how to put future grad school on resume

Career Development

How to List Education in Progress on Your Resume (+ Examples)

Marsha Hebert, professional resume writer

10 min read

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Are you unsure about how to list your in-progress education on your resume? Many people are, including current students, students taking online classes, and people taking a break from their degree programs.

Is it acceptable to include unfinished degrees on a resume?

ZipJob’s career experts agree that education in progress should usually be included on a resume. A degree in progress is still important to employers, as well as a degree that was started and holds relevance to a position. However, it needs to be included in an honest way so it’s an accurate reflection of your learning and accomplishments.

If you’re currently pursuing a degree, here is how you can list education in progress on your resume – plus some examples for you to use as templates on your own resume.

Key Takeaway

KEY TAKEAWAY: Are you working on a degree and want to tell prospective employers about your efforts? These tips can help you to list your in-progress education on your resume.

How to list education in progress on a resume

There are two things you need to learn if you want to know how to list education in progress on your resume. The first is how to provide that information in a way that clearly conveys your education status to an employer. The second is where to place that information in the body of your resume. With respect to the how, there are a few different ways to convey these details. There are only a couple of basic rules to follow when you list these education details:

Be as clear as possible. You don’t want to give the employer the wrong impression, after all. If you have completed one degree and are pursuing advanced education, be sure to clearly state that fact. If your degree is not yet complete, be clear about that as well.

Be honest. If you are in the process of withdrawing from school, don’t list that educational program. Don’t try to enhance your education section in any way. Just state the facts in an honest way.

Feel free to include in-progress university degrees , as well as online degrees that you may be pursuing. Both are popular in 2023/2024.

Resume degree in progress examples

When you include details indicating that you’re currently pursuing a degree on your resume, it’s important to provide clarity. The last thing you want is to inadvertently leave the impression that you’re trying to pretend like you’ve completed the degree. And while it might be tempting to just note that the degree is still a work-in-progress, we believe that you should be even more specific. The best way to do that is to include the anticipated graduation date.

Now, if you’re like many students, you may not be entirely sure that you’ll complete your degree by a set date. However, that shouldn’t stop you from providing an anticipated date of completion. In fact, it’s essential that you provide this information so that employers know that you’re serious about your studies. This is especially true in cases where the job you’re seeking requires that degree. Fortunately, it’s a relatively easy task to accomplish.

We wrote a good post here on how to include an MBA on a resume.

For example, check out this listing from a sample resume with a master’s degree in progress:

Master of Business Administration (MBA), Human Resources Program

Dynamic University, Anytown, AnyState. Expected completion 2025

If you’re closer to graduation and are more certain about the date, you can use something like this:

Graduate Studies, Computer Engineering

XYZ University, MyCity, MyState, Graduation Date: Spring, 2024

What if I don't expect to finish the degree?

If you are taking a break from your education (or a permanent hiatus) you need to consider whether or not the coursework you did complete is relevant. Ask yourself:

Is this degree related to the job I'm applying for?

Is this degree more relevant to the job than my other relevant experience including jobs, volunteer work, or certifications?

Is this in-progress degree recent enough? (Can I still remember what I learned? Has a lot changed in the industry since I learned it?)

Is having a degree required for this job?

While you should never lie about having a degree you don't have, including any progress made toward a required degree may help you reach the interview stage. The trick is you have to be qualified for the job in every other aspect. If you don't have an MBA, but you do have 10+ years in the business field, you may still have a shot at landing the interview.

To accurately represent this on your resume, don't include a prospective graduation date. Instead, try including the number of credits and the years you attended.

University of California, Riverside (2019 to 2021) | Riverside, CA

36 units toward a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Cultural Studies

EXPERT TIP: View 200+ more professional resume samples for all industries, along with a guide to writing resumes from our career experts.

Should I include other information about my degree?

You may want to consider whether you should list relevant coursework and major projects on your resume. In general, work experience is more compelling than education, but either way, adding classes that you’ve taken or capstone-type projects can elevate your resume with more relevant keywords.

Relevant coursework

Adding relevant coursework to the education section of your resume can be a great idea, especially if you lack the professional experience needed to set you apart from other job seekers. The great thing about adding coursework is that you can include it whether you’ve finished your degree or not. Here’s what it would look like:

Bachelor of Arts in Media and Cultural Studies | University of Chicago (GPA: 3.89)

Relevant Coursework: Media Technology, Games Culture, Intercultural Communication, Web Design, Advanced Video Production, Multimedia Performance, and Strategic Social Media

Adding coursework isn’t a place to dump every class you took pursuing your degree. Rather, it’s a place to inject relevant keywords into your resume. So, if the job description calls for someone with experience in video production and you haven’t had a job that allowed you access to that but you did take a class in college, then you can add it to your Education section.

Related read: Relevant Coursework on a Resume: Good or Bad?

Capstone or other major projects

Similar to adding coursework, you can talk about projects you’ve worked on. Remember that relevancy is critical. You should always be thinking about how your experience and education relate to what the prospective employer is looking for in a new hire. If you need to add something else on your resume that helps you demonstrate skills or knowledge, a project from school can be just the ticket. Write the project details in your Education section in the same way you’d write a job role – meaning, use bullet points to call attention to things you achieved as you worked on the project. Here’s what that looks like:

Notable project: Project title

Describe the project and goals along with how many team members were involved

Talk about what you did – your role – to achieve the project goals

Mention the skills you gained – “Honed skills in [skill 1], [skill 2], and [skill 3]

If you won an award or earned some recognition for a project well done, write about it

Where to place education in progress on your resume

The second issue you need to address is placement. Where should you place these details when you’re trying to figure out how to list education in progress on a resume? There are two main possibilities, depending upon whether the degree is needed for the job you’re seeking.

If the job requirements include the degree that you’re pursuing, then you should try to emphasize that information in your resume. Position it near the beginning of your resume, after the summary section. That way, the employer will see that you’re close to completing that requirement before he or she delves any further into the document. This placement helps showcase your interest and suitability right away.

On the other hand, you should place this detail later in the resume if the degree isn’t needed for the position. In that instance, you can put your work history and skills higher up in the resume and leave your education for the end.

Tie it all together in your cover letter

Don’t forget about the power of your cover letter . Since your cover letter is meant to complement your resume, a degree in progress could give you another opportunity to sell the point that you are qualified for the role. Talking about education in progress or unfinished education in your cover letter can also allow you to explain any gaps on your resume that are related to pursuing education.

Gaps can happen if you decide to go to school, and then change your mind. If you didn’t work while you were in school, then you’ll have a gap. It’s not something to fret about, gaps happen all the time. You just have to be ready to explain why it exists and being able to tell a story about how you were actively working to improve your qualifications and skills can go a long way in showing future employers your dedication to continuous improvement.

As always, whether you bring up unfinished education in your cover letter depends on whether it’s relevant to the job you’re applying to. If it doesn’t add value to your job application, then leave it off.

Here are some example statements you can use when mentioning a resume degree in progress on your cover letter:

I am currently pursuing a degree in [field or industry] to enhance my skills in [skill 1], [skill 2], and [skill 3].

While my education journey is still ongoing, I’m excited to apply the knowledge I’ve gained to the [position name] role.

I am actively working toward completing my [degree name] to meet the educational requirements for this position.

A final note: grade point average

We should also address another common question that we encounter: do you need to include your grade point average ? There are different schools of thought on this, so it’s really up to you. As a rule, however, most experts agree that it’s generally unwise to include anything less than the best GPAs. That typically means leaving it out unless it’s at least 3.5. In most instances, however, you won’t need to include that detail unless the job description requires a certain grade point average or you’re seeking a job at a major firm.

For your resume, a degree in progress is one more tool for success!

As you can see, it is not difficult to enhance your resume with a degree in progress. Yes, you need to know the right format to use, and where to list that information. Still, it is a relatively simple thing to handle if you stick to the basic principles we’ve outlined here. So, be sure to include those educational details, to showcase your developing skills and help you stand out from the crowd!

Marsha Hebert, Professional Resume Writer

Marsha is a resume writer with a strong background in marketing and writing. After completing a Business Marketing degree, she discovered that she could combine her passion for writing with a natural talent for marketing. For more than 10 years, Marsha has helped companies and individuals market themselves. Read more advice from Marsha on ZipJob's blog .

