cv format for phd admission

CV for PhD application example

You’ve wrapped up your degree and are keen to embark on your PhD journey.

But before you can get stuck in, you’ll need to secure your place by putting forward a compelling PhD application and CV.

If you’ve never written an academic-style CV before, the process can be daunting. That’s why I’ve created this step-by-step guide to writing a CV for a PhD application.

I’ve also included a PhD CV example, to give you a better idea of what you need to include. Here’s what I’ll cover in the guide:

Guide contents

PhD application CV example

• Structuring and formatting your CV
• Writing your CV profile
• Detailing your education
• Detailing your relevant experience

CV templates 

As you can see from the CV example above, a PhD CV is structured differently to a traditional CV. Instead of focusing on work experience, academic experience and accomplishments are prioritised.

However, the fundamental CV writing  rules stay the same. Therefore, the candidate has put forward their information in a way which is clear, concise and formatted for easy reading.

Build your CV now 

PhD application CV structure & format

PhD programmes receive thousands of applications, meaning the university admissions teams are generally very time-strapped.

As such, you need to  structure and format  your CV to make it as easy as possible for them to review.

First impressions count and a cluttered or disorganised application won’t do you any favours.

Instead, you should aim for a clean, well-organised and professional appearance throughout.

Formatting Tips

• Length: While academic CVs are generally longer than standard CVs, it’s still best to aim for a short, relevant and concise document. For PhD applications, a length of one or two A4 pages is ideal. This is more than enough space to highlight your suitability without  overwhelming the reader with irrelevant information or excessive detail.
• Readability: The information on your CV should be laid out logically, with clear section headings for easy navigation. Break up large chunks of text into small, snappy paragraphs and include bullet points where appropriate.
• Design:  Opt for a clear, legible font and stick to it throughout – consistency is important. Ensure your headings are formatted for attention by using bold text or a slightly larger font size.
• Things to avoid:  Steer clear of elaborate designs, fancy fonts, images or logos – they’re simply not needed and might distract from the all-important written content.
• Things to consider: CVs ‘rules’ differ from country to country, so if you’re applying to an international university, take some time to research what’s expected of you.

Structuring your CV

Organise your content into the following sections for ease-of-reading:

• Contact details – These should always be at the very top of your CV.
• Personal statement  – A brief introductory summary of your qualifications, skills and experience in relation to the PhD.
• Core skills – A short and snappy list of your most relevant skills, tailored to the PhD.
• Education –  A detailed breakdown of your relevant qualifications, especially your undergraduate and postgraduate degree(s).
• Career summary/research   experience – An overview of any relevant work or research experience, angled towards your chosen field of study.
• Additional information –   A space to detail any other relevant information which may boost your application.

Quick tip:  While the simple CV format above is usually ideal, academic institutions often have their own preferred structure. Double-check their guidelines before you start writing – their preferences should be prioritised – and use a CV template if you want to speed things up without sacrificing quality.

CV Contact Details

Commence your CV by sharing your basic contact details

• Phone number
• Email address
• Location  – Rather than listing your full address, your town or city, such as ‘Manchester’ or ‘Exeter’, is enough.
• If you have one, add a link to your LinkedIn profile or a portfolio of work.

CV for PhD Personal Statement

Your profile / personal statement  is essentially your first impression on the reader and is a great way to hook their attention.

It should provide a snappy summary of who you are and why your qualifications, skills and ambitions make you a perfect candidate for the PhD.

Tips to consider when creating your personal statement:

• Tailor to the PhD:  Every PhD programme should have a description available, which you can use to tailor your personal statement ( and your CV as a whole). Focus on proving you have the appropriate educational background, skillset and knowledge to carry out the project.
• Prove your enthusiasm: It’s important to put forward your drive and motivation for your field and explain why the specific PhD is so well-matched to your wider interests and ambitions.
• Avoid clichés:  Clichés and generic phrases like “I’m a motivated team player”  and  “gives 110%”  won’t impress the admissions team.
• Keep it short:  A paragraph length of around 8-15 lines is perfect. This is only an introduction – the detail can come later on in your CV.

What to include in your CV for PhD personal statement?

• Your academic background  – Give a brief overview of your undergraduate degree and/or masters and how they’ve brought you towards this PhD.
• Impressive results  – PhD students are normally academically extraordinary, so make sure to point out any impressive results or feedback – whether that’s your degree as a whole or a particularly relevant assignment/project grade.
• Relevant skills  – Use the PhD project description to find out what the university is looking for in candidates. Then, try to incorporate the core skills into your profile.
• Relevant experience – Not everyone will have any relevant research or work experience to their name at this stage, but if you do, make sure to briefly highlight it here.
• Interests, goals & motivations  – Give a brief insight into your motivation for taking on a PhD, why you’re so committed to your specific research topics(s) and what you think you can add. It’s also helpful to summarise how the course will fit into your wider career ambitions/goals.

Core skills section

Next, create a punchy list of core skills, organised into 2 or 3 columns of bullet points.

Use the project description to identify the required skills and knowledge, then use your findings to inform your list.

This will help the busy admissions team to see that the PhD is right for you at a glance.

Education & Qualifications

A PhD CV is  all about academic achievements and qualifications, so this section should make up the bulk of your CV.

Working in reverse chronological order, provide a detailed breakdown of your undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.

If you have any GCSEs, A-Levels or other academic qualifications that are particularly relevant to the PhD subject, they might be worth listing, too.

Structuring your education

By working to a considered structure, you can ensure your education is easy to navigate and that your key achievements stand out.

For each of your relevant qualifications, break up information into the following sections.

Start by detailing the type of qualification, the title, the achieved grade, the academic institution at which you studied and the year you graduated.

MSc – Environmental Engineering (Distinction)

Middlesex University (2018)

Course content

Next, discuss your thesis or dissertation title (if applicable), the modules you studied and any relevant projects you were involved in.

What you choose to write here should be tailored to the PhD you’re applying for – focus the detail on the most relevant aspects of the qualification.

Thesis: “Identification of the Bacterial Profusion and Variety in Nuclear Waste Disposal”.

Modules: System Analysis in Urban Water Management; Process Engineering in Urban Water Management; Air Quality Control; Waste Management; Ecological Systems Design, and Remote Sensing and Earth Observation.

Project: “Research Study for Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment”

Key achievements (optional)

Finish up with a snappy list of key results,  accomplishments or learning outcomes you achieved.

This might be an impressive grade for a highly relevant assignment, an award you won or a quote of exemplary feedback from a tutor.

Career & Research Experience

Next up is your career & research summary, which should be tailored to the PhD in question.

You could include  relevant research experience here, as well as any related employment (even if temporary or voluntary).

Make sure to be selective with the type of employment you list, though. For example, a part-time waiting on job isn’t worth including, but a laboratory or tutoring job might be. Ultimately, it should be related to your field or have helped you develop relevant skills or knowledge.

When discussing your research roles, make sure to detail the techniques you used, the skills developed and any interesting findings.

Structuring your experience section

Ensure your career & research section is clear, scannable and easy to read by working to the following structure:

Outline the dates of employment/contract, the role title and the organisation or institution you worked for.

Aug 2018 – Sep 2019 Research Intern Hydro Continental, London

Give a brief overview of the position or research project as a whole, discussing the team you worked with (or lead), who you reported to and what the goal of the project was.

“Undertook a short-term assignment pertaining to the Economics of climate change in order to research and drive improvements in energy consumption and emissions; reported to the Executive Engineer.” 

Key responsibilities 

Then use bullet points to pinpoint your duties and responsibilities within the role, making sure to mention any relevant techniques or skills used that could benefit your candidacy. E.g.

• Employed the Marginal Abatement Cost (MAC) curve tool to present carbon emissions abatement options.
• Built partnerships and participated in open discussions with other country modellers and research associates.
• Amassed and processed varied data from multiple sources.

Writing your CV for PhD

Applying for a PhD is a daunting yet exciting time, but a flawless CV can help you achieve your goals.

Remember to tailor your CV to the specific PhD you’re applying for and aim to make a compelling case for your suitability and aligned goals.

Before you send off your CV, try to get a second opinion from a current or previous tutor, trusted family member or friend.

It’s also worth checking the finished document with our quick-and-easy CV Builder , to eliminate the risk of overlooking mistakes.

Best of luck with your PhD application!

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CV for PhD Application: How to Write One Like a True Scholar (+CV Example)

• Klara Cervenanska , 
• Updated March 13, 2024 11 min read

A PhD is the highest level of academic qualification you can achieve. To secure your position, however, you first need an impressive CV for your PhD application.

Earning a PhD degree requires you to produce extensive research in a narrowly defined subject within a certain discipline and to make a considerable original contribution to your field.

Hence why PhD programs are always very selective. The admission rates hover around 10% and only about half of the admitted candidates actually finish the degree, according to a recent psychology research .

As a result, less than 1% of the population attains a PhD.

So, how do you become a part of the 1%?

The process of attaining a PhD starts with a strong application which includes an impressive academic CV .

A CV for PhD application needs to be carefully crafted, well formatted, and contain specific sections.

We'll show you how to craft a stellar PhD application CV, and a sample academic CV from a real person admitted to a PhD program in France.

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

What is an academic CV?

What to include in an academic cv for phd application.

• How to write an academic CV for a PhD application?

Tips on how to write a CV for PhD application

How to tailor your cv for different phd programs, phd cv example.

First, there are two types of career documents job seekers widely use. A resume and a Curriculum Vitae (CV).

These two documents are similar but not identical.

So, let's have a look at the key differences between a CV vs a resume :

• A resume is used when applying for a position in industry, non-profits, or the public sector. It should focus on skills and past experience while being tailored to a specific job position. The length of the document shouldn't be more than 1 or 2 pages.
• A curriculum vitae (CV) is used when applying for positions in academia, science, or medicine. It focuses on education, research background and scholarly accomplishments. Finally, its length depends on the number of references, publications, etc.

There are even more types of CVs. A general CV, an industry (professional) CV, or an academic (research) CV — which is exactly the one you'll need.

In a nutshell, an academic CV is a career document that provides extensive information about your educational and research background. Scholars and researchers use this document when applying for jobs in academia — such as a PhD application.

Lastly, an academic resume is a term you can often come across, too. To avoid any confusion, it's the same as an academic CV. A more appropriate term is, however, the latter.

Rules are important in academia. That's why all academic CVs usually follow pretty strict structures regarding their content and formatting.

First, let's have a look at the resume sections you should include in a CV for PhD application:

• Contact information. Include your full name, email, phone number, and location.
• (Research) objective. A concise, brief paragraph outlining your research plans and strategies.
• Education. It should form the bulk of your CV and detail you educational background.
• (Research) experience. Your research experience can often set you apart from other candidates.
• Publications. Include anything from journal articles, published reports, to your research dissertation.
• Awards. Mention all awards and accomplishments you’ve received in reverse chronological order.
• Skills. These should be relevant to the PhD project or show that you have what it takes to succeed as a researcher.
• References. Finally, try to include at least two references, such as your dissertation supervisor and one other member of staff.

Let's have a closer look at each of the 8 CV sections in the next chapter.

How to write an academic CV for a PhD application ?

Applying for a PhD will be a lot less stressful if you follow this quick guide on how to write a CV for a PhD application:

You should always start your CV or your resume by providing your contact details to form the CV header . Include your full name, your professional email address, and your mobile number. Additionally, you can include your location. However, we don't advise including your full home address for privacy reasons. Entering the country and city you reside in is usually enough. Since a CV is a bit different than a resume, we don't recommend including links to your social media .

Research objective is basically a brief paragraph at the beginning of your CV outlining your research plans, interests, and strategies. It paints a picture of you as a person and will guarantee that the admissions committee will be interested in reading and learning more about your professional background. Your research plans and strategies should align with the PhD project you're applying for. Hence, read the project description carefully and make sure to tailor your objective accordingly. Ideally, without making stuff up.

The education section should form the bulk of an academic CV. No one expects a potential PhD candidate to have 10 years of experience in the field. But what's expected is an appropriate educational background. A common practice is to list your education in a reverse chronological order. This means listing your Master's degree first and then a Bachelor's degree. For each degree, provide the full name of the degree, the type, its duration, the relevant courses and modules, the corresponding (or expected) marks, GPA , and any relevant projects or presentations. Also, include the name and the description of your final year dissertation project.

