resume templates for grad school

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• Resume Examples
• Resume for Graduate School Application [Template & Examples]

Resume for Graduate School Application [Template & Examples]

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Researching potential graduate programs, prepping for the GRE, tedious paperwork—

Applying to grad school is tough. But, there's one task you might be undervaluing, and it could make or break your chances: writing the graduate school resume.

This grad school resume guide will show you:

• Great graduate school resume examples better than 9 out of 10 others.
• How to write a CV for grad school and get into top graduate programs.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on grad school resumes.
• How to describe your academic experience on a resume for graduate school programs.

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here .

Sample Graduate School Resume— See more resume examples here .

We have resume guides for all academic levels and scenarios:  

• Recent College Graduate Resume
• High School Resume for College
• Scholarship Resume
• Academic Resume / CV
• Research Assistant Resume
• Internship Resume for College Students
• First Resume with No Work Experience
• College Student Resume
• Undergraduate Resume
• MBA Application Resume
• Student Resume
• Graduate CV
• High School Graduate Resume
• More Example Resumes for 500+ Jobs

Now, without further ado—

Here’s how to write a CV for grad school:

Graduate School Resume Example

Katherine Rios

Graduate Applicant

(123)456-7890

[email protected]

linkedin.com/in/katherinerios

Detail-oriented Biochemistry graduate with 3.8 GPA from University of Maine. Eager to support InnoSource Labs in their research and development efforts. Developed a cost-saving testing method which resulted in a 15% budget reduction at Zenith Innovations by applying new concepts for data analysis.

Research Assistant

Zenith Innovations, Bangor, ME

June 2017–May 2021

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

• Assisted with the design and execution of laboratory-based studies.
• Conducted complex data analysis and interpreted results.
• Coordinated with a team to write and submit research proposals and grants.
• Proofread and edited research proposals.

Key Achievement:

• Developed a cost-saving testing method which resulted in a 15% reduction in the research budget.

MagnaByte Solutions, Remote

June 2016–August 2016

• Assisted with the coordination and execution of various research projects.
• Conducted systematic data collection and performed a detailed analysis.
• Co-authored a research paper published in a renowned scientific journal.
• Received a 98% review score from my supervisor.

Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry

University of Maine, Bangor, ME

August 2013–May 2017

Relevant extracurricular activities

• Active member of the Student Science Association.
• Volunteered at the local community health center.

Academic achievements

• Graduated with a 3.8 GPA.
• Awarded the Biochemistry Department’s Research Excellence award.
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Proficient in various research software
• Ability to work effectively in a team
• Good time management and organizational skills
• Academic writing
• Business writing
• Proficient in the Microsoft Office package
• English—Native
• French—Intermediate
• Reading and reviewing scientific literature.
• Running a science blog, with over 500 monthly readers.

Format Your Grad School Resume Template In Descending Order

A resume example for any job and a resume for grad school definitely have many similarities.

However—

They also have plenty of differences.

Job resumes put a focus on employable skills and vocational experience. Here on your graduate school resume, your task is to highlight your educational accomplishments and background, above all.

Here are a few pointers on formatting a resume for graduate school:

First and foremost, pick the reverse-chronological format and go in descending order .

When listing anything with dates (e.g., publications), start with the most recent on top and go backward chronologically from there. Also, the placement of each resume section depends on relevance . Put the most relevant sections (e.g., education) on top, and go down in descending order.

Next—

At Zety, we love two-column resume templates, and it works on a grad school resume, as well, if you don’t want to go the one-column route.

If going the two-column route, in the larger column, add long-form text, saving the smaller sidebar column for short bullet points such as academic skills and awards.

Align everything to the right , particularly section headings, to make it easy for the program administrator to scan.

Finally, how long should your resume be?

We usually say a one-page resume for jobs, but a two-page resume is great for grad school applications.

Nick Kamboj, CEO of admissions service Aston & James, LLC, says: 

Now, here’s what to include on a grad school resume:

Sample Graduate School Resume Template—CV Sections

• Address & Contact Information
• Profile Summary Statement
• Educational Background

Research Experience

Teaching experience.

• Non-Academic Job Experience
• Professional Affiliations

Academic Publications

Honors & awards.

• Memberships

Skills & Abilities

Leadership activities.

• Other Additional Sections

But remember—

Don’t add all of these grad school resume sections—pick the options most relevant to your case and the PhD program profile and requirements—and disregard the others.

Don’t follow this exact order on your resume outline , necessarily. Go by order of importance in descending order.

Tailor your resume for the particular program you’re applying to. Add other sections if you deem them relevant to your school and grad program.

Dr. Annette R. Ponnock, a research and statistical consultant, says: 

Finally, keep it concise.

Dr. Sonya Okoli, a professor of leadership studies, says: 

Only include details that are necessary and add to your chances.

Pro Tip : This is a great general guide on how to write a resume for graduate school. However, more importantly, follow your school’s and graduate program’s guidelines. Visit the school website to confirm page limits, header and footer requirements, etc.

Curious about resume formatting conventions? Check out our guide: Best Resume Format: What Resume Model to Choose? [+ Resume Format Examples]

Add Your Contact Details on the Graduate School Resume Correctly

Adding contact details on a resume, whether for a grad program or applying to Starbucks, always feels like an afterthought.

Don’t get it right, and all the subsequent material becomes, well, immaterial .

Here’s what to include as your contact details on a grad school resume:

• First & last name —And your professional title, if applicable.
• Email —Use a professional-looking email address.
• Telephone number —Mobile phone number is better than a home phone.
• Mailing address —Schools often still send acceptance or rejection letters by post, so include one not to miss the news.
• LinkedIn URL or other relevant social profile links —This will offer them more insight into your background.

To get your contact info grad school resume section right, heed these tips:

Your contact information goes at the very top of your grad school resume.

A professional email address means [email protected] —not [email protected] !

Optimize your LinkedIn profile before adding the URL. Actually, do it anyway, as program admins may still check it.

Regarding other relevant social profile links :

Dr. Paulina Królikowska-Baum, a linguist & communication researcher, says:

While your at it, check your online presence elsewhere (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) to make sure you have no controversial items publicly viewable.

Skip unnecessary personal information (e.g., date of birth, citizenship).

And don’t add a photo.

Pro Tip : Increase the font size of your full name at the top of your grad school resume, and bold it to stand out as a title, of sorts. Also, add page numbers.

Make sure you cover all the bases when adding your personal details by reading our full guide: How to Put Address on a Resume

List Your Educational Background & Academic Achievements

Your academic background on a graduate school CV is the most important section here, because the program administrators need to know you were an outstanding student.

My colleague and friend, Dr. Miles Maftean, a graduate of the Political Science Department at Central European University, has this to say:

Here are some subsections to consider in the education area:

• Degree and major
• School name and city/state
• Graduation year
• Relevant coursework
• Honors and awards
• Academic Achievements
• Thesis title
• Relevant school clubs

But don’t throw everything. Only put information that will help your case.

Let’s say you had a 3.4 GPA out of 4. That’s not bad, but it could be better, so leave off the GPA from your educational background section in this case.

If you graduated cum laude or summa cum laude , certainly put that in this section and say something like, ‘placed in the top X percent of the graduating class of X.’”

And here’s a graduate school resume sample education entry:

Graduate School Resume Sample Education Section

BS in Finance

New York University, New York, NY

Graduation : 2018

GPA : 3.95/4.00 cumulative, magna cum laude.

Relevant Coursework : Microeconomics, Business Accounting, International Banking, Investing, Real Estate Finance.

Awards : Dean’s List 2017 & 2018.

No need to add high school on your grad school resume template, as it’s irrelevant and just takes up precious real estate.

Pro Tip : If you took part in any study-abroad programs or externships, add those to your graduate school application resume education section as well.

Need to learn more about adding coursework, Latin honors, or awards to your resume education section? Have a look at this guide: Education Resume Section: How to List College Education

Describe Your Teaching & Research Experience on Your Resume for Grad School

Got any teaching experience or research fellowships under your belt?

Graduate program admissions committees love this.

Here’s how to add research and teaching experience onto a resume:

Grad School Resume Examples—Teaching & Research Experience

Finance After-School Tutor

January 2018–December 2018

Afternoon Buddies, New York, NY

• Tutored undergrads needing remediation on fundamentals of finance and statistics.
• Gave once-weekly lectures on finance at high schools in low income neighborhoods.

Spring–Autumn, 2017

Worked as a research assistant on team led by Dr. Patrick Palmer investigating financial and statistical anomalies in suburban New York towns.

 As you can see from our examples, keep these separated into two different sections, each with its own title. Graduate admissions faculty members will find it easier to scan.

Also, any additional entries should be added in the reverse-chronological order.

Pro Tip : Avoid repetition. If you’re adding teaching experience here, don’t add it again under your work history section. Likewise, any academic honors you’ve earned shouldn’t be listed in both the education section and awards section.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check . Start building a  professional resume template here for free .

When you’re done, our online resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

Submit Working Experience Outside of Academia on Your Graduate Program Resume

As an aspiring member of the upper echelons of academia, you might not have heaps of academic achievements and experiences.

Still, though—

You might have work experience in the commercial world that is worth sharing with the graduate program admissions committee.

Either to illustrate your diverse qualifications or to show what your path to the grad school aspirations has been.

Say you have a Master's Degree in Political Science, and you're applying for a Ph.D. program in Public Policy but haven't been in academia for many years. If you were working for a government agency, this totally matches with the program you are applying for.

Even more so if you took some academic time off between your college graduation and grad school application plans.

Give a brief sample of your work history, but don’t make it as heavy as you would on a regular job resume:

Sample Resume for Graduate School Application—Work Experience

Store Cashier & Clerk January 2017–December 2017 Bernard’s Bothersome Britches, New York, NY

Key Responsibilities:

• Assisted in daily operation of a successful and busy midtown clothing shop.
• Helped customers make appropriate purchasing choices.
• Processed POS transactions at shift end with accuracy.

Pro Tip : Got any relevant internships, community service, or volunteer experience? Add them in your work history section as well.

Important :

There’s one case in which you literally must provide a more detailed account of commercial work experience on you grad school resume—

This is when you apply for graduate business programs such as MBA.

Want to see more examples of great job descriptions and work history sections? See this guide: How to List Work Experience on Your Resume .

And if you don’t have any work experience to add to a resume, check this one out: Resume Without Job Experience .

Give Them Other Academic & Non-Academic Resume Sections to Consider

Last, but certainly not least, here are more than ten other sections to consider adding to your resume for graduate school:

Grants, Fellowships & Scholarships

Being awarded a research or study grant, fellowship, or scholarship looks absolutely impressive on a prospective PhD student resume template.

If you’ll add one, make sure to put the name of the grant, the entity providing the grant, its purpose, the dates, and the amount awarded.

Graduate school resumes for doctoral programs often require professional and scholastic references to strengthen your candidacy.

When adding them, include:

• reference name
• professional title
• mailing address
• phone number
• email address.

Check with the graduate application guidelines, as they may require you to create a separate reference page rather than embed it within your grad school resume.

Add any academic or industry-related awards and honors to its own grad school resume section.

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

To add an affiliation or membership to your grad school CV, write the organization name, their city and state, and your title or role (if you have one). Only include groups and bodies of which you are currently a member or affiliated with.

Here’s how to highlight any publications you’ve had on a PhD student CV:

Sample CV for Graduate School Admission—Publication Listing

2017 Smith J, Whistler R, Adams A . “Financial Game Theory: Can Analysts Use Game Theory Methods to Determine Cost Fluctuations?” NYU Press. November 2017.

Check with your prospective grad school to determine the proper citation format to follow. Do the same with any presentations, lectures, and conferences you led or actively participated in.

There’s one more hint that might boost your chances for a grad program admission:

Dr. Miles Maftean suggests dragging publications to the top, in some cases: 

Pro Tip : Bold your name when there is more than one author to add emphasis to your contributions.

Some universities and graduate programs insist on a small skills section near the bottom of your graduate school CV. This skills section is usually just a quick list of relevant abilities. Also, some grad programs prefer language skills to be grouped under an overall skills section.

The importance of skills depends on the graduate program you’re applying to:

Let’s say you’re applying to a Political Science department to work with a specific professor because you like the topics they cover and the methods they use.

Your potential supervisor will be part of the admissions process and has a massive influence on whether you should be accepted because they will work with you.

They’ll look to see if you have the skills to carry out that research. In this case, it would be several different statistical software, such as SPSS and R.

