduate school! You can list your program name, any publications you’ve had, and your GPA.

If you haven’t had any publications, internships, teaching experience, and/or awards, that is okay. Although they might look impressive, graduate schools focus on a variety of factors when considering applicants for admission. Instead, focus on highlighting your other skills, volunteer history, extracurriculars and employment experience!

This can depend on your program requirements, so, always double check how and when your application and supporting documents (such as your graduate school resume) must be supported.

Often, it is through an online portal. Unless otherwise specified, always upload your graduate school resume as a PDF document. This will be easiest for the admissions committee, and is generally the most professional way to submit a formal document.

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Resume Objectives for Graduate School

Objectives for resumes for scholarships.

Your resume for graduate school is where you can detail your work and educational experiences. It demonstrates your commitment through work and study to a particular area of interest. In your objective, you identify where you want to go to graduate school and what program you want to enter. It shows admissions committees exactly what you want, your goals from the very beginning. It also connects your interests and goals to those of the universities and graduate programs to which you are applying.

Use concise and exact language in your objective. This is also true for the rest of your resume. Tell the admissions committee who you are and what you want in four sentences or less. Your objective is the first thing that will be read after your contact information. Make it stand out with action-oriented verbs and descriptive words that sum up you and your goals.

School and Program

Include the name of the school and the graduate program to which you are applying. For example, you might state, "Seeking admission to XYZ University's master's program in international relations," or "I seek acceptance into the economics doctorate program at State University."

You can include a short bit about your experiences in the work and academic worlds to emphasize your interest in the graduate program. For example, you might say, "Experienced entrepreneur seeks admittance to State University's Master's of Business Administration program."

Promoting Yourself

A graduate resume's objective is less about trying to promote yourself for a job than it is about promoting yourself as a student with the drive, characteristics and interest in a particular program of study. Study the school's graduate program website and some of its publications to learn about the values it holds and its research directions. Connect your interests, work experience and studies to those values and to the program's research interests. For example, if you are applying to an anthropology program at the master's level, you might word your objective "Honors undergraduate student in anthropology with strong interest in Southwest Native American pottery seeks admission to XYZ University's master's program in Anthropology with a concentration on Southwest ceramics."

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• University of Wisconsin, Superior: Graduate School Resume

Leyla Norman has been a writer since 2008 and is a certified English as a second language teacher. She also has a master's degree in development studies and a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology.

How to Write a Nursing Resume Objective for a New Graduate with Examples

A well-written resume objective can expand and improve your job prospects as a recent nursing graduate. Reviewing your accomplishments to discover what you can contribute to a work environment can better prepare you to write your resume objective and other application materials. This article will define nursing resume objectives and provide numerous objective examples to give you a clear idea of what a good objective looks like for a new graduate.

What is a resume objective?

A resume objective is a short explanation of your skills and career goals as they relate to the job you’re applying for. You usually add a resume objective right below your contact information so it’s one of the first things an employer sees. This statement is your chance to impress an employer and provide an overview of what qualifies you to join their nursing staff. 

A good resume objective should concisely outline the following: 

• Your professional goals
• The nursing skills and abilities you bring to the position 
• Your degrees and professional certifications

This statement should be no more than three sentences. It should make an impact so the hiring manager is compelled to read the rest of your resume. 

Resume objective examples for nursing graduates 

Here are some examples of nursing resume objectives for new graduates:

‘Enthusiastic and dedicated nursing graduate with a calm disposition, crisis management skills and extensive clinical hours in an urgent care setting. Empathetic patient advocate who increased patient adherence to therapy protocols by 25% over a three-month period. Seeking an entry-level position as a staff nurse at Boulder Hospital to assist with increasing quality of care.’

This objective is effective because it includes information relevant to the specific position, including accomplishments and skills that align with the profession. This objective also includes relevant keywords in order to be recognized by applicant tracking systems (ATS).