In this section, introduce all of the research projects you worked on, whether they were a part of your undergraduate degree, your master's degree, or you have undertaken this project elsewhere. You can include any voluntary , part-time , or full-time work experience you deem relevant for the PhD project of your choice. For instance, skip the part-time bartending job and rather include a teaching experience or a voluntary project you undertook.

Of course, it's okay if you don't have any publications yet. If that's the case, simply skip this section. However, if you do have any work published at this stage, list it in this section. The publications can include anything from journal articles, published reports, contributions to peer-reviewed journals, or an adaptation of your dissertation project. Make sure to check the citation style your institution or field prefers and use it consistently in your publications section. The most common ones are APA, MLA, and Chicago.

In this CV section, list relevant honors, achievements, or awards you earned for going beyond average — again in reversed chronological order. It includes scholarships, university fellowships, competitions, work-related awards, or academic awards . For instance, you can mention a very high GPA, subject-specific awards, or any grants you received. However, keep in mind that mentioning how much money was involved is only common in scientific fields.

The skills you mention in your academic CV should be relevant to the PhD project you're applying for or show that you have what it takes to succeed as a researcher. Between the two types of skills , hard and soft, hard skills are more appropriate to include in your CV for PhD application. Examples of hard skills include Python, data analysis, polymer synthesis, C++, Chem Draw, Ahrefs , languages, or other computer skills . However, completing a PhD degree usually also involves demonstrating your teaching abilities. For this reason, listing soft skills such as a good oral communication and presenting is also a good idea.

While a references section in a regular resume is pretty much redundant, in a CV for PhD application it's a must-have . Why? Well, having a person attest to your skills and achievements is a great way to leverage your professional experience. The person you ask should be articulate and in a reputable position. Your best bet is to ask your dissertation supervisor, a professor you had a good relationship with, or one who taught the subject most relevant for the desired PhD program. Finally, don't forget that your references have to agree with having their contact information shared, first. Read our quick guide on how do you ask someone to be your reference .

Apart from making sure the content of your CV is spot on, you should also follow some well-established formatting tips.

A clear layout and composition ensure your CV is professional and easy to read.

Here are a few tips to help you achieve that:

• Keep the formatting consistent. If you choose a certain font type and size, stick to it. The same goes for margins, spacing, and capitalization.
• Less is often more. It might be tempting to use bolding, italics, or underlining in order to make the document "easy" to read. However, an excessive use of these features actually has the exact opposite effect.
• Avoid long paragraphs. A CV is all about providing objective facts regarding your professional background. Hence, no need to provide generic statements or go into too much detail. And if you happen to write more text, you can always divide it using bullet points.
• Use professional language. It goes without saying, but don't use slang. Similarly, use professional jargon and abbreviations within reasonable limits.
• Don't limit yourself to one or two pages. The length of your academic CV depends on the number of publications, awards, references, and experiences. Unlike a resume, a CV is a complete summary of your academic and professional background.
• Convert your CV to PDF. Doing this considerably reduces the risk of compatibility and formatting issues. A PDF file keeps your formatting intact across various devices.

Too much to keep in mind? Kickresume's CV & resume builder can save you the headache and provides useful templates with appropriate formatting designed by career professionals.

When applying for different PhD programs, it's crucial to tailor your academic CV to suit each specific program. 

This doesn't just improve your chances of catching the eye of admissions committees ; it demonstrates your genuine interest and alignment with their goals. 

To effectively tailor your CV for different PhD programs, follow these three tips:

#1 Understand program requirements and values

How do you do that? Start with in-depth research about the PhD program:

• Visit the program's website
• Look at the curriculum
• Attend open days
• If possible, reach out to alumni 

Once you have a clear picture of the program's values and requirements, you can begin to customize your CV. 

For example: If a program emphasizes community outreach, you might highlight your involvement in science education for underprivileged youths or your participation in community-based research projects. 

This demonstrates not only your alignment with their values but also your active contribution to areas they care about.

#2 Emphasize transferable skills for PhD programs

This applies to people switching fields or applying to a program that isn't a direct continuation of your undergraduate degree. 

Let's say you're moving from a background in chemistry to a PhD in molecular biology. 

It's crucial to highlight how your analytical skills, understanding of chemical processes, and any lab work or research experience directly apply to molecular biology. 

For instance: Discuss your experience with techniques that are common in both fields, like chromatography or spectrometry, and how they've prepared you for the research you aim to conduct in molecular biology. 

Tailoring your CV in this manner demonstrates your ability to bridge different disciplines and apply your skills in new contexts.

#3 Adapt your CV for international PhD programs

Adapting your CV for international programs involves more than just translating it into another language. 

Start by researching the academic culture and CV formats preferred in the country you're applying to. This might include:

• the preferred length
• whether to include personal information such as a photo
• emphasis on certain types of experience or qualifications

For instance: in some countries, a detailed list of courses and grades might be important, while in others, a focus on research experience and publications is key. 

Websites of the target universities, country-specific academic career resources, advice from current international students, or even online forums like Reddit are invaluable for this purpose.

Finally, to help you tie everything we talked about together, we thought one picture is worth a thousand words.

Here's a CV sample from a person who managed to get accepted into a PhD program at the university of Lyon in France.

There are several things Herrera included to ensure her CV was successful:

• A complete professional and academic background. We can see that this section forms the bulk of the resume. As it should.
• Plenty of hard skills. Herrera included 7 hard technical skills and multiple languages. All of these skills are very valuable in academia.
• A succinct description of all projects. She includes the full name of the projects, their duration, and theme.
• References, publications, and certifications. All of these sections are included in the full version of this resume and can be found by clicking the button below the sample CV.

Lyon University PhD Student Resume Sample

This resume sample was contributed by a real person who got hired with Kickresume’s help.

Klara graduated from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. After having written resumes for many of her fellow students, she began writing full-time for Kickresume. Klara is our go-to person for all things related to student or 'no experience resumes'. At the same time, she has written some of the most popular resume advice articles on this blog. Her pieces were featured in multiple CNBC articles. When she's not writing, you'll probably find her chasing dogs or people-watching while sipping on a cup of coffee.

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• How to write an Academic CV for a PhD Application
• Applying to a PhD
• The purpose of an academic CV for a PhD application is to provide a summary of your educational background and demonstrate the research skills and relevant experience you have that make you capable of undertaking a PhD.
• It should be divided into nine sections : (1) contact information, (2) research interests, (3) education, (4) research and work experience, (5) teaching experience, (6) relevant skills and experience, (7) publications and conferences, (8) professional memberships, (9) referees.
• It should ideally be up to two pages for a new research student, but can extend up to four pages if required.
• The smaller details matter more than you think – write concisely, use consistent formatting, avoid jargons and general statements, check spelling and grammar, and have at least one academic to proofread it for you, ideally in the same area you are applying to.

Introduction

So you are nearing the end of your current degree or making a return to education, and you’ve decided to make your next step a PhD. While the road ahead will be filled with much excitement, you’ll need to secure your position first. This will all begin with a strong PhD application and an equally impressive academic CV and personal statement or cover letter.

Together with your personal statement or cover letter, your CV will show who you are as an individual and what you have to offer. It needs to be concise, correctly formatted and well written to convince your preferred university and supervisor that you are the right student for the project.

This step-by-step guide will get you on your way to creating an outstanding academic CV for your next PhD application. We’ll discuss the sections your CV should be structured into, what each of these sections should include, and how it should be written. We’ll also give you valuable tips that are sure to get your readers’ attention.

What Is an Academic CV?

When applying for a PhD position, it’s common for the university to request a curriculum vitae (CV) from you to accompany your application.

An academic CV may appear similar to a standard CV used for job applications, but they are two relatively unique documents.

Where a standard CV focuses mostly on what your previous responsibilities have been and what you have accomplished to date, an academic CV concentrates on your academic background, achievements and experiences . Your academic CV will be used by a PhD supervisor to determine whether you can meet the challenges associated with undertaking a demanding PhD research project, as not everyone can.

How to Write an Academic CV for A PhD Application

A good academic CV should be broken into nine section headings:

• Contact Information
• Research Interests / Personal Profile
• Research and Work Experience
• Teaching Experience
• Relevant Skills and Experience
• Publications and Conferences
• Professional Memberships
• Referees / References

Below, we discuss what each of these sections should contain and how they should be written.

1. Contact Information

Start your CV by providing your contact details. All of the following should be included:

• Full name  – Your name should be your document title, formatted in bold and centralised text.
• Email address and contact number
• Location  – Your town/city and country, e.g. ‘Birmingham, UK’, will be sufficient; it’s not necessary to provide your full home address.
• Profiles  – Include a link to any professional profiles you may have, such as LinkedIn or ResearchGate.

NOTE:  Some individuals include a profile photo but be careful before doing so. While this would be expected in some countries such as those in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, this would not be the case in other countries such as the UK and US. This is because it can lead to complications with labour and anti-discrimination laws and potentially cost you your application. We therefore strongly advise you to look into the norms and regulations of the host country before deciding to do so.

2. Research Interests / Personal Profile

For an academic CV written for a PhD position, your ‘research interests’ section will double as you ‘personal profile’. As a brief introduction to yourself, this will be an important section as it sets the first impression of you for the reader.

Use bullet points or a brief paragraph to summarise who you are, your relevant qualifications, your research interests and your relevant skills and experience. When writing this section, your focus should be on two aspects: demonstrating your  ability to conduct a PhD  and your  enthusiasm for the project .

To create an impactful research interests’ section, adhere to the following:

• Tailor to each research project you apply for:  One of the easiest ways to do this is to read the project description attached to the PhD advert, identify two to three of the most prominent keywords, and incorporate them into your writeup.
• Keep it short:  This section is only an introduction, so keep it concise and punchy over long and detailed; 50 – 60 words is a good target.
• Make every word count:  As 50 – 60 words isn’t much, be as specific as you can. Avoid clichés such as “I am committed to research and have a high attention to detail” at all costs; not only are they generic and overused, they also don’t provide the reader with any useful insights into you.

3. Education

A PhD CV is all about academic achievements and qualifications, so your education section should be given high importance and form the bulk of your CV, especially as it will be used to determine if have the core skills required for the position.

Working in reverse chronological order, provide a breakdown of your current academic qualifications. For most of you, this will be an undergraduate Bachelor’s degree and a postgraduate Master’s degree.

When listing your qualifications, provide the full name of the degree, the degree type, and the duration in terms of its start and end year. You do not need to limit this to your past qualifications; if you’re currently studying or taking an external course, include them as well, but state that they are ongoing and provide an expected grade if you have one.

If your degree is relevant to the PhD project you are applying to, include a list of the modules you completed and your corresponding marks; the same applies to your final year dissertation project.

Note:  If you list your relevant modules, streamline their names by removing any course codes. For example, “FN01 Fluid Dynamics” should become “Fluid Dynamics”. Course codes are only used for internal purposes, and each university will have its own system, so remove them to avoid any possible confusion.

Feel free to also list your GCSEs, A-Levels or other relevant academic qualifications if applicable to the field you are applying to, however, this isn’t necessary, and most supervisors will not ask for them. The exception to this is if your university degree is not directly related to the project you are applying for, but your previous qualifications are. In these cases, include them to help demonstrate the suitability of your academic background.

Finally, list any honours, awards and prizes that you have won or any other notable academic achievements that will help to strengthen your application.

4. Research and Work Experience

Your research and relevant work experience is just as, if not more, important than your educational background. This is because most applicants applying for the position will have similar qualifications, so your research experience can often be the deciding factor when all other things are considered equal.

Your research experience may include both paid and voluntary, full-time and part-time work, as well as university project work. However, in all cases, the experience you mention should be relevant to the project you are applying for or have helped you develop skills that make you a more capable researcher. For example, it’s not necessary to mention your time in retail, but any previous time as a laboratory or teaching assistant or teaching support absolutely will be.

If you any discuss research that you have done as part of your studies, present them as individual project listed in reverse chronological order, as before. You can also include research projects you are currently working on, regardless of how developed they are.