It’s essential that you list those skills because they want to know that you are able to complete your project and work with them on their projects using specific methods.

Fluency in another language looks great on any resume, academic or otherwise. If you have proficiency in a second language, add it to your skills section. Otherwise, if its prominence is more important for the particular program you’re applying to, give it its own section.

Read our language skills guide to learn how to add it right.

Leadership positions get special attention on a graduate school CV. Here’s a quick example:

Sample CV for Graduate School—Leadership Example

2015–2016

Editor-in-Chief of NYU Weekly Newsletter

• Managed a writing team of over a dozen students.
• Increased readership by 25% by spearheading mobile app version.

Extracurricular Activities & Interests

Think hobbies and interests have no place on a grad school resume?

Think again.

Betsy Massar, of Master Admissions, says: 

So, always read the instructions!

Profile Statement

This is an optional section but if you choose to use it, the profile statement should go at the very top of your grad school resume.

Some experts say to leave it off, but others say it acts as a great summary of your academic qualifications and goals for your doctoral program.

Pro Tip : These are the most popular sections to include on a CV for graduate school, but they are by no means all of them. Plenty of others may deserve a spot on your resume. Query the grad program guidelines, and just use common sense.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.  Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

To get more ideas of great sections to add to your resume for graduate programs, see this article: Resume Sections & Item Order [Extra: Additional Categories that Matter]

Key Takeaway

Well, that wasn’t so bad, was it?

Writing a resume for a PhD program isn’t as hard as the program itself.

Let’s sum it all up.

Here’s how to write a graduate school resume the admissions committee will love:

• Format your grad school resume template in the descending, reverse-chronological order.
• List just the important contact details, and omit a profile photo.
• Start at the top with your education section, including academic achievements, relevant coursework, Latin honors, and grade point average if it’s high enough.
• Separate your experience, as teaching, research, and vocational experience should each have their own sections.
• Add relevant extra sections to build your case, including grants, publications, conference papers, leadership endeavors, extracurriculars, and memberships.

Do you have any questions on how to write a resume for grad school? Not sure which PhD CV sections to include or the best order to include them? Give us a shout in the comments below, and we will answer your question. Thanks for reading!

About Zety’s Editorial Process

This article has been reviewed by our editorial team to make sure it follows Zety's editorial guidelines . We’re committed to sharing our expertise and giving you trustworthy career advice tailored to your needs. High-quality content is what brings over 40 million readers to our site every year. But we don't stop there. Our team conducts original research to understand the job market better, and we pride ourselves on being quoted by top universities and prime media outlets from around the world.

• https://www.academia.edu/
• https://admissions.hks.harvard.edu/www/documents/MPP_AQ_Resume_Final.pdf

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• Majors & Careers
• Online Grad School
• Preparing For Grad School
• Student Life

Grad School Resume 2024: Tips, FAQs, and Templates

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

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

Table of Contents

Why Do I Need a Grad School Resume?

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

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

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

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

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

Tips for Writing a Winning Graduate School Resume in 2024

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

Write a Strong but Concise Introduction

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

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

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

Include your Contact Details

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

Be sure to include the following details:

• Your first name and surname
• Your physical address

Your email address

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

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

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

Pay Attention to Formatting

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

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

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

Awards and achievements

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

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

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

Detail your Education History

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

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

Be sure to include these details in the education section:

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

Include your Professional Experience

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

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

Related: How To Apply To Grad School

Highlight Your Awards and Achievements

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

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

Stick with Reverse Chronological Order

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

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

Include Key Skills and Proficiencies

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

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

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

Don’t be Repetitive

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

Proof Read to Pick up any Errors

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

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

How to Write a Resume for Your Graduate School Application

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

Step 1: Write a Strong Introduction

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

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

Step 2: List your Academic Experience

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

Related: When To Apply For Grad School

Step 3: Detail your Professional Experience

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

Step 4: Detail your Key Skills

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

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

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

Step 5: List Important Academic Achievements

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

Graduate School Resume Template

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

Grad School Resume Template 1: General Academic Resume

Your First Name, Last Name

Your phone number

LinkedIn profile, other social media profiles

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

School name

Completion date – Degree name

• List of accomplishments

Work Experience

Position title Start date – End date

Organization name, address

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

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

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

Template 3: Recent Graduate Academic Resume

Academic Projects

Project subject, Institution, City, State

Start date – End date

• List of key courses

Volunteer Experience

Grad School Resume FAQs

Is an academic resume the same as a regular resume.

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

What Should a Grad School Resume Include?

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

How Long Should My Grad School Resume Be?

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

What is the Best Graduate School Resume Format?

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

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

How do you Align your Resume with a Job Description?

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

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

How Far Back Should a Resume go for Grad School?

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

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

Wrapping Up

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

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

Lisa Marlin

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

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Grad School Resume Examples, Templates & How-to

Admission counselors are on the lookout for well-rounded candidates. Show them you’re diverse with accomplishments and extracurriculars in a jaw-dropping grad school resume.

Online application files, statements of purpose, transcripts, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation—

They’re the standard requirements for applying to any graduate program.

But—if you’re applying to a program that requires an additional resume or CV, then count yourself lucky.

Why? A well-crafted grad school resume is what can set you apart from other candidates. Your extracurriculars show an admissions counselor you have passions and interests.

And here you’re gonna learn how to achieve this effect. Step by step.

In this guide, you’ll find:

• A grad school resume examples to use as a cheat sheet.
• A template suitable for a resume for grad school.
• How to list work experience and extracurriculars on a graduate school resume.
• Expert tips and examples to boost your candidate profile and get accepted.

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Looking for different academic-related resumes? See our guides:

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• College Application Resume
• College Graduate Resume
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• Education Resume
• High School Graduate Resume
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• Scholarship Resume
• Student Resume
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Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our  resume examples.

Graduate School Resume Template and Example to Use

Kyla D. Cunningham

Personal Info

Phone: 773-351-9338

Email: [email protected]

linkedin.com/in/kdc93unningham

twitter.com/kc93cunning

Psychology graduate with 3 years of experience as a human services professional. Seeking to build on my theoretical knowledge as an MA student in the Clinical Psychology program at Northwestern University. Bridge the gap as a student between the application of psychological profiling in the workplace to concepts and theory in the classroom.

Education 

BA in Psychology

University of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Graduation: 2018

GPA: 3.94/4.00 cumulative,  magna cum laude

Relevant Coursework: Developmental psychology, Abnormal psychology, Psychology of learning, Cognitive psychology.

Awards: Dean’s List 2014-2018.

Thesis Title:  Examining the Role of Cognitive Bias on High School Student Mental Health

School Psychologist Intern

Latino Youth High School

2018–2019

• Helped to assess student behavior in classrooms and worked with school psychologist to signal when intervention was needed through behavior and academic performance.
• Administered different assessments on students (Beck Anxiety Index, Behavior Assessment System) to test their level of need, affection, and well-being.
• Measured the academic progress of students through different standardized testing to ensure they follow in line with Illinois State Board of Education standards.

Grants, Fellowships & Scholarships

• UChicago First-Generation College Student Scholarship, $20,000 scholarship administered over 4 years.
• UChicago Partner Schools Scholarship, $10,000 scholarship administered over 2 years.

Certifications

• Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (ABBP)

Honors & Awards

• 2019 Best Thesis Award Recipient, Department of Psychology, May 2018.

Research & Teaching Experience

Research Assistant

EFSCO Grant

University of Chicago, Department of Psychology

Project title:  The Multi-Sited Approaches to Mental Health for Senior-Citizens: From Chicago to Cleveland

• Conducted surveys at over 20 senior assisted living facilities in the Chicagoland area and compiled the results as part of the EFSCO grant project.
• Memberships
• American Psychological Association - Junior Scholar

Key Skills: 

• Basic Computer Skills
• Communication
• Interpersonal Skills
• Planning and conceptualizing
• Problem-solving
• Organizational
• Team-building
• Time-management
• Writing skills

Patricia Thurman

Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Chicago

5848 S. University Avenue

Chicago, Illinois 60637

773-702-8861

[email protected]

Patrick Donnelly

Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Chicago

773-795-6995

[email protected]

Here’s how to write a CV for grad school:

1. Use the Best Graduate School Resume Format

Here’s the thing—requirements differ depending on the program you’re applying to.

Most graduate programs we’ve come across don’t require a resume. Some do, but the majority of time, they are optional .

Even if it’s optional, it’s best to include a resume or a CV for graduate school, regardless of whether you’re applying to an MA program or Ph.D. program.

Academic counselors are flooded with applications. Grad school resumes are a quick and easy way for them to see your profile in one document. No need to hunt down proof of your extracurricular activities.

But—your resume format needs to look clean and clear from first glance. Here’s how:

Grad School Application Resume Format

• Use the reverse-chronological format to highlight your achievements. This format is the standard most counselors want to see.
• Choose resume fonts like Cambria or Times New Roman in 10–12pt.
• Embrace white space by using 1-inch margins .
• Submit no more than 2–3 pages. Check specific resume length guidelines offered by the program you’re applying to.

After you’ve written your resume, save it as a PDF to keep the layout aligned and in-line with all software and devices.

Some require a CV for graduate school. Structure it in the same way as the resume format but include additional sections only if they are relevant. Think quality over quantity. Here’s a list of different sections examples for you to consider:

Sample Graduate School Resume Template—CV Sections

• Address & Contact Information
• Resume Objective
• Education (learn more about how to list education on your resume )
• Non-Academic Job Experience

Academic Publications

Research and teaching experience.

• Skills & Abilities

Expert Hint: Last year, humanities and social science programs acceptance rate for MA and Ph.D. programs ranged from 5–13% . With such low acceptance rates, you’ll need to make sure your application documents are formatted to perfection so counselors focus on your merit.

2. Personalize Your Graduate School Resume Objective

Admissions counselors know your SAT/ACT scores, GPA, and class rank.

Seems enough, right?

Here’s the thing—everyone is a number in their system. Your grad school resume needs to tell your story behind the numbers.

The way to do so is with a resume profile section, and more specifically, a resume objective . If you’ve studied or worked in a field different from the one you’re applying to, a resume objective helps frame your application to the person reviewing it.

Use the following:

• Who you are now (student, career changer, etc.).
• The program you’re applying to.
• Relevant education or skills you have.
• Your background, work experience, or key achievement .
• What your profile brings to the program.

Take a look at what works and what doesn’t in these resume objective for graduate school examples:

Graduate School Resume Objective Statement—Example

Spot the difference?

The first example tells a deeper story behind their desire to attend that specific grad program—and why. As for the second—all potential students applying have an interest in clinical psychology, but it’s a given. It adds nothing to the candidate’s profile.

Expert Hint: Not sure how to write your grad school resume objective? Here’s a hack. Leave it to the end where you’ll have more material to paraphrase your overall candidate profile.

3. Shine the Light on Your Grad School Resume Education

Back to numbers.

The most important aspect of your graduate school resume to admissions officers is numerical—

GPA, SAT, ACT, GRE.

How do you give support to all these three-letter acronyms?

With a pumped-up grad school resume education section.

It is by far the most important section on your resume. And not all educations are equal—having a 3.2 GPA from University of Chicago is better than a 4.0 at Chicago State University. 

This part of your grad school resume or CV shows what level of education you received in comparison to others and where you are on the scale of high-quality degrees. Add as much relevant detail as possible to boost your profile.

When listing your educational background, start with the basics:

• Degree type (Bachelor’s Master’s, Associate, etc.)
• Degree major
• School name
• School city and state/country
• Graduation year
• Your minor (if applicable)
• Relevant coursework
• Specific honors and awards ( magna cum laude , Dean’s list, etc.)
• Thesis title

Remember—quality over quantity. 

You’re tailoring your education section to boost your profile so don’t add irrelevant information. Putting cum laude on your resume makes more sense than saying you aced your Art History class.

Here’s the right and wrong way to do it:

Graduate School Resume Education—Example

Education  

UC, Chicago

The first education section example gives more detail and shows more of a specialization than the second.

If you have a lower GPA, don’t list it here and extend your education section to include other accomplishments, classes, or projects you took part in. Add a study abroad program in you’ve done it as well, provided it’s relevant. There’s nothing admission committees hate more than irrelevant info on a resume for graduate school. 

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4. Write a Section On Work Experience and Skills Outside of Academia

If you’re fresh out of college or more geared towards academic work, you might not have a long list of work experience to show.

That’s fine.

Your previous work experience won’t define you in the same way it would if applying for jobs outside of academia.

