Academic CV Templates: Write a Scholarship-Winning CV

A step-by-step guide that shows you exactly how to write an academic CV for scholarship applications, includes free editable templates, examples, and a follow‑along checklist you can use today.

Why this guide matters to you

Scholarship panels use your CV to quickly judge fit, readiness, and potential.
A clear academic CV multiplies your chance of getting interviews and funding.
This guide gives templates, phrasing, and formatting you can copy and paste.

Start by preparing your facts (dates, titles, publications, supervisors) so you can fill templates fast.

High‑value search phrases and keywords to use (H2)

academic CV for scholarship
academic curriculum vitae template free editable
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academic CV format 2025
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Use these phrases when you search for examples, university guidance, or discipline‑specific samples.

Quick roadmap — what you’ll build

A scholarship‑focused academic CV (one main version + two trimmed variations).
A one‑page alternative (when the panel asks for concise CVs).
A research CV variant emphasizing publications, grants, and methods.
A teaching CV variant emphasizing teaching, supervision, and pedagogy.
A checklist and email template to submit your CV cleanly.

Follow the structure below and plug your content into the templates provided.

Research and sources I used (examples to consult)

Practical, up‑to‑date online guides with sample CVs and scholarship tips (e.g., opportunitiescircle’s academic CV guide) Opportunities Circle.
Scholarship‑oriented CV examples and formatting advice from subject blogs and applicant resources Scholarship Roar.
Regional and discipline templates for masters and PhD applicants with sample entries to adapt monoed.africa.

These sources helped shape the structure, example phrasing, and checklist items shown in this guide Opportunities Circle Scholarship Roar monoed.africa.

What makes an academic CV different from a resume

Length: CVs can run multiple pages; scholarship CVs should remain focused (2–4 pages for Masters; 3–6 pages for PhD/research heavy applicants).
Focus: CVs emphasize education, research, publications, conferences, teaching, and technical skills.
Tone: Use formal, precise language; avoid marketing hyperbole.
Evidence: Provide dates, supervisors, DOI links, and quantifiable outcomes where possible.

Scholarship panels want evidence of research potential and fit more than broad job experience.

Core sections of a scholarship academic CV (order and purpose)

Header: name, contact, ORCID/ResearcherID, nationality (if relevant), and current status.
Profile / Research Summary: two to three lines that state your research focus and goals.
Education: degrees, institutions, thesis titles, supervisors, graduation dates.
Research Experience: projects, responsibilities, methods, outcomes.
Publications & Outputs: peer‑reviewed articles, conference proceedings, preprints, working papers.
Grants, Awards & Scholarships: amounts, sponsor, role (PI/co‑applicant).
Teaching Experience: courses, roles (TA, guest lecturer), materials developed.
Technical Skills & Methods: lab techniques, software, languages, statistical packages.
Conferences & Presentations: selected talks and posters with dates and venues.
Professional Service & Memberships: reviewer roles, society memberships, outreach.
References: 2–4 academic referees with titles and emails.

Arrange sections for maximum impact: put research and publications near the top for PhD scholarship CVs; for taught Masters funding, emphasize teaching and leadership experience.

Formatting rules that win attention

Use a clear serif or sans‑serif font (e.g., Times New Roman 11–12 or Arial 11).
Keep margins 0.8–1 inch; consistent spacing between sections.
Use bold for headings and job titles; keep bullet points short (6–12 words typical).
Use reverse chronological order within each section.
Link DOIs, ORCID, or project pages directly when submitting electronically.

Panels skim quickly; clear formatting helps them find evidence of fit within 20–60 seconds.

Profile / Research summary — how to write it

Two to three lines, active voice, specific outcomes and methods.
Example (PhD applicant): “MSc Biomedical Engineering (First Class). My research examines microfluidic biomarkers for early sepsis diagnosis using ELISA and PCR. I seek PhD funding to expand this work into clinical validation and machine‑learning analysis of biomarker panels.”

Keep it targeted to the scholarship’s priorities (e.g., health systems, climate policy).

Education section — exactly what to include

Degree, specialisation, institution, city, country, dates (month/year).
Thesis title (italic) and supervisor name(s).
Key honors (e.g., First Class, Dean’s List, summa cum laude).
Relevant coursework (for early career applicants only; list 6–8 courses).

Example line:

MSc Environmental Science, University of X, City, Country — Sept 2023–Aug 2024. Thesis: “Urban heat islands and green roofs” (Supervisor: Prof. Jane Doe).

Clarity prevents confusion about degree level and timeline.

Research experience — how to show impact

Use short bullets quantifying your role and outcomes.
Include project title, funder (if any), dates, and your exact tasks.
Emphasize skills and outputs (datasets created, code, experimental protocols).

Example bullets:

Managed field sampling protocol for a 500‑sample air‑quality dataset; led data cleaning and produced R scripts for time‑series analysis.
Co‑authored a working paper on particulate matter trends; presented findings at the National Environmental Health Conference.