When discussing any projects, include the following:

• What the project was about,
• What research methods you used,
• The skills you gained,
• Any notable achievements or outcomes.

5. Teaching Experience

Since one of the main career paths after a PhD is an academic career, teaching experience can significantly strengthen your academic CV. However, it is generally accepted that not all applicants will have teaching experience, but if you do, include it here.

When discussing your teaching experience, state what level it was at, e.g. undergraduate or postgraduate, and what it involved, i.e. marking, teaching, supervising or organising.

6. Relevant Skills and Experience

This section should describe all other skills and experiences that will help strengthen your application.

They should be specific to the PhD project or demonstrate your potential to become a competent researcher. This includes:

• Technical skills and experience, e.g. the use of computer software packages or research equipment common to the project you’re applying for.
• Non-project specific courses you’ve sat, e.g. an academic writing and communication course.
• Languages you know with their proficiencies noted.

7. Publications and Conferences

Most students won’t have academic publications, but if you do, list them here. Formal publications can include anything from journal articles, which is most likely to an adaptation of your final year dissertation project if you do have one, and published reports. If you have these, list them in reverse chronological order using the reference system adopted by the university you are applying to, as this is what the PhD supervisor will most likely be used to.

If you aren’t a published author or co-author, you can still include other text publications that you may have been involved in, such as online articles, magazines, newsletters and blogs. The topics of these publications should relate to your field or academia in general and be written in a formal tone that showcases your critical thinking and writing skills.

If you’ve ever given a conference presentation, include it here with details of the name, date and location of the conference, the title of your presentation and a summary of what it was about.

Even if you haven’t presented in conferences, you should still list any you have attended, including any seminars or talks. This is a useful way to illustrate your interest in the subject and your commitment to gaining new knowledge within your field.

TIP:  If you haven’t attended many conferences or seminars, consider attending several upcoming ones relevant to the research area you’re interested in. Not only is this a great way to learn more about the field in terms of its latest developments and gaps, but it can also be an effective way to make your academic CV more relevant if it’s currently light on research experience.

8. Professional Memberships

Being affiliated with an academic group, society or professional body demonstrates your enthusiasm for your field and for connecting with other like-minded individuals within the community.

When listing these, include the name of the group, the associated membership dates and the position you have held within it.

9. Referees / References

Your references will form the last section of your academic CV.

Your PhD application should specify the number of referees you should include, but if it does not, try to include at least two, but ideally three.

Two of the referees should be academic, with most students choosing their personal tutor and their final year’s dissertation project supervisor. It can be other staff members, but the essential requirement is that it is someone who knows you well enough to be able to substantiate your abilities and character.

If you don’t have two academic referees, you can use a professional referee as long as they are still relevant to the project you are applying for. This will most likely be the case for those who have worked in industry for some time before deciding to return to education.

When creating your reference list, list your referees in order of relevance and how well they know you, not in alphabetical order. This is so if only the first referee is called upon, it will be the individual who can provide you the most useful reference. The following information should be provided:

• Professional title,
• Name of current university,
• Phone number and email address.

It’s imperative that you first seek permission from the individuals before listing them as a referee. It would also be beneficial to send them a copy of your CV, cover letter and application form so they can familiarise themselves with the broader details in case they are called upon.

Tips for Creating a Standout Academic CV

No matter how impressive your academic achievements are or how much experience you have accumulated in your field, the PhD supervisor may never find out if your CV is too difficult to read. With this in mind, here are a few tips for achieving a high degree of clarity:

Formatting for Clarity

• Highlight key information through the use of bolding, italics and underlining, but be careful not to overdo it so that it loses its purpose.
• Keep your formatting consistent throughout, such as indentations, font type and font size, vertical spacing and margins.
• Insert page numbers on each page.
• Avoid jargon and abbreviations to maximise clarity.
• Avoid splitting sections across two pages.

Keep It Concise

• Try to limit your CV to two pages and not more than four. If you need to go over two pages, make sure the most important information is on the first two pages.
• Avoid dense paragraphs, overly long sentences and generic statements. The aim is to pass on essential information in a way that doesn’t require the reader to have to extract it themselves. This leads to the next tip,
• Use bullet points whenever possible, they’re easier to digest than paragraphs.

NOTE:  Remember that you will also submit a cover letter or personal statement alongside your CV, so don’t feel the need to cover everything to a high level of detail here as you will have the opportunity to do so elsewhere.

Check and Revise

• As a rule of thumb, the academic CV you submit as part of your PhD application should be the third or fourth version you produce. Try to keep a day or two between each version so that you always approach it with a fresh perspective.
• Proofread for any spelling and grammar mistakes. Although this will seem like we’re stating the obvious, a small mistake can be enough to jeopardise your chances considering that there will be many other high-profile candidates for the supervisor to choose from.
• Have your document checked, first by an academic such as your tutor, and second by a professional proofreader or by an advisor from your university’s careers team. The former will check for technical issues, the latter for common curriculum vitae formatting, spelling and grammar mistakes.

Save in PDF Format

If the submission method allows for it, convert your CV to PDF format. This significantly reduces the likelihood of compatibility and reformatting issues when opened by the supervisor.

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PhD Resume: How to Make a CV for a PhD Application

3 key takeaways

• PhD resumes are the best way to show your education, skills, and experience when applying to a Doctor of Philosophy program.
• PhD resumes are like traditional resumes in that you want to show your skills and experience, but the CV format and sections are different.
• You can easily create and customize your PhD resume with Teal’s AI Resume Builder.

Having a strong PhD resume can be the key to showing admissions teams why you’re a good fit for their program. It can even help you gain admission to even the most selective schools.

And while you might be familiar with the standard resume format when applying for a job, what about the resume you need to apply for a PhD program? A PhD resume still needs to showcase your skills, accomplishments, and experience, but how you show your strengths—and how you format them—differs from a traditional resume.

In this guide, we’ll discuss what a PhD resume contains, how to create a resume for a PhD application, and even explore some CV examples and templates for you to use as a guide. ‍

Need to create your PhD resume? Make a free resume in Teal today.

Understanding the PhD resume

A PhD resume is a document you submit as part of your application to a Doctor of Philosophy program. Sometimes called a PhD CV , this type of resume is to highlight your academic qualifications, research experience, and professional achievements.

When you submit a PhD CV, you’re likely submitting to an admissions committee composed of faculty members and program coordinators. The goal? To impress these individuals with your academic and research qualifications and convince them you’d be a valuable addition to their program. 

PhD resume vs traditional resume

Both PhD resumes and traditional resumes aim to show you're a strong match for the position or criteria the recipient is evaluating. While you want to show you’re qualified in both scenarios, what you include in these documents and how you format that information is different.

Specifically, PhD resumes focus much more on academic and research experience, while traditional resumes focus on work experience. Because of this, PhD resumes tend to be longer and more detailed, often including sections to cover various research projects, publications, teaching experiences, and more—similar to a traditional or academic CV.

Essential sections of a PhD CV

A PhD CV needs clear sections that organize your education and academic background, your professional experience, and your key skills. Here are all of the essential sections of a PhD resume.

Contact Information

Your contact information simply states your name, how the people reviewing your name can contact you, and where you’re located. Be sure to include:

• Your full name
• Your email address
• Your phone number
• Your city and state (no need to include your full address)

Professional Summary

Your resume summary gives an overview of who you are, your research experience and interests, and what research you hope to pursue as part of the PhD program. This should only be a few sentences. 

The resume Education section will likely be one of the lengthiest on this type of resume. List your education history in reverse chronological order, meaning your most recent degree goes first.

For each part of this Education section, be sure to specify the type of degree, your major, the institution, and what years you were in school.

You can also choose to list relevant courses, projects, or presentations, including your thesis or dissertation, as well as your GPA if you're a recent grad.

Research Experience

Your Research Experience section should clearly outline any research projects you’ve been involved in. Include your specific role, methodologies, and your achievements with impact.

When describing your achievements, quantify them whenever possible—whether that’s the number of publications you contributed to or how many conferences you presented at.

Teaching Experience

Including teaching experience in academia on this type of resume shows your experience working with students in academic positions—which may be a part of your job role in a prospective PhD program.

Even if you won’t be teaching or assisting students with courses, teaching experience in academic positions shows soft skills like communication and presentation.

In reverse chronological order, include the title of the teaching position, the institution where you taught, and the courses, including their level (e.g., undergraduate or graduate).

You may also choose to include specific job responsibilities you had or notable achievements. For example, you may want to include evaluations, student outcomes, or awards on your resume .

Depending on how much teaching and research experience you have, you may choose to combine these sections under one general “Experience” section.

Publications

This section is for listing publications you’ve contributed to. Publications can include peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, published excerpts of your dissertation or thesis, reports, and books or book chapters.

When listing publications, ensure they're presented in reverse chronological order. Pick the citation style (e.g. APA, Chicago, MLA) that’s most commonly used in your field. Include the publication title, authors, journal name, year of publication, and any relevant volume or issue numbers. If applicable, mention the specific role you played in the research and writing process. For more impactful publications, you can add a brief summary of the research findings or significance. 

If you haven’t published any work yet, you can skip this section.

Presentations and Conferences

If you’ve given a presentation or been a part of a conference, include this in a separate Presentations and Conferences experience section. Presentations and conferences can include academic or industry conferences, seminars and workshops, and webinars.

In reverse chronological order, be sure to include the conference title and location, presentation title, your role (presenter, co-presenter, panel member, etc.), and the date.

If you’re applying for open position in a Doctor of Philosophy program, it’s likely you have a multitude of skills. However, you want to select the most relevant skills to the program you’re applying for.

Be sure to include any key skills specified in the program description and the most relevant skills to the research you want to pursue, including technical skills or other hard skills.

These skills can be formatted as a bullet point list, grouped in sections by specific types of skills.

Unlike a regular resume where you shouldn’t include references—or even that references are available upon request—you’re typically expected to list references in a PhD resume. Be sure to look at the requirements listed on the application to see how many references you should include.

Usually, you’ll be required to list two or three references. For each reference, include their name, title, place of work (if that’s an institution, the institution name), their phone number, and email.

PhD CV example

In this PhD CV example, the candidate includes all of the relevant sections to show their own academic and professional experience, including their background studying, researching, and teaching in the computer science field.

PhD resume template

Ready to make your own PhD resume? Here’s a CV example template to copy and paste and fill out with your own qualifications:

Your Name  

[Your Email] [Your Phone Number] [Your City, State]

A [your subject] student with a strong foundation in [specific subject] seeking a PhD position to conduct research in [your field of research]. With a passion for [specific subjects and interests], I’m eager to contribute to [specific development in your field].

[Degree Name] in [Field of Study] [University Name], [Month, year of graduation] [Your GPA] — [List of honors or other achievements]

Research Assistant , [Research Lab Name] [Start Date] - [End Date]

[Brief description of research]

• [Achievement 1: Quantify your contribution]
• [Achievement 2: Quantify your contribution]
• [Achievement 3: Quantify your contribution]

Teaching Assistant , [Course Title] [University Name], [Start Date] - [End Date]

• [Publication 1, including publication title, authors, journal name, year of publication, and any relevant volume or issue numbers]
• [Publication 2, including publication title, authors, journal name, year of publication, and any relevant volume or issue numbers]
• [Role at conference] , [Conference Name], [Location], [Date]
• [Title of presentation] , [Conference Name], [Location], [Date]
• [Category]: [Skill 1], [Skill 2], [Skill 3]

[Reference Name 1] [Reference Title],  [Reference Institution] [Reference Email], [Reference Phone Number]

[Reference Name 2] [Reference Title],  [Reference Institution] [Reference Email], [Reference Phone Number]

How to tailor and optimize your CV for different PhD programs

Just as you'd customize your resume for a specific job if you were one of many job seekers, it’s crucial to tailor a PhD version to the unique focus and requirements of each program.

To tailor your PhD CV, first carefully review the program’s details. You’ll want to become familiar with the program description, course offerings, faculty research interests, and any specific requirements.

Then, be sure to include:

• Keywords: Identify any key terms and phrases within the program description, including research areas, methodologies, and required skills (including technical skills).

