professional resume format for master's application

Masters Degree Application CV example

Landing a place on a Masters Degree can be tough in today’s competitive market, but having a strong CV will make it much easier.

This guide will show you how to write a winning CV, and even includes a Masters Degree Application CV example to help you get started.

Guide contents

Masters Degree Application CV example

• CV layout and format
• Your CV profile
• Work experience

Education section

CV templates 

This is a good example of a Masters Degree Application CV which contains all of the information that a university will need to know, and presents it in a well- structured, easy-to-read manner.

Take some time to study and understand this CV, and refer to it throughout the writing of your own CV for best results.

Build your CV now 

Masters Degree Application CV layout and format

Your CV is the first impression you’ll make on anybody who reads it.

A disorganised, cluttered and barely-readable CV could seriously decrease your chances of landing interviews, so it’s essential to make sure yours is slick, professional and easy to navigate.

You can do this by using a clear structure and formatting your content with some savvy formatting techniques – check them out below:

Formatting advice

• Length: While there’s no ‘official’ CV length rule, the majority of recruiters agree that less is more. Aim for two pages of A4 or less. This is just enough room to showcase your suitability to the role, without overwhelming recruiters with irrelevant or excessive content.
• Readability : By clearly formatting your section headings (bold, or a different colour font, do the trick) and breaking up big chunks of text into snappy bullet points, time-strapped recruiters will be able to skim through your CV with ease.
• Design: When it comes to CV design, it’s best to keep things simple and sleek. While elaborate designs certainly command attention, it’s not always for the right reasons! Readability is key, so whatever you choose to do, make sure you prioritise readability above everything.
• Avoid photos: If your CV has photos , images or profile pictures, hit the delete button. They’re not needed and won’t add any value to your applications.

CV structure

Divide your CV into the following major sections when writing it:

• Name and contact details  – Head your CV with your name and contact details, to let the reader know who you are and how to contact you.
• CV profile – A brief paragraph which summarises your skills and experience and highlights why you’re a good match for the role.
• Core skills list – A snappy, bullet-pointed list of your most relevant skills.
• Work experience – A structured list of your work experience in reverse chronological order.
• Education – A summary of any relevant qualifications or professional training you’ve completed.
• Hobbies and interests – An optional section, which should only be used if your hobbies are relevant to the jobs you’re applying to.

Now I’ll tell you exactly what you should include in each CV section.

CV Contact Details

Tuck your contact details into the corner of your CV, so that they don’t take up too much space. Stick to the basic details, such as:

• Mobile number
• Email address – It should sound professional, such as your full name.
• Location -Just write your rough location, rather than your full address.
• LinkedIn profile or portfolio URL – If you include these, ensure they’re sleek, professional and up-to-date.

Masters Degree Application CV Profile

Your CV profile is the first thing recruiters will read – so your goal is to give them a reason to read onto the end of the document!

Create a short and snappy paragraph that showcases your key skills, relevant experience and impressive accomplishments.

Ultimately, it should prove to the reader that you’ve got what it takes to complete the course.

Tips for creating an strong CV profile:

• Keep it concise: When it comes to CV profile length, less is more, as recruiters are often time-strapped. Aim for around of 3-5 persuasive lines.
• Tailor it: Before writing your CV, make sure to do some research. Figure out exactly what your desired university is looking for and make sure that you are making those requirements prominent in your CV profile, and throughout.
• Don’t add an objective: You only have a small space for your CV profile, so avoid writing down your career goals or objectives. If you think these will help your application, incorporate them into your cover letter instead.
• Avoid cliches: Cheesy clichès and generic phrases won’t impress recruiters, who read the same statements several times per day. Impress them with your skill-set, experience and accomplishments instead!

Example CV profile for a Masters Degree Application

What to include in your masters degree application cv profile.

• Summary of experience: Recruiters will want to know what type of companies you’ve worked for, industries you have knowledge of, and the type of work you’ve carried out in the past, so give them a summary of this in your profile.
• Relevant skills: Universities need to know what skills you can bring to their organisation, and ideally they want to see skills that match their masters course. So, research your target course thoroughly and add the most important skills to your profile.
• Essential qualifications: If you have any qualifications which are highly relevant to your masters degree application, then highlight them in your profile so that the university does not miss them.

Quick tip: If spelling and grammar are not a strong point of yours, Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to add pre-written content that has been created by recruitment experts, and proofread by our team.

Core skills section

In addition to your CV profile, your core skills section provides an easily digestible snapshot of your skills – perfect for grabbing the attention of busy hiring managers.

As Masters Degrees recieve a huge pile of applications, this is a great way to stand out and show off your suitability for the course.

It should be made up of 2-3 columns of bullet points and be made up of skills that are highly relevant to the course you are targeting.

Work experience/Career history

Next up is your work experience section, which is normally the longest part of your CV.

Start with your current (or most recent) job and work your way backwards through your experience.

