By persmind team Academic CV: A Practical Guide for Scholarships and Universities
Last Updated: September 23, 2025
Are you planning to apply for a scholarship, research program, or academic position?
The Academic CV is the most crucial document to convince the selection committee of your academic and research qualifications.
This practical guide explains everything you need to know to prepare a professional academic CV.
What Is an Academic CV and When Should You Use It?
An Academic CV is an extended document highlighting your academic, research, and teaching background in much greater detail than a regular professional résumé.
You should use it when applying for:
Research scholarships and Master’s/PhD programs
Faculty or research positions at universities or institutes
Fellowships, academic conferences, and research funding programs
Difference from a Résumé:
A résumé is short (1–2 pages) and focuses on skills and work achievements.
An academic CV, however, can be several pages long and includes your publications, conferences, teaching, peer reviews, and grants, among other details.
Smart Structure of an Academic CV
1) Personal Information & Contact Details
Full name | Current academic title
University/official email | Phone | City/Country
Professional links: Google Scholar, ORCID, ResearchGate, GitHub (for computing fields), personal website
Example:
Ahmad Khaled, MSc Researcher in Energy Engineering – University of XYZ | ahmad@uni.edu | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Google Scholar: /scholar/ahmadkhaled | ORCID: 0000-000X-…
2) Research Summary
A 3–5 line overview that answers:
What is your research problem?
What is your approach?
What is the impact or result of your work?
Avoid generalities; include quantifiable results (numbers, models, or frameworks).
3) Research Interests
A short, ordered list — from the most recent and relevant to the least.
4) Education
Degree | University | Country | Year
Thesis title (if applicable) + Supervisor + Keywords
GPA/rank (if strong and required)
5) Research and Laboratory Experience
Projects, lab work, or research assistant roles.
Include:
Role | Institution | Duration
Achievement: What did you do? How did you measure your impact? (tools, methods, results)
6) Teaching / Teaching Assistantship
Course | Level | University | Term/Year
Tasks: grading, lab sessions, exercises, or course material development.
7) Publications
Divide by type: peer-reviewed papers, conference papers, book chapters, preprints.
Use a consistent citation style (APA/MLA/IEEE) throughout.
If you have no publications yet:
Include a section for “Papers in Preparation / Under Review” — be honest and clear.
8) Presentations and Conferences
Title | Conference/Workshop | Place/Date | Type (Oral/Poster)
Add brief results: award, number of attendees, or measurable impact.
9) Scholarships, Awards, and Funding
Name of grant/funder | Amount/duration | Project or reason for award.
10) Applied or Software Projects (if applicable)
1–3 line descriptions: problem | technology | result (include repository/demo link if possible).
11) Skills
Research/Software tools (Python, R, MATLAB, LabView, etc.), lab instruments, SPSS/AMOS…
Methodologies: experimental design, statistical analysis, modeling, machine learning…
Languages: Arabic/English (+ CEFR level if required)
12) Academic Activities and Services
Memberships, event organization, peer reviews, judging academic competitions.
13) Volunteering and Initiatives
Show how you lead teams or create community impact relevant to your field.
14) References
List names of academic referees.
Example of Core Sections
Research Summary:
Master’s researcher in energy engineering focusing on improving solar–microgrid integration through machine-learning predictive models. Developed an experimental framework that reduced energy loss by 12% in a real-world simulation, with applications in low-income remote communities.
Publication (IEEE Style – Example):
H. Khaled, “Predictive Control of Hybrid Microgrids Using LSTM,” in Proc. IEEE X Conf., 2025, pp. 120–127.
Teaching Experience:
Teaching Assistant – “Energy Conversion II” (Undergraduate), University of XYZ, Fall 2024: managed lab sessions (4 hours weekly), prepared weekly assignments, and designed a final practical exam.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Making it unnecessarily long without adding value.
Listing tasks without measurable results.
Inconsistent formatting or citation styles.
Broken links or heavy image-based PDFs.
Using an unprofessional email or vague file name.
Literal translation of sections without adapting to the institution’s context.
How to Tailor Your CV for Each Scholarship or University
Read the opportunity description carefully and identify 5–7 keywords (fields, tools, methods).
Adjust your research summary to include those keywords.
Reorder sections based on relevance:
For research-heavy scholarships, prioritize publications and projects.
For teaching-oriented ones, highlight your teaching experience.
Example Layout
Full Name | Current Degree | Field
Email: yourname@uni.edu | Phone | Country | City
Research Summary
3–5 lines describing your research problem, methodology, results, and expected impact.
Research Interests
– Field 1 — Field 2 — Field 3
Education
Master’s/Bachelor’s, [University], [Country] (2023–2025) — Thesis title: […] — Supervisor: […] — Keywords: […]
Research Experience
Research Assistant, [Lab Name] (2024–2025) — Describe role, tools, and measurable results.
Teaching
Teaching Assistant, [Course Name] (Semester/Year) — State measurable teaching tasks.
Publications
Author Name. “Title.” Journal/Conference, Year, Pages. (Maintain consistent format)
Conferences and Presentations
Presentation Title — Conference — Location — Date — (Oral/Poster)
Scholarships and Awards
Name — Organization — Amount/Duration — Brief project/topic
Skills
Programming/Lab/Analytical tools + Languages (include CEFR level if applicable)
Activities and Services
Memberships, event organization, peer review (if any)
References
Name — Title — University — Academic Email (or: available upon request)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long should it be?
As long as needed — avoid filler content.
Should I include short courses?
Yes, if they are directly relevant to the opportunity.
What if I have no publications yet?
Highlight strong coursework projects, lab reports, or student conference presentations, and include “Work in Progress” honestly.
Which language should I use?
Match the language of the scholarship or university call. Avoid literal translation of technical terms.
Should I send it in Word or PDF?
Send a searchable text-based PDF, unless another format is explicitly requested.