CV / Résumé for University Applications

A curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé is a brief summary of your education, work experience, skills, and achievements. The distinction between the two terms reflects regional and academic conventions: North America typically uses “résumé” for applications, while the UK and academia use “CV” (though the terms are increasingly interchangeable for university admissions).

For university applications, a one-page résumé is standard for undergraduate and most Master’s programmes, while a two-page academic CV is common for PhD applications, especially in research-intensive fields where publications or substantial research experience are expected.

Key facts

How it works

Undergraduate résumé:

1. Header — Full name, contact email (active), phone number, city/country. No photo (unless stated).
2. Education — School name, graduation date (or expected), relevant coursework (if strong), GPA (if 3.7+; optional otherwise).
3. Work and internship experience — Job title, organisation, dates (month and year), 2–3 bullet points per role focused on achievements and skills (not duties).
4. Extracurricular activities — Leadership, clubs, or sustained commitments; 1–2 bullets per activity.
5. Skills — Languages (with proficiency level), technical skills if relevant.
6. Awards or scholarships — Only if significant (school prize, merit award, or competitive selection).
7. Proofread — No spelling errors; consistent formatting.

Master’s résumé or CV:

Same as undergraduate, plus:

• Research experience — Undergraduate thesis, lab placements, independent projects (title, supervisor, institution, 2–3 bullets explaining findings or methodology).
• Work experience — More substantial; 2–3 years of post-secondary work is typical.
• Extended section: Languages, certifications, or professional memberships (e.g., IEEE membership).

PhD CV:

1. Header — Name, email, phone, institution/affiliation.
2. Education — Degrees, institution, year (reverse chronological); thesis title if applicable.
3. Research experience — Significant research projects, theses, and field work.
4. Publications — Peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations, technical reports. Use standard citation format (APA, IEEE, or discipline-specific).
5. Presentations — Conferences, seminars, poster sessions; distinguish invited from submitted.
6. Awards and funding — Competitive grants, scholarships, fellowships, teaching awards.
7. Teaching experience — TA roles, course design, mentoring.
8. Skills — Computational, laboratory, analytical.
9. Languages and certifications — Proficiency levels.
10. Professional affiliations — Memberships in academic societies.

What reviewers look for

Undergraduate and Master’s:

• Relevant experience — Internships, projects, or volunteer work aligned with your programme
• Leadership or depth — Evidence of sustained commitment, not a list of memberships
• Metrics and outcomes — Quantifiable achievements (“increased efficiency by 25%”) rather than generic duties
• Academic credibility — GPA, relevant coursework, or research if exceptional

PhD:

• Research trajectory — Progression from coursework to independent projects to publications
• Intellectual sophistication — Publications demonstrate engagement with peer review; research shows ability to formulate and test hypotheses
• Fit with adviser — Experience and interests that align with faculty research groups
• Productivity — For PhD, publications or substantial research output is often expected (varies by field)

Red flags:

• Spelling or grammatical errors
• Formatting inconsistencies (different date formats, bullet styles)
• Vague descriptions (“Worked on various projects”)
• Exceeding one page for UG/Master’s or two pages for PhD without strong justification
• Unverifiable claims (admissions committees may contact referees)
• Mixing tenses or using first-person pronouns (use past tense for completed work: “Designed and executed…”)

Common mistakes

• Focusing on duties, not impact: “Answered phones” is weaker than “Processed 50+ customer inquiries daily with 98% satisfaction rating.”
• Including irrelevant experience: A summer retail job is fine context, but focus on the skills (problem-solving, teamwork) not the role itself.
• Poor formatting: Inconsistent bullets, date formats, or font sizes make the CV hard to scan.
• Padding with weak items: Removing two mediocre items strengthens the résumé more than adding them.
• Including GPA if below 3.5: Unless the programme asks for it, omit low GPAs; admissions committees will see your transcript.
• Exceeding one page: For UG and Master’s, discipline yourself to cut; prioritise recent and relevant experience.
• Missing context: “Led a team” without saying how many people or what the outcome was is incomplete.
• Outdated formatting: Multi-colour résumés, graphics, or non-standard fonts often render poorly in automated systems and admissions portals.
• Exaggerating publication status: Distinguish between “published,” “in review,” “in preparation,” and “planned.” Admissions tutors know the difference.

Typical timeline

Sub-variants or sibling concepts

• Academic CV (extended) — Four+ pages for established researchers; includes full publication list, grant history, and extensive teaching record; used for faculty hiring and research funding, not typical for student admissions.
• Targeted résumé — Modified version emphasising skills or experience relevant to a specific role (e.g., research assistant vs. business analyst); sometimes called a “functional résumé.”
• Europass CV — European standard format; used by some European universities and in EU job applications; available as a template.
• Cover letter — Separate one-page letter accompanying a résumé for some applications, explaining fit and motivation (distinct from the résumé itself).
• LinkedIn profile — Online résumé; increasingly reviewed by admissions committees; keep it consistent with your CV.

Primary sources

• University of California Admissions: CV guidelines for graduate programmes (accessed 17 April 2026)
• The Muse, Indeed Career Guide, and Harvard Extension School — practical CV/résumé templates and advice (accessed 17 April 2026)
• Europass: https://europass.eu (European CV standard; accessed 17 April 2026)
• Individual programme websites — Many list CV/résumé requirements and preferred format

Last updated: 2026-04-17.