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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.

Lisa Marlin https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/lisa-marlin/ ACBSP Vs AACSB: Which Business Program Accreditations is Better?
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Building a Standout Graduate School Resume

Examples and advice on curriculum vitae & grad school resumes.

Graduate school often requires a resume or curriculum vitae for admission. Understand the difference and see examples of how to create a standout graduate school resume or CV.

Nearly all graduate programs require a grad school application resume. Prospective students need to craft a curriculum vitae (CV) or an academic resume showing their educational background, employment history, research experience, internships, volunteer work, and academic achievements.

A resume for applying to graduate school needs to make a strong impression quickly. According to research from Glassdoor , recruiters look at a resume for just six seconds before deciding whether to reject an applicant. The guide below offers future graduate students help with creating a CV or resume. Students can peruse templates, advice from experts, and other resources to create a standout resume that should impress an admissions committee and lead to a positive decision.

Graduate School Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae

Most graduate schools request a CV or a graduate school resume as part of the admissions process. While fundamental differences exist between a CV and a resume, both can help an admissions officer understand an applicant's background, experience, and knowledge. Therefore, using a good curriculum vitae template or following excellent grad school resume examples can boost a prospective student's chances of admission.

Why do graduate schools want CVs?

Graduate school admissions offices usually want to see a CV for the same reason human resources officers want to see a resume. This easy-to-read document helps them understand who an applicant is and whether or not they might make a good candidate to accept into the school or workplace.

What do grad programs usually request?

Most graduate programs in the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences request CVs; admissions committees in these disciplines want to know about a prospective student's academic and research abilities. Alternatively, business schools and law schools may request a resume since these programs focus more on career preparation for executive-level work.

How are CVs and resumes similar?

Both CVs and resumes contain a brief written history of an individual's accomplishments, experiences, and skills. Both act as marketing documents that help an individual land an interview with a potential employer or university program. Both also provide key contact information.

How are CVs and resumes different?

A CV usually includes a longer, more detailed account of a person's academic history and research background, while a resume focuses on their employment history and applied achievements. A CV may consist of 2-3 pages of information -- even for an entry-level candidate -- whereas a resume rarely runs more than a single page.

The following table provides more details about the differences and similarities between a CV and a resume.

Ten Characteristics of a Standout Graduate School Resume or CV

For a graduate student's resume or CV to stand out, it must catch the interest of the admissions team. The following checklist can help keep a resume or CV on track.

Keep It Focused: A resume should highlight career achievements and academic work. Avoid including irrelevant experiences and save most descriptors for cover letters and interviews. Bullet points can help sharpen a resume's focus.
Include Internships and Volunteer Work: A resume can include more than paid employment. Internships and volunteer work that demonstrate skills and talents needed for the prospective program or job can boost a resume's content.
Mention Academic Accomplishments: A CV or resume can include a student's GPA, a list of academic awards, or even a sample of coursework. However, make sure included information is relevant to the target program.
Employ an Easy-to-follow Format: Every so often, a creative new resume format appears online. However, many managers and admissions officers find these formats confusing since they are accustomed to reading resumes in one of four or five standard styles.
Error-free Text: Admissions committees facing a stack of resumes often use errors as a way to sift through the pile. A well-proofed resume should contain no spelling errors, and it needs to demonstrate consistency in spacing and alignment.
Include Technical Competencies: Listing relevant technical skills, such as proficiency with programming languages or operating systems, can help make a resume stand out. Specific examples should support any claim of technical competency.
Call Out Awards, Grants, and Honors: Many potential graduate students have received awards, written successful grant proposals, and/or achieved an academic honor. Resumes can include this information -- either in a separate section or embedded in the standard education or employment sections.
Use Professional Styles: An easy-to-read style often trumps a creative presentation. Students should write resumes and CVs using 12-point font, bolded headlines, bullet points, and Times New Roman or another serif font.
Makes Use of Strong Verbs: As in all writing, verbs form the basis of powerful expression. The best resumes rely on verbs instead of adjectives to demonstrate a robust educational and professional background.
Flows Logically: An admissions team wants to see that a candidate can organize information in a systematic and logical way. Doing so on a resume can set a candidate apart as a clear and organized individual.

Templates of Successful Grad School Resumes and CVs

Writing a resume or CV can feel daunting, especially when you are trying to stuff years of education and research into one or two pages. Thankfully, you can organize your information logically by using a template. Look over the following examples of academic resumes and CVs from various institutions.

Resume Template Library

Completed Examples

Sample CV for Master of Environmental Studies
Sample Resume for Master of Liberal Arts
Template for a CV in Sciences and Engineering
Template for a CV in the Humanities
Sample CV for Students in Policy-related Programs
Sample CV for Students in Teaching-related Programs

Need to write your statement of purpose?

Use this guide to learn what academic departments look for, how to structure a winning statement, and what our expert has to say on the matter.

Writing a Successful Grad School Statement of Purpose

Expert FAQ: Additional Answers About CV and Grad School Resume Building

Erin lewis, career liaison.

Erin Lewis has worked in the Center for Career and Professional Development at Clarion University for the past 12 years and currently serves as a career liaison to education and training, arts and communication, and human services. As a professional staff member who specializes in resume writing, Erin trains and supervises the peer resume review team at Clarion University and has developed a resume assessment rubric for use with multiple courses.

Erin has an interest and specialty in online career services. She created virtual delivery of services through the university's online learning platform, which includes topics on the basics of resume writing, applicant tracking system resumes, keywords on resumes, and customizing resumes for a job search. Erin also created video resume reviews for students who are unable to meet in person for resume consultations.

What problems do you see grad students running into a lot when they are building out their resume?

A common problem for graduate students who are just building a resume is becoming overwhelmed. They have acquired many skills and experiences and don't know where to begin, what to include, or how much to include.

What advice do you give grad students who are building a resume but might not have a lot of job experience?

When I work with graduate students who might not have a lot of job experience, I first work with the individuals to assess and inventory their skill sets. From talking with employers, we know that a high value is placed on candidates who possess communication, critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, information technology application, and leadership skills; professionalism; and career management and global/intercultural fluency.

Candidates who can provide evidence on their resume of how they have gained these skills and applied them in a multitude of settings can be just as successful as candidates with work experience. Job experience is beneficial, but students should never discount the skill sets they have gained from clubs and organizations, volunteerism, classroom projects, or study abroad experiences.

Using the right words to articulate your skills on a resume clearly and concisely is extremely important. Incorporating industry-specific keywords and highlighting your KASE (knowledge, achievements, skills, and experiences) is critical to stand out in today's competitive job market!

Should grad students include a line about their references in their resume?

A line about references really depends on each application. If you are applying to a position that has already requested your references, it is not necessary to include any phrase on the resume regarding references -- simply include them in your application materials.

If you are attending a career fair or similar networking event, a line regarding references available upon request is acceptable but often unnecessary.

What kind of licensure or certifications should grad students list?

Every resume should be customized and tailored for each specific application. Your first priority is to include any licensure or certifications that the position description lists as required. Your second priority is to include what is preferred, followed by any additional licensure or certifications that will help to differentiate you from the competition!

Keep in mind MORE does not always mean BETTER. Employers, on average, spend 6-8 seconds on your resume. Include what is most relevant and keep descriptions clear and to the point.

Should someone's resume look different if they are an undergrad student vs. a working professional?

Every resume is as unique as the person who is writing it! Even students who sit in the same classes together are going to have varying experiences to include on their resumes. This means that while the basics of resume writing are the same for all individuals, working professionals may have different section headings and a different content order compared to a traditional undergraduate student. Additionally, working professionals will most likely have more work experience and content to include on their resume.

If you are a working professional looking to revise your resume, consider listing your work experience section first -- employers typically place a high value on this section. Additionally, any other relevant skills and experiences that relate to the position you are applying for should emphasize abilities and qualifications that match the job description. Remember, one of the most critical actions you can take with your resume is to tailor it to the company or position to which you are applying.

Should students always include a cover letter? Or just when it is indicated in an application description?