‘Patient-focused, empathic Registered Nurse pursuing a role as part of a growing medical practice. Bringing expertise and thorough knowledge of treatment to help change patients’ lives.’

This objective includes necessary elements such as the specific job title, certification and desired role.

‘Hard-working, compassionate recent nursing school graduate seeking a role as a rural nurse. Experience working in high-stress situations in emergency rooms and other clinical settings.’

The mention of a specific job title, specific goal and situational experience make this objective concise and easy to read.

‘Attentive, compassionate Registered Nurse with a comprehensive education seeking opportunity to work with children with special needs. Substantial administrative skills and thorough sense of detail perfect for a nursing management position.’

This objective shows the range of skills possessed by the individual and specific job goals which will make it stand out to employers.

‘Recently graduated Nurse pursuing a position on the staff of a medical clinic dedicated to public access to healthcare. Detail-oriented and caring, with a desire to encourage a positive atmosphere for patients of all ages and needs.’

This objective is direct in the position desired and demonstrates a goal to create a positive work environment.

‘Recent nursing graduate seeking an opportunity to mentor nursing students while offering quality healthcare in a large teaching hospital. Skills include a high level of professionalism in stressful situations and a comforting bedside manner.’

This graduate creates a two-sentence objective by delivering a concise statement that includes the job characteristics desired, skills offered and type of facility sought. 

‘Nursing graduate and licensed RN seeking a role in which acquired and innate caregiving skills can be used to improve the health and lives of medically-vulnerable individuals seeking treatment in a clinical setting.’

Immediately presenting obtained licensure and a straightforward statement make this objective easy to skim and sets the tone for a more in-depth resume.

‘Attentive ACLS-certified nursing graduate with a positive disposition, seeking a role as a Registered Nurse in a large inner-city hospital setting. Skills include flexibility, attention to detail and a genuine desire to nurture patients and assist doctors in their care.’

Leading with certifications, clearly stating the role sought and stating top skills make this concise objective informative and easy to read quickly.

‘Motivated recent nursing graduate interested in an entry-level nursing position at a medium-sized hospital. Offers special skills in surgical assistance and post-operative patient care as well as experience in pharmaceutical oncology. Top skills include efficiency, attentiveness and an analytical approach to health problems.’

This objective is especially detailed but still easy to read.

‘Nursing graduate seeking an entry-level role at a local healthcare center. Specialized training includes cardiac care, intravenous infusion and dialysis, and skills include building rapport and trust with patients and a willingness to continue learning.’

This graduate concisely explains what level of employment they’re looking for, where they want to work and what they’re specially trained in, which includes important keywords that make the statement stand out to ATS.

‘Dedicated nursing graduate seeking a role as a Registered Nurse for a state hospital. Special knowledge and expertise include critical care, oncology and emergency room care.’

This objective offers special training, specified role and desired workplace, all of which will allow the resume to be recognized by ATS and easily read by hiring managers.

‘Motivated nursing graduate seeking an opportunity to leverage skills in compassionate patient care, critical thinking and continuous learning in an entry-level nursing role at a clinic serving low-income community members.’

The skills in this objective are clear and relevant, and the role and place of work desired are concisely stated. Paired with relevant keywords, this objective will help this resume get attention from employers. 

‘Recent nursing school graduate seeking a full-time position on a busy hospital nursing staff where I can offer my compassionate care and varied clinical skills to help the hospital maintain and increase quality and efficiency levels of patient care.’

This objective manages to concisely state how hiring this person will not only fulfill the applicant’s needs but also how they’ll add value to the facility using their specific skills.

‘New nursing graduate seeking to offer compassionate care, communication and technical skills in a healthcare facility serving the elderly. Experience includes the successful completion of a one-year internship at a hospice care facility and multiple job-shadowing opportunities with established nurses and other medical professionals.’  

Since technology is constantly evolving, mentioning the skills related to technological advancements as well as compassion are likely to get an employer’s interest.