How to Write an Academic CV for Scholarships and Graduate Study

An academic CV for a scholarship should help reviewers understand your education, relevant experience, achievements and readiness for the programme. It is not simply a list of everything you have ever done. Tailor it to the award and follow the scholarship provider’s format if one is supplied.

Recommended CV sections

• Contact details: Use a professional email address and a reliable phone number. Do not include unnecessary sensitive information.
• Education: List institutions, qualifications, dates and relevant academic details accurately.
• Research or academic projects: Describe dissertations, final-year projects, laboratory work or independent research relevant to the course.
• Work and volunteering: Include responsibilities and outcomes, not just job titles.
• Leadership and service: Mention relevant student leadership, community work or professional associations.
• Skills: Include languages, research methods, software or technical skills that you can genuinely demonstrate.
• Awards and publications: List only verifiable awards, papers, presentations or outputs.
• References: Add them only as instructed and obtain permission before sharing someone’s contact details.

Make achievements concrete

Where possible, explain what you did and the result. Instead of writing “helped with research,” state the task you performed, the methods you used and what the work contributed. Do not invent statistics or inflate your role. If you have limited formal experience, include relevant coursework, projects, volunteering and skills honestly.

Tailor the CV to the scholarship

Read the eligibility criteria and selection priorities. A research award may value project experience and methods, while a leadership programme may place more emphasis on community impact. Use the language of the criteria where it accurately describes your experience, but avoid stuffing the document with keywords.

Formatting tips

• Use clear headings and consistent dates.
• Keep fonts readable and spacing consistent.
• Put the most relevant information near the top.
• Use reverse chronological order within sections when appropriate.
• Save the file in the format requested by the scholarship provider.
• Check the final document on a phone and a computer before uploading.

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not use one unchanged CV for every application, include unverified claims, misspell the scholarship name, or list referees without permission. Check that the dates and qualifications match your transcripts and other documents.

How the CV fits with other application documents

Your CV should complement, not repeat word for word, your personal statement or motivation letter. The CV presents your experience clearly; the statement explains why the opportunity fits your goals. Read our guide on writing a scholarship personal statement and the checklist for scholarship application documents.

Final checklist

Before submitting, confirm that the CV follows the requested length and format, contains accurate information, has no spelling errors, and clearly shows why your background is relevant to the opportunity.