A cover letter is almost always important, even when it isn't specifically indicated in an application description. If you email your resume to a particular individual, the body of the email becomes your cover letter. If you upload your resume into an online database and there is no space for a cover letter, it is best to copy and paste your cover letter into the comment box of the application.

Be cautious with your writing communication. Your correspondence with potential employers should always be professional -- whether via email or online forms.

What is the best format to send a resume in?

The best format in which to send a resume is how the employer requests it. Be sure to read the job posting for specific application instructions. If there is no request for a specific type of document format, save the file as a PDF and send it as an attachment.

The name of your resume file matters! If you use a file name such as "resume" or "new_resume," you won't stand out and your file can be difficult to sort. It can also give the impression that you don't really care about the job enough to pay attention to details. Instead of a generic file name, use a format such as "Firstname_lastname_resume" to make it easier for an employer to find your documents.

When you are emailing your job documents, be sure to use a clear subject, such as "First Name Last Name Application." Carefully proofread all of your documents and correspondence to avoid errors.

Additional Resources for CV and Resume Help for Grad School

The list below includes a selection of articles from various websites related to job searching, resume writing, and bridging the gap between graduate school and the work world. Some websites target the general population, while others specifically focus on the academic community.

CareerOneStop : Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, this site offers extensive job search resources. Students can find a wealth of articles on writing resumes, crafting cover letters, and acing interviews.
How to Write a Curriculum Vitae : Published by the American Academy of Family Physicians, this guide provides a template for graduate students to use when creating a CV for jobs. The article includes a list of headings along with formatting tips.
How To Write Your Human-voiced Resume : Published in Forbes, this article offers a new take on creating a resume using storytelling, person-to-person language, and anecdotal evidence for career claims. The advice in this article could also help a student write a cover letter.
Resume Builder : Resume Builder helps users craft an effective resume using its online tool. The site also offers templates, examples, formats, and tips for writing both resumes and cover letters.
Resume Help : This site provides a variety of resources for job seekers, including a free tool that lets users put data into a professional resume template and then export the result to Microsoft Word or to a PDF.
Succeeding in Grad School : PhDs.org is a data-based site that helps doctoral students choose a program and achieve success. It published this list of 10 articles discussing success in grad school, including advice on finding a job.
Tips, Ideas, and Advice for Making the Most of Graduate School from GoGrad : This site offers extensive resources for graduate students across a variety of subjects, including how to write a winning personal statement and how to write a successful statement of purpose.
Versatile PhD : A total of 62 higher education institutions participate in the Versatile PhD -- a site that helps doctoral students create a bridge to professional careers. Users can use the site's tools to identify career options, participate in events, and learn about career searches.
What Predicts Grad School Success : This article from the American Psychological Association looks at the various factors that research shows are keys to finishing a graduate program, including curiosity, conscientiousness, native intelligence, and emotional intelligence.
Writing the Curriculum Vitae : One of the internet's most extensive and authoritative resources for academic writing, the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University published this comprehensive article on writing a curriculum vitae.

• Managed and analyzed large datasets resulting in actionable insights for clients
• Designed, implemented and interpreted results of A/B testing leading to 10% increase in customer engagement
• Developed predictive models with improved accuracy by 20%
• Oversaw data migration of 2 million customer records with 99.9% accuracy
• Developed and implemented 5 machine learning models for forecasting
• Streamlined data processing procedures reducing processing time by 30%
• Led the experimental design for 3 major projects leading to significant insights
• Developed and deployed a customer segmentation model used across the entire business
• Reduced data redundancy by 40% through ETL processes

5 Grad School Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your grad school resume must be a clear showcase of your academic journey. Highlight your highest achievements and relevant coursework. Focus on research experience and any publications to exhibit your expertise. Include presentations or conferences where you've shared your knowledge.

All resume examples in this guide

Resume Guide

Crafting an impeccable grad school resume format in four steps, the experience section of your grad school resume: your professional journey, how to create an impactful grad school resume skills section, highlighting your educational and certification milestones on your grad school resume, summary or objective: making your grad school resume shine, extra sections to include in your grad school resume, key takeaways.

Graduate students often struggle with showcasing their extensive academic skills and research experiences in a concise, impactful manner on a resume. Our guide can help by providing strategies for effectively highlighting relevant coursework, teaching experience, publications, and research projects, ensuring that grad school accomplishments are represented powerfully and succinctly.

Enhance your application for the grad school role with our concise guide on how to:

Format your grad school resume, ensuring a balance between professionalism and creativity, in line with best practices.
Align your resume with the grad school job requirements by incorporating relevant industry keywords.
Utilize distinct resume sections to highlight your skills and achievements, making a case for why you're the top pick for the grad school role.
Draw from leading grad school resume examples to effectively tailor your experience.

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functional skill-based resume format - that puts the main focus on your skills and accomplishments;
hybrid resume format - to get the best of both worlds with your grad school experience and skills.

Recruiters' top picks for grad school resume sections:

A header with essential contact details and a headline showcasing your current role.
A summary or objective that aligns your standout expertise with the role's demands.
An experience section that delves into your key responsibilities and achievements.
A skills section that intertwines job requirements with your unique capabilities.
Education and certifications sections that bolster your professional credentials.

What recruiters want to see on your resume:

Relevant Academic Accomplishments: This includes any coursework, research projects, or thesis work that align with the course you're applying for.
Prior Experiences: Internships, co-op positions, part-time jobs, or any other relevant professional experiences.
Potential for Contribution to the Program: Examples could be leadership roles in student organizations, volunteering experiences, or other activities where you've demonstrated initiative and impact.
Awards and Honors: Any merit-based scholarships, academic awards, or recognition from previous studies or work environments.
Skills and Abilities: Technical and soft skills relevant to your field of study. These could include programming languages, data analysis capabilities, project management, problem-solving, and communication skills.
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The experience section is your platform to narrate your professional story. Recruiters scrutinize this section to gauge your unique value proposition.

Here are five steps to craft a compelling experience section:

Highlight relevant roles, including the company, role description, and tenure, supported by up to six bullet points per role.
Emphasize tangible outcomes of your contributions, using quantifiable metrics where possible.
Integrate positive feedback or endorsements to bolster your claims.
Ensure verb tense consistency when detailing responsibilities.
Summarize significant achievements relevant to each role.

Explore how seasoned grad school professionals have crafted their experience sections to secure roles at industry-leading firms.