Similar to resume keywords in a conventional job search, you’ll want to include these keywords to help you stand out when admissions committees scan your resume. You also want to remove any irrelevant skills. (For example, your skills in project management may be relevant to industry jobs like research operations manager but may not align with the specific research focus of certain PhD programs.)

• Program requirements: If there’s a minimum GPA, specific coursework, research requirements, or skills the program is looking for, add these to your resume. 
• Transferable skills: Highlight key skills that might be valuable to the program, whether that’s research skills, soft skills like critical thinking or problem-solving, or skills relevant to the program’s specific focus—include them alongside impact to showcase how you used them.
• Related experience: Mention related roles or projects on your resume that showcase your academic and research abilities. For example, if you have experience as a teaching assistant (TA) or research assistant (RA), or relevant coursework, honors, or awards from your bachelor’s or master’s degree, including these on your PhD resume can showcase your experience, skills, and potential.

By carefully tailoring your PhD resume to each program, you can increase your chances of making a strong impression and securing admission to your desired program.

Tips for optimizing your PhD CV

Not only do you need to tailor your PhD resume to the specific program you’re applying for, but you’ll also need to think about resume optimization to ensure your PhD resume’s ATS compatibility. ATS (applicant tracking systems) are used to help file and organize resumes.

To ensure your resume is optimized for ATS, focus on:

• Keyword integration: Those searching these systems often rely on specific keywords to identify qualified applications, which means it’s crucial to read through the program description and include any relevant keywords. You don’t need to “keyword stuff,” but rather naturally incorporate key requirements, tools, skills, and experience.
• Formatting: Ensure the format of your CV is easily readable so the ATS can parse it. That doesn’t mean you need to submit a no-frills resume, but it does mean you should choose readable fonts, have clear white space, and avoid hard-to-read graphics.
• Proofreading: Thoroughly proofread your resume to eliminate any errors or inconsistencies.

How to write a PhD application CV with Teal

Ready to start writing a resume for a PhD application? Teal’s AI Resume Builder can help you create each PhD resume section in seconds—and ensure that what you include is tailored to the program and optimized for ATS. Here’s your step-by-step guide to creating a standout PhD resume.

1. Choose an ATS-friendly PhD CV template

First, you’ll need to choose your resume template. Sort through Teal’s various ATS-friendly templates, filtering depending on your style and layout preferences.

2. Fill out required sections

Next, you’ll need to add all of the required PhD resume sections, from your Contact Information and Education to your Professional and Academic Experience and References. Teal has customizable sections for each of these requirements and more! If there’s a section you need that’s not in the template, you can also “rename” a section to fit what you need. For example, you may rename the “Projects” section to “Presentations and Conferences.”

3. Use AI to make your summary and descriptions stand out

Teal’s AI allows you to quickly and effectively generate professional summaries and resume experience descriptions.

4. Customize your resume

From accent colors and font to section sizing, Teal allows you to adjust your resume organization and design—while remaining ATS-friendly.

5. Analyze and adjust your resume

Next, it’s time to optimize your resume. Using Teal’s Analysis Mode, you can identify areas for improvement, whether that’s a need to add more keywords, including other resume structure elements, or improving how you describe your experience.

6. Export your resume PDF

Once you’ve improved your resume using Teal’s Analysis Mode and feel set to submit, it’s time to export your resume! Easily export your work with the “Export PDF” button and selecting Resume.”

Start writing your resume for a PhD application with Teal

Like any resume for a traditional industry job, a PhD CV is your first impression—but this time, it’s your first impression on an admissions committee, not hiring managers, recruiters, or a staffing agency.

A PhD resume should match the requirements in each specific program’s description, using keywords that show you’re a good fit in the program and satisfy any ATS searches. Unlike a resume for the job market, where you need to show work or industry experience that fits a job description, you’ll need to focus on your academic achievements, specifically your education, research, and teaching experience.

TL;DR? While you're not up against other job candidates, you are competing with top talent. You need to differentiate what you bring to the table.

Building and customizing your PhD resume is easy with Teal’s AI Resume Builder. Teal provides templates, customizable formatting, and AI suggestions to help you create not only a clean, ATS-friendly resume, but one that effectively demonstrates why you’re right for any PhD program.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to write a resume for a phd.

To write a PhD resume, emphasize your academic achievements, research experience, and skills. Include sections like Education, Research Experience, Teaching Experience, Publications, and Skills, ensuring each is tailored to the specific PhD program you’re applying to.

What does a PhD CV look like?

A PhD CV typically includes detailed sections such as Education, Research and Teaching Experience, Publications, Presentations, and relevant skills. Unlike traditional resumes, it focuses heavily on academic and research accomplishments, often spanning multiple pages.

How long is a PhD resume?

A PhD resume, also called a CV, is generally longer than a traditional resume, often spanning 2-4 pages or more, depending on the depth of your research, publications, and teaching experience.

How to put a current PhD on a resume?

To list your current PhD on a resume, include it in the Education section with your expected graduation date. Highlight any ongoing research, teaching, or relevant academic achievements related to your PhD program.

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How to Write a Targeted Resume: Examples + Tips

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How to Write a CV for a PhD Application (with free template!)

When you’re faced with writing an academic CV for a PhD application it can be hard to know where to start.

After all, along with your personal statement an academic CV is the heart of your PhD application: essentially acting as a “highlights reel” of your greatest achievements. You need it to be well formatted and engaging, yet concise enough that all of your most relevant experience is unmissable at a glance.

Quite a challenge!

In this post we’ll break down what to include. From the essentials to the nice-to-haves. All quotes are from the CVs I personally used when applying for PhDs.

If you’re just getting started be sure to download my Academic CV Template.

In addition, if you’d like to get some inspiration from active researchers’ CVs, you may wish to check out the repository of example academic CVs I have put together here:

Academic CV Examples From Active Researchers

What should i include on an academic cv for a phd application, contact info.

Name, email address and phone number. Personally I don’t see a need to include your address and certainly not a photo.

Education / Qualifications

List all major grades from aged 16 upwards: GCSE, A-Levels and university degrees.

• Undergraduate (and masters degrees) should include the subject, university and grade. I’ve tended to include the title of any significant research projects and the titles of the most relevant modules.
• For A-Levels you should name each of the subjects you took with the grade. Personally to keep the page more clean I’ve not included the schools I went to: though it may be worth drawing attention if you did well despite attending a particularly poorly performing school.
• GCSEs can just be summarised to the grades. Subjects needn’t be named.

My aim is to apply my skills to improve lives. I have a proven track record of overseeing successful development of innovative medical devices and now desire the opportunity to expand my skills beyond mechanical engineering into biomaterials research.

Sometimes it can be useful to include a few lines about your motivation and aims for your career. Despite currently having a short profile on my own CV I’m not 100% convinced by them: they can sound cliché especially if you’re fresh out of undergraduate . Profiles are most common in industry and it is up to you whether you think you have content worth sharing: do not waffle, and avoid excessive use of the typical buzzwords: hardworking, motivated etc!

University Research Projects

Third year project “3-D printing of multi-scale porous bioscaffolds for ligament attachment” Manufactured novel magnesium calcium phosphate scaffolds to investigate 3-D printing parameters for optimum implant integration Analysed parts under SEM to verify multi-scale porosity and XRD for detecting phase changes and composition Conducted a statistical analysis of variance study in sample porosity using optical microscopy and deduced the optimum printing parameters to maximise porosity Wrote a technical report and presented results during an oral presentation and viva

More than likely the research projects you’ve undertaken during the latter years of your degree will be your most substantial research experience. State the title of the project followed by a few bullet points covering:

• Useful skills and experience you gained such as: experimental & analytical techniques; software; instrumentation; report-writing; presenting
• Any substantial outcomes: prizes; publications & patents

Feel free to also state whether these projects were undertaken as a group or individually but remember to avoid clutter: you can go into more detail for your personal statement.

[Work] Experience

Jan – May 2013 Research Assistant, Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge Developed prototype HIV diagnostic devices for commercialisation within a multi-disciplinary team: Debugged, calibrated and optimised several novel medical devices Produced standard operating procedure and calibration documentation Experienced an audit and developed an appreciation of ISO 13485 and FDA requirements Inspected and tested parts for quality control processing

Whether you include this section will depend on what experience you have outside of the typical university projects. Here you can describe any additional work experience you have had such as: summer internships; research job roles; years in industry plus any potential outreach you’ve taken part in or voluntary work.

The level of detail you go in to will depend on how relevant the work was and how long ago: working in a shop at weekends when you were 17 probably isn’t particularly relevant. Unless you have had a significant amount of relevant (or impressive) work experience I’d keeping this section below University Research Projects .

A keen photographer, my photographs have appeared in the international press and have raised over £5000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. University of Warwick Photographic Society Executive Committee (2010-2012) Positions held: President, Treasurer, First Aider and Equal Opportunities Officer Duties included overseeing the 270 member-strong society’s running and progression – leading to a doubling of active membership over two years, chairing meetings and international trips, implementing new payment methods and securing funding.

Unless extremely relevant or impressive, I tend to not put too much emphasis on extra-curricular activities: no admissions tutor really needs to know that you enjoy cooking or cycling unless to a very high level. Having said that, do be sure to include anything which can show useful transferable skills such as team-work and responsibility.

I like to include any roles of responsibility such as society committee positions with any useful outcomes.

Nice-To-Haves

There are number of other sections which are common among academics further up the ladder. Unless you have more than a couple of pieces of content per category I suggest adding them where relevant elsewhere: for example an undergraduate award could feature under Education . If you have enough relevant content to warrant adding a new section, they can look very impressive.

Publications

It is often said that publications are the currency of academia. If you have managed to get involved with any publications then display them here in your favourite citation style.

If you’ve been involved in a significant amount of scientific outreach: STEMNET; teaching; mentoring; schools events; unpaid tutoring; public events etc.

Other sections sometimes included, and which are pretty self explanatory:

• Awards & Prizes
• Professional Memberships
• Grants/Scholarships

Tips for Writing a CV for a PhD Application

Translate your skills.

Beyond any subject-specific skills that you know will be useful, translate how your previous experience can transfer to your PhD.  Think about things such as:

• Independence
• Problem-solving

Ask yourself: how did your work standout? Use specifics to quantify performance rather than sticking to buzzwords. For example imagine if you’re writing as your role as president of a society:

“Leadership and teamwork experience”

“Overseeing the 270 member-strong society’s running and progression: leading to a doubling of active membership over two years”

Now you don’t need to go to that level of detail for everything, but if you’ve put in the work, make sure you do yourself justice.

Keep Things Concise

Make sure things are understandable but avoid long-winded sentences and especially paragraphs creating big blocks of dense text. Not only are big paragraphs off-putting to read, they make it really difficult for the reader to tease out the crucial information.

Bullet points are faster and easier to read, plus easier on the eye: all things you want to be encouraging! If you can’t succinctly describe a role in a few one line bullet points you’re probably adding too much information.

Don’t forget you can go in to more detail in your personal statement. Don’t waffle on your CV for a PhD application.

Well-Formatted

• Leaving lots of white space around your text keep it easier to read and therefore more likely that someone will continue to read it.
• In Word, zoom out so that you can see the pages of your document at once. If possible format sections so that nothing, and especially sentences, trails between pages: it makes the document look clean and professional. You can accurately play with line spacing by adding blank lines and setting the font size to something small: in my template I use size 3.
• Lead the eye . Make key information bold for it to stand out: though keep it consistent and don’t go too crazy!
• Try and keep your most important information to two pages . Anything beyond that should be supplementary.

If you’d like some guidance with formatting be sure to click  HERE for my downloadable Academic CV Template .

Spelling & Grammar

Nothing can more quickly make you appear incompetent than spelling mistakes, especially near to the top of your CV or in section headings. Once you’ve double checked your spelling take a break and come back to the document with fresh eyes: it’s amazing what you’ll spot. After that, ask a friend to have a read through too.

Save as PDF (if allowed)

Now that you’ve formatted your CV nicely, I suggest saving it as a PDF if the online submission allows. With PDFs the formatting is locked in place and you needn’t worry about the formatting screwing up because of differing versions of Word.

Take Inspiration

Often senior academics will include links to download their CVs from their personal webpages and I keep a folder of them for some inspiration. You can check out my online respository below!