Make clear what you did, what tools you used, and what resulted.

Publications & outputs — order and presentation

Group outputs: Peer‑reviewed journal articles; conference proceedings; preprints; technical reports.
Use consistent citation style (APA, Chicago, or the format your field prefers).
Highlight accepted/in‑press items and provide links/DOIs.

Example:

Doe J., Yourname A., Smith R. (2024). “Title.” Journal of Clean Air. doi:10.xxxx/xxxxxx (accepted).

For early career applicants with few publications, include working papers, preprints, and major coursework projects with short descriptions.

Grants, awards & scholarships — show credibility

Provide title, sponsor, amount (if public), date, and role.
Put competitive awards and external grants near the top.

Example:

University Research Fellowship — University of X (2024). Value: $10,000. Role: Principal Investigator. Project: “Pilot microfluidic sensor validation.”

This section proves fundability and recognition.

Teaching experience — what scholarship panels look for

List course title, role (TA/guest lecturer), semester, and institution.
Include number of students, tasks (grading, leading tutorials), and teaching innovations.
If you designed materials or improved pass rates, add one short measurable line.

Example:

Teaching Assistant — Intro to Biostatistics, University of X, Spring 2024. Led weekly tutorials for 60 students; redesigned lab assignment that raised average lab scores by 12%.

Teaching evidence shows you can contribute to departmental missions when funding includes TA duties.

Skills & methods — be specific and honest

Laboratory: e.g., PCR, ELISA, Western blot, flow cytometry.
Software: e.g., Python (Pandas, scikit‑learn), R (tidyverse), MATLAB, Stata, NVivo.
Field skills: GIS, remote sensing, sampling protocols.
Languages: list proficiency level (native / fluent / intermediate / basic).

Panelists often screen CVs by method fit; list the relevant methods near the top for quick matching.

Conferences & presentations — what to show

Title, event name, location, date, and presentation type (oral/poster).
Highlight invited talks and keynote or symposium participation.

Example:

“Sepsis biomarker pipelines.” Oral presentation, Global Biomarkers Symposium, London, Sept 2024.

Include upcoming accepted talks as they indicate active engagement.

Professional service & leadership — short and meaningful

Reviewer roles, editorial work, student leadership, outreach events.
Indicate impact: if you organised a conference or led a volunteer program, include participant numbers or outcomes.

Example:

Graduate Student Representative, Department of Biology (2023–24). Organized three research seminars with an average attendance of 120.

Service shows engagement beyond personal research and fits scholarship expectations for leadership.

References — how to list them

Provide 2–4 referees, including full name, title, affiliation, and email.
Prefer referees who can comment on your research potential and integrity.
If the scholarship requires confidential letters, note “References available on request” and provide them via referee submission systems.

Always ask permission before listing referees and confirm they can write within the scholarship timeline.

Free editable academic CV templates (how to use them)

Template A — Research CV (PhD focus)
- Header, Research Summary, Education, Research Experience, Publications, Grants, Teaching, Skills, Conferences, Service, References.
Template B — Teaching & TA CV (Masters or teaching‑heavy roles)
- Header, Teaching Summary, Education, Teaching Experience, Pedagogy Training, Sample Syllabi (link), Skills, References.
Template C — One‑page condensed CV (for short applications)
- Header, 3–4 line research summary, Education, Key Publications/Outputs (3 items), Key Skills, Top Award(s), References.

How to use:

Copy the template into Word/Google Docs.
Replace placeholder text with your facts.
Save a PDF named “CV_YourName_ScholarshipName.pdf”.

Keep both a long master CV and trimmed versions tailored to each application.

Example academic CV snippets you can copy

Education

MSc Applied Physics, University of X, City, Country — Sept 2022–Aug 2023. Thesis: “Nanomaterial sensors for air pollutants” (Supervisor: Prof. Jane Doe).

Research Experience

Research Assistant — Nanomaterials Lab, University of X — Oct 2022–Aug 2023. Designed sensor calibration experiments; maintained sensor fleet; wrote Python scripts for data processing; co‑authored two conference abstracts.

Publications

Yourname A., Doe J. (2024). “Title of paper.” Journal of Sensors. doi:10.xxxx/xxxxx (in press).

Awards

University Merit Scholarship for MSc study — University of X (2022). Value: Full tuition + monthly stipend.

These concise lines show roles, dates, methods, and outputs — the essential evidence reviewers need.

Tailoring your CV to specific scholarship calls

Read the call carefully and mirror its keywords in your CV (e.g., “community health”, “women’s leadership”, “machine learning”).
Put the most relevant section first (e.g., for a teaching fellowship, put teaching near the top).
Use the scholarship language in your Research Summary and in bullets where relevant.