Led a team of 5 researchers in designing and conducting experiments, resulting in the development of a groundbreaking algorithm for image recognition.
Collaborated with industry experts to publish 3 research papers on machine learning in reputable journals.
Implemented data analysis techniques and created visualizations to extract meaningful insights from large datasets, contributing to a 20% increase in accuracy of predictive models.
Designed and delivered presentations on complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences, receiving positive feedback for clarity and effectiveness.
Developed and maintained software tools to automate data collection, reducing manual effort by 30%.
Managed a team of 10 engineers, overseeing the successful completion of multiple large-scale infrastructure projects within budget and ahead of schedule.
Implemented Lean Six Sigma methodologies, resulting in a 15% reduction in project delivery time and ensuring efficient resource allocation.
Led the development and implementation of safety protocols, resulting in zero lost-time incidents over a period of three years.
Collaborated with cross-functional teams to optimize processes and streamline operations, achieving a cost savings of $500,000 annually.
Negotiated contracts and managed vendor relationships, resulting in a 10% decrease in procurement costs.
Designed and executed marketing campaigns across multiple channels, resulting in a 30% increase in lead generation and a 20% boost in conversion rates.
Conducted market research and competitive analysis to identify new business opportunities, leading to the launch of two successful product lines.
Managed social media accounts and implemented targeted advertising strategies, growing the company's online presence by 50% within one year.
Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and launch a customer loyalty program, increasing customer retention by 25%.
Analyzed sales data and customer feedback to identify trends and make data-driven recommendations for product enhancements.
Developed and maintained web applications using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, resulting in an intuitive user interface and improved user experience.
Collaborated with UX designers to implement responsive designs and optimize website performance, resulting in a 40% decrease in page load time.
Performed testing and debugging to ensure high-quality code and resolved issues, resulting in a 20% reduction in software bugs.
Integrated third-party APIs and implemented new features, resulting in increased functionality and improved client satisfaction.
Participated in code reviews and provided constructive feedback to team members, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Managed end-to-end recruitment process, from sourcing candidates to conducting interviews and negotiating job offers, resulting in a 30% reduction in time-to-hire.
Developed and implemented employee training programs, resulting in a 20% increase in employee productivity and job satisfaction.
Streamlined HR processes and implemented an automated HRIS system, reducing administrative overhead by 25%.
Conducted salary benchmarking and market research to ensure competitive compensation packages, resulting in improved talent retention.
Implemented performance management systems and facilitated performance reviews, resulting in more objective feedback and employee development.
Led a team of data analysts in identifying key business trends and providing actionable insights to drive strategic decision-making.
Developed predictive models using machine learning algorithms to optimize inventory levels and reduce stockouts, resulting in a 15% reduction in holding costs.
Created dashboards and reports using BI tools, enabling stakeholders to monitor KPIs and make data-driven decisions in real-time.
Collaborated with cross-functional teams to define data requirements and ensure data integrity, resulting in improved accuracy of business analytics.
Implemented data governance framework and established data quality standards, resulting in a 20% improvement in data reliability.
Performed financial statement analysis and risk assessments to evaluate investment opportunities, resulting in informed investment recommendations.
Conducted comprehensive market research to identify emerging trends and potential investment risks, informing portfolio diversification strategies.
Managed client relationships, providing personalized investment advice and achieving a 95% client retention rate.
Assisted in the development of investment strategies and asset allocation models, resulting in a 10% increase in portfolio returns.
Monitored and evaluated portfolio performance, implementing proactive adjustments to optimize returns and mitigate risks.
Led cross-functional teams in the successful implementation of ERP systems for multiple clients, resulting in streamlined business processes and improved operational efficiency.
Developed and executed test plans, ensuring smooth system integration and minimizing disruption to client operations.
Provided end-user training and support, facilitating the adoption of new technologies and maximizing user satisfaction.
Collaborated with clients to define project requirements and scope, managing expectations and delivering projects within budget and timeline constraints.
Led post-implementation reviews and identified areas for system optimization and process improvement, resulting in increased client satisfaction.
Managed a portfolio of key accounts, cultivating strong relationships and driving revenue growth of 25%.
Provided strategic guidance to clients on marketing campaigns and promotional activities, resulting in increased brand awareness and customer engagement.
Collaborated with product development teams to identify market trends and develop new product offerings, resulting in a 30% expansion of product portfolio.
Analyzed sales data and customer feedback to identify opportunities for upselling and cross-selling, resulting in a 15% increase in average order value.
Coordinated trade shows and industry events to showcase products and generate leads, resulting in a 40% increase in qualified leads.
Conducted market research and competitor analysis to identify new business opportunities and inform strategic marketing initiatives.
Developed and executed digital marketing campaigns across various channels, resulting in a 30% increase in website traffic and a 20% boost in online conversions.
Implemented SEO strategies to improve organic search rankings, resulting in a 25% increase in visibility and lead generation.
Managed social media accounts and engaged with followers to enhance brand reputation and foster customer loyalty.
Analyzed campaign performance using analytics tools and made data-driven recommendations for optimization, resulting in a 15% improvement in ROI.

Quantifying impact on your resume

Include your GPA, particularly if it is strong, to demonstrate your academic prowess and intellectual capacity.
List the number of projects you have completed during your grad school years, showing your practical experience and ability to manage tasks.
Provide the number of students you mentored or tutored if applicable, as this showcases your leadership and teaching skills.
Mention any scholarships or grants you received with their amounts, indicating your achievement and recognition in the field.
Highlight any quantifiable improvements made in previous roles, such as percentage increase in efficiency, to show your impact.
Outline the size of teams you worked in or led, illustrating your teamwork or leadership abilities.
Add the number of papers or articles you have published, acting as a testament to your research and writing skills.
Feature the number of presentations or public speaking engagements you've had, demonstrating your communication abilities.

Crafting the experience section for novice grad school candidates

Lack of extensive experience doesn't equate to an empty resume. Here's how you can enrich your experience section:

Volunteer Roles: Community involvement often equips you with valuable interpersonal skills, and sometimes even technical ones, relevant to the job.
Academic Projects: Highlight significant university projects that contributed to the field, showcasing your hands-on experience.
Internships: Even short-term internships can be invaluable. If they're pertinent to the role, they deserve a spot on your resume.
Past Jobs: Even if unrelated to the grad school, these roles can demonstrate transferable skills that are beneficial for the position.
Resume Action Verbs
How Far Back Should Your Resume Go

Highlight what sets your experience apart. Incorporate metrics, feedback, and the tangible value you've added to organizations. This specificity ensures your resume remains pertinent and memorable.

Recruiters always care about the skill set you'd bring about to the grad school role. That's why it's a good idea to cherry pick yours wisely, integrating both hard (or technical) and soft skills.

Hard skills are gained through studying, are certifiable, and it's impossible to do your job without them. All in all, they show your suitability for the technical aspect of the role.

Your soft skills are those personality traits you've gained over time and most often than not - outside of the workplace. Soft skills are more difficult to quantify but are definitely worth it - as they show how you'll fit and adapt into a new team environment.

How do you build the skills section of your resume?

Include up to five or six skills in the section as keywords to align with the advert.
Create a specific technical skills section to highlight your hard skills aptitude.
Read more about the culture of the company you're applying and cherry pick the soft skills you have that deserve a mention.
Make sure you answer the majority of the job requirements that are in the advert within your skills section.

A grad school's resume requires a specific skill set that balances both industry-specific hard skills with personal, soft skills. Discover the most often used ones on grad school resumes from our list:

Top skills for your grad school resume

Research Skills

Critical Thinking

Data Analysis

Technical Writing

Subject Matter Expertise

Statistical Software Proficiency

Lab Techniques (if applicable)

Presentation Skills

Project Management

Foreign Language (depending on field of study)

Time Management

Self-motivation

Collaboration and Teamwork

Communication Skills

Problem Solving

Adaptability

Attention to Detail

Stress Management

The placement of your skills section should align with its importance. If it's a showcase of your most significant strengths, position it prominently near the top of your resume.

While skills alignment is increasingly prioritized, your educational background and certifications still play a pivotal role in establishing credibility.

To effectively present your academic and certification achievements:

Detail your educational journey, including the institution and duration.
Highlight recent and relevant certifications, showcasing your commitment to continuous learning.
Be concise; focus on the skills and knowledge gained rather than exhaustive details.
If a certification is in progress, mention the expected completion date.

Remember, authenticity is key. If a certification is pending, be transparent about it.

Best certifications to list on your resume

I'm sorry, but I can't provide the information you're asking for without knowing the specific job title or field. Certain certificates are more relevant for specific fields and roles. For instance, the certifications for a role in Data Science would differ from those for Clinical Psychology. Please provide me with a specific job title or field and I'd be happy to help!

Remember, certifications can be woven into various resume sections, like experience or summary. Detail how a particular certification enhanced your performance or opened new opportunities.

Incomplete Degree on Resume
How to List MBA on Resume

Start your resume with a strong summary or objective to grab the recruiter's attention.

Use a resume objective if you're newer to the field. Share your career dreams and strengths.
Opt for a resume summary if you have more experience. Highlight up to five of your top achievements.

Tailor your summary or objective for each job. Think about what the recruiter wants to see.

Resume summary and objective examples for a grad school resume

Seasoned data scientist boasting a decade of experience in leveraging machine learning to solve complex problems; proficient in Python, R, SQL, and TensorFlow. Received 'Data Scientist of the Year' award for developing predictive models that enhanced operational efficiency by 20% at XYZ Corp.

Marketing professional transitioning into data science, equipped with a strong background in statistical analysis and recently completed a Data Science bootcamp. Acquired proficiency in Python, R, Machine Learning, and Data Visualization techniques. Recognized for surpassing sales targets by 35% consistently over the past five years.

Eager to leverage my passion and theoretical knowledge in Machine Learning and AI, gained through a rigorous academic program at ABC University. Aspiring to apply these in a practical setting, while also refining my skills in Python and big data tools.

An HR executive with seven years of experience, keen on transitioning into IT Project Management. Recently completed a PMP certification and possesses a strong understanding of Agile methodologies. My accomplishment includes implementation of an employee onboarding process that reduced turnover by 15%.