But—if you had working experience, especially ones relevant to the field you’re studying, then this section on your grad school resume will signal to the admissions office that you’re more than just a student.

Show this in a resume work history section .

It’s the place in your graduate CV to showcase how diverse you are as a candidate and what path you took along your way to arrive at this decision to apply for this particular grad program.

If you’re applying for a psychology program and have worked with at-risk students in the past, then it is still in line with your overall interest to apply to that grad school.

It also can help to explain why you might have taken some time off from when you graduated to now. Just make sure not to throw everything you’ve done in this section. Don’t be as thorough as you would for a regular job resume :

Sample Resume For Graduate School Application—Work Experience

Psych School Intern

• Assistant to school psychologist helping with all administrative duties related to the well-being of the students.
• Filled out paperwork regarding tests administered by the school psychologist to make sure all criteria is met.

What a difference.

If the selection committee sees the first example, they’ll know you understand the basics of psychology because you were actively applying its fundamentals.

The second? Not so much.

Remember you have to tie in your work experience with your overall candidate profile and what makes you more of a fit for that particular academic institution.

If you don’t have much experience but do hold some essential skills to boost your profile, add a list of  skills to put on a resume .

Here’s a sample grad school resume with skills listed separately:

Skills for a Graduate School Resume

When employing bullets with skills in your resume, don't forget to compare them with the expectations that a job ad imposes. When doing so, you'll more likely be considered a matching candidate.

5. Add Extracurriculars To Your Grad School Resume With More Sections

Okay, basics down, but something’s missing.

You didn’t get to show how you successfully balanced the demands of a rigorous course load with numerous extra-curricular activities.

And how you spent your time outside of the classroom is extremely important for the selections committee. 

Why? As a student and hopeful graduate of their institution, you’ll be an ambassador for the rest of your career.

This is a section where you can score additional points with your resume for graduate school.

All eyes on you.

To show them your worth, add relevant extra sections to your grad school CV. Here are some

suggestions: 

For candidates applying to MA programs, this section may not be as applicable. It’s mostly for those who are going into Ph.D. programs and worked part-time as a teaching assistant for one of their professors.

Also,if you took part in any research projects as a team member, include it in this section.

Look at the examples below:

Grad School Resume—Examples of Research & Teaching Experience

• Conducted surveys at over +20 senior assisted living facilities in the Chicagoland area and compiled the results as part of the EFSCO grant project.

Department of Psychology, UC

• Conducted surveys and analyzed results for senior professor’s grant project.

The ability to work as a team member on such a project would be essential experience as an academic—and is bound to boost your profile.

Attending a top-level college for your Bachelor’s is already an accomplishment. Getting a full ride scholarship to cover all tuition based on merit is unheard of.

So— 

Impress the selection committee by listing your scholarships, fellowships, and study grants in a dedicated section of your graduate school resume.

List the name of the grant, the institution providing the grant, what it was for, the dates, and the amount awarded. 

Are you a BA or MA student who had top-notch journal articles published?

Count your praises—you’ve done more than most Ph.D. candidates.

And you have to show it on your resume for graduate school.

List your publications in this section to show the selection committee that you’re on track to bringing more prestige to the university.

In this section of your grad school resume list additional awards or honors you received within academia or outside of it.  

Professional Affiliations & Memberships 

The academic world is built on networks and these connections are what sustains it. Prove to the selection committee you know this by adding any affiliations or memberships you’ve been a part of in this way:

• Organization name
• City and state
• Your title (member)  

Extracurricular Activities & Interests

Did you spend time volunteering in your community? Did you go door-to-door canvassing voters for an election?

List those extracurricular activities in a separate grad school resume section. Think of the following:

• Volunteering
• Community service

References 

End your CV for graduate school with some institutional weight.

Think if you want to have the same references as those who write your letters of recommendation to the university. Often, the letters of recommendation are more targeted to the program itself, like an alumnus who attended, or a leader in your community.

In this section, think of 2–3 academic references who know more about your studies. Include the following when adding references on your grad school resume:

• Professional title (Professor, Lecturer, Dean)
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• Email address

The final step—

Think about how your grad school resume complements your letter of motivation. You don’t want to have much overlap, as your motivation letter will focus on your reasoning for choosing that particular program and institute.

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here .

Haven't written your cover letter yet? See:

• Cover Letter for Graduate School Application

And that’s it!

You’re now one step closer to completing your application process with a great graduate school resume. Let’s recap what a post-grad resume should include:

• Use the graduate school resume template from the top. It’s concise and meets all the requirements.
• Make your education shine on your resume for grad schools by detailing relevant coursework, awards, and achievements. Add any relevant experience and internships that you completed.
• List essential skills and follow the job ad.  Think of the abilities that may be beneficial to a company you're applying to.
• Apply additional sections to make your resume thriving  compared to other applicants.
•  Follow our best practices for listing work experience and extracurriculars. Don’t forget to utilize each additional section offered to boost your profile as a candidate.

Got questions on how to write a great resume for graduate school? We’re here to help and want to know how the process worked out! Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply.

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines , ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets . Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Roger is a career expert at ResumeLab. His goal is to promote the best job search strategies across online communities and publications. As a career advice writer, his goal is to help job candidates maximize their chances of landing the best jobs through expert knowledge driven by data. He also specializes in the psychological aspects of the workplace. Roger holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Government, an M.A. in Philosophy, and focuses on helping people thrive in their professional lives through data-driven solutions.

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Graduate School Resume: Examples, Templates and Tips

Our grad school resume examples show you how to write a resume that shows your academic chops and passion for advancing your education.

by Hailey Brophy | Career Advice Expert

Last Updated: February 29, 2024

Table of contents

Popular grad school resumes

How to write a grad school resume, grad school resume examples by experience level, add a cover letter, facts about careers with a graduate degree, key takeaways for your grad school resume, commonly asked question about resume writing.

From aspiring graduate students looking to advance their careers in various industries to those pursuing careers in academia, research and other scholarly pursuits, the path to higher education is one that demands a deep commitment to learning and personal growth.

Mastering a particular field of study, whether it be in the sciences, humanities or any other area of interest, is a challenging and enduring journey that necessitates unwavering commitment and perseverance. Let us help you showcase this commitment on your grad school resume.

It’s important to note that much of academia uses the curriculum vitae or “ CV ” instead of the traditional resume. Make sure you’re building the right document for the role. For help writing a grad school CV, check out our  CV guide . If you’re not sure whether you need a  CV vs a resume , take a close look at the application for the role you’re seeking and evaluate the strengths of both document types. If you’re sure that a resume is the right document for your situation, then you’re in the right place.

This guide is designed to help you:

• Discover examples of outstanding graduate student resumes.
• Learn how to create a compelling resume for grad school.
• Learn which formats are best for different stages of your academic journey.
• Understand the significance of a cover letter and receive guidance on how to get started with one.

If you’re ready to create a well-structured academic resume quickly, proceed directly to our  Resume Builder . There, you can choose a template that aligns with your academic goals and utilize our AI-powered resume tool to assist you in presenting your scholarly narrative effectively.

You’ve got the education, training and analytical skills to write an impressive resume. You just need some inspiration!

Internship resume

Are you looking for a specific job title?  Check out our full library of  resume examples  or find a related job below:

Browse other popular samples

• Free Graduate Assistant Cover Letter Templates
• Graduate Software Engineer Cover Letter Example

Now that you have an idea of what your graduate student resume should look like, it’s time to  write a resume  that highlights your academic journey, research experience and skills.

Begin by making a  resume outline  for your academic resume. Your outline should encompass the following:

• Your contact information, prominently displayed at the top.
• A  resume profile  introducing your academic aspirations and achievements.
• An extensive  skills section  showcasing your academic and research capabilities with compelling examples.
• Your academic and research history, starting with your most recent role.
• Your educational background and any relevant certifications in your  education section .
• Add any additional sections to emphasize other academic accomplishments or qualifications.

Now that you understand what to include in your graduate student resume, let’s get to work!

Add your contact information

Your resume’s most crucial function is to grab the attention of potential academic institutions or employers. Your qualifications make them want to get in touch, but to achieve that, you need to provide accurate and clear contact information in your resume’s header.

Here’s what your header should include:

• Your phone number
• A professional email address
• Your current city and state

If you have a LinkedIn profile, personal website or an online portfolio, you can add links to those in your header as well.

Many applicants incorporate graphics in the header for visual appeal. This is acceptable, but ensure your header remains easy to read and uncluttered since its primary purpose is to clearly display your contact information.

Next, let’s focus on your academic summary or career objective.

Summarize your academic journey

If the resume header is your calling card, then the resume profile is your first true introduction. This is your chance to make a strong impression at the beginning of your resume. Typically, a resume profile serves as an introduction to your academic journey through a brief overview of your research experience and significant achievements.

Depending on your academic experience, you have a couple of profile styles to choose from:

• Students with experience researching, teaching or working in their graduate field should use a  professional summary . This is a short paragraph outlining key information for institutions or employers to understand your academic history. It should touch on your research, experience and academic accomplishments.
• If you’re just starting your academic journey, a  resume objective  might be more suitable. Resume objectives focus more on your goals for the future and your intent to contribute to the field through research and scholarship.

Both resume profiles serve a similar purpose, so choose the one that best highlights your academic strengths.

Professional summary for a graduate student resume:

Experienced graduate student with a solid foundation in [field of study] who has contributed to cutting-edge research and gained proficiency in various research methodologies. Committed to advancing the boundaries of knowledge, as demonstrated through a strong track record of presenting original research at national conferences and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. Proven dedication to academic excellence and research innovation aligns with your institution’s goal of pioneering cutting-edge research that yields practical applications for [field of study].

Sample objective for a graduate student resume:

Recently admitted PhD student with a master’s degree in [field of study], enthusiastic about embarking on a research journey that contributes to the academic community. Aiming to work closely with renowned faculty members and engage in groundbreaking research projects that address critical issues in the field. Eager to expand academic horizons and make meaningful contributions through research efforts.

List your most relevant skills

To create an effective resume, you need a skills section that demonstrates your expertise.

A comprehensive graduate student resume should encompass both  hard skills  like research methodologies, data analysis and scholarly writing, as well as  soft skills  such as critical thinking, effective communication and problem-solving.

It’s not a matter of  hard skills vs. soft skills ; a strong resume acknowledges the importance of both and includes a mix of both types of skills.

Hard and soft skills for a graduate student resume:

Detail your academic and research experience.

Your experience section is the heart of your graduate student resume. This is where you demonstrate how you’ve applied the skills and knowledge you’ve acquired to real-world academic and research settings. Present your experience in reverse-chronological order and emphasize the contributions you’ve made in each role.

The goal of this section is to make your  academic and research experience  highlight your ability to make a significant contribution to your academic field.

Consider these strategies to showcase your academic and research history:

• Show measurable results.  It’s one thing to mention your accomplishments, but when you support your achievements with data, your capabilities shine. Data allows institutions or employers to see the concrete impact of your previous roles.
• Show academic progression.  List your previous academic roles in reverse-chronological order, starting with the most recent. This allows the reader to observe your academic growth and relevance to your current academic pursuits.
• Use  action words .  Elevate your experience with words like “researched,” “published” and “presented” instead of generic resume phrases like “responsible for.” This transforms your resume from a list of tasks into a dynamic summary of your academic and research contributions.

Take care to highlight any  technical skills  you’ve acquired during your academic journey. Whether it’s specialized research tools, advanced data analysis methods or proficiency in particular academic software, include them when describing your academic and research work.

Graduate student experience example:

Research Assistant , [Your University or Research Institution] [City, State] [Month Year – Present or End Date]

• Contributed to groundbreaking research projects in the [your field] department, including [specific project], which resulted in [notable outcome].
• Assisted in data collection, analysis and interpretation, producing valuable insights for [academic purpose or publication].
• Collaborated with esteemed faculty members on grant applications and research proposals, securing [funding amount] for ongoing projects.

Highlight your education and credentials

As a graduate student, your education and training are central to your academic journey. Include your degrees, as well as any additional training, coursework or certifications in your education section.