If you’d like personalised help with your PhD application I am now starting to offer a small number of one-to-one sessions. Please contact me to find out more or click here to book a call.

I hope this post has helped with writing your own CV for a PhD application. If you have any tips or advice to share then I’d love to hear them in the comments! You can also subscribe for more content here:

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4 Comments on “How to Write a CV for a PhD Application (with free template!)”

Hey Jeff, great article!!

Any chance you can do one on personal statements?

Thanks, Yusuf

Hi Yusuf. I’m glad you’ve found it useful! Good idea about one for personal statements, I can see that being helpful so I’ll add it to my schedule and hope to get it out in not too long! Best wishes, Jeff.

hi, I cant seem to access the downloadable template! please could you post another link?

Hi Georgia, sorry that you’re having issues accessing the template. I’m tried it on two computers and it seems to work okay for me. Here is the same link again which works for me . Does that work? In case not I can email it to you. Let me know. Best wishes, Jeff

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9 PhD Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

In pursuing a PhD, you are responsible for conducting original research, contributing to your field of study, and disseminating findings through publications and presentations. On your resume, highlight your dissertation topic, relevant teaching or mentoring experience, and any grants or fellowships you have received. Emphasize your analytical abilities, research methodology expertise, and proficiency in statistical software or programming languages. Mention any collaborations with industry partners or significant conference presentations to illustrate the impact of your work.

All resume examples in this guide

Traditional

Resume Guide

Guide Overview

Additional Resumes

Extra Reads

Writing Your Ph.D. Resume

Resume Header Tips

Ph.D. Resume Summary

Resume Experience Section

Systematizing Your Experience

How to Include Your Degree

Ph.D. in Progress on Resume

Skill Set for Ph.D. Resumes

Certifications on Resume

Additional Sections

Key Takeaways

George C. Jones's 8-year-Odyssey to his doctoral degree in engineering is finally complete. All he has to do now is complete his Ph.D. resume.

Little does George know that within the next three years, he'd apply to 500+ roles and still not be any closer to working in the renewable energy sector.

A little birdie told us why.

Everywhere George applied, he was labeled as an "egghead": book-smart with no real-world experience.

At least that's the story his resume told.

Unfortunately, George's sad "tale" depicts many graduates’ job searches.

By 2030/31, the US is expected to have 221,000 Ph.D. graduates . While this may be fantastic news for the academic community, the job pool is limited.

Swimming into the big blue sea - a.k.a. the "real world" - would require Ph.D. graduates to adapt their resumes to the business or industry requirements.

And listing vague bullets pinpointing your experience just won't do.

Enhancv knows how to translate your skills, knowledge, and achievements to ensure your resume stands out in the vast talent pool.

Because a well-written Ph.D. resume , showing skills, passion, and knowledge, is your ticket to the moon and beyond.

Our exclusive, Ph.D. resume guide will answer some of the following questions for you:

• What are some of the biggest, unintentional mistakes Ph.D. graduates tend to make when writing their resumes?
• Perfecting the top one-third of your resume: how to get recruiters' attention every time?
• 102 of the most popular Ph.D. skills you need to add to your resume right now!
• Lacking much professional experience: how to align your academic background with job expectations?
• Get inspired with more ideas about formatting, writing your resume summary, and including your academic body of work in a way that works.

4 additional Ph.D. resume samples and why they work

Ph.d. bioengineering graduate.

This Ph.D. Bioengineering Graduate has certainly focused her effort on getting that tenure-track position.

Here’s why her resume works.

Within the top one-third of Dr. Taylor’s resume (the headlines, summary, and skills section), you’ll find many relevant keywords for the job advert.

She has also used the summary to qualify and quantify her results to help recruiters better understand her strengths.

The experience section is split into two parts: the first one notes all relevant teaching experience; the second section showcases depth and knowledge of research.

Dr. Taylor has included industry experience and strengths to further define her skill set and show results.

This approach would also be very helpful for any Applicant Tracking System (ATS) reviewing the resume, as it cross-aligns the candidate’s talents with the job requirements.

Ph.D. mechanical engineering

If you’re wondering how to translate your academics into real-life experience, check this example out.

Dr. Aubry’s resume headline highlights his area of expertise and his Ph.D. degree, while his summary qualifies his key academic achievements, contributions, and success.

Dr. Aubry’s skills section focuses more on the technology he is apt at within the specified job requirements.

His roles as a lab technician, contributor, and research assistant also hint to recruiters that he’s results-oriented and can show how his work affected the industry.

Finally, his strengths section cross-aligns soft skills that are important for the role, including mechanical engineering knowledge, cross-disciplinary teamwork, and technical writing.

Apta certified physical therapist

In some industries, a specific certification can be a real game changer to meeting ATS standards.

Dr. Brubaker knows this and that’s why she has used her resume to highlight her American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) certification within various sections (headline, summary, and certification).

Another reason why Dr. Brubaker’s resume works is that it pinpoints her niche of expertise with tangible results.

Her education section not only lists all of her degrees, but she has turned recruiters’ attention to the grant funding her Ph.D. thesis secured (an outcome of the project).

Did you notice how she curated the experience section? Dr. Brubaker started with her more job-oriented responsibilities, followed by a leadership role.

if you’ve participated in any extracurricular activities during your studies, they could indicate various soft skills on your resume, including leadership, initiative, organization, etc.

data scientist, ongoing Ph.D. in statistics

Are you a current Ph.D. student, wondering how to include your ongoing degree on your resume?

Charles Flack’s resume includes some of the best how-to practices.

Charles uses the resume headline and summary’s first section to specify his research niche, which is followed by his ongoing Ph.D. Status.

N.B. Remember that the recruitment process is one of building trust with honesty. If you note in your resume that you’re a Ph.D. graduate (without this being the reality), recruiters will find out.

Continuing with Charles’s resume summary. It goes on to include an array of expertise and soft skills (e.g. leadership, adaptiveness, perfectionism) all within achieved results in academia.

His experience section includes roles in leadership, technical writing, and private tutoring, denoting individual skills and contributions.

The strengths Charles has included are more specific and tie in with data science roles. Those include quantitative problem-solving, deep learning, and iterative process.

21 Ph.D. related resume examples to help you get inspired

• Entry-Level
• Grant Writer
• Lab Technician
• Research Associate
• Research Assistant
• Lab Assistant
• Lab Manager
• Finance Intern
• Data Science Intern
• Entry Level Engineering
• Entry-Level Mechanical Engineer
• Software Engineer Intern
• Nursing Student
• Data Analyst Entry Level

Quick steps to success in writing your Ph.D. resume to get recruiters’ attention

Let's start with a big no-no: your academic CV, the one you used to secure that tenure position, is a No-go. Put simply - it lacks personality .

HRs and the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) need more context to your experience.

Unfortunately, here comes one of the biggest disadvantages you may face, leaving academia. Often, Ph.D. graduates get rejected as they lack practical work experience .

Don't get discouraged. Instead, find a resume format that works for you.

For Ph.D. graduates that have less work experience, we recommend a functional-skill-based format . It will help you highlight your unique skill set and academic excellence.

Also, it'll align your niche area of expertise with the role expectations.

Now that we've settled the formatting debate, let's look at a couple of more quick pointers for your Ph.D. resume.

1. The top one-third of your resume - the resume header and summary - is crucial to getting a high score on the ATS.

That's why you should try to include as many of the advert's relevant requirements within this section.

2. Expand your qualifications and skills within the experience section.

Don't just list plain bullets, but focus on the outcomes of your studies, research, or publications.

How to write your experience bullets:

3. Speaking of impact, detail your accomplishments within your academic work.

Focus on the picture and your research's influence on the scientific field, business/ industry, or communities.

Bonus: Remember to always list all work and academic experience that is relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Your Ph.D. experience can open many doors for you, giving you a front-row seat on the cutting edge of new technologies.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves, here are a couple more bits and pieces to keep in mind when writing your Ph.D. resume.

What recruiters are looking out for in your Ph.D. resume:

• What methodology or technology have you used to prove your research?
• If you've ever led teams, were you able to manage them successfully?
• Would your niche area of expertise contribute to the organizational goals?
• Can you bring to the table more than just theoretical knowledge?
• How fast can you adapt to a non-academic environment and deliver tangible results?

Ph.D. resume's five most important sections:

• Resume header with keywords from the job description
• Resume summary cross-aligning requirements with experience
• Resume experience to expand on the summary
• Education section, listing all diplomas
• Professional achievements in research and publications

Your Ph.D. resume should balance your knowledge with how fast it can be applied in a real-world environment.

That's why you need to be precise about the resume sections you chose to prove your merit.

Mythbusters: Your PhD resume header under the Enhancv microscope

After endless hours of searching different platforms, you've finally found that cancer research position that perfectly matches your profile.

Avoiding all emotional attachment and excitement, you finally decide on the following header:

2 PhD resume header examples

Let’s look at the bright side of things. If the organization would like to get in touch with Dr. Garnett, they'd easily find his contact details .

But on the other hand, he is making one huge mistake: Dr. Garnett isn't taking advantage of the power of the top section of his resume. More specifically - his headline .

This crucial section could provide Ph.D. graduates with an opportunity to include all relevant keywords that could match their profile. And at the same time, tease their professional story.

This may be obvious, but this example works as it shows that Dr. Garnett is not only a Ph.D. graduate, but his specific area of research and interest, which should supposedly match with the role he’s applying for.

A rule of thumb for headers is to never be vague about your research and expertise.

You could list your Ph.D. degree within your resume title so that it’s the first thing recruiters (and the ATS) see.

In the case of Dr. Garnett, his resume title could read “Dr. David Garnett, Ph.D.”.

Our suggestion is to be wary about the organization you’re applying for because if the culture is more informal, this may come off as “pretentious”.

Ph.D. resume summaries: HRs’ favorite instrument for advanced career storytelling

The Ph.D. resume summary is a really useful section for good first impressions and explaining your experience.

The summary can be used to highlight your skills, strengths, and achievements. While telling the story of your professional growth.

We know how important real-world examples are for you.

So, without further ado, here's how Dr. Lucina Collard rewrote her resume summary. And in the end, got the attention of a prestigious software development company.

2 PhD resume summary examples

Dr. Collard may have spent too much time in the lab, as her Ph.D. resume summary just lists what courses she took and her thesis statement.

No results, no outcomes.

In the end, she did decide to include some soft skills and passions, but without actually pointing out the “why” behind her work. This doesn’t make sense at all.

Here’s what her modified resume summary looked like in the end:

This summary works for one simple reason: it qualifies the achievements.

Dr. Collard has noted that within the past 6 years, she has been specializing in the job advert keywords “robotics” and “mechatronics”. The award is also a nice touch to paint the big picture of her experience.

Dr. Collard is apt at achieving results within a dynamic environment. That includes various professionals from different backgrounds.

When talking about her thesis, she goes on to show her familiarity with the process.

Editing Dr. Collard’s summary may seem just like one small step for her, but it’s actually a giant leap to securing an interview.

Making your Ph.D. resume experience section stand out for all the right reasons

When listing their experience section, most Ph.D. graduates are probably making the same mistakes.

The first one: leaving out your academic practice, thinking that recruiters only want to see work experience.

That's not true at all.

Your education would not only prove your technical capabilities, but also your soft skills. But, more on that in the following paragraphs.

The second error: those tricky job titles.

You'd find 1000+ resumes, listing each experience using the given academic titles; e.g. Professor, Lecturer, Post Doctorate Student, Graduate Student, etc.

Robotic vs personalized approach: 1:0.

The ATS, reviewing your resume, is set to recognize keywords that are vital for the job. The faster those appear at the top of your experience, the better.

Instead of listing that you used to be a "Lecturer at XYZ University", go with "Data Science and Machine Learning Lecturer at XYZ University".

Third slip-up: those tricky experience bullets.

Some Ph.D. graduates just list all their courses, research, and publications.

This isn't the way to go.

You should rather align your knowledge with the job description to prove tangible results.

A couple of questions to help:

• What did this course help me learn and achieve that could be applicable to the job I'm applying for?
• How did leading lectures help me to cooperate better within the learning environment?
• What grants did my publications secure for the educational institute?
• What effects did my research have on the big-picture subjects within the field?
• The more you can get into the actuality (and practicality) of your education, the higher your chances are to get your first interview booked.

