Your CV (Curriculum Vitae or Resume) is often the first evaluation filter in the process in which you demonstrate that you can meet the basic requirements of the call, that your experience is aligned with the program you wish to apply for and that you are a qualified applicant.
Scholarship CVs should be short and specific. To convey relevant information to the reader, Times New Roman font, bullet points, bold and capital letters are recommended. Information must be presented chronologically. Do not fall prey to clichés; rather, present something unique about yourself.
An academic CV’s role is to catch the scholarship provider’s attention so that the Motivation Letter can convince him that your application is the best. Ill-planned academic CVs can lead to scholarship denials.
In the evaluative process, the resume is therefore one of the most vital documents. Based on our experience of winning scholarships and successfully advising other people in their application processes, we want to provide you with some tips.
Reflect and Brainstorm your Academic CV
You should assess yourself and determine the elements of your professional, academic, and personal experience that should be placed on your resume before you begin to write it.
Initially, gather as much information as possible to build a picture of your services, and then select which ones to present and how to present them. Make sure you research the scholarship provider and the profile he seeks. Select and emphasize the most relevant skills and experiences in your Curriculum Vitae (CV).
If you read the description of the scholarship and its requirements very carefully, you can start your research. You can also check the profiles of other fellows On that scholarship, I’m studying. Scholarship providers often publish articles or videos in which other scholars share their experiences. This can provide you with an opportunity to analyze their profile.
Identify keywords in your research and write them down in a list, so you know how to address your CV (resume). By focusing on academic or professional skills and experiences, you will know if you should prioritize them. For example, you can use it to decide if you should emphasize your skills as a researcher, leader, creative or socially conscious.
How to Organize Academic CV for Scholarship?
Three parts must be included in every CV: contact information, education, and professional experience. The following sections will assist the reader in identifying relevant characteristics: Certificates and Accknowledgements, Volunteering and other experiences, Software Skills, and Languages.
Contact:
At the top of the page or in the header, you must include your full name and contact information, such as your address, phone number, and email. Do not use words like “CV”, “Curriculum Vitae” or “Resume”, which are not professional.
Education:
It normally goes first since it allows you to demonstrate that you meet the basic entry requirements. As an example, if you apply to a PhD, you already have a Master’s degree; and if you apply to a master’s degree, you already have an undergraduate degree.
Please include only the title you received, the institution, the year you graduated, and the city and country where you studied. If your qualifications were outstanding, mention them.
Work Experience:
Include your accomplishments and measurable results, rather than just describing the tasks you performed. This shows the reader that you are aware of the impact of your work and that you leave a trace wherever you work. Also, avoid using “I” in the first person. You are the main character of what you present because it is about what you have done.
When you write “sales and events organization” instead of “I increased sales by 20% over the same period last year, and I organized events with budgets of over 500,000 USD.” Be sure to clearly state your accomplishment.
Languages:
Include your language proficiency levels: native, basic, intermediate, and advanced. Don’t make it difficult for the reader to understand by using scales that are numerical.
Personal Skills:
Mention your personal skills as well as your technical skills. It’s vital that you include this section so that the reader can immediately see that you have the profile he’s looking for. Further, self-knowledge and balance can also be demonstrated this way.
Other Key Sections:
Your publications or awards that complement your formal academic training can be organized in a section to showcase your accomplishments. If possible, provide links (DOI numbers) to your publications. Additionally, I suggest that you organize your extracurricular activities and volunteer experience in another section, so that they can be quickly viewed as proof of your proactivity and social awareness.
Do I have to include Professional Profile in Academic CV for Scholarship?
Some people start their CV in the form of a presentation by including a section with their professional profile. However, you might just end up repeating the information you will surely contain in your motivation letter. Because of this, and since CVs should be as concise as possible, I would avoid including it. Use it but do not use more than five lines of text or one paragraph.
Do I have to include my picture in the Academic CV for the Scholarship?
When it comes to the photo, it depends on the call, the institution and the country you are applying to. However, in general, I recommend that you include a professional photo in your CV that will give the reader a sense of who you are. A photo of you with a friendly and happy expression is best. Make sure not to force smiles or gestures of seriousness.
How to write a winning CV for Scholarships?
Ill-planned academic CVs can lead to scholarship denials. Here are eight ways to make your academic CV (resume) sound powerful and effective.
- Short and specific: Depending on the number of applications, the reader of your CV may spend less than 30 seconds reading it. Thus, you should try to place all the content on no more than two pages.
- Simple format, but NOT flat. For the reader to see relevant information, use bullet points, bold, and capital letters. Additionally, it is recommended that you use more than one column and that you separate the sections clearly to facilitate reading. Unless you are applying to an arts program, stay away from unconventional designs and color combinations.
- Be specific with the information you submit. Provides institutions, titles, and dates. Information must be arranged chronologically from the latest to the oldest.
- Use the correct time. If you are not currently doing any activities, then you must have done them in the past. However, it does happen sometimes.
- Check the spelling. Your spelling says a lot about how you communicate and how proficient you are in English. Because self-correction is not always successful, ask your friends and professors to review each word and phrase.
- Make sure to avoid clichés: Do not write sentences like “if I am given the chance, I will prove my mettle” or “I’m passionate about”. Instead, show off something unique about yourself.
- You should not display fancy emails on your resume: Most of us have an email account by the time we are 12 or 13. In those days, we had such peppy, funky email addresses. We all have those funny-sounding email addresses like [email protected] or [email protected] This sounds completely unprofessional. Create an email address that simply states your name. Put that in your resume.
- Consistently format your resume: Use a common font for all of the points you mention. The Times New Roman size 12 looks good. It’s a good idea. Consider using a slightly larger font (say Times New Roman 14) for the subtitles.
Academic CV Samples:
We have collected CV samples from world’s top university websites on Scholarship.pw. Examples of master’s and doctoral CVs are included. They can also be modified for a sample CV for an undergraduate scholarship with a few tweaks. Hopefully, this list will assist you in writing a winning scholarship CV.
- Michigan State University Academic CV Guide and Samples
- London School of Economics and Political Science CV Examples
- University of Toronto Academic CV Tips and Samples
- The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign CV Guide and Samples
- University of Kent UK Academic CV Sample for Postgraduate Studies
- McGill University Academic CV Guide and Samples
- PennState College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Academic CV Samples
- Griffith University Australia Academic CV Template
- University of Birmingham CVs for Postgraduate Study
Now it’s your turn!
You can spend a great deal of time and effort to create the perfect academic CV for scholarship applications. A CV is invaluable and can make or break your chances of winning a scholarship. Put some thought into the points discussed in the article and you’ll come up with a great CV.
I wish you success!
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