Graduate student education entry example:

Master of Science in [Your Field], [Your University or College], [City, State] | [Year of Graduation]

Certifications

[Any Relevant Certifications] [Certifying Body] Issue Date: [Date of Certification]

Add additional sections to your resume

When it comes to creating an engaging resume, there are no strict rules about what you can or cannot include. If you have other qualifications or experiences that you believe are relevant to your academic journey, include them in optional sections. Only include elements that are truly pertinent to your academic goals. Here are some typical optional sections that you might incorporate in your graduate student resume:

• Volunteer work:  If you’ve volunteered in academic or research-related activities, it demonstrates your commitment to your field. Highlight any volunteer work that aligns with your academic interests.
• Foreign languages:  If you’re proficient in multiple languages, especially if it’s relevant to your academic work, include them to showcase your communication skills.
• Hobbies and interests:  If you have hobbies or interests that are pertinent to your academic field, they can provide a well-rounded view of your academic and personal profile.

Include any additional courses, workshops or training experiences that have contributed to your academic growth. Certifications can go in the certifications section, courses and workshops can be included in the education section, and any other relevant experiences can be placed in their respective sections.

To ensure that your content stands out, choose the right  resume template . Select a design that aligns with your academic pursuits and reflects your academic identity.

Templates range from  simple resume designs  to more creative and stylized  creative resumes . For most academic positions, it’s advisable to opt for a clean and professional template.

If you can’t find a template you like in our collection, there are numerous free templates for  Microsoft Word  and  Google Docs . Ensure you choose a template that enhances, rather than distracts from, your academic achievements.

resumes made with Resume Now!

The layout that you choose for your resume is important because it decides what information employers see first. Make sure to choose a  resume format  that puts your best foot forward.

• Grad students with less academic or relevant experience  might find the  functional resume format  most beneficial thanks to its focus on transferable skills.
• Moderately experienced graduate students  are most likely to benefit from a  combination resume format  because it presents a healthy balance between showcasing experience and skills.
• Students with significant internship, academic or research experience  should consider the  chronological resume format , which builds your resume around your relevant experience.

Let’s check out visual examples for each.

Functional resume format: Entry-level graduate student example

What makes this a great entry-level grad school resume.

This resume avoids adding distractions that detract from the candidate’s qualifications by sticking with a basic layout.

With little relevant experience, this candidate’s resume focuses on her strengths by emphasizing skills that will transfer to any graduate program.

Focusing on future goals for growth and development is a great way for inexperienced candidates to showcase their passion within their resume profile.

Combination resume format: Midcareer graduate student resume example

Why is this a standout midcareer grad school resume.

This resume uses a creative template that showcases a bit of the applicant’s personality, helping her stand out from the crowd.

Active verbs like “recorded” and “managed” leave a stronger impression than traditional resume cliches like “responsible for.”

The ability to speak multiple languages is a very marketable and lucrative asset. This candidate lists two languages along with her proficiency level in each.

Chronological resume format: Experienced graduate student resume example

What sets this experienced grad school resume apart.

This candidate has an impressive history of academic accomplishments. By focusing on experience, he highlights his contributions to previous roles.

This candidate holds a master’s degree with a completed research thesis. Including this under education gives potential employers or admissions departments the opportunity to read his best writing.

Certifications demonstrate a commitment to advancing one’s knowledge and growing as a professional and an academic. This candidate includes a certification section alongside his education.

A fantastic cover letter is the final piece of the puzzle that seals the deal for a job-winning application.

A great resume isn’t complete without an equally great cover letter. Your cover letter is your chance to express your passion for your field of study and highlight any major achievements that you’d like to draw attention to. Our  guide on crafting a cover letter  will guide you through each step.

For some cover letter inspiration, check out our cover letter examples  and consult our  cover letter formatting  guide.

If you’re looking for a professionally written cover letter in just a few minutes, try our  Cover Letter Builder . This tool generates a fully customizable cover letter based on your information and the specific job, program or department you’re targeting.

Wondering what comes next after your graduate degree?

Here are some insights into the current state of various careers that require graduate degrees and their projected futures:

• According to the  Bureau of Labor Statistics , in 2022 Americans with master’s degrees earned over $200 per week more than those with bachelor’s degrees based on the data for median wages collected by the BLS. For doctoral degrees, the gulf was even wider with more than $600 additional dollars earned per week.
• Furthermore, the unemployment rate for workers with doctoral degrees is less than half of the rate for workers with bachelor’s degrees.

Detail your experience

Your academic and research history forms the foundation of your graduate student resume. Clearly outline your previous roles and the tangible contributions you’ve made, using dynamic language and supporting data.

Use active language

Avoid the “laundry list” effect by describing your academic and research experience using action-packed words that showcase your enthusiasm and passion.

Emphasize soft skills

While your hard skills enable you to excel in your field, it’s your strong soft skills that set you apart. Be sure to highlight qualities such as effective communication, adaptability and teamwork on your resume.

Include relevant certifications

In the academic world, various certifications can bolster your credentials. Even if not explicitly required, showcasing any certifications you’ve earned can demonstrate your expertise and commitment.

Choose the right style

A standout graduate student resume is not only formatted to highlight your strengths but also styled to align with your academic identity and the specific role you’re pursuing.

Complement with a cover letter

Don’t miss the opportunity to strengthen your application with a persuasive cover letter that further communicates your suitability for the position.

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How to Write a Graduate School Resume: Tips + Examples

If you're hoping to get your master's degree, you'll need to create a grad school resume. Your student resume details your educational background, academic achievements, and more. Take advantage of these tips to help you write an effective resume.

You’ve completed your Bachelor’s Degree, and now you want to take the next step and earn a master’s degree. Before you start the application process, you’ll need to prepare a graduate school resume. Knowing how to craft a grad school resume can help you highlight your best skills and experiences as you try to gain admittance into your choices of schools.

Graduate school resume vs. standard resume

A standard resume is a document that provides an overview of your work experience, educational history, special skills, and accomplishments. By giving an employer a glimpse into what you can offer a company or business, a standard resume can help you land a job interview. 

A graduate school resume is a little different than the one you'd typically give to an employer. Instead of targeting a personnel director or human resources manager, this resume goes to a school admissions officer. While a standard resume focuses on work history, a grad school resume emphasizes your academic history and educational achievements.  

Graduate resume sections

Graduate school resumes are similar to standard resumes but typically place greater emphasis on your academic abilities than a resume you might send an employer. As a result, y our resume for grad school should feature the following six sections: 1. Header

2. Educational background

3. Work experience

4. Special skills

5. Research projects and publications

6. Awards and honors

With these sections, you should be able to provide most of the information an admissions officer needs to decide whether or not to accept you into a master's program. 

Read more: Resume Sections: How to Organize Your Resume

Tips for creating a graduate school resume

When it's time to create your graduate school resume, a few tips can help. To build an effective resume, think about length, format, and content. Below, you'll find some key tips on how to make the strongest possible resume:

1. Include a header.

As the name implies, a header is placed at the top of a resume and it's the first thing a reader sees. A header includes your name, address, phone number, and email address, and it can be centered or left-justified. For extra impact, highlight your name in bolded, slightly-larger print. 

2. Keep your resume concise and focused.

As a grad school applicant, you have more flexibility than a job hunter when it comes to the length of your resume, and this allows you to provide more information. But it's still important to keep your resume concise, so try not to exceed two pages in length unless you have a significant number of academic publications that cannot be included in that space. 

3. Use a clear, easy-to-read resume format.

Your grad school resume should follow a specific format. With the exception of your name and contact information, each section of your grad school resume should have a heading. For clear definition, add two or three lines of white space between each section. 

When including education or work experience, always list entries in reverse chronological order. This means the most recent entry should appear first. For easier reading, remember to arrange lists of information in bullet points where appropriate. 

4 . Emphasize your educational achievements.

The education section of your grad school resume will be a focal point for admissions officers, so make sure to be thorough. If you include the relevant info, an admissions officer can look at your grad school resume and know that you meet all of the necessary requirements for a master's program. Include:

The name of the college or university you attended for your undergraduate degree

The location of the college or university (city and state)

The date of your graduation (month and year)

Your degree/s (include majors and minors)

Honors distinctions like magna cum laude or summa cum laude

Your Grade Point Average

The number of times you appeared on the Dean's list

In this section, you can also include any studies you've done abroad if relevant to a master's program. In addition, you might add a short list of key undergraduate classes you've taken.  Read more: How to List Education on a Resume

5 . Highlight relevant work experience.

Unlike a career resume, which lists every job you've had over a period of time, this section on a grad school resume should focus on work that's relevant to your area of study, including both relevant professional work experience along with other experiences like college internships and volunteer work. These types of work experiences show an admissions officer:

That you've been exposed to different perspectives

That you can take direction

That you can excel as a team member

If you've had a paying job that complements a particular master's program, you can also list it. 

Each entry under this heading should include the period of time you worked, your position, and the name of the workplace. Just below, add a brief description of your duties. Here’s an example:

09/2016 to 1/2020 - Junior Accountant, New Day Consulting, Chicago, IL

- Prepared bi-monthly payroll - Reconciled financial ledgers and bank statements

- Assisted with tax preparation and submission

- Communicated with clients about billing and other financial issues

6 . Note any special skills.

In this section, you can list any technical or interpersonal skills you have that might be relevant to a master's program. Examples include:

Computer skills

Proficiency in a foreign language

Translation skills

Aptitude for writing and editing

Skills in leadership and teamwork

Read more: How to Feature Key Skills on Your Resume

7 . Include research projects and academic publications.

Admissions officers want to know if you've participated in research projects that relate to a master's program. You can list professional and/or academic publications you may have authored or co-authored. These can include:

White papers

Academic papers

Magazine articles

Books or chapters of books

For each publication, list:

Where it was published

The publishing date

The names of any co-authors 

8 . Highlight your awards and honors.

In addition to distinctions included in your header, you may have received other awards and honors. Here, include the names of awards and honors and when you received them. Examples you might list include:

Scholarships

Fellowships

Awards you've earned on the job

Volunteer-related awards

Relevant contest prizes (art, writing, design, etc.)

9 . Consider mentioning extracurricular activities (optional).

Although this section is optional, you may want to list a few of your extracurricular activities if they are relevant to a graduate program. These could include activities like:

Peer tutoring 

Membership in academic clubs and organizations

Work on a college newspaper or magazine

Work in student government

Participation in political campaigns

Participation in college sports

Unique hobbies like gardening, marathon running, painting, or playing an instrument

Extracurricular activities show your interests outside of the classroom. They also demonstrate certain strengths you may possess, such as commitment, creativity, leadership, and teamwork. 

Resume editing tips

Creating a good graduate school resume involves careful editing. Resumes make a good impression when they are well-written, organized, and free of spelling and grammatical errors. To impress the folks reading your resume, take advantage of these tips:

Follow the graduate school's program requirements. 

Be concise in your writing.

Use the spelling and grammar tools available in your word processing program.

Proofread your resume several times as you're writing.

Double-check for errors by reading your resume out loud.

If you're sending your resume electronically, submit it in PDF format to avoid formatting glitches.

If you're printing your resume, use white or ivory cotton paper for a clean, professional appearance.

Read more: 10 Ways to Improve Your Resume  

What's next

Your graduate school resume allows you to highlight why you would be a good fit for a particular master's program. Ready to see what getting a master's degree might look like? Check out online master's degree programs on Coursera from top university partners like the University of Pennsylvania, Imperial College London, and the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois.

Keep reading

Coursera staff.

Editorial Team

Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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3 Grad School Academic Resume Examples for 2024

Grad School Academic Resume

Formal grad school academic resume, elegant grad school academic resume.

• Grad School Academic Resume Writing 101

While your career is only just getting started, as a grad school academic you already have years of experience with rigorous research, report writing, and teaching. By now, you have likely made contributions to scholarly journals in your field. 

Your resume serves as a gateway to the academic world and more opportunities for publication, but it’s not easy to transfer years of research and lecturing onto a one page resume template . 

With our meticulously designed grad school academic resume examples and cover letter writing tips in this article, however, you can confidently present your academic journey and find your next research position.

or download as PDF

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What Matters Most: Your Research Skills & Academic Experience

Though you are a subject matter expert in a certain field, it’s normal for academics to apply their skills to new areas—meaning your experience won’t always be a perfect match for the position you’re applying for. 

In this case, an effective strategy is to focus on your foundational skills as an academic. Try to keep things as technical as possible by listing specific tools, software, and methodologies you use in your work.

With less tangible skills like “teaching” or “collaboration,”  make sure to expand on the subject in your work experience points, backing up your claims with specific examples. Better yet, just forego them entirely and pick something more specific that can stand on its own.

9 best grad school academic skills

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Sample grad school academic work experience bullet points

When describing your past roles, including metrics enhances the impact and credibility of your accomplishments. They provide concrete evidence of your achievements, showcasing the value you brought to your research projects.