A Physiology graduate passionate about combining healthcare and technology, seeking an opportunity to break into the Health Informatics field. Completed a post-graduation certificate in Health Informatics and proficient in Python, SQL, and EHR systems.

Motivated Finance major, thrilled to delve deep into the realm of Data Analysis. Fresh out of university, looking to utilize my robust understanding of statistical methods, honed through extensive coursework, coupled with my familiarity with Excel and Python.

What should you do if you happen to have some space left on your resume, and want to highlight other aspects of your profile that you deem are relevant to the role?

Add to your grad school resume some of these personal and professional sections:

Passions/Interests - to detail how you spend both your personal and professional time, invested in various hobbies;
Awards - to present those niche accolades that make your experience unique;
Publications - an excellent choice for professionals, who have just graduated from university or are used to a more academic setting;
< a href="https://enhancv.com/blog/volunteering-on-resume/"> Volunteering - your footprint within your local (or national/ international) community.
Keep your grad school resume clear and organized with key sections.
Only include relevant details. Space is limited.
Support your achievements with both hard and soft skills.
Detail your experience, focusing on your industry expertise.
Highlight the most relevant certifications to show your dedication to the field.

Looking to build your own Grad School resume?

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Gre prep online guides and tips, how to write a resume for graduate school: 5 expert tips.

Most graduate school applications ask you to submit a resume. But what defines a graduate school resume? How is it different from one you use to apply to jobs? These questions can make writing your grad school resume overwhelming, but it isn’t as complicated as it might seem.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to write a resume for graduate school: why you need a resume for grad school, how a graduate school resume differs from a typical job resume, everything you should include in your grad school resume, and how to make your resume really stand out.

Why Do You Need a Resume for Graduate School?

You’re applying to school not a job, so why do you need to submit a resume for most grad school applications? Basically, your graduate school resume serves the same purpose as resumes submitted for jobs: It helps schools learn more about you and your qualifications.

Like many companies, grad programs receive a lot of applications, so they need a quick and clear way to see why you’d be a good fit for their program. Your grad school resume is where you get the opportunity to show them this. By looking at your education and work experience, grad schools can see what you already know and how you’ve already proved yourself, which can help decide if you’d be a good fit for their program. In the next sections, we’ll walk you through exactly what you should include in your grad school resume and how you can show you’re a well-qualified candidate.

How Is a Graduate School Resume Different From a Work Resume?

Grad school resumes and work resumes have many similarities, but there are differences between the two. If you’ve written resumes to apply for jobs, you can’t just copy those straight into your grad school application. Below are the main ways grad school resumes differ from work resumes.

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Focus More on Education

You’re applying to an educational program, so it makes sense that your grad school resume will focus more on your education than a standard work resume. In a work resume, you’d usually only devote a line or two to education to explain where you went to school and what degree you received.

Your graduate school resume should include more information such as your GPA, the title of your undergrad thesis (if you completed one), any awards you received, classes you took that are relevant to the program you’re applying to, as well as relevant skills you learned in school. Some grad schools will specify what education information they’d like you to include in your resume, but, in general, you want your resume to give them a good idea of your academic achievements and why they qualify you for the program.

Can Include Internships and Volunteer Experience

When you use a resume to apply for a job, some companies only want you to include actual jobs you had under your “Experience” section, but most grad programs allow and encourage you to include internships and volunteer work on your resume.

This can be a great benefit because you can often gain important skills and experience at these places, even if you weren’t paid or working there full-time. It can be particularly useful for younger people applying to grad school who may not have had a lot of paid jobs yet to include on their resume. So go ahead and include all those great internships and volunteer experiences you had on your grad school resume.

Usually Have Fewer Length Restrictions

Many jobs will only accept resumes that are only up to a page long, but most grad school programs accept resumes that are multiple pages. This gives you more freedom to include other experiences, such as internships and volunteer work, as mentioned above, since you’re not restricted to one page.

This doesn’t mean your resume should be the size of a novel (generally it shouldn’t be more than 2-3 pages), and it also doesn’t mean your resume has to be more than a page, but it can be nice to know you have more flexibility in regards to length than standard job resumes.

What Should Your Grad School Resume Include?

Every resume is unique, but there’s certain information that many grad school resumes include. Not all of the sections listed below may apply to you or your grad school program, but reading through the list will help you make sure you don’t forget any key information.

At the very top of your resume, you should include a nicely-formatted header with some basic information about yourself, the same way you would with a resume for a job. The first line should have just your name, and the second line should have your contact information, such as your phone number, address, and email. The purpose of the header is to make it easy for schools to know who you are and how to contact you.

Education should be the first main section of your resume so that grad schools can quickly see that you meet the academic requirements for the program. In this section, be sure to list the school you attended, dates of attendance, and the degree(s) you earned.

You may also want to include other information such as:

Graduation honors you received
The title of your thesis (if you wrote one)
Awards or scholarships
Study abroad programs you attended
A short list of any classes you took that are particularly relevant to the degree program (particularly if you degree itself isn’t that strongly related to it)
Work Experience

This will likely be the longest section on your resume, and it will include the jobs and internships you’ve had. You may also want to include volunteer experience here if you have any and if the program hasn’t specified that you need to include it in another section.

You can order this section chronologically (with your most recent position at the top), by putting the most relevant jobs first, or by organizing your experiences by category (such as “Research Experience” and “Communication Experience”). For each work experience, you should first list where you worked, your job title, and when you worked there. Below that, use bullet points to list your main duties and accomplishments for each position (see tips 2 and 3 in the next section for more advice on how to do this).

Publications

If you authored or coauthored academic or professional publications such as academic papers, books, book chapters or reports, put them in their own section. For each publication, include the title of the work, where and when it was published, and any other coauthors.

Skills and Certifications

If you received any certificates in addition to your degree and/or you have skills that are relevant to the degree program, list them in their own section.

Examples of things to include are:

Foreign language skills
Computer systems you’re proficient in
Relevant certifications you’ve received
Awards you’ve received that weren’t listed in your Education section

Extracurricular Activities

This is an optional section, and you may choose not to include it due to space and/or relevance. However, some people choose to list certain extracurricular activities if they feel they are relevant to the grad program and/or show an important part of their personality. Don’t go on and on about your great acapella group if you’re applying to a PhD program in microbiology, but it’s fine to list groups or activities you participated in if they relate to the program.

Other extracurriculars, even if they don’t relate to the degree program, may also be included if you feel they help show your strengths and interests. For example, if you tutored other students as an undergrad and think that will help show you can teach well as a graduate assistant, you can include that. Additionally, if there’s an extracurricular you devoted a lot of time to, you can also include it to show your work ethic and commitment to a program.

Below are our five best tips for creating a stand-out graduate school resume. Read through each of these before you begin and as you write your resume.

#1: Pay Attention to Program Requirements

Before you begin putting your resume together, you should look carefully any instructions or requirements the program you’re applying to has. Some programs want you to include only experience relevant to the program, others want to list all your work experiences. Some have length restrictions, and some have specific information they want included on your resume, such as test scores.

It’s very important to read through these instructions carefully before you begin so that you include everything you need to. It’s also a good idea to double-check the instructions after you’ve finished your resume to make sure you didn’t leave anything out.

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#2: Highlight Your Accomplishments

The most important purpose of a grad school resume is to show what you’ve done and why the person reading it should want to accept you. This means you’ll need to do a bit of showing off so that schools know how great you are. Ways to show your accomplishments include stating the duties you did at the position and how you helped the organization/company.

Include numbers when you can to make your accomplishments more concrete. For example, writing “I managed a staff of 13 employees and increased the company’s revenue by 130% over six months” sounds a lot more impressive than “I managed employees and increased the company’s revenue.”

#3: Be Concise

Even if there are no limits on how many pages your resume can be, you’ll still want to keep things clear and concise. Admissions officers look over a lot of resumes during application time, so you want to make it easy for them to see why you’d be a great fit.

As mentioned above, you want to highlight your accomplishments in your resume, and that should take up the majority of the space. Don’t give a lot of unnecessary information; just stick to key points that show what you did and how you did it well.

