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Academic Resume Example and Writing Guide

An academic CV differs from a job resume: it starts with education (degree, field, university, GPA and thesis title if any), then research, publications and conferences, then teaching, grants and awards, then research skills and referees. Use it for university admission, scholarships, master’s and PhD programmes, and teaching assistant or lecturer posts. It may run past two pages, but every line in it must be verifiable.

Your focus in this field

Put education first, then research, publications, teaching and conferences, with supervisors or referees if requested.

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Academic resume example from Astr
The full example text

Your full name

Academic

Your city · name@example.com · Your phone

Professional summary

MSc in biochemistry with research-assistant experience on a department project and supervised undergraduate lab teaching, applying for a funded PhD programme.

Work experience

Organization nameActual dates
  • Ran the department project’s experiments, recorded results in the lab notebook and helped draft a research paper.
  • Taught second-year biochemistry labs and marked reports against the assessment rubric.
  • Presented a poster on the project’s results at a university student conference.
  • Reviewed the prior literature for the project and organized references in a reference manager.

Education and qualifications

MSc Biochemistry · [University] · Graduation year · Thesis title

Skills in this example

Research · Academic writing · SPSS · Experimental design · Reference management · Academic English

Fictional example; replace every detail with your own experience.

What to write

What goes first on the resume?

  1. Education in detail: degree, field, university, graduation year and GPA, and your project or thesis title.
  2. Research and publications: published or accepted papers in full reference style, conferences and posters.
  3. Teaching, grants and awards, then research skills (analysis software, languages) and referees.

Starting your career?

A bachelor’s graduate applying for a teaching assistant post or a master’s lists their GPA and class rank if known, the graduation project, advanced courses and any research or teaching help.

By specialty

Applying for a scholarship
Link your study plan to the required field, give your language test and score, and attach a statement of purpose if the sponsor asks for one.
Applying for a teaching assistant post
Lead with your GPA and class rank if known, relevant courses, the graduation project and any teaching or lab assistance.
Applying for a master’s or PhD
Give the thesis or research project title and supervisor, publications and conferences, and the research skills you will use in the programme.

Explain your work, not generic qualities

Two lines: your field, the nature of your work and your core tools.

MSc in biochemistry with research-assistant experience on a department project and supervised undergraduate lab teaching, applying for a funded PhD programme.

Experience a reader can understand

The task and what you did, with a result only when you can prove it.

Instead of a generic description

Outstanding researcher with a passion for science.

A more specific example

Ran the department project’s experiments, recorded results in the lab notebook and helped draft a research paper.

Skills backed by evidence

Possible examples, not requirements; choose what you have actually practised.

  • Research
  • Academic writing
  • SPSS
  • Experimental design
  • Reference management
  • Academic English

How do you show it?

State the skill with its output: “academic writing” is proved by a published or accepted paper or a completed thesis, not by the description alone.

Certificates, licences and links

Language tests required for admission (such as IELTS or TOEFL) with score and date, equivalency for degrees earned abroad, and research profile links such as ORCID or Google Scholar if you have them.

Review your version before sending

A personal checklist, not an ATS score or acceptance guarantee.

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FAQs

What should a Academic resume emphasize?

Put education first, then research, publications, teaching and conferences, with supervisors or referees if requested. Education in detail: degree, field, university, graduation year and GPA, and your project or thesis title.

How do I write a CV for a scholarship or graduate study?

Start with education and GPA, then research, publications and conferences, then teaching, awards and your language test. Tie each section to the programme you are applying for, and add referees if requested.

What should I put on a CV for a teaching assistant post?

Your GPA and class rank if known, advanced courses in the field, the graduation project, any research or teaching assistance, then skills, languages and faculty referees.

Does the button download this example as a PDF?

No. It opens the editor, where you write your resume with your own details, choose a design and download it as a PDF after signing in. A free account includes 3 total PDF downloads with free designs. Some designs require Pro.

Does this example guarantee ATS acceptance?

No. Clear text and standard headings make automated reading easier, but no example or design guarantees acceptance.

Borrow the structure. Tell your own story.

Open the editor, add your details and choose a design before downloading.

Start your resume in the editor

A free account includes 3 total PDF downloads with free designs. Some designs require Pro.