Let’s look at an example of how your experience can be showcased within your resume as crucial for the job.

PhD resume experience examples.

• • Got PhD in Philosophy
• • Took Philosophy of Mind, Brain, and Behavior Course
• • Took Ethics Course
• • Wrote Diploma on ‘To Be Or Not To Be: The Ethics of The Human Existence In The 21st Century’

This experience section is pretty negligent and robotic. Did you just get a diploma during those three-plus years?

You may be exiting from a leading higher education institution, but putting in the extra effort to your resume shows that you are diligent.

And that you’re actually invested in getting that particular job.

• • Contributed 60+ publications to the university scientific journal, niching within human rights, ethics, and the big why of human existence
• • Peer-reviewed publications for 12+ philosophy colleagues and professionals with a focus on consistency and validity of the thesis
• • Collaborated with 10+ professionals from arts, science, and biotech fields to question and understand the ethics behind their projects
• • Apart from the scientific paper for my final thesis, entitled 'To Be Or Not To Be: The Ethics of The Human Existence In The 21st Century’, published a short video on the university website to help inspire young professionals of philosophy to always stay alert

There’s no ground for comparison between the two examples. But let’s look at some of the basics.

The first experience bullet hints that the professional can write technical papers for their niche.

Next, the candidate showcases an eye for detail, collaboration, and teamwork.

Finally, they have found a way to get their thesis submitted on time and also make it more understandable.

On a side note - did you notice how a better job title could be a complete game-changer?

One bonus tip on better systematizing your Ph.D. experience

General practice is that you'd create one single resume experience section.

But what if while writing your Ph.D. resume, you realize that in the past six years, all your experience is for the same institution?

Here's an idea to spice up your experience section. You can create a couple of experience sections, based on functionality.

Thus highlighting job advert keywords and, at the same time, including more details.

So you could have some of the following headers, under which you could classify your work:

• Research Experience
• Technical Experience
• Analytical Experience
• Leadership Experience
• Mentorship Experience
• Teamwork Experience
• Higher Education Experience

Feel free to align your transferable skills, which would be beneficial for the job you're applying for.

How should you include your degrees within your Ph.D. resume education section?

Here's the advice you've probably been waiting for; introducing…

… "How to write about your degree without sounding like a snob?"

And there are two possible scenarios at play.

The first is that you're applying for a job related to your area of study.

You should list your Ph.D. degree in detail, including research topics, method expertise, and publications.

As you're writing for non-specialized audiences, don't go overboard with the complex terms. Instead, weave keywords from the job requirements within your education section.

In the second case scenario, you're applying for a job that has nothing to do with your degree.

Keep your education section plain and simple with your degree, university/college, dates, and location.

Either way, remember to always list all of your degrees in chronological order, starting with the latest.

This isn't just some made-up rule or HR caprice. Your resume education helps recruiters determine if:

• Your basic training and knowledge would fit the job
• You stayed focused on your coursework and graduated on time
• You would be a good fit for the team. Some companies tend to hire graduates from the same university

Ph.D. in progress: Should you include your potential degree on your resume?

Being transparent on your Ph.D. resume is what builds that fantastic initial relationship with the company you're applying for.

Thus, you have to be very clear and precise, especially in your education section.

If you're still pursuing your Ph.D. degree, shift the focus from the future to what you've achieved so far.

Your education section could answer any of the following questions:

• How applicable your degree is to the job opening?
• Which of the courses you've completed would help the company grow?
• Is your education a stepping stone within your professional experience?
• What is your expected graduation date?

Being on the course to completing your Ph.D. is definitely commendable, but sometimes life happens. And you may be forced to drop out of your Ph.D. education.

Should you then list the degree you didn't complete?

The answer is 100% yes, as your Ph.D.:

• fills gaps within your professional experience
• is valuable experience
• has helped you gain new knowledge

Making it clear to recruiters that your degree is "Incomplete" or that you "Didn't Graduate" is very important.

List your degree, dates, university/college, and status.

If you get to the interview stage, recruiters will ask you why you dropped out. Be prepared to talk about why it wasn't the best option for your career at the time, or hint at the circumstances.

Even if it's hard to believe, HR managers are people - just like you and me - and they are able to show understanding and compassion.

Ph.D. resume: Is there a dream skill set your potential employers would like to see?

Recruiters review your resume to see how your experience aligns with the role, with a big focus on transferrable skills.

Or in other words, what else can you bring to the table to help the business or institution grow?

And transferable skills can be both hard (or technical ) and soft skills .

Your hard skills include the technology you used to complete your studies.

Consider the opportunities you've has to:

• test and measure antennas parameters in an Anechoic chamber
• audit in a lab environment renewable energy sources' efficiency
• develop software, using Python, to patch cybersecurity risks

The list can go and on and on. Your Ph.D. has probably provided you with a pretty solid technical background.

When writing your resume’s separate technical skills section, ever wonder which technology should go first?

Rule of thumb: align the technology within the job description with your expertise.

The more proficient you are at a certain skill, the sooner you should list it.

Wondering what some of the most popular Ph.D. resume hard and technical skills are?

Check out our list, based on some of the most popular industries.

PhD resume technical skills for various roles:

15 hard skills for opportunities in business consulting:

• Knowledge of different business-crucial frameworks, including Benchmarking, Balanced Scorecard, Porter’s Five Forces, The GE-McKinsey Nine-Box Matrix, The BCG Growth-Share Matrix, Core Competencies
• Data Management and Analysis
• Advanced Data Modelling
• Strategy, Planning and Implementation
• Assessing and Managing Risk Using Frameworks
• Statistics and Understanding Correlations
• CRMs: Salesforce, Zendesk, Bitrix24, etc.
• Lead Generation Software: Zendesk Sell, Pipedrive, HubSpot, etc.
• Project Management Software: Jira, Hive, Asana, etc.
• Employer and Customer Satisfaction Surveys
• Proposal Writing
• Scheduling Software: Calendly, Google Calendar, Doodle, etc.
• Revenue Optimization and Sales

15 technical skills for biology, biotech, biochemistry, and medical research:

• Design, conduct, and analyze scientific research
• Tissue Culture
• PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
• Gel Electrophoresis
• Western Blot
• Molecular (Gene) Cloning and various techniques
• Flow Cytometry
• Mass Spectrometry
• Confocal Microscopy
• Cell-Based Assays
• Radioimmunoassays
• Data Analysis in biotechnology, bioinformatics, and medical research
• Laboratory and Equipment

15 engineering technical skills to add to your PhD resume:

• Manufacturing: Forging, Welding, Assembling, etc.
• Quality Control
• Industrial /System Design and Analysis
• Conceptual, Logical, or Physical Data Modeling
• AI and/ or Machine Learning
• Design Tools: AutoCAD, SolidWork, 3dsMax, etc.
• Programming Languages: C++, Python, Java, etc.
• Equipment Diagnosis
• Project Management: Trello, Zoho, Microsoft Project, etc.
• Data Analysis Software: Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, Qlik Sense, etc.
• CNC Programming
• Advanced Physics
• Structural Analysis
• Nanotechnology

15 recommended computer science technologies:

• Programming languages: C++, PHP, Swift, etc.
• Software engineering and development: Atom, GitHub, Chrome DevTools. etc.
• Cloud Platforms
• Data migration and deployment
• Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
• Integrated Environments Management
• Network Maintenance
• Cybersecurity
• Machine learning AI
• Business Intelligence and Statistical Analysis Tools
• SQL Consoles
• SAS Development and Forecasting
• Data Modelling Tools: ER/Studio, Archi, Ludichart, etc.
• Automation Tools

15 academic and research technical skills:

• Technical Literacy
• Presentation and visual: Tableau, Prezi, PPT, etc.
• Learning platforms: Moodle, Classroom, Teams, etc.
• Surveys: Google Forms, MailChimp, Kahoot, etc.
• Data-Processing Software: SPSS, RStudio, NVivo, etc.
• Academic Networks: Google Scholar, Academia.edu., ResearchGate, etc.
• Academic Research and Technical Writing
• Email Writing
• Data and Information Analysis
• Copyright and License
• Videoconferencing: Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, etc.
• Applications for Securing Grants and Funding
• Peer Reviews and Co-Writing Interdisciplinary Technical Papers

Moving on to your PhD resume soft skills

There's still no precise formula for how soft skills are gained and applied in the workplace.

How many times have you seen an advert that requires "a can-do attitude and teamwork"?

Yet soft skills are on all recruiters' must-have checklists.

In the case of Ph.D. applicants, these transferable skills are built thanks to all the healthy habits you've maintained through your education, including your:

• collaboration
• ability to meet deadlines

Soft skills hint to recruiters more about your character and style of work.

Here are some ideas as to which ones you can include within your resume:

37 PhD soft skills to spice up your resume:

• Critical / Logical Thinking
• Problem-Solving
• Time Management
• Brainstorming
• Creativity and Innovation
• Meeting Deadlines
• Working Under Pressure
• Negotiation
• Project Management
• Organization
• Prioritization
• Flexibility
• Independent Work
• Ethical Decision-Making
• Leadership or Mentorship
• Collaboration
• Teaching or Lecturing
• Conduct Meetings
• Supervision
• Feedback and Evaluation
• Motivating Others
• Communicating Ideas
• Presentation
• Constructive Debating
• Leading or Participating in Group Discussions
• Public Speaking
• Accelerated Learning
• Attention to Detail
• Writing Proficiency
• Quantitative Literacy
• Listening and Reflection

When describing your leadership or mentorship soft skills, here are a couple of questions you could answer within your resume to qualify your achievements:

• What actions did you take to maintain a constant and successful team dynamic?

Mix in extracurricular certificates

Back in the day, you earned a couple of extracurricular certificates and wondering if you should include those on your Ph.D. resume.

Again, it's a matter of analyzing how necessary your certification is for the job.

E.g. if AICPA's CPA certificate is listed as obligatory within the job description - and you have earned yours - you know what to do.

Certificates show that you're willing to put in the extra effort to stay relevant. Proving that you're committed, flexible, and a life-long learner.

So, think about the relevancy the certificate would have within your field.

Then, consider including some of these popular certificates:

Top 50 PhD certificates from various institutions for your resume:

• Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) - Certified Professional
• ACRP - Clinical Research Associate Certification
• ACRP - Clinical Research Coordinator Certification
• American Health Information Management Association - Coding Specialist Physician-Based Certification
• Nationally Registered Certified Patient Care Technician
• National Healthcare Association (NHA) - EKG Technician Certification
• NHA - Phlebotomy Technician Certification
• NHA - Clinical Medical Assistant Certification
• American Association of Medical Assistants - Medical Assistant Certification
• Red Cross - Nursing Assistant Certification
• Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc. - Registered Behavior Technician
• American Association of Professional Coders - Certified Professional Coder
• Pharmacy Technician Certification Board - Certified Pharmacy Technician
• Society for Clinical Data Management - Clinical Data Manager
• American Medical Writers Association - Medical Writer Certified
• Board of Editors in Life Science - Board-Certified Editor in Life Science
• International Society for Medical Publication Professionals - Certified Medical Publication Professional
• Regulatory Affairs Professional Society - Regulatory Affairs Certification
• Google Project Management Professional
• Society of ​​Petroleum Engineers - Petroleum Engineering Certification
• American Institute of Chemists - National Certification Commission in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Certification
• Coursera - Software Engineering MasterTrack Certificate
• Cisco Certified Network Professional in Service Provider Operations
• CompTIA Security+ Certification
• (ISC)² Certified Information Systems Security Professional
• American Society for Quality (ASQ) - Quality Engineer Certification
• ASQ - Reliability Engineer Certification
• Advanced Certificate Program in CFD-Aircraft Aerodynamics
• Engineer in Training License and Certification
• Society of Broadcast Engineers - Certified Audio Engineer
• Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering - Certified Technical Professional
• International Council on Systems Engineering - Systems Engineering Professional Certification
• American Academy of Project Management - Certified Planning Engineer
• Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Master Specialist Certificate
• iNARTE Electromagnetic Compatibility Designer Engineer Certificate
• American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists - Board Certified Environmental Engineer
• American Public Power Association - Key Accounts Certificate Program
• Global Association of Quality Management - Certified Agile Developer
• Environmental Protection Agency - Operator Certification Program Management
• Institute of Management Accountants - Certified Management Accountant
• National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers - Certified Bookkeeper
• Association of International Certified Professional Accountants - Certified Public Accountant
• Chartered Financial Analyst Institute - Chartered Financial Analyst
• Internal Revenue Service - Enrolled Agent
• The Institute of Internal Auditors - Certified Internal Auditor
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners - Certified Fraud Examiner
• National Association of Sales Professionals - Certified Professional Sales Person
• Institutes of Management Consulting - Certified Management Consultant

PhD resume: let’s get creative with a few more resume sections

When completing your Ph.D. resume, you should always find ways to stand out from the crowd.