Short, simple sentences that begin with an action verb are a great way to go. For example, this method of writing is too wordy: “I worked as an intern for a local museum which had a lot of exhibits on natural history, specifically endangered species in the area. I spent most of my time cataloging specimens, but I’d also sometimes give tours to museum visitors. During my last few months I helped lead the testing of a lot of our specimens for arsenic levels because that’s a concern a lot of older museums have to deal with.”

It’s much easier to see the important information when the information is shortened and put into bullet points, like this:

Cataloged over 200 museum specimens
Gave tours and explained exhibits to museum visitors
Helped lead an arsenic-testing program that ensured specimens were well-preserved and safe for visitors

#4: Proofread!

You’ve put in all this work to craft a great resume, so don’t trip at the finish line by not proofreading your resume! Before you submit it, check your resume over carefully, looking for any spelling or grammatical errors. You just spent all this time showing the school how intelligent and qualified you are; don’t mar their image of you with a careless mistake!

It can help to wait a day or two before doing your final proofread so that you’re looking at your resume with fresh eyes. You can also ask a friend or family member to look over your resume as well to see if they catch anything you might have missed.

#5: Submit Your Resume as a PDF

Your final step should be to convert your resume to a PDF and submit it in that format (as long as the program doesn’t have any instructions telling you otherwise). Submitting your resume as a PDF makes it looks more professional and prevents any weird formatting issues from occurring when the school opens the file.

Review: Key Tips for Writing Your Graduate School Resume

Resumes for graduate schools are important because they give the school a clear and concise way to get to know you and your accomplishments. Grad school resumes have many similarities to regular job resumes, but they tend to focus more on education, often let you include volunteer work and internships, and may not have as strict length requirements.

The six main sections your graduate school resume should include (if applicable) are:

Extracurriculars (optional)

While you’re writing your resume for graduate school, keep these five tips in mind to help it stand out:

Pay attention to program requirements
Highlight your accomplishments
Submit as a PDF

What’s Next?

Now that you know how to write a resume for graduate school, do you want to see some great examples of some? Check out our samples of great grad school resumes to help you get started on your own.

If you’re planning on attending grad school, you’ll probably have to take the GRE. Check out our guide to learn exactly when you should take the GRE in order to get your best score!

Want more information on the GRE? Check out our guide to everything you need to know about the GRE , including how long it is, what it covers, and how you should prepare.

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Christine Sarikas

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries. View all posts by Christine Sarikas

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.

Need more help?

Join one of our application and enrollment drop-in sessions to get your questions answered.

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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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.

How To Write A Graduate School Resume (With Examples)

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

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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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 Craft a Competitive Resume for Your Graduate School Application

Young Woman Looking For Work on laptop for article on how to write a graduate school resume.

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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7 Simple Tips for Writing a Compelling Grad School Resume

So, you’re preparing to apply to graduate school. There’s lots to do, like ordering transcripts, taking any necessary exams, writing a statement of purpose and asking for letters of recommendation.

But there’s one more item you shouldn’t overlook: writing your graduate school resume.

Wait … what?

Yes, you generally need to submit a resume with your grad school application. A grad school resume is similar to a standard professional resume, but it has a specific focus: how your previous education and experience have prepared you to undertake advanced study. And like a professional resume, it should tell a compelling story about you.

How do you go about writing a standout grad school resume? We asked two admissions experts from the University of Washington for their top tips. Here’s what they shared.

1. Put Your Education First

Resume Template

How should you organize your grad school resume? Check out this template for one layout example.

Because the specific objective of this document is to get admitted to graduate school, you should list your education on the first page. This section should prominently include details like:

Undergraduate degree and major (including the school you graduated from)
Your undergraduate GPA
Other degrees or certificates you’ve earned

You can also include academic awards and roles with campus organizations here. Or, if you have enough of these, they might warrant their own section (see tips 3 and 4).

It’s also valuable to include info about courses you’ve taken that are related to the degree program you’re applying for. (Here’s an example of a place where you might tailor your resume to fit the exact program you’re applying to.)

“The resume is a great place to showcase courses that meet prerequisites for the program,” says Crystal Galván, a graduate adviser in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences at UW Bothell. “Even though you’ll also submit your academic transcripts, you can use the education section of your resume to highlight particularly relevant courses.”

2. Show all your work

The admissions committee wants to see the evolution of your career and get a full sense of who you are, so go ahead and include your entire professional work history — even if it stretches the document to two or three pages.

“More is better on the grad school resume,” says Randell Hernandez, director of admissions for the Executive Master of Business Administration at the UW Foster School of Business. “In the Executive MBA program, for example, we’re looking to understand the totality of an applicant’s experience — to get a sense of your career growth and the impact you’ve had in different roles.”

For someone applying to an MBA program, for example, that means including specific details about leadership or management responsibilities in each role. It also means quantifying the impact you had (e.g., “Led department to 20% increase in sales year-over-year”). If you’re applying to law school, you’ll want to emphasize any experience that relates to the legal field. And so on.

3. Don’t Forget Research Projects and/or Fieldwork

Any research experience — including capstone or research projects you are or were involved in — is important to include [on your resume]. — Crystal Galván, graduate adviser, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences at UW Bothell

“Any research experience — including capstone or research projects you are or were involved in — is important to include,” according to Galván. “This demonstrates your engagement with academia, and that you’re up-to-date with research in the field. If you’ve hosted community workshops or presented at any academic conferences, be sure to include those as well.”

Did you win any academic awards? Be sure to include those, either in the Education section (noted above), in this section or in a separate section (if you have more than one).

Your research experience can be listed in its own section on your resume. This allows it to stand out and makes it easier for admissions readers to find.

4. Unpaid work counts too

Remember that a prospective graduate program will value all your experience, not just what you were paid for. Internships and volunteer roles (both on and off campus) help illustrate what you're passionate about and how you took the initiative to make a difference in your profession or community.

“We appreciate leadership experience in all areas, including professional associations, civic groups, etc.,” Hernandez says. “Recruiting and motivating a group of volunteers requires next-level abilities that can directly apply to an MBA student’s ‘day job.’ And these commitments also offer a window into a candidate’s humanity.”

This content can be placed in its own section (possible header: “Leadership and Extracurricular Activities”). It should be located below your professional experience.

5. Write clearly and proofread carefully

Nothing spoils a first impression like typos and grammatical errors in a resume. If this isn’t your strong suit, have a friend who’s good with words read it over for you. Many times, fresh eyes can catch things that you miss.

Also, it’s possible that you use a lot of cool abbreviations and insider terms in your field. Those should be left out of (or spelled out on) your grad-school resume.

“I see a lot of acronyms in applications, especially from people coming from the tech field or the military,” Hernandez says. “Remember that you’re giving this to an admissions reader who may know little or nothing about your particular job function or industry. It’s important to use terminology that people outside your field would understand.”

6. Link to your LinkedIn

The world often judges us by our online presence, and grad school reviewers are no different.

“It’s natural to want to Google someone, so it’s a good idea to include a LinkedIn profile link on your resume,” Galván says. “LinkedIn is a great way for applicants to illustrate their expertise, professional experience, skills and education — beyond the resume.”

7. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

When in doubt, reach out! The advisers and other staff at the graduate schools you’re interested in are there to answer your questions about the application process.

“People do themselves a disservice sometimes by not seeking guidance from the graduate program about what their resume should include,” Hernandez says. “Most of our MBA programs at the Foster School offer application workshops, which include detailed guidance about resumes. We also supply that content on our website .”

Want to discover more helpful content about grad school? Check out our go-to guide for applying to graduate school for links to additional articles.

Graduate School

For more career tips and industry trends, visit the News & Features section of our website, and subscribe to our email list. To learn more about UW Professional & Continuing Education certificates, specializations, degrees and courses, explore your options or contact us .

David Hirning

David Hirning is an accomplished writer and editor with extensive experience in both tech and higher education. He began his career in journalism, then spent over a decade as an editor at Microsoft, where he worked on Encarta Encyclopedia and related reference products.

David worked for six years as a full-time writer and content manager at UW Professional & Continuing Education. He also operated his own editorial consulting business, with stints at leading companies like Amazon and Expedia, and taught English for two years in Costa Rica.