If you have carried out previous work on the same topic as the role you’re applying for, make sure to include it in your bullet points. Otherwise, any examples of teaching excellence, conference presentations, studies, reports, or research endeavors will be effective. 

Try to envision the skills and experience you would draw from to tackle the role in question and use this to inform your experience bullet points.

Here are a few examples:

• Co-authored a research paper published in a peer-reviewed journal, which has been cited by 8 other scholars in subsequent works
• Developed and delivered engaging lectures to undergraduate classes of up to 100 students 
• Conducted complex statistical analyses using SPSS, uncovering 13 key findings for future research 
• Managed a comprehensive database of research participants, ensuring accurate and secure data storage for a cohort of over 100 individuals for two years 

Top 5 Tips for Your Grad School Academic Resume

• Teaching or lecturing is an integral element of most academic positions, so it’s important to display your experience in this area as well as your personal work. Include details about the instructional methods you use or the feedback your class received to make an impression.
• As an academic, your education and coursework will remain relevant to your resume for longer, so don’t be afraid to highlight modules you’ve studied or workshops and academic events you’ve attended. 
• Show your active participation in the academic community by listing relevant academic associations you might be a part of. For example, science researchers might be members of the American Institute of Psychics. 
• Your work as an academic can lead to participation in multiple projects, meaning you may not be able to include them all on a single page. If this is the case, make sure to review your resume for each application and make changes to include your most relevant work. A single-page resume is typically more effective.
• When you spend your days researching niche subjects, it becomes a natural instinct to simplify the topic when you talk about your work to non-colleagues. Don’t fall into this trap on your resume! The depth of your knowledge is precisely what you should be conveying, so don’t be afraid to geek out.

If applicable, you can simply list the software or methodology in your skills list . If you think some amount of explanation or context is necessary, you can describe a specific example in your work experience bullet points.

Breaking into new areas is common in academia, so there’s no need to shy away from this fact. Just include work experience points that focus on your foundational skills as a researcher, writer, and teacher, such as your background in data analysis or tutoring.

As an academic, your education and study are an area of interest. It’s absolutely acceptable to list both your bachelor’s and your master’s as well as a couple of particularly relevant modules or electives.

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How To Write A Graduate School Resume (With Examples)

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Although resumes are often associated with pursuits in a career, you’ll also need one when applying to graduate school. A graduate school resume will serve a similar function as a professional one, which is to catch the reader’s attention as a promising candidate.

Learning how to write an effective and concise graduate school resume is a crucial part of the higher education application process.

Key Takeaways:

Graduate school resumes are used to evaluate candidates and is similar to both an undergraduate application and a professional resume.

The education section, relevant coursework, and relevant experience are crucial parts of the graduate school resume.

Accomplishments and achievements from experiences should precede responsibilities.

Use concise language and tailor your resume to the specific program for application.

A graduate school resume should be one page long.

What Is a Graduate School Resume?

How to write a graduate school resume in 6 steps, tips for a successful graduate school resume, template for a graduate school resume.

Example of a Graduate School Resume

Graduate School Resume vs. CV

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A graduate school resume is a brief and organized description of an applicant’s background, skills, education, and any other aspects that would make them qualified for admission. It’s submitted along with an application to provide all the information that an admissions committee will need in contained space.

Graduate school resumes are used to evaluate many potential candidates easier by establishing a bullet-point list of their characteristics.

Including a graduate school resume in your application package illustrates who you are, what your experience is, and why you should be submitted to the program neatly on a single page .

Writing a graduate school resume can be confusing for many people; should it be more similar to a school application or a professional resume? The perhaps unsatisfying answer is that it is a bit of both.

Complete the following steps to create a graduate school resume containing information needed for admissions while being in a resume format:

Think about formatting. Although most resumes have typical structure guidelines, there’s still room for creativity in formatting a graduate school resume. There are some formatting rules you should adhere to, such as keeping your graduate resume about a page long and making your contact details boldly noticeable.

Pay attention to the education section . Since the point of submitting a graduate school resume is to be admitted to an educational program, there should be a clear focus on your prior academics.

Unlike a professional resume, which focuses primarily on career experience, a resume for graduate school should speak about the candidate’s educational background first and foremost.

Include information such as your:

School Name

Grade Point Average (GPA) (Only if 3.5+)

Field of Study

Dates of Attendance

Extracurriculars, Clubs, or Groups (if relevant)

Awards and Acknowledgment

Test Scores (If Applicable)

Include relevant coursework. Relevant coursework might come under your education section or your experience section, depending on which part needs more love. In any case, you’ll want to include the specifics of the classes you’ve taken so that admissions boards know that you’ve got the prerequisite training required to excel in your program.

List relevant work experience. Your prior experience in jobs shouldn’t be the center of attention in your graduate school resume.

However, positions related to the program you’re applying for should be included in your resume. Internships and volunteer experience that can be applied to the program’s field of study can also be helpful in a graduate school resume.

Include notable accomplishments. A graduate school resume is an appropriate place to keep a running tally of your achievements because you want to impress an admissions team. While you can make a dedicated “accomplishments” section, we recommend tactfully weaving achivements throughout your resume’s sections.

Your resume summary statement is a good place to include one, eye-catching accomplishment. And your undergraduate education probably involved some big project or thesis if you’re keen enough on the subject to continue onto graduate school, so that’s at least one major accomplishment for your education section.

Achievements from internships or even minor jobs should always precede boring job responsibilities.

“Answered emails” and “made spreadsheets” don’t exactly pop off the page, but “Responded to 20+ customer queries each day” or “Developed Cloud-based spreadsheet for interdepartment project planning and budgeting” sound a lot better — even if they describe the same jobs and tasks.

Skills and certifications. Including a skills section in a graduate school is recommended if you have the chops to back it up. You should stick to mentioning hard skills in a graduate resume that apply to the field of study you’re hoping to pursue.

This area of your graduate school resume can also be used to mention any certifications you’ve received outside of formal education.

Examples of possible skills and certifications to include on a graduate school resume include:

Fluency in a programming language

Experience in particular computer systems or applications

Speaking a second language

A technical skills training program

An online or in-person certificate in a specific field, like digital marketing or agile management

Tailor your resume to the program you’re applying for. When top applicants apply for new jobs, they go back to their resume and make edits to optimize it for the position they’re hoping to land . Successful graduate school applicants do the same. Every graduate program emphasizes different skills and experiences.

It’s okay to speak highly of your accomplishments. Many people are uncomfortable with the idea of speaking freely on all their outstanding accomplishments because they worry it makes them out to be conceited .

While you should maintain a humble attitude when discussing your achievements (especially in interviews), it’s recommended to get into the nitty-gritty of what you’ve done well in the past in a resume.

Use crisp, concise language. Start your bullet points with strong action verbs. Never include the words “I, me, my, or mine” in your resume. Use as few words as possible and embrace white space.

Include both hard and soft skills. There are probably some hard skills that the program you’re applying for requires, depending on the field of study. Besides listing the hard skills that you have, include soft skills that apply to your personality and work ethic.

Soft skills describe who a candidate is beyond their accomplishments or technical skills . An admissions team will use soft skills to assess if you’re the kind of student they want in their program.

Be honest about your experience and skills. Although it’s essential to catch an admissions counselor ’s attention with your resume, the information you include needs to be true. Bending the truth eventually becomes evident to experienced admissions professionals.

Proofread. Once you’ve finished writing a graduate school resume, the final thing to do is proofread it. Careless spelling and grammatical errors will turn off an admissions counselor reading your resume because it will portray you as sloppy or lazy.

You understand what information should be included on a graduate school resume. Now you use a template to structure the information properly.

Below is a template to guide you through creating your own graduate school resume.

First and Last Name City, State | Phone Number | Email Address | Social Media or Website Resume Summary Statement (Do not label your resume summary statement — just write it) A few sentences outlining what your graduate school resume will go on to say and what your goals for the future are. Education School Name , Degree Title, and Major Graduation Date Grade Point Average (GPA) (If 3.5+) Areas of Study Prior Research Awards, accomplishments, and acknowledgments Extracurricular activities and clubs (repeat if you have multiple schoools) Professional Experience Job Title Company Name, City, State Dates Employed One major achievement with numbers Job responsibility with mention of your impact on results More achievements (repeat for multiple jobs, internships, and volunteer experiences) Relevant Skills list 4-8 skills Give more hard skills than soft skills Additional Section (this section can be dedicated to certifications, volunteer experience, language fluency, independent projects, publications, or another optional resume section)

Aaron Blakely Denver, CO | (753)-585-5866 | [email protected]| LinkedIn.com/AaronBlakely A devoted and creative recent graduate from the University Of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and former research experience. Seeking higher education with the University of Washington’s computer science graduate program. Education The University Of Denver , B.S. in Computer Science 2020 3.9 GPA Studied computer science with a minor in creative coding Conducted research into biotechnology and virtual reality (VR) Achieved the Dean’s List all four years of college Vice President of the computer coding club Professional Experience Computer Coding Student Intern Larson’s Technology, Denver, CO 2017-2018 Created a process workflow that reduced average project turnaround time by 12% Helped mid-level developers write and debug code for client websites of over 1 million monthly visitors Reviewed engineers code and tested software patches before roll-out Sales Associate and Tech Help Desk Attendant Best Bet Computer Repair, Denver, CO 2012-2017 summers Served an average of 40 customers each day, aiding in selection of electronic goods Won employee of the month in June 2015 Received an an average customer review rating of 4.89/5 at tech help desk Scholarships 2016-2020 Outstanding Student Scholarship Awarded for academic accomplishment and community involvement The amount of $40,000 over four years of undergraduate education Relevant Skills Java HTML MS Office Suites Windows Mac OS X Communication Problem-solving Dependability Creativity Resourcefulness Certifications 2018 HTML Fluency Course, HTML programming language A 12-week course outlining the basics of HTML language Accompanied by assignments, six tests, and a final exam HTML basic fluency achieved

While this article focuses on graduate school resumes , it is important to note that some graduate schools might request a curriculum vitae, or CV, instead.

Graduate school resumes and CVs share a lot of similarities. They both act as documents to highlight an applicant’s qualifications, experiences, and contact information as part of an application process.

However, there are noticeable differences with CVs. These include:

Length. CVs tend to be two or more pages long. They are designed to provide an in-depth profile of your qualifications and achievements.

Purpose. CVs tend to focus on academic and research experience, as well as accomplishments such as fellowships, academic positions, and scholarships.

Content. CVs are more detailed. They cover a complete academic history of the applicant.

Audience. Academic and research heavy programs tend to request CVs because they want to see your abilities in these fields. This can include social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities programs.

As you can see, a CV has significant differences, which means you need to make sure whether you should send a resume or a CV. Luckily, most applications will specify which one they want to see.

However, if you ever have any questions, reach out to the graduate school program for clarification.

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Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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5 Expert Tips for Writing a Stand-Out Grad School Resumé

Congratulations! You’re investing in your future by applying to graduate school. The application is complete, you’ve gathered your recommendations, written your statement of purpose , and you’re working on developing another important component—your resumé.

Your grad school resumé is an integral piece of the admissions process, says Jared Pierce, former associate director of enrollment quality assurance at Northeastern University. Admissions counselors rely on resumés as an assessment of the student, his or her strengths, work experience, skills, education, and interests, he says, to help them decide whether a prospective student is a good fit for the program.

Your grad school resumé is similar in many ways to a resumé you’d submit as part of a job application: You should use crisp language to describe your experiences, a clean and organized layout to make it easy to read, and it should be free from typos and grammar errors. But they’re different, too: Grad school resumés should emphasize your education, work and volunteer experience, and specific skills relevant to the particular program you’re applying to.

“We’re interested in a student’s background and how it’s relevant to the program he or she wants to enroll in,” Pierce says. “If they’re enrolling in a communications program, for example, we’re interested to see whether they’re coming from a social media background or a marketing background, and how that experience applies to what they’re looking for in grad school.”

Attention to detail is paramount when creating your resumé for grad school. Here’s a look at what should be included on your resumé, plus five tips to help you craft one that’s memorable and impactful.

What to Include in a Resumé for Graduate School

In general, your grad school resumé will be similar to a resumé you’d create when applying for a job. Keep in mind, however, that this document should be tailored to your desired program of study in order to show the admissions team that you’re a good fit.