Matching language increases perceived fit and improves keyword scanning for automated checks.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Mistake: Overlong CV with irrelevant jobs. Fix: Remove unrelated work or move it to “Additional Experience.”
Mistake: Vague bullets (e.g., “Assisted with experiments”). Fix: Be specific: “Designed and validated 3 PCR assays; processed 120 clinical samples.”
Mistake: Missing dates or supervisor names. Fix: Add exact month/year ranges and supervisors for clarity.
Mistake: Poor formatting (inconsistent fonts and spacing). Fix: Use a template and check alignment.

Panels reward clarity; a tidy, evidence‑dense CV beats a flashy but vague one.

Table: Quick comparison — CV variants and when to use them

CV Variant	Length	Best for	Put this section first
Research CV (PhD)	3–6 pages	PhD scholarships; research grants	Research Summary / Publications
Teaching CV (TA focus)	2–4 pages	TA funding, teaching fellowships	Teaching Summary / Experience
One‑page CV	1 page	Short forms, initial screenings	Research Summary / Key outputs
Professional CV	2–3 pages	Industry internships or professional masters	Experience / Skills

Choose the variant that matches the scholarship’s priorities; always keep a master CV to pull sections from.

Submitting your CV — technical tips

Submit PDF unless the call asks for DOCX; PDFs preserve formatting.
Name files clearly: CV_FirstLast_Scholarship.pdf.
If uploading multiple documents, ensure the CV is the first file or labeled “CV.”
If email submissions are allowed, attach the CV and include a short one‑par email with the key pitch and links.

Follow submission instructions precisely; administrative errors disqualify many otherwise strong candidates.

How to write a one‑line CV headline and email subject that gets opened

CV headline example: “PhD applicant — biomarker discovery; 3 peer‑reviewed preprints; full funding sought”
Email subject example: “Application: Scholarship X — Researcher in urban climate resilience (CV attached)”

Short, specific subject lines improve open and read rates among busy committees.

Using online profiles and links

Include ORCID, Google Scholar, personal website, or GitHub in your header.
Link to relevant outputs (preprints, code repos, project pages).
Ensure linked profiles are polished and match CV claims.

Panels often click links; broken or empty pages harm credibility.

Checklist: final proofread and validation

Dates verified and consistent across documents.
Links (DOIs, ORCID) working.
Spelling and grammar checked (use Grammarly or a peer).
Referees contacted and ready.
File named correctly and PDF tested on multiple devices.

A final 10‑minute review avoids simple errors that can cost opportunities.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: How long should my academic CV be for scholarship panels?
A: For Masters applications aim for 2–4 pages; for PhD applicants 3–6 pages. Keep it focused and relevant.

Q: Should I include non‑academic jobs?
A: Only if they demonstrate transferable skills (project management, leadership) or relevance to the scholarship.

Q: Do I list ongoing projects or only completed work?
A: List both, but clearly mark ongoing work as “in progress” with expected completion dates.

Q: How do I present group projects?
A: State your role and quantify contributions (e.g., “Led data analysis; wrote 40% of manuscript”).

Q: Can I use the same CV for multiple scholarships?
A: Use a master CV, then tailor a trimmed version for each call to emphasize the most relevant points.

Sample email for CV submission

Subject: Scholarship Application — [Your Name] — CV attached

Dear [Committee/Name],

Please find attached my academic CV and supporting documents for the [Scholarship name]. I am an MSc graduate in [field] and my research focuses on [one‑line research summary]. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my application.

Kind regards,
[Your name] | [Email] | [Phone] | ORCID: [id]

Keep the email short and attach the CV as the main document.

Additional resources and where to learn more

For practical samples and step‑by‑step examples, see an online academic CV guide and template collection such as “How to Write CV for Scholarship 2025” (offers structure and examples) Opportunities Circle.
Read curated lists and sample CVs tailored to scholarships from specialist blogs that provide real‑world phrasing you can adapt Scholarship Roar.
For Masters and PhD specific samples, regional guides collect examples tailored for scholarship applications and research proposals monoed.africa.

Use these resources to expand or cross‑check your template and phrasing Opportunities Circle Scholarship Roar monoed.africa.

Final checklist — what to do next (action plan)

Create a master CV (long form) with all sections filled.
Build two trimmed templates: Research CV and One‑page CV.
Tailor the relevant CV for each scholarship by reordering sections and mirroring keywords.
Ask two peers or mentors to review for clarity and evidence.
Confirm referees and prepare a short email to request letters.
Submit within deadlines and follow submission formatting rules.

A systematic approach beats last‑minute edits.

If you want, I can:

Produce three editable CV templates (PhD Research CV, TA Teaching CV, One‑page CV) in Google Docs format tailored to your field.
Review your existing CV and rewrite it to match a specific scholarship call.
Draft a short set of email templates to request references and submit applications.

Tell me which template or review you’d like first and provide your current CV or main details to tailor the output.

“How to Write an Academic CV for Scholarship Applications (Free Editable Templates)”