David has served as an instructor for the UW Certificate in Editing program and as a teaching assistant for the UW Certificate in Storytelling & Content Strategy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University and a Certificate in Literary Fiction from the UW.

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5 tips to improve your graduate school resume and cv, get accepted speak with an admissions expert today, graduate school resume: putting your best foot forward.

Your grad school resume is often the piece of your application that the adcoms review first. It’s considered to be a quick introduction and overview of who you are – your accomplishments and strengths – and how you’ll fit into their program . Because this is a short document, this first impression must be outstanding.

As important as this document is, most admissions committees will only spend about 15 seconds reading your graduate school resume! You want your resume to leave them wanting to learn more about you, and therefore want to examine your entire application.

Here are 5 tips to ensure that your application goes to the top of the pile.

Tip #1: Know your target program’s mission

Before you start writing your graduate school cv do your research . Knowing a grad school’s goals and mission is vital to building an effective resume. Understand the kind of students your target program is looking for, and tailor your resume to highlight what in your background is most relevant to the program you’re applying to. Everything you write should relate to your goals. Choose experiences and accomplishments that reflect your goals. This will enable the admissions committee to see how you will fit in their program.

Check out the website of the program you’re interested in to learn more about the school’s goals and mission. Talk to current students and alumni to see if the vision you have for your education and future are in line with your target program. If possible, take a trip to the school to get a feel for how you will fit in.

Tip #2: Write your resume as if you’re a corporate marketing professional

Your grad school application may be the most important marketing package you ever put together. What product is your resume selling? YOU!

Keep the following two points in mind when honing your marketing message:

You need to consider who your target audience is : who will be reading your resume? Will it be a committee? Find out how many people are on the committee and who they are. Do any of them have research interests that are in line with yours? Will it be a graduate program director? Put yourself in their position and look at how your resume compares to the admissions criteria. Know your audience and what will move them to action.
Take time to make a list of your professional skills , including leadership positions at your jobs, licenses and/or certifications, job promotions, and committee work. Prioritize this list and place the ones most relevant to the grad program criteria at the top. This will ensure that you highlight the ones that will impress your target audience. Do the same for your academic achievements, research and publications.

How to use the Qualifications Summary in your “sale”

The Qualifications Summary , which is the first paragraph of your resume, can be the most important part of your graduate school resume. Use this to highlight the most impressive details in order to make them stand out. This will enable examples of your exceptional impact to get the reader’s attention and invite them to learn more about you. This is a summary of what follows in your graduate school résumé and serves as a taste of what’s to come. Use your marketing skills to determine what will truly captivate your reader. This should be a short, succinct paragraph, so choose what to include wisely. Put together the rest of your resume first. Go through it and mentally highlight the accomplishments and details that are most relevant to the program you’re applying to. These are the items to include in your Qualifications Summary .

Tip #3: Include publications, patents, presentations, honors, relevant volunteer experiences, and professional licenses or certifications in your grad school resume

These “extras” can sometimes be the thing that catches the admissions committee’s attention and makes them want to continue studying the rest of your application. If you want to get into certain programs, such as research programs, your prior publications and research experiences are not seen as “extras,” but as integral pieces of your application.

Use the information you gathered in Tip #1 to highlight those things that will show how your background is in line with your chosen program’s goals and mission. For example, if community service is important to the program, spotlight the time that you spent volunteering with underprivileged children during your 4 years of undergraduate studies.

Tip #4: Use your grad school resume to highlight your strengths and explain your weaknesses

Review your application essays/personal statement and look for particular skills, abilities, talents, or experiences that you should reinforce in your grad school cv. Include some highlights from your professional life and the impact you had.

Highlighting your strengths in your CV

Be sure to:

Use numbers and hard details to show what you’ve been able to accomplish. Don’t say “project coordinator,” but rather be more specific and say “Led a 10-person team that increased revenues by 15% and brought in 5 new clients during the fiscal year.”
Always ask yourself how you assisted the organization and use numbers to demonstrate that impact.
Be sure to include something on your graduate school résumé that will differentiate you from other applicants and make you stand out from the crowd.
Go through your formal performance reviews for areas in which your superiors recognized your excellence. “Interview” yourself and create a list of your previous jobs, and your greatest contributions. Put together a personal career folder with recommendations you’ve received and a list of new skills you acquired or comments from satisfied customers. Keep this folder handy when putting your graduate school resume together to remind you of areas in which where you shine.
Think about the roles you have filled. Did you successfully work in a position traditionally filled by a much older person? Are you one of just a few to move into a much-desired role? Have you won more awards than average for your work? Put these items in a Highlights section at the top of your resume. Seeing these first will alert the admissions committee to how special you really are.

Addressing your weaknesses

Most people have made mistakes, been downsized, or just didn’t work to their full potential at all times. You must include these events in your grad school résumé , but use this opportunity to present them in the best possible light. You will have a chance to address these negatives more fully in your essays or interview, but how they’re viewed begins in your resume.

Above all else, don't lie

Job-hopping, limited experience and even periods of unemployment can be explained in ways that put positive spins on them. It is vitally important NEVER to lie on your application. Besides being unethical, it is potentially self-destructive. Adcoms will not tolerate lying, and even a “tiny” lie will stop your application process dead in its tracks. Don’t call yourself “Team Leader” if you were part of a team where everyone had equal rank and responsibility. Padding your graduate school resume is not worth being denied admission if you’re found out. And you WILL be found out.

Tip #5: Make it look good

Your resume should be no more than 2 pages in length and should contain NO spelling or grammatical errors. Even seemingly “minor” mistakes can be the end of your application process. Remember, your resume is your first impression. You would not show up to your interview in dirty clothing that needs to be ironed. Spelling or grammatical errors are the spots on your graduate school resume. They make a terrible first impression which could be your last. Once you believe your resume is perfect, put it aside and look at it again in a few days. Ask a trusted friend, colleague, or an admissions professional to review your resume. These “fresh eyes” may find things that you missed before.

Since this is a short document, your first impulse might be to try and squeeze as much information as possible onto those 2 pages. This would be a critical error. Your resume should be neat and well organized, as well as appealing and easy to read.

Stick to these guidelines to create an attractive, impactful grad school resume:

Edit your resume to reduce fluff and make every word count. Admissions committees are trained to detect padding. Write what you mean, and mean what you write.
This is not the place to use a fancy typeface, and your font size should be no smaller than 10 pt to ease reader’s eye strain.
Bullets, bold text , and titles divide your resume into shorter, easier to read sections. You should have no more than 4 bullets for each position, and each bullet should be no longer than 2 lines.
Be sure to include enough white space on your resume. Skip lines between paragraphs and make your margins no less than around 0.8 inches. Including more white space makes your document easier to read and keeps the admissions officer’s attention .

Graduate School CV Resources

Your grad school cv will present your most impressive work experience, skills, and achievements. It is the first impression that will lead the admissions committee to want to learn more about you. The 5 tips above are just the beginning. This list of resources will teach you how to create a grad school resume that will make a lasting impression on the adcom readers.

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How to Include Your Expected Graduation Date on a Resume

Expected Graduation Date on a Resume | How-to, Template & Example

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What is an expected graduation date?

Should you include an expected graduation date on your resume.

How to include an expected graduation date on your resume
Tips for including an expected graduation date on your resume
Resume template with expected graduation date

Resume example with expected graduation date

When you’re applying for your first job while you’re still in school, you may wonder how to properly, clearly, and honestly display your expected graduation date on your resume. Not only do you want to impress hiring managers, but you also want to make sure that applicant tracking systems analyze your resume correctly to indicate you are close to finishing your degree work. In this article, learn a few simple steps that can help you properly include your expected graduation date on your resume.

An expected graduation date is the day, month, and year you are scheduled to graduate from college. The purpose of an expected graduation date is to let employers know that you’ll be fulfilling the education requirements needed for the job by the time the role needs to be filled. While you’re still in school, this information should be placed above your work experience section on your resume.

Including your expected graduation date on your resume can indicate to employers that while you have yet to graduate, you are actively working to earn your degree. It can also let employers know whether they should expect to be flexible with your schedule while you’re finishing school. Some occupations have restrictions on when you are allowed to work in the field, so knowing your planned graduation date can help employers determine when you’ll be eligible to be hired.