Your graduate school resumé should include:

• A header, including basic information like your name and email address
• Your education history , including your undergraduate degree and institution
• Relevant experiences, such as current or previous professional roles, internships, and leadership experience
• Research and publications, including any research projects, articles, or other publications you’ve contributed to through your academic or professional career
• Skills and certifications, especially those closely related to your field of study
• Volunteering and extracurricular activities, if applicable to your program of interest

If you’re unsure whether a particular experience or skill should be included on your resumé, ask yourself how it relates to the program or institution that you’re applying to. If it doesn’t speak directly to your interests and strengths, it’s likely unnecessary to include.

Writing Your Grad School Resumé: 5 Tips for Success

1. tailor your resumé to the program..

When graduate schools review your resumé, they’re weighing the relevancy of your previous experience and education with the program you’re applying to. In other words, they want to see a correlation between what you’ve done and where you’re going.

Pierce recommends reviewing the homepage of the program you’re interested in before writing your resumé. Some programs require two or three years of work experience or a portfolio, so make sure you qualify for the program you’re applying to.

If you’re interested in the Master of Science in Cybersecurity program, for example, review the program’s webpage and make note of its requirements, objectives, core requirements, and any relevant keywords it uses. Then, make sure you check those boxes as you write your resumé.

2. Highlight all relevant experience.

While some prospective students apply to grad school from the field, others apply to programs upon completion of their undergraduate degree. For this reason, not all students will have professional experience to list on their resumé—and that’s ok, Pierce says.

“It’s a misnomer that if you don’t have professional experience, you can’t write a resumé,” he says. “There are other types of experience that are just as important and useful, so make sure you highlight everything that is relevant.”

Other than professional experience, admissions committees are interested in volunteer work and internships you’ve completed. This experience is just as relevant. For all experience—professional or otherwise—it’s important to showcase the duties you performed in those roles, and both the hard and soft skills you learned. This might include leading teams or projects, honing communication skills, or specific software or programs you learned and became proficient in.

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3. Showcase your skills.

Your resumé should include a skills section that highlights technologies, skills, and other competencies relevant to the graduate program you’re applying to, Pierce says.

If you’re applying to the Master of Science in Computer Science program, for example, your resumé should list the programming languages you know (e.g. Python, C++, Ruby on Rails), computer applications you’ve used, and software or systems that you’re experienced in.

4. Include professional achievements.

In addition to your experience and skills, admissions committees are interested in the professional certifications you earned, professional training you’ve completed, professional organizations of which you’re a member, and any instances in which you’ve been published.

Prospective students interested in the Master of Science in Project Management program, for example, should list any PMP certifications they’ve earned, while students interested in a Master of Science in Human Resource Management should note their membership to the Society for Human Resource Management, Pierce says. These achievements and memberships add another dimension to your resumé, showcasing your efforts outside your job, volunteer work, or internships to further your career and improve your experience.

5. Keep it clean.

Your grad school resumé should be succinct, only rarely exceeding one page, Pierce recommends. It should go without saying, too, that your resumé should be clean, well-formatted, easy-to-read, and free of typos or grammatical errors.

“We’re looking for a well-organized resumé that shows that care has been taken in creating it,” Pierce says. “Don’t just list out your experience in bullet points; tell us what duties you performed and how it correlates to the program you’re applying to. Your resumé is a reflection of you—we want to see that it’s polished and detailed, and understand what your background is like and what your experiences have been.”

Grad School Resumé Support

Applying to graduate school can be both exciting and stressful. Luckily, admissions teams and enrollment coaches are available to help you along the way and make the process as smooth as possible. If you have questions as you’re preparing your application and related materials, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. At the end of the day, admissions teams want to ensure that you’re a good fit for their program, and in effect, that their program is a good fit for you. 

At Northeastern, there are various resources and experts you can leverage for support throughout the application process. Don’t hesitate to contact faculty members in your program of interest with specific questions about the degree program. With more general questions about the application process, paying for your degree , or the institution as a whole, speak with an enrollment coach for help along the way.

For more information on applying to Northeastern’s graduate programs, visit our attend an application and enrollment session to get your questions answered. 

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Charismatic

Introduction

Writing your summary statement, writing your skills section, writing your work history section, writing your education section, most popular resume templates.

Landing the position you desire begins with planning, drafting, and polishing a resume that reflects the ways you can contribute to the field of your passion. How can you best arrange your skills, valuable traits, and accomplishments into a presentable document that radiates success? Grab your materials and get started with our graduate school resume template for Word and accompanying writing guidelines. Here, you can learn to write a resume similar to the one shown by referring to our strategies and thus enhancing your summary statement and skills, work history, and education sections.

Your summary statement is often your first impression with employers. This section is where you can market yourself and your abilities, but by the same token, it’s important to be aware of the words you include.

Because summary statements should be concise, it is ideal to use keywords found in the job listing so that you can get straight to the point. This way, you can attract employers and truly reflect your talents. Format your statement in bullet points or in a short, three-sentence paragraph, and don’t forget to include the following:

Top skills that can apply to the position

Your professional title

Job-descriptive language

Our graduate school resume template for Word and these other examples can help you break free of your summary statement writer’s block.

Experienced laboratory assistant with knowledge of various specimens and equipment

Equipped to conduct research and analyze data

Organized with procedures and enthusiastic about advancements in biology

Hard-working biology major with experience in research and laboratory methods

Punctual and prioritizes deadlines

Experienced in technical writing and the study of biological software

Studious and driven biology major with 3 years’ experience in laboratory work

Goal-oriented and focused on advancements in the field

Strong social skills and eager to contribute to academia

Enthusiastic laboratory assistant prepared to take the next step in the field

Strong planning and presentation skills, with a background in biology studies

Trained in laboratory safety and knowledgeable of tools and environmental methods

Enthusiastic laboratory assistant prepared to take the next step in the field. Strong planning and presentation skills, with a background in biology studies. Trained in laboratory safety and knowledgeable of tools and environmental methods.

The skills section of your resume is where you will give your top skills in the form of a short, concise list. Similar to your summary statement, this section is an opportunity for you to let your strongest moments shine. Using our graduate school resume template for Word, construct a list that you can confidently present to employers. Here are a few tips to get started:

Give your skills in short phrases and don’t use periods at the end

Emphasize relevant skills if you lack experience

List 6-8 skills in the format of bullet points

Here is a list of skills relevant to your field:

Strong researching and writing skills

Experienced with laboratory equipment

Trained in laboratory safety procedures and in data analysis

Exceptional social and organizational skills

Knowledgeable of recent developments in the field

Effective presentation skills

Familiar with biological classifications and with various life systems on planet Earth

Your work history section is more than a simple background of your work experience. Here, you can expand on the skills you have learned and impress employers with your ability to adapt to new professional environments. The following guidelines, along with our graduate school resume template for Word, can help you hone your writing skills in order to best present yourself to hiring managers.

List work history in reverse chronological order

Give 5-8 bullet points in each job description

Ensure that you have listed the location of each position

Get creative with word choice and avoid redundancy

Include metrics to further validate your experiences

Below, you can find examples of descriptions that coincide with graduate school positions:

Presented work at 15 conferences around the world

Increased lab testing accuracy by 25%

Created testable hypotheses and worked with teams to improve testing accuracy

Helped manage and maintain a safe classroom environment

The importance of your education section depends on the position you are seeking. Make sure that you have researched the job listing so you can best complete this section. As seen in the graduate school resume template for Word, clearly list your education history without going overboard on detail. Follow these steps to continue composing your stellar graduate school resume:

Don’t mention your high school if the job requires a college education

List any certificates or training that may apply to the position

Give your highest level of education first

Bachelor of Science: General Biology – 2015

Florida Southern College – Lakeland, FL

Courses included: Introduction to biological sciences, biological sciences laboratory

Short course: Introduction to zoology, introduction to plant biology

Associate of Science: Biology – 2016

Mesa Community College, Mesa, AZ

Courses included: Principles of genetics, genetics laboratory, conservation biology

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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.

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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 .

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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

How to Craft a Competitive Resume for Your Graduate School Application

While applying to graduate school may sound like a demanding process, the steps and application requirements are fairly similar to prepping for your undergraduate degree, including collecting letters of recommendation , writing a personal statement and securing any necessary transcripts.

However, there are key differences between the applications, especially depending on what kind of master’s degree, graduate certificate or doctoral program you’re considering.

One asset most prospective students are asked for is a graduate school resume. Sure, it sounds familiar — essentially anyone who has applied to a job has had to write a resume — but what exactly should it include? And how do you make sure it conveys you’re a great candidate for the program?

We spoke with Lori Shreve Blake , senior director of career engagement at the USC Career Center , to determine how a graduate school resume differs from an employment resume, as well as crucial tips for how to write a stellar one.

What Is a Graduate School Resume?

First things, first: A graduate school resume is a document that gives the school’s admissions committee the information it needs to determine what you bring to the table as a candidate. It’s in this resume where you can really expand on your skills and qualifications that may not have come up in other parts of your application.

While it is quite similar in many ways to a work resume, the grad school resume places a great emphasis on education and academic achievements, as well as work experiences that relate to the program you’d like to join.

“Similar to a job resume, where we say tailor your resume according to the job, it would be tailor your resume according to the grad program and what their requirements are for admissions,” Shreve Blake told USC Online.

What Should Your Graduate School Resume Include?

Much like a work resume, a graduate school resume should start off with a clear header that includes the basic information about yourself, such as your name and your contact information, and contains your address, phone number and email address.

From there, you should highlight your past education experience and any academic highlights.

“Graduate school candidates should highlight academic achievements including membership in an honors society, dean’s list,  academic research and projects, this shows the person’s commitment to the graduate program that they’re pursuing,” Shreve Blake explained.

Candidates may also include study abroad program, a list of relevant classes you’ve taken, your thesis title, certifications you’ve obtained and any other relevant educational experience.

Next, you should dive into your work experience. Highlight the jobs you’ve held — especially ones that demonstrate why you’d be a fit for the graduate program — as well as any pertinent volunteer positions and internships.

“I think showing the work experience and how it relates to the graduate degree is really a key point, especially if you’re going to grad school … for a job,” Shreve Blake said. “Depending on what type of grad program you’re going for, they’re going to want to see certain types of experiences, so make sure you have [ones] that are unique and specific to that particular grad program. For example, if I want to get a master’s in social work, I’m going to show that I worked in the community and … similar experiences, even though I’m not a social worker yet.”

Shreve Blake added that your job history might be a requirement for some graduate programs, such as an MBA: “They may require three to five years of business work experience before you’re even qualified to be considered for an MBA at a premier institution,” she said.

Tips for How to Write a Graduate School Resume

Ask yourself whom you’re writing for. If you’re feeling stuck in the initial stages of crafting the perfect resume, consider your target, Shreve Blake advised.

“We need to think, when we’re writing, who are we writing for? What are they going to want to see? Put yourself in their place. If I’m hiring for a job, why? What am I looking for? If I’m admitting someone for a PhD in neuroscience, what kind of experiences am I looking for? How are you showing that you are an academic even before we make you one and actually admit you to the program? You have to show that you’re doing the job or at least trying to go down that path before you even get admitted,” she expanded.

Be detailed and specific about your accomplishments. While listing off your various past achievements, you want to make sure you’re being as clear as possible about what you’ve accomplished in the past. This helps you tell a better story about your experience and really gives the admissions committee insight into your successes.

“My advice to grad school applicants is to quantify. Tell a story in those bullets. Don’t just tell me, ‘I researched sleep to determine synapses.’ That’s not enough. You researched the brain to determine synapses, resulting in a publication in the American Medical Journal. That’s what we want to see — quantifying numbers, if you’ve worked with any big names … Or say, if it’s for an MBA, it’s going to be more, what did you do in business when you were working? What did you do that really made an impact at your workplace?” Shreve Blake said.

Keep it concise. The point of the graduate school resume is to truly expand on your accomplishments so the school knows why they should be rushing to admit you. Of course, that doesn’t mean sending in pages and pages about every course you’ve taken or internship you’ve held. Per Shreve Blake, the golden rule is a one-page resume if you have zero to nine years of experience, and a two-page resume if you have 10 years of experience.

Is the skill or experience relevant to the program at hand? If not, you can leave it out. Information from your high school days probably isn’t relevant, either, if you’re an older candidate returning to your studies.

Be smart about your social media. These days, it seems everyone has a robust online presence — and you can be sure it’ll come up when someone Googles your name. The reality is, your online presence will be examined when you apply for a graduate school program, so make sure any public profiles are professional.

Social media can also be a major asset — Shreve Blake recommends updating your LinkedIn profile and using it as a professional website for yourself. Link the URL in your resume, so they have easy access to a digital version of your achievements.