Can’t fit all your roles? Allow more space for your recent career history and shorten down descriptions for your older roles.

Structuring your roles

If you don’t pay attention to the structure of your career history section, it could quickly become bulky and overwhelming.

Get in recruiters’ good books by creating a pleasant reading experience, using the 3-step structure below:

Provide a brief overview of the job as a whole, such as what the overriding purpose of your job was and what type of company you worked for.

Key responsibilities

Next, write up a punchy list of your daily duties and responsibilities, using bullet points.

Wherever you can, point out how you put your hard skills and knowledge to use – especially skills which are applicable to your target role.

Key achievements

To finish off each role and prove the impact you made, list 1-3 stand out achievements , results or accomplishments.

This could be anything which had a positive outcome for the company you worked for, or perhaps a client/customer. Where applicable, quantify your examples with facts and figures.

After your work experience, your education section should provide a detailed view of your academic background.

Begin with those most relevant to your desired masters degree, such as vocational training or degrees. If you have space, you can also mention your academic qualifications, such as A-Levels and GCSEs.

Focus on the qualifications that are most relevant to the course you are applying for.

How to write an unfinished degree on your CV

Interests and hobbies

The hobbies and interests CV section isn’t mandatory, so don’t worry if you’re out of room by this point.

However, if you have an interesting hobby , or an interest that could make you seem more suitable for the role, then certainly think about adding.

Be careful what you include though… Only consider hobbies that exhibit skills that are relevant to your Masters Degree Application, or transferable workplace skills.

There is never any need to tell a university that you like to watch TV and eat out.

Writing your Masters Degree Application CV

A strong, compelling CV is essential to get noticed and land interviews with the best universities.

To ensure your CV stands out from the competition, make sure to tailor it to your target role and pack it with sector-specific skills and results.

Remember to triple-check for spelling and grammar errors before hitting send.

Good luck with the search!

How To Build a Good Resume for Graduate School

Why a Good Resume Is Essential for Graduate School Applications

Building a resume for grad school, how to write a resume for grad school, additional resources, frequently asked questions about crafting a professional personal statement.

Earning your master’s degree can increase your lifetime earning potential, open up a wider variety of career opportunities, and check an item off of your bucket list. But first, you have to get in. Learn how to craft a resume that increases your chances of getting an acceptance letter with this graduate program resume writing guide.

Helps you stand out in a competitive field

Graduate school is competitive. While your resume is just one part of your total application package, it could be the element that sways the admissions panel one way or the other. A well-crafted resume showcases your qualifications and academic potential and helps distinguish your application from those of other candidates.

Demonstrates academic and professional preparedness

A comprehensive graduate school resume includes both your academic and professional accomplishments to show the admissions committee that you are likely to succeed in your program. Your resume should include your undergraduate degree and GPA as well as all relevant work experience, as both are factors of consideration for your application.

Supports your application narrative

A standard graduate school application includes the application form itself, a resume or CV , a statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation from employers or professors. All of these documents need to work together to present a narrative of who you are as a graduate school candidate.

The resume plays a critical role by combining all of your experience and education into one concise document that summarizes your achievements. A resume that highlights your outstanding professional experience or volunteer work can even make up for applying to a lesser-known school or having a lower GPA.

Contact information

Best practices for a grad school resume include providing your full contact information on your resume. This should include your name, including a middle initial, phone number, and email address. If relevant, add a link to your LinkedIn profile. While you don’t need to include an address on a grad school resume, it’s not a bad idea if you have room in the header.

Aliya Jackson (123) 456-7890 [email protected] New York, NY 12345 LinkedIn | Portfolio

Resume summary

The resume summary is the first section at the top of the document. It should provide an overview of your academic and career accomplishments and indicate your interest in this particular program. Ensure that it includes keywords or qualifications that apply to your field of study.

Ambitious, recent multi-disciplinary college graduate with degrees in business administration and computer science. Proven performer with experience as a junior software developer at Microsoft, with success in significantly lowering software bugs by 25%, and as a business administration intern at Johnson & Johnson, focused on lowering operational costs by 10%. Dedicated to continuous learning, networking, and professional development.

Education section

The education section should list your undergraduate academic experience. Unless it is extremely relevant, omit information from your high school. List your degree, major, GPA, and any awards or accolades, such as graduating summa cum laude. 

An academic resume for graduate school can also include relevant coursework. If you’re applying for an MBA, for example, a class that covered entrepreneurship or business ethics is worth highlighting. 

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Business Administration, June 2022 Columbia University, New York, NY GPA: 3.9 | Summa Cum Laude

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science, May 2020 University of Syracuse, Syracuse, NY GPA: 3.8 | Dean’s List (2018, 2019)

Relevant experience

A graduate school resume should also include your professional experience. This includes research projects, internships, and a traditional work history. For each position, provide the role title, employer, and dates of employment. Include a bulleted list of responsibilities and achievements, starting each item with a strong action verb. Highlighting research on a grad school resume can be especially helpful, as many of these programs require ongoing research work in your field.