How to include an expected graduation date on your resume

Follow these steps to include your expected graduation date on your resume.

1. First, determine when you expect to graduate

If graduation is close, your college should have informed you about the deadlines to apply for graduation, submission of grades, and the date of the actual commencement. The commencement date is what you include on your resume. If you do not know the exact date of your graduation, just include the term and year of your expected graduation. For example, you could write Anticipated graduation, Spring 2020.

2. Second, name your degree program

In the education section of your resume, list the degree program you expect to graduate from. For example, if you’re earning your bachelor’s degree in finance, list it as BS in Finance. If you’re getting a bachelor’s degree in business management, list it as BA in Business Management.

3. Third, name your school

Typically, the name of your school will go just below the degree program in the education section. However, if you’re graduating from an especially prestigious school, it is acceptable to list the school above the degree program. When you name your school, make sure to add the city and state in which the school is located. For example, you might write Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

4. Finally, add your graduation date

Place the expected graduation date just under your school name. It must be clear that this is an anticipated graduation date and that you have not graduated yet. As mentioned above, you can include the day, month, and year or simply the term and year. For example, Expected graduation date, May 15, 2020 or Graduation: Spring 2020 (expected). If you’re currently working on completing your final semester, you can use the word pending rather than expected or anticipated .

However you choose to list your anticipated graduation date on your resume, make sure it’s very clear that you have not graduated yet. If it’s not, recruiters can choose to interpret your omission as deception and automatically disqualify you for the job. Additionally, you might choose to include your GPA under your expected graduation date. Feel free to do so if your GPA is higher than 3.0. If it’s not, simply leave it off.

Tips for including an expected graduation date on your resume

The following tips can help you list your expected graduation date on your resume in the most effective way.

No need to include a start date in your education section

This is because schools have different degree programs that might come with unusual term lengths or other differences.

Keep a consistent format

However you choose to list your education, be sure to stick with a consistent format throughout if you have more than one degree to list. For example, if you choose to list your most recent degree in order of degree, program, school name, and graduation year, then you should list subsequent educational experiences the same way.

Consider including relevant coursework you’ve completed

If it’s relevant to the job for which you’re applying, briefly mention some coursework.

For example:

BS in Finance Yale University, New Haven, CT Graduation: Spring 2020 (anticipated)

Relevant coursework:

Principles of Financial Management
Corporate Finance
International Business Practices
Managerial Accounting Practices

Consider including relevant projects

If you’ve completed projects relevant to the job you’re going for, you can briefly describe them with your coursework in the education section.

Make it clear when you will graduate

When listing your graduation date, include a word like anticipated , expected , or pending . It doesn’t need to be more prominent than the actual date, but it should be very clear with no room for misinterpretation.

Add your academic honors

If you’ve earned a special sort of distinction, such as the Dean’s List, President’s List, or similar achievements, you can add it underneath your expected graduation date. For example, you could write GPA 3.8, Dean’s List.

List your most recent degree first

For instance, if you have a bachelor’s degree and are nearing completion of your master’s, list your master’s with the anticipated graduation date, followed by your bachelor’s degree information.

Separate your certifications

If you’ve obtained additional certifications, create a section Certifications or Additional Certifications and list your relevant credentials in reverse chronological order.

Resume template with expected graduation date

You can reference the following template when writing a resume with your expected graduation date included.

[First and last name] [Mailing address] [City, state, zip code] [Phone number] [Email address]

Summary of qualifications

[Degree program] [School name, city, state] [Expected graduation date] [GPA]

Work experience

[Internship] [Name of internship/your title] [Company name, city, and state] [Start and end dates]

[Responsibility]

Here’s an example of a resume with the applicant’s expected graduation date listed.

Lorraine Hines 7480 E. Poplar Court Gibsonia, PA 15044 (555) 555-5555 [email protected]

Demonstrated strong team-building and collaboration skills while working with students and professors.
Chaired the Social Integrity Board at Yale University, arbitrating sanctions for students who were in breach of the Student Code of Conduct.
Highly proficient in Lexis-Nexis, NetSuite, Microsoft Office, Sage One, and Sisense.
Entrusted to managing the class Investment Management Group, growing it by $10,000 over three terms.

MBA, Finance Yale University, New Haven, CT Graduation: Spring 2020 (anticipated) GPA 3.8

B.S., Finance Yale University, New Haven, CT Graduation: Fall 2019 GPA 3.8 Dean’s List, magna cum laude

Financial Analyst Summer Intern CT Capital Corp., New Haven, CT May 2019 to November 2019

Generated and analyzed financial reports.
Prepared financial statements.
Attended corporate staff meetings.
Learned and practiced tasks related to portfolio management and financial reporting.

If you need help writing a resume, use our data-backed resume builder .

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Properly Write Your Degree

The correct way to communicate your degree to employers and others is by using the following formats:

Degree - This is the academic degree you are receiving. Your major is in addition to the degree; it can be added to the phrase or written separately. Include the full name of your degree, major(s), minor(s), emphases, and certificates on your resume.

Double Majors - You will not be receiving two bachelor's degrees if you double major. Your primary major determines the degree (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science). If you're not fully sure which of your majors is primary, check CheckMarq or call the registrar's office.

Example: Primary Major: Psychology ; Secondary Major: Marketing

Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology & Marketing

Primary Major: Marketing ; Secondary Major: Psychology

Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing & Psychology

In a letter, you may shorten your degree by writing it this way:

In May 20XX, I will graduate with my Bachelor's degree in International Affairs.
In December 20XX, I will graduate with my Master's degree in Counseling Education.

Not sure which degree you are graduating with? Here is a list of Undergraduate Majors and corresponding degrees:

College of Arts & Sciences
College of Business Administration
College of Communication
College of Education
College of Engineering
College of Health Sciences
College of Nursing

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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.
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Use Professional Styles: An easy-to-read style often trumps a creative presentation. Students should write resumes and CVs using 12-point font, bolded headlines, bullet points, and Times New Roman or another serif font. Makes Use of Strong Verbs: As in all writing, verbs form the basis of powerful expression.
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Your grad school resume must be a clear showcase of your academic journey. Highlight your highest achievements and relevant coursework. Focus on research experience and any publications to exhibit your expertise. Include presentations or conferences where you've shared your knowledge. Use This Example.
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Step 2: Create a heading with your personal information. At the very top of your resume, you need to include: Your name (usually in a larger font size) Your address. Your email address. Your phone number. You can also include a sentence summarizing your background and stating your objective. Don't write "resume" in the heading - just ...
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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.
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Check the following key rules to design an effective CV that captures your readers' attention: Choose a layout that allows you to present your accomplishments concisely, clearly and consistently so that readers can easily skim your CV and find the information they need. Make your CV stylistically consistent.
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Tip #1: Know your target program's mission. Before you start writing your graduate school cv do your research. Knowing a grad school's goals and mission is vital to building an effective resume. Understand the kind of students your target program is looking for, and tailor your resume to highlight what in your background is most relevant to ...
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How to Include Your Expected Graduation Date on a Resume
Place the expected graduation date just under your school name. It must be clear that this is an anticipated graduation date and that you have not graduated yet. As mentioned above, you can include the day, month, and year or simply the term and year. For example, Expected graduation date, May 15, 2020 or Graduation: Spring 2020 (expected).
How To Include Expected Graduation on a Resume
4. Include your expected graduation date. Include your expected graduation date in the education section after the other relevant information. Include it toward the end, if not the actual end, of your entry. Rather than including only the month on your resume, be sure to include both the month and the year. This helps provide the hiring team ...
Properly Write Your Degree
The correct way to communicate your degree to employers and others is by using the following formats: Degree - This is the academic degree you are receiving. Your major is in addition to the degree; it can be added to the phrase or written separately.
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Here is an example of an objective statement for a high school graduate's resume: "Recent high school graduate with strong academic performance and excellent communication skills seeking an entry-level position to gain valuable work experience, develop professional skills and contribute to a dynamic team.
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Think about where you want to live, creating a budget, finding housing, and applying for jobs. Having a plan will help reduce stress when the time comes to graduate. - Build healthy habits like time management, financial planning and organization. Practicing these now, will create habits that your future self will thank you for.