Maintain a professional aura. Above all, make sure you keep it professional with your graduate school resume. There is no need to include photos of yourself, for example, or too much personal information. While you want the admissions committee to get an idea of your values, you’re leaning on your accomplishments here, not personality or personal experiences.

“When you’re trying to get into a graduate school, it’s still a business transaction, right? You’re selling yourself. So, you’re just not going to have a lot of personal information there,” Shreve Blake emphasized.

Should You Use a Template to Write Your Graduate School Resume?

While it may be tempting to take advantage of a graduate school resume template or lift from examples, Shreve Blake said to steer clear of using a pre-set template.

“What I absolutely hate — and I think people can see this a mile away — is using a resume template. Don’t use a resume template,” Shreve Blake insisted. “The formatting is often off, and it’s not really what people like to see.  I would definitely say don’t use a resume template, use a blank Word document, and kind of work through your resume that way.”

Crafting an original resume will help you stand out from the crowd. After all, each graduate school resume is unique: It needs to fit both the program you’re applying to and your own past.

“There’s not a one-size-fits-all for a job resume, and there’s not a one-size-fits-all for a graduate school resume,” Shreve Blake concluded.

For more information, visit the  Office of Graduate Admission at USC  and explore USC Online’s graduate school timeline .

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How to write a resume for grad school?

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

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

But hold on!

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

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

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

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

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

Here's a summary of the blog:

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

Things to include in your graduate school resume

Why do you need a resume for grad school.

[ Back to Table of Content ]

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sample grad school resume

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

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

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

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

How does a graduate school resume differ from professional resumes?

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

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

No strict length restriction

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

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

Detailed education details

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

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

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

Importance of internship and volunteer experience

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

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

What admission committee looks for in a grad school resume?

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

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

Here are some characteristics of a standout graduate school resume:

Tailor your resume to the specific program

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

Mention your academic details

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

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

Include internships and volunteer works

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

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

Include your grants or award

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

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

Make the resume easy to follow

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

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

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

Format your resume professionally

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

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

Read this resume format guide to learn more.

Use powerful verbs

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

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

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

Make sure your resume flows logically

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

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

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

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

• Personal information- name address, phone number

Resume objective

• Research Experience
• Teaching Experience

Internships

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

Extracurricular activities

• Educational Travel

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

Personal information

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Things to include in resume objective:

• Undergraduate degree
• Internship/volunteer experience
• Admission goal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Research and teaching experience

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

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

Example of research experience :

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

Example of teaching experience :

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

Don't have many academic achievements or experiences?

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

Here's what your internship section should look like:

Internships example :

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

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

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

Volunteer experience Example :

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

Honors, awards, or grants

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

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

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

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

Affiliations & memberships

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

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

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

Academic publications

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

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

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

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

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

• Reference name
• Their professional designation
• Their contact information

Example of reference section on grad school resume:

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

Skills & abilities

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leadership experience

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

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

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

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

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

Educational travel

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

Things to include:

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

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

Key Takeaways

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

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

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

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How to Write a Grad School Resume: Steps, Template & Examples

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A graduate school resume , also known as a curriculum vitae (CV), is a document that summarizes a student's educational background, work experience, and other relevant accomplishments. The purpose of a graduate school resume is to showcase the individual's qualifications and achievements. It helps students to stand out as a strong candidate for graduate programs, research positions, or other academic opportunities.

Creating a grad school resume can be the perfect way to capture relevant information about your educational background and other experiences that can bolster your application. Writing your resume may feel intimidating initially, but with the right advice and some helpful samples , you can create the one that will help you stand out from the crowd.

Continue reading if you need more than just boring instructions. In this article, we will discuss:

• Basics of grad school resume
• What sections to include
• Free template
• How to write a resume for graduate school
• Grad school resume examples .

In addition, this article will provide you with extra tips, and a checklist to help you stay on track. Let’s dive deep into details!

What Is a Grad School Resume

A graduate school resume is a document that summarizes your educational background, academic achievements, and professional experience. In other words, it is a resume designed explicitly for graduate school applications, which allows you to showcase your relevant qualifications and skills. It is an essential part of graduate school applications, as it helps admissions committees evaluate your credentials as well as decide whether you're a strong candidate for admission. 

When writing your resume for graduate school, you should tailor it to highlight the skills and experiences most relevant to the graduate program you're applying to. Therefore, it's necessary to understand what they're looking for in a student. Resumes for graduate school admission should be well-written and appropriately formatted, as admission panelists are typically more attentive to detail. 

Remember that you are not applying for college . Requirements for grad school admission will be more stringent, so you need to make sure that you have used every opportunity to impress the committee.

Purpose of a Graduate School Resume

A resume for graduate school application is a critical tool used to summarize your academic and professional experiences in an organized and effective manner. Its purpose is to provide an overview of your achievements and qualifications to attract the interest of admission officers or a specific institution. A graduate school resume can help you stand out from other applicants, as it allows you to highlight the aspects of your background that are most relevant and impressive. Lastly, it serves as a reference document to support your statements during interviews.

What to Include in a Resume for Graduate School

Writing a grad school resume can be challenging, but with the right advice, it doesn't have to be. One of the reasons is the amount of information required compared to conventional resumes that people typically use when applying for jobs. Resumes for grad school applications, in this case, should include the following:

• Personal details Includes your name, contact details, and other relevant personal data.
• Academic achievements Any relevant academic honors, awards, or publications.
• Related skills Abilities related to the program you're applying for, such as research skills or experience with specific software as well as computer languages.
• Work experience Provide volunteer work, professional experience, or both.
• Relevant courses Showcase any courses associated with the grad program you're applying for.
• Extracurricular activities Offer any relevant activities that show your interest in the grad program.
• References Contact details and professional title of peoples you've worked with or who can vouch for your academic qualifications.
• Certifications Professional accreditations you've acquired throughout your educational career. These are important in resumes for applying to grad school, as they demonstrate your commitment to the subject.

>> Read more: How to Ask a Professor for a Letter of Recommendation

Grad School Resume Format

The resume format for graduate school varies by program, but some general guidelines should be adhered to when writing a resume for graduate school applications. The length of the resume should be one to two pages long, depending on your experience and qualifications. The resume format for graduate school applications should include the following sections:

• Contact information
• Summary statement
• Professional experience
• Certifications and licenses
• Awards and honors
• Professional associations
• Skills and competencies
• Publications (if applicable)
• Volunteer experience.

It is crucial to pay attention to details when formatting your resume. Make sure to include dates and that all information is relevant. Additionally, ensure the format is consistent throughout the paper and follows a professional design. The best resume format for graduate school should include keywords related to the field or program you are applying for. 

Grad School Resume Template

It can be incredibly helpful to have a graduate school resume template while writing your own. Grad school resumes require a unique approach and content compared to other types of resumes. Thus, utilizing graduate school resume templates available online is highly beneficial. By customizing this template with information about yourself, you can effectively demonstrate all the academic qualifications necessary for admission into grad school to differentiate yourself from the competition.

To assist you in creating your graduate school resume, here is an example of resume for graduate school template offered by one of our paper writers .

How to Write a Grad School Resume

Crafting a compelling and professional resume is integral to advancing your academic prospects; as such, it's essential that you take the time to write a resume for graduate school that's impactful. A well-written resume could be the difference between continuing with graduate school or being overlooked for admission. As a result, taking your time to write a resume that will showcase your qualifications to make a lasting impression on the reviewers is imperative. Below is a guide that will illustrate step-by-step how to write a resume for grad school that will stand out from the rest.

1. Start With Your Resume Objective

The grad school resume objective section is your document's first and most crucial piece. Students should use resumes to present a clear purpose for applying to grad school. Failure to impress the board right away may make them overlook your document. As a result, you should take extra care to adjust your resume objective to reflect the graduate school's program and its mission. Your objective for resume grad school should also focus on the program you are applying to, as well as highlight how it can help you advance your career. The reason is that graduate schools want to know that you have a concise idea of what the program can do for you.

Grad School Resume Objective Example

Writing a grad school resume objective can be challenging because it needs to summarize your entire document in just a few sentences. Therefore, checking a grad school resume objective sample is necessary to offer you guidance and new insights. Below is an example of a grad school resume objective:

Recent undergraduate student with a bachelor's degree in Media Studies seeking to enroll in the Master of Communication program at XYZ University with the purpose of improving my research, analytical, and communication skills to become an effective communicator in the modern world.

2. Add Your Contact Details

The contact details section is the next part of your resume for grad school application, and it is imperative to include accurate information because institutions want to know how to reach you in case they are interested in speaking with you. Failure to list the correct contact details can lead to a lost opportunity. Additionally, avoid listing your social media profiles on your resume. It is best to keep the document professional and focus on your official contact information only.

In every resume for grad school, list the following details:

• Phone number
• Email address.

Contact Details for a Grad School Resume Example

When crafting your contact details for your graduate school resume, you need to make sure that all the information is up to date. For example, if you have recently moved, ensure that your address reflects this change. Avoid using a personal email address that has nicknames and unprofessional language. The reason is that graduate schools are looking for more mature candidates, so your email address should reflect this. Contact details section may look like this:

John Walker 123 Park Avenue, New York City, NY 10001 (321) 654-2551 | [email protected]

3. Fill Out an Education Section

An outstanding graduate application resume provides detailed information about your education. Therefore, the education section for a graduate school resume should include all relevant educational experiences to demonstrate your knowledge and skills. This is because graduate admission committees use this information to determine your suitability for the program. Some of the subsections to include in your grad student resume education section include:

• Names of graduate schools attended
• Dates of graduation
• Minor(s) (if applicable)
• Honors and awards received
• Relevant courses you've previously taken.

In this section, you should also include any degrees obtained, such as a graduate certificate or diploma. Additionally, suppose you have done any internships or a capstone project . In that case, you should incorporate them here, because the admission panel will want to know your experience with the field.

Example of a Grad School Resume Education Section

When creating a resume for grad school application, it is essential to include an education section that details your academic background. You can check the following resume for grad school education section sample.

The following is an example:

Education New York University, New York City, NY Master of Science in Social Psychology, May 2022 GPA: 3.7/4.0 Relevant Courses : Psychological Statistics, Qualitative Research Methods, Social Psychology of Emotion

4. Describe Your Relevant Experience

When creating a resume for grad school, you should incorporate any relevant experience you possess. This includes volunteer career work, as well as work experience related to the program you are applying for. It is crucial to list your positions in order of relevance, with the most recent experience at the top.

In addition, the experience section may include internships, projects, and relevant activities. These are especially important for grad school resumes, as they demonstrate your field involvement and research commitment. If you have any teaching experience, list it here as well, the courses and the level of students. This is important as it reflects your teaching skills, which universities and colleges highly value.

For any additional volunteer or research experience, you should provide details of the project, your role, and any key findings or results. Giving this information in your grad school application resume will allow the admission board to understand better your experience and knowledge in that field.

Graduate School Resume Example for an Experience Section

In this step, it is essential to include an experience section that provides information about any work and volunteer experience relevant to the program. This is especially important for those with a limited academic background since it can help admission committees view your potential in the field. Including any transferable skills you have gained through your experience is critical. Such skills can help the board to understand how your experience relates to the graduate program. Mention any applicable awards and recognitions you have received during your experience to help show that you are involved and passionate about the field.

Consider thesample for a graduate school resume example below:

Experience Volunteer Researcher, New York University, New York City, NY (June 2020-Present) •   Conducted research on the social psychology of emotion using qualitative research methods • Performed data collection, analysis, and interpretation of results • Presented research findings at an academic conference for nursing experts • Developed professional relationships with other researchers and volunteers • Received the "Outstanding Volunteer Researcher of the Year" award. 

5. Highlight Your Skills

Highlighting skills on a resume for graduate students is a great way to showcase the abilities you possess, particularly when applying for an academic program. When writing, include skills related to the program you are applying for. In addition, it is also essential to specify skills relevant to the field, such as data analysis skills. Remember that skills to put on a resume for graduate school should demonstrate your capacity for the program and help you stand out to the admissions board.

Skills in Grad School Resume Sample

Skills in a grad school resume help demonstrate your knowledge and abilities by providing concrete and relevant evidence. As such, students must specify any transferable skills applicable to the program when writing. Below is an example of a grad school resume's skills section:

Skills   Research & Writing : Ability to effectively conduct research, analyze data and write academic papers. Problem-solving & Critical thinking : Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to think critically. Project management : Proficient in project management, managing multiple projects and tasks simultaneously.