That’s why we’ve compiled for you some of the most popular sections which you could add to your resume.

Before doing so, always question each section's relevance to the job you're applying for.

• Publications or Projects - focus on topic, methodology, and impact; include your grant ID code, if your research won any funding
• Academic Awards - once more, consider if those would shine a better light on your expertise
• Conference Presentations - this would showcase your public speaking abilities
• Language Skills - be honest when listing your language proficiency

One final word of warning - your Ph.D. resume offers limited space to showcase your expertise, so try to make the most out of it.

key takeaways

• The extra effort to align your Ph.D. skills with the job you're applying for always gets recruiters' attention.
• Include as many relevant keywords within the header and summary of your Ph.D. resume.
• Have separate sections, detailing how your academic background has helped you attain experience, skills, and certifications.
• List chronologically all degrees you've earned through your education, with an adaptable approach to details.
• Remember that the recruiters or the ATS assessing your resume may not be that scientifically literate. Substitute complex terminology with impact and results.

Looking to build your own PhD resume?

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Gre prep online guides and tips, 4 successful graduate school resume and cv examples.

Crafting the perfect resume or CV for graduate school can be difficult to accomplish if you don’t have a graduate school resume sample to refer to. To help you construct your own high-quality resume for graduate school, we’re offering you  four original resume and CV samples  to use as examples.

First, we’ll explore what features make a great graduate school resume. Then, we’ll provide you with our own graduate school resume examples, giving you tips on what to include on your resume and how to showcase your strengths. Finally, we’ll leave you with our picks for the best online resources for graduate school resume and CV samples.

What Characteristics Make a Great Graduate School Resume or CV?

One easy way to make your graduate school application stand out is to create a compelling, eye-catching resume . But in order to ensure your resume will be memorable, it must be:

Graduate school resumes should highlight all of your major academic and professional experiences and accomplishments —  particularly those most relevant to your field of study . This means you should tailor your resume to your field of study and avoid padding it with too many irrelevant experiences. (That said, some programs may ask you to include your entire professional history, irrelevant positions and all. In this case, don’t leave anything out!)

In addition, don’t go overboard with your descriptions . Each entry (even those that are highly relevant to your field) should only contain as much detail as is necessary without devolving into verbosity. Generally, anywhere from two to four bullet points per entry should suffice.

Quick side note: we've created the world's leading online GRE prep program that adapts to you and your strengths and weaknesses. Not sure what to study? Confused by how to improve your score? We give you minute by minute guide.

You don't NEED a prep program to get a great GRE score. But we believe PrepScholar is the best GRE prep program available right now , especially if you find it hard to organize your study schedule and don't know what to study .

Click here to learn how you can improve your GRE score by 7 points, guaranteed .

Clear and Easy to Follow

Structure is also an important feature of a graduate school resume. All resumes should include a header with your name and contact info ; clearly defined sections with headings; descriptions (usually as bullet points); and page numbers if your resume exceeds one page.

I also recommend arranging your entries in reverse chronological order (most recent to earliest). This way admissions committees will know right away what you’re currently working on as well as what your most recent experiences and accomplishments are.

Professional

The resume is a professional document and isn’t an opportunity to get overly creative. It’s perfectly OK to customize your resume, just as long as you’re adhering to the basic rules of professionalism : use an easily readable font (such as Calibri, Tahoma, or Times New Roman), stick primarily to black and white, and avoid inserting clip art or any other extraneous shapes and images.

Free of Errors

Finally, a great graduate school resume is completely free of errors . This means there are no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or formatting. (You can eliminate the potential for formatting errors by saving your resume as a PDF. Most graduate schools prefer PDFs anyway!)

Moreover, your resume should  abide by all of your program’s rules , including page limits, header and footer requirements, etc.

Graduate School Resume and CV Samples

Now that we know what makes for an excellent graduate school resume and CV, let’s look at a few high-quality samples. Graduate school resume examples are helpful resources because they give us ideas as to how to organize our resumes and what to include on them.

Below, we give you four original graduate school resume and CV samples . Each sample is unique and offers a variety of features you may incorporate into your own resume, if desired.

We’re also giving you one annotated graduate school resume sample and one annotated sample CV for graduate school . These annotated samples each contain notes explaining what features make them strong contenders for graduate school.

Graduate School Resume Samples

• Graduate School Resume Sample PDF
• Graduate School Resume Sample Annotated PDF

Graduate School CV Samples

• Sample CV for Graduate School PDF
• Sample CV for Graduate School Annotated PDF

Additional Resources for Graduate School Resume and CV Samples

In addition to the four graduate school resume and CV samples above, there are a ton of resume samples you can access for free online. To find high-quality samples, we recommend going to  university websites, specifically university career center webpages , as these are most likely to offer you direct guidance on resume and CV writing.

Before we proceed to the resources, however, note that a majority of the following resume and CV samples are actually  job oriented . The major differences between job-oriented resumes and graduate school resumes are the focus and the use of references. Graduate school resumes and CVs typically emphasize education and do  not  contain any references (since you’re already supplying letters of recommendation).

In spite of these differences, though, you should still be able to use some of the samples below as inspiration for your own graduate school resume or CV.

The Best Resources for Additional Grad School Resume Samples

Here are our picks for the best online resources for graduate school resume examples.

Through its Career Services department, UPenn offers a wide array of resume samples  for both those who’ve completed undergrad and  those who’ve completed additional graduate education (master’s degrees, Ph.D.s, etc.). Each of the graduate-level resume samples contains detailed commentary on key features and areas that could be improved.

This PDF focuses on how to write resumes if you’re a current master’s student (but can certainly be used for those applying to graduate school, too). The four samples are on pages 5-8. Each resume contains helpful introductory information explaining the purpose of the resume and how it’s organized.

Elon University

This university offers several high-quality resume samples for various career paths, including the arts and humanities, the sciences, education, and business. It also offers a generic graduate school resume  sample, which you can use to get a feel for the kinds of sections or topics you might want to incorporate into your own resume.

The Best Resources for Additional Grad School CV Samples

Here, we give you two top-notch resources for CV samples.

UPenn’s Career Services department offers a large variety of CV samples in addition to the resume samples listed above. Although all of the CV samples are geared toward employment purposes (they were all submitted by Ph.D. holders), they’re still solid resources you can use as models while crafting your own graduate school CV — especially if you’re entering the science, engineering, or math sectors.

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University of Illinois

This PDF offers two full-length CV samples and instructions detailing how to write a CV and what to include on it. Note that both CV samples are employment oriented (they both contain references and Ph.D. work); however, you can still use the general layouts of the samples to help you come up with ideas for your own CV.

Summary: Graduate School Resume and CV Samples

Most graduate school applicants will need to submit either a resume or a CV along with their graduate school applications. This is the only opportunity you’ll have to summarize  all of your academic and professional achievements in a single document.

But how can you ensure your resume or CV will impress admissions committees? Generally speaking, a memorable graduate school resume will be one that’s:

• Focused without straying too far into irrelevant territory
• Clear and easy to follow, with a header, headings, and bullet points
• Professional, with easy-to-read fonts and a basic color scheme
• Free of errors in regard to grammar and formatting

Resume and CV samples can help you figure out how to structure your own resume or CV  and give you tips on what kinds of sections and topics to include . We’ve provided you with four original resume and CV samples you can use as references while drafting your own resume or CV for graduate school. For additional samples, try browsing university websites and career center webpages.

Remember, if you can produce a compelling graduate school resume, you’re bound to leave a positive impression on admissions committees! So don’t be tempted to slack off with the resume portion of your application — it could very well be what ultimately entices a school to accept you.

What’s Next?

In addition to samples, we’ve got a quality collection of graduate school resume and CV templates — and they’re entirely free for you to use!

Need tips on what to include on your resume or CV?  Read our expert guides on  how to write a graduate school CV and how to write a graduate school resume !

When should you apply to graduate school? What do you need to apply?  We answer all of these questions and more in our articles on graduate school requirements  and graduate school deadlines .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Hannah Muniz

Hannah graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in English and East Asian languages and cultures. After graduation, she taught English in Japan for two years via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel. View all posts by Hannah Muniz

CV examples

Neah Kapoor, an aspiring PhD candidate, has opted for a simple Otago template. She seeks to drive her career in sustainable development and environmental planning. With a passion for creating positive change and academic excellence, she makes an invaluable asset for shaping a sustainable world.

"Passionate and driven final-year masters student with a solid academic foundation, eager to embark on a PhD journey in sustainable development. Equipped with exceptional research skills and determined to advance knowledge in this field."

Table of contents

How to Write a CV for a PhD Application (Examples, Tips, and Writing Guide)

Embarking on the path to advanced research and academic excellence through a PhD is an exciting journey, demanding not just passion and dedication but also a well-crafted CV that highlights your potential as an aspiring scholar. In the highly competitive landscape of higher education, your CV is vital in determining whether you will stand out as an exceptional candidate.

Whether you are a student , a graduate, or a seasoned professional seeking to elevate your academic pursuits, this article is for you. It details the essential elements of composing a CV that captures your academic journey, research experience, and future career aspirations. From understanding the unique expectations of a PhD application to incorporating relevant experiences and honing an impactful writing style, we delve into the steps to create a good CV .

The CV writing process: Where to start?

A CV tailored explicitly for a PhD application demands a strategic approach highlighting your education, academic accomplishments, and research experience that sets you apart. This document serves as your initial introduction to prospective educational institutions and faculty members, making it imperative to leave a lasting impression that sparks curiosity and interest. Here are two essential pointers to consider:

A fundamental starting point is the creation of a comprehensive master CV, serving as the foundation to build upon as your academic journey progresses. Update it regularly, capturing personal details, educational achievements, work experience, skills, and notable accomplishments.

After that, tailor each iteration by emphasising relevant experiences and qualifications, moulding the personal profile to reflect your academic trajectory and strategically showcasing pertinent skills that set you apart in the fiercely competitive job market.

Tips on how to write a PhD CV

Gain insight into the industry and the specific requirements of your desired PhD programme.

Organise your CV thoughtfully into sections, such as personal details, personal profile, work experience, education, and skills.

Showcase concrete achievements or projects that align with your career goals. Emphasise quantifiable results to demonstrate the impact of your scholarly endeavours.

Integrate relevant keywords to optimise your CV for applicant tracking systems (ATS). This can increase your chances of passing the initial screening process.

Customise each CV to suit the specific application, showcasing how your unique set of skills and experiences perfectly align with the requirements of the programme.

Error-free and engaging writing is paramount. Thoroughly proofread your CV to ensure clarity, coherence, and an overall captivating presentation that will captivate the attention of hiring managers.

Looking to create a CV for a PhD application?

Phd cv example.

Download this PhD CV sample in PDF.

Neah Kapoor, an aspiring and dedicated PhD candidate, has opted for the Otago template to craft her impressive CV. Her passion lies in forging a career in policy analysis, with a special focus on sustainable development and environmental planning. Neah's exceptional academic background and remarkable achievements have been meticulously showcased, underscoring her potential as a valuable contributor to shaping a more sustainable world.

What to include in a PhD CV? 

A CV must be comprehensive and well-organised, showcasing your academic qualifications, research experience, and potential as a promising academic researcher or PhD student. See our tips on what to include below (if applicable):

List your degrees chronologically, starting with the most recent. Include the name of the institution, degree obtained, major/specialisation, and graduation date.

Detail your research experience, including internships, projects, or positions held in academic or research settings.