6. List All Your Academic Achievements

Writing your academic achievements in a resume for grad school admission involves outlining any awards and scholarships you have received throughout your educational career. This information is important to include as it demonstrates your success and commitment to your education.

In addition to awards, it is important to incorporate any academic honors, such as dean's list or honor roll recognition. By indicating your achievements in a resume for grad school, you intend to show an admissions committee that you are motivated as well as hardworking.

The following is a list of academic achievements that you may want to include in your resume:

• Awards and recognitions
• Graduate scholarships
• Fellowships and grants
• Publications
• Relevant coursework
• Conference presentations and participation
• Foreign language proficiency
• Professional certifications.

7. Include Additional Grad School Resume Sections

When creating resumes for graduate school, it is crucial to include sections demonstrating your additional skills and abilities. This section is often overlooked but can provide the admissions with in-depth information about your qualifications. Graduate school application resume may contain this section as optional to allow you to stand out from other applicants.

In addition to the core resume sections, you may want to include the following supplemental details:

• Leadership experience Outline any headship roles you have held and describe the impact of your work.
• Computer skills Outlining computer skills relevant to graduate school admissions, such as proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or statistical software packages.
• Professional memberships List any professional memberships you possess, such as membership in a graduate student organization, a body related to your field of study, or conference participation.
• Licenses Include any passes that apply to graduate school admissions.
• Extracurricular activities Provide any additional activities you are involved in, e.g., sports.
• Hobbies and interests Show any hobbies or interests that demonstrate your overall character and passions. These are important in a resume for applying to grad school as the board members are looking for well-rounded individuals.
• Summary It is a brief and concise description of your experience, education, and qualifications. Unlike an objective that speaks to what you seek from an opportunity, a summary aims to provide insight into who you are and the value you can bring to the table without requiring someone else to read through your detailed background information.

Including the above information in your grad school application ensures that you provide the admissions board with an in-depth view of your qualifications and abilities. With this approach, you can ensure that you are presenting the best possible resume that showcases your professional skills and knowledge.  If you don't showcase these abilities on your resume, it will likely be overlooked by graduate schools searching for highly competent candidates. Including some of the above sections within your graduate school resume should help achieve this goal.

8. Proofread and Edit Your Grad School Resume

Proofreading and editing your document is crucial before you submit it for consideration. It is necessary to do this to make a resume for grad school applications error-proof, as any typos or errors could lead to rejection. Ensure you review your application multiple times, checking for typos or errors. If you find any mistakes, make sure to correct them. You should also check that the resume is formatted correctly and contains all necessary sections.

Ask someone else to review and critique your graduate school resume for a more objective opinion. Having another person review the work can help you identify any potential mistakes or areas of improvement. This will also allow you to get feedback from someone familiar with the grad school admission process and can help make sure you tailor your resume to the grad school you are applying to.

Grad school resumes get compared against other applicants, so make sure you present yourself as professionally and accurately as possible.

Graduate School Resume Examples

Checking a resume for grad school example, while working on your application is one of the greatest ways to ensure you are on the right track. Consulting online databases and resume templates can provide valuable insights and ideas. By looking at resume examples, you can see what types of information are necessary and how to format yours for the best possible outcome. 

In addition, consulting grad school resume requirements can help you understand the expected content. Take a look at the student grad school resume examples below to get an idea of what one should look like:

Grad School Resume Writing Tips

A resume for graduate school is a must when applying for any advanced degree. Crafting an effective resume for graduate school is an important task, and writing tips can be immensely helpful in ensuring that you create the best professional resume for graduate school. Here are some essential tips to keep in mind when writing yours:

• Keep it short and direct. Your resume should be concise and straight to the point. It's crucial that you put only relevant information.
• Employ the correct language and formatting. Use formal style because the hiring committee will look for a candidate with great writing skills.
• Check errors. Avoid typos or grammar mistakes. Proofread your resume to make sure it is free of errors.
• Use keywords. Make sure to include keywords to fit the job description in your resume so that it stands out from others.
• Review examples. Look for a resume for graduate school example online and use it as a guide for your own.
• Use a professional font. A font like Times New Roman can help you make a great impression because it is easy to read.
• Use active language. Using action verbs helps you to express your professional capabilities powerfully.

Grad School Resume Checklist

Having a checklist can help you to ensure your resume grad school is ready for submission. The reason is that a list can help ensure that you include all critical information. Therefore, here is a graduate school resumes checklist:

• checkbox Ensure that your resume includes relevant personal information like your name, address, and contact number. This should appear on the first page.
• checkbox Provide all related degrees, majors, and any graduate-level courses you've taken.
• checkbox List all the skills that you believe to be relevant such as programming languages, problem-solving ability, and communication skills.
• checkbox Make sure you mention any graduate-level work experience, internships, or volunteer activities that you've done.
• checkbox List your awards or honors in the graduate school resume.
• checkbox State any professional or organizations you are a part of.
• checkbox Provide at least three professional references where necessary.

Using the above checklist for resume writing for graduate school admissions ensures that you have not omitted any important details and that your cv is complete.

You may also want to go through some popular graduate school interview questions to get yourself prepared. Make sure you check out our tips to nail your application or contact our admission essay writing service for professional help.

Final Thoughts on Graduate School Resume Writing

This blog has discussed how to write a professional resume for graduate school. It has provided you with a definition of a graduate school resume, stated its purpose, and shown you how to format one. In addition, we provided you with a guide as well as a template to refer to in case you find it hard writing one. We also gave you tips and a checklist when writing a resume for grad school to enable you to proofread it and ensure that you include all information. In addition, we described how to format your resume by showing you the necessary sections to have. Lastly, we provided you with free CV samples so you can get an idea of how your own should look. Consequently, utilize this article's contents to ensure you craft remarkable work.

If you require assistance with your grad school application, our professional writing service is here to help. Our experienced writers are skilled in crafting outstanding resumes, offering timely delivery, excellent quality, and 24/7 support. Contact us with ‘ write my admission essay ’ request to achieve your academic goals.

Frequently Asked Questions About Graduate School Resume

1. how is a graduate school resume different from a work resume.

Graduate school resumes are brief additions to your application. Universities and colleges rarely conduct interviews or engage in personal communication. In contrast, your work resume is made to get the worker an interview. There, professionals have a chance to add more details about themselves. So the two CVs have distinct purposes.

2. How long is a graduate school resume?

A resume for a graduate school application must be short. Typically, you will be required to write 1-2 pages of content. But 1 page is still a much better option. It looks good and summarizes your experience briefly enough to be remembered.

3. What's the difference between a graduate school resume and CV?

A graduate school resume might be similar to your CV but much shorter. There’s no need to include all your professional experience. It is made with educational purposes in mind. So showing that you do have a desire to learn and what you’re doing to be better is enough. CVs will include everything possible: from a list of duties, technical skills and other stuff.

4. How do you list unfinished master’s degrees on your resume for graduate school?

A master's degree in resume for graduate school is more than welcome. But when talking about this degree, you should also give more details about the program. What you studied and at which schools would be enough for a college resume.

Rachel R. Hill is a real educational devotee. She prides in writing exceptional general guides while listening to every need of students.

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Resume for Grad...

Resume for Graduate Schools: How to Write your Graduate Application Resume?

Your bio-data or resume is a crucial part of getting ready to apply to graduate school. The university officials carefully analyze your resume for graduate schools to determine your eligibility and potential. You can increase your chances of getting accepted to graduate school by reading up on an institution's requirements for the application and learning the best practices for drafting resumes and CVs.

In this blog, we will be looking at why we write a resume for graduate schools and why a graduate program resume is so crucial while providing you with the graduate program resume examples for your understanding.

What is a Resume for Graduate School?

When applying for master's degree programs, you should prepare a résumé for graduate students. A grad or Ph.D. student's CV can surpass the restrictions in terms of both page count and the specifics of experience; however, a master's student's resume differs in that it is far more streamlined and typically contains only about 1-2 pages.

A CV for graduate program is a professional document that summarizes your seasoned qualities, such as your talents, credentials, relevant employment experience, and noteworthy achievements. Your CV can help you showcase your skills and persuade admissions committees that you are qualified for the program.

Additionally, your qualifications should be listed on your resume clearly so that recruiting supervisors can review them.

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Why do we need a Graduate Application Resume for Admission?

There are numerous parallels between resumes for work and graduate school, but also some variances. You cannot just cut and paste a résumé that you have written to apply for employment into your graduate school application. The same as resumes sent for jobs, your graduate school resume aids colleges in learning more regarding you and your credentials.

Graduate programs get a ton of applications, so they need a straightforward method to see why you'd be a perfect fit for their curriculum. You have the chance to demonstrate this on your graduate school CV.

Grad schools can determine if you'd be a suitable candidate for their school by reviewing your schooling and professional history, which can show them what you currently know and how you've established yourself.

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What Entails a Graduate Degree Resume?

These are the following components of a Graduate resume:

Contact information

Name, address, phone number, and email are all included. To ensure that the admissions office can readily get in touch with you, this information ought to appear at the beginning of your resume.

This part ought to be between two and three lines long and should not contain any personal pronouns. As you discuss the precise school and degree that you are applying for, be mindful to emphasize your comprehensive qualifications.

Include both professional and interpersonal abilities while describing your skills. Include abilities that might be useful for a student when you are applying to graduate degree programs.

Educational qualifications

Comprise degree you got, the name of the college or university, the number of years you studied, and any pertinent curriculum you took while you were there. You may also include your GPA if it is strong, if not, then don’t mention it until asked.

Career background

The admissions staff must see that you are driven to engage in professional opportunities and positions linked to your field. Incorporate your job position, the firm identity, its specific location, the periods you worked there, and a thorough account of your duties in reverse chronological order.

Noteworthy Achievements and Awards

If you have any noteworthy academic accomplishments, the program directors may consider them.

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Graduate Application Resume Sample

Now that we know what to include and what not to include in the CV for Graduate application, it’s time to look at the format in which you need to prepare your Graduate program CV. We described the format in detail for you to follow to create the ideal resume to make it easy for you to grasp.

Part 1-Header

• First name last name
• Street address, city, state, pin code
• Professional email address
• Contact number

Part 2-Summary

• 1-2 sentences describing your professional background. Do not use personal pronouns.

Part 3-Skills

• Include a list of skills in bullet points
• Make sure to draw attention to your communication and technical skills

Part 4-Educational Qualifications

• Most recent degree

Part 5-University Name

• Start date - end date
• Cite any pertinent coursework

Part 6-Work Experience

• Company name, city
• Responsibilities
• Include volunteer and internship experience
• Create a list of three to four bullet points
• Start with action verbs and use concise, yet thorough, language
• Lengthen each bullet point to two to four sentences

Part 7- Noteworthy Achievements and Awards

• Personal Achievement Title
• One or two sentences outlining the circumstances behind and reasons for your title

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Tips for Writing a CV for Graduate Admission

Following are a few tips that will help you in writing an appropriate CV that will help you increase your chances of getting shortlisted. As colleges receive tons of applications, it is important to distinguish ourselves from the crowd.

• Unless specifically requested in the application requirements, do not list a GPA below 3.0 on your résumé.
• It is already assumed that you have completed and finished high school if you list an undergraduate degree.
• Avoid using I or me or other personal pronouns in your resume. 
• Try to keep paragraphs to one to three sentences in length. 
• Do not add contact details of references if not asked.
• When explaining your professional knowledge and any distinctions or medals you have won, be sure to include as much detail as you can.

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Now that you have an understanding of why you need to write a suitable resume and the dos and don’ts of resume writing, better get started on writing one for yourself. For any further queries, feel free to contact our team of excellent counselors by subscribing to Yocket premium .

Frequently Asked Questions about the Graduate Admission Resume

Why do we need to make a resume for university admission?

Graduate programs get a ton of applications, so they need a straightforward method to see why you'd be a perfect fit for their curriculum.

What Should one not do when writing a resume?

Do not mention your GPA (if below 3.0) until they have asked to mention it. You wouldn’t want to ruin your first impression.

How is a college resume different from a resume made for work?

Graduate school resumes are more focused on your academic background not work experience. Work experience is just an added benefit to telling the university you do have an understanding of the professional world.

What do colleges see in a resume?

The colleges seek to know your noteworthy accomplishments, education, and professional background based on which they provide admissions.

Is a resume a necessary document for admissions?

Yes, it is a necessary document as it is a summarized way of providing details about your credentials and qualifications.

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