If you have teaching or short-term experience, include the details of the courses you taught, the institution, and the duration of your involvement.

List any academic papers, articles, book chapters, or other scholarly publications you have authored or co-authored. Include the full citation for each publication.

Mention any academic conferences where you presented your findings. Provide details such as the conference name, date, and location.

List the specific research methodologies, techniques, and tools you are proficient in.

Highlight academic achievements, such as winning competitions, scholarships, grants, or fellowships.

If relevant, include extracurricular activities such as hobbies and interests , demonstrating leadership, teamwork, or community engagement.

This is usually on request, but if required, provide the names and contact information of academic or professional references who can vouch for you.

What is a professional summary for a PhD CV?

A professional summary, also known as a personal profile , is a concise and impactful statement that provides a snapshot of your academic background, research expertise, and career aspirations. It serves as an introduction to your CV, capturing the attention of potential employers or educational institutions and enticing them to delve further into your qualifications. Tips on writing a professional summary:

Keep it brief, ideally limited to 4-6 lines. 

Mention that you are a PhD candidate or specify the degree you are currently pursuing.

Showcase your enthusiasm for your research area and the academic field in general.

PhD student CV personal profile example

Passionate and driven student in marine biology, dedicated to unravelling the mysteries within this captivating field. Solid foundation in marine biology and an insatiable curiosity for groundbreaking research and innovative discoveries. Aspire to leave a lasting impact on the academic landscape, driving advancements that positively influence society and transform our understanding of marine ecosystems.

Academic CV for PhD application personal profile example

Passionate PhD candidate in forestry with an insatiable curiosity for knowledge and intellectual exploration. Equipped with a strong academic background and dedication to cutting-edge research, committed to making meaningful contributions to forestry. Eager to collaborate with esteemed mentors, embracing interdisciplinary challenges to empower future generations of forestry thinkers.

Refer to our academic CV example for more tips.

What skills should be included in a CV for PhD?

Highlighting skills that demonstrate your potential as a successful researcher and scholar is essential. See our examples below:

Hard skills:

Research Methodologies

Data Analysis

Academic Writing

Literature Review

Computer Programming.

Soft skills:

Critical Thinking

Communication

Time Management

Adaptability

Problem-Solving.

Transferable skills:

Organisational Skills

Teaching and Mentoring

Public Speaking

Project Management

Analytical Skills.

To leave a lasting impact on recruiters, it's essential to distinguish between various types of skills on a CV.

How to write work experience on a CV for PhD application

When writing work experience on a CV, it's essential to present your research-related experiences and accomplishments clearly and concisely. See our tips below:

Start with a clear CV section heading, such as "Work Experience" or "Research Experience."

Include the company/institution name and location. 

Specify your job title or position, such as "Research Intern," "Research Assistant," "Laboratory Technician," etc.

Include the period you worked in that position, using years. 

Provide a brief overview of your tasks and responsibilities during your work experience. Focus on research-related activities, laboratory work, data analysis, academic projects, or other relevant tasks.

Highlight specific accomplishments or achievements during your work experience.

If applicable, mention any publications, presentations, or academic papers from your work experience. Include the names of supervisors or researchers you worked with and any notable collaborations.

Research Intern, OceanLife Research Institute, Queensland, AU | 2022

Collaborated with a team of marine biologists in conducting field surveys to assess the biodiversity and health of coral reefs. Assisted in collecting and analysing water samples to study the impact of environmental factors on coral bleaching. Maintained and calibrated oceanographic instruments, ensuring accurate and reliable data collection during research expeditions. Attended workshops and seminars by renowned marine scientists, enhancing knowledge of current advancements in marine biology and ecological research

Conducted a comprehensive literature review on marine conservation practices, contributing to the development of a research proposal for a sustainable fishing initiative.

Contributed to drafting a research paper that investigated the symbiotic relationship between marine microorganisms and coral reefs, which was subsequently submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

If you have no work experience , refer to our skills-based CV example.

Education CV section for a PhD student or applicant

The education section of a CV for a student or applicant showcases your academic qualifications and sets the foundation for your scholarly pursuits. When including your degree in this section, make sure to provide the following details:

Clearly state your degree, including the exact title or specialisation. 

Specify the field of study or research area in which you pursued. 

Mention the name of the university or institution where you earned your degree. 

Include the year of your graduation or expected date of graduation.

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology Manchester University of Manchester, UK | 2022

If you have additional forms of qualifications, consider adding courses and certificates in a new section.

Key takeaways

Now that you have more insight into what makes a good CV, we encourage you to follow your passion for knowledge and academic excellence when embarking on a PhD journey. Consider these essential tips to enhance your CV for a successful application:

Showcase academic achievements and honours.

Emphasise research skills and methodologies.

Clearly state research interests and goals.

Tailor the CV for each application to align with specific program requirements. 

Next steps?

By adhering to a writing process, conducting research, and leveraging relevant skills, you can increase your chances of securing a placement. If you are not a strong writer, consider our CV Writing Services or browse our CV examples , CV templates , or cover letter templates for further insight.

How do you write a PhD academic CV?

As an academic, highlight your research experiences, academic achievements, skills, and relevant publications by tailoring it to the specific programme requirements.

What should a CV for a PhD look like?

A good CV should follow a clear structure and clean format. The chosen template should only include relevant sections such as personal details, education, experience, skills, awards, or publications.

What is the CV of a PhD student?

As a student, you have little experience so consider utilising a skills-based format while focusing on academic background, research experiences, publications, conference presentations, and any relevant achievements or projects.

How long should a PhD CV be?

A CV for a graduate, student, or someone with little experience typically is one page. However, with academic CVs, they tend to be between two and three pages while still focusing on relevant information and avoiding unnecessary details.

Do you need a CV for PhD?

A CV is typically required when applying for a PhD programme, as it highlights your academic achievements and research experiences. Depending on the programme and, possibly, country, make sure to check the requirements and tailor your application accordingly.

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How to Write a PhD Cover Letter (With an Example)

In this article, I’ll guide you through how to write a compelling PhD motivation letter, explain what it entails, and provide tips to help you stand out based on my experience.

• ⏳ 3-5 min read
• Applying to Study Abroad

Page Content

Pursuing a PhD is a significant step in your academic and professional career. It requires dedication, passion, and a strong commitment to research. One of the key documents that can set you apart from other candidates is a motivation letter for a PhD application.

What is a motivation letter for PhD?

A motivation letter for a PhD is preferably 1page document that you add to anapplication to a doctoral program or if you apply for a PhD position in a particular laboratory. Its main goal is to provide a narrative that connects your academic background, research interests, and career aspirations to the specific PhD program you are applying for. Unlike a CV, which lists your qualifications and experience, a motivation letter allows you to express why you are passionate about your field of study and how you align with the program’s goals.

In this letter, you need to demonstrate your knowledge of the subject, readiness for independent research, and how you fit within the department or laboratory. It's your chance to convince the admissions committee or a Principal Investigator (PI) that you are the ideal candidate for their program.

Why write a motivation letter for a PhD?

Writing a motivation letter is crucial for several reasons:

• It demonstrates your passion and commitment to the field. A well-writtenmotivation letter shows that you are deeply interested in the subject and have a clear vision for your research.
• It highlights your research interests and how they align with the program. Admissions committees or PIs look for candidates whose research goals and experience align with the expertise of their laboratory and the department’s focus areas.

Since many PhD positionsreceive hundreds of applications, a strong motivation letter can help you stand out by showing your unique perspective and enthusiasm for your chosen field.

How to write a motivation letter for PhD

Introduction: who you are and your academic background.

Start your letter with a brief introduction about yourself. Mention your name, current academic standing, and the degree you have obtained. Include any relevant details about your academic background, such as specific the name of you supervisor during the MCs program, research experience, significant academic achievements, or professional accomplishments that are directly related to your PhD field. 

If you’re aiming to work with a particular PI, your chances of having your email read will be higher if you mention someone you’ve worked with before in the first line. In my experience, the best results came when I started a motivational letter by mentioning a mutual acquaintance. 

Some PhD programs, particularly in Life Sciences, offer a salary. However, competition for scholarships that cover at least part of your salary is tough. If you’re fortunate enough to secure one, it’sa good idea to mention it in the first paragraph of your application to catch the attention of the PI.

Example: "I did my Master's thesis in the laboratory of Dr. Anderson at XYZ University, where I studied how mutations in gene Kled to development of orphan diseases in children. Working there, I obtained excellent skills in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology methods such as molecular cloning, PCR and western blotting. Throughout mystudies, I have been deeply engaged in research that explores the genetic basis of rare diseases and I would like to continue my research in your laboratory. I have obtained a scholarship from ABC for 4 years and would be happy to discuss my candidacy to do this project in your laboratory."

Research interests and future goals

This section should explain your research interests in detail. What topics are you passionate about, and why? How do these interests align with the specific PhD program you're applying to? Discuss your long-term career goals and how the PhD will help you achieve them.To increase your chances of being accepted, do the homework and read thoroughly about research a specific laboratory does, and how you can contribute.

Example: "My primary research interest lies in understanding the genetic factors that contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. I am particularly drawn to your program because of the innovative research being conducted by Dr. Smith’s lab on gene therapy approaches, which aligns perfectly with my goal of contributing to groundbreaking treatments for neurological disorders."

Previous research experience and skills

Highlight any relevant research experience, including any publications, conferences, or significant projects. This is where you demonstrate your preparedness for a PhD. Discuss specific skills you have acquired that will help you succeed in the program, such as data analysis, lab techniques, or academic writing.

Example: "During my Master's program, I conducted research on the role of epigenetics in cancer development, which was published in the Journal of Molecular Biology. I have also presented my findings at the International Conference on Genetic Research, which further refined my research and presentation skills."

Demonstrating your fit for the program

Discuss personal qualities or experiences that make you a good fit for the program. Explain how you can contribute to the department or laboratory through your unique perspective, skills, or collaborative approach. 

It’sbeneficial if you can prepare a project proposal, PIs appreciate independent students the most.At the end, after defending your PhD thesis, you become a researcher who must demonstratethe ability to conduct independent research.

Example: "I am a proactive researcher with a collaborative spirit, thriving in teamwork. I am confident that my background in molecular genetics and my commitment to scientific inquiry will make me a valuable addition to your research team. I would like to discuss the idea of how protein A interacts with protein B in cell type X and how it leads to mutation in gene K".

PhD cover letter example

Here is an example of a good PhD motivation letter to give you a better idea of how to structure yours:

[Your Name] [Email Address] [Phone Number]  

Dear Members of the Admissions Committee / Dear Dr. Trinity,

I am writing to express my interest in the PhD program in [Field] at [University Name]. As a recent graduate with a Master's degree in [Your Field] from [Your University], I am eager to continue my academic journey and contribute to groundbreaking research in [Specific Research Area]. My academic background in [Specific Field] and research experience in [Specific Research Focus] have equipped me with a solid foundation to excel in this program.

[Continue with your personal motivations, research interests, alignment with the program, relevant experiences, and conclusion.]

Thank you for considering my application. I am looking forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and passion align with your program’s goals.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

Tips for writing an effective motivation letter

• Be specific and tailor your letter: Customize your letter for each program or PI who you write to. Avoid generic statements.
• Maintain a professional tone: Keep your language formal and respectful. Avoid casual or overly familiar language.
• Proofread and edit thoroughly: Check for grammar and spelling errors. Don’t forget to cut in paragraphs for the convenience of a reader. 
• Seek feedback from mentors or peers. 

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Being too general or vague: Make sure your letter is specific to the program or laboratory and highlights your unique qualifications.
• Excessive flattery: Stay genuine and avoid over-the-top praise for the program or faculty.
• Ignoring instructions or guidelines: Follow the application guidelines carefully to show that you can follow directions.

Writing a compelling motivation letter for a PhD program is a critical step in your application process. Start early, revise often, and seek feedback to refine your letter. A well-crafted motivation letter can make a significant difference in setting you apart from other candidates.

Natalia Akkuratova Author

Natalia holds a PhD in Medical Science from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and has 13 years of academic experience, including teaching and student mentorship. After defending her PhD, she worked as a digital marketing specialist at Keystone Education Group.

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• Doctoral Degrees

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