Junior Software Developer, Amazon, New York, NY June 2021 – present

• Contributes to software development, maintenance, and troubleshooting tasks on client software applications
• Collaborates with multidisciplinary team to design user-friendly interfaces by applying the latest web development strategies
• Reduced bugs in software by 25% within the first few months of joining the team, resulting in a more seamless UX and improving customer satisfaction ratings by 32%

Business Administration Intern, Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ June 2019 – May 2020

• Assisted team leads in preparing quarterly business performance reviews and updating company databases, improving operational efficiency by 15%
• Actively participated in the corporate decision-making process, suggesting cost reduction strategies that helped save the company 10% in operational costs during nine months
• Managed scheduling for team meetings and events, improving interdepartmental communications

Skills section

The skills section is a short bulleted list of your top five to seven relevant skills. For example, if you’re applying to an IT program, listing programming languages is a good idea. This section goes well in a sidebar list where it complements but doesn’t overshadow your experience. 

• Complex problem-solving
• Information systems
• Operational strategy
• Project management
• Software development, maintenance, and troubleshooting
• Technology auditing

Publications and presentations

If you’re presenting a CV with your application, it will contain a list of publications and presentations. These can be harder to fit into a standard resume, but you can narrow it down to the most relevant or prestigious or separate it into a different document to include with your application.

Publications and Presentations

Lopez, C. (2023). Integrating Digital Media in Traditional Art Education . Presented at the Annual Art Education Conference, Los Angeles, CA.

• Delivered a presentation on the benefits of blending traditional art techniques with modern digital tools, attended by over 200 educators.

Lopez, C. (2022). Exploring Differentiated Learning in Art Education . Published in Journal of Art and Education .

• Focused on strategies for adapting art education to different learning styles, contributing to ongoing discussions in differentiated instruction.

Volunteer work and extracurricular activities

Including volunteer experience and extracurricular activities on your resume shows the admissions committee that you’re a well-rounded student and can demonstrate dedication to the field and sought-after leadership skills.

Here’s a section that aligns with the advice for Volunteer Work and Extracurricular Activities:

Volunteer Work and Extracurricular Activities

Volunteer Art Tutor , Radford School District After School Program, Radford, VA January 2018 – July 2021

• Developed and led art projects for K-12 students, fostering creativity and engagement in a structured, educational setting
• Mentored students in exploring various art techniques, contributing to a 15% improvement in student participation rates

President , Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, University of Southern California September 2020 – May 2022

• Led a chapter of 60 members, organized fundraising events, and coordinated volunteer initiatives, raising $10,000 for local arts programs
• Promoted leadership development through workshops, increasing member participation in leadership roles by 25%

Tailor your resume for each program

While it can save time to have a graduate resume template to use as you apply for different programs, it’s important to tailor the resume to each one before you send it out. Adjust the content, formatting, and language as needed to meet the specific requirements of each program and show you’re the type of student they are looking for.

Examples of how to tailor a resume for grad school include adding specific coursework to show that you took electives in line with the program’s focus or moving your relevant work experience higher up on the document.

Use action verbs and quantifiable achievements

Being a strong communicator is required for success in any graduate program, and your resume is your first chance to show these skills to the admissions committee. Choose strong action verbs, such as “published,” “collaborated,” and “spearheaded,” for your professional experience, and be specific about why you’re applying to this program in your summary.  Where possible, include numbers and stats to quantify your professional achievements.

Keep your resume concise and relevant

Four years of undergraduate work plus your professional experience is a lot to cover in one resume. Focus on the aspects of your academic and professional career that are most relevant to the program. Remember, you will have room to expound on these items or include anything that didn’t fit in your statement of purpose.

Generally, a traditional graduate school application resume should be one to two pages maximum. If the program requires a CV, these are often longer to accommodate lengthy publication and research project lists.

Organize your resume for readability

Use headings, bullets, and other formatting tools to separate text, making your resume easy to skim and visually engaging. A healthy amount of white space is also necessary to avoid the resume feeling cramped or having text that’s too small to read.

Recent College Graduate Resume Template and Example

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Business Administration, June 2022 Columbia University, New York, NY

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science, May 2020 University of Syracuse, Syracuse, NY

Certifications

• Certified Governance of Enterprise Information Technology (CGEIT), Information Systems Audit and Control Association, 2021
• Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Management Institute, 2023

Professional Experience

• College Resume Examples and Templates for 2024
• Recent College Graduate Resume Examples and Templates for 2024
• Student Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

A standard resume format works well for graduate school, but it may require some formatting adjustments to prioritize your education. You could start a good grad school resume with the education section directly after the summary and then lead into your professional experience, skills, and other projects.

A graduate school resume differs from a traditional job resume in that the focus is evenly split between your academic and professional accomplishments. More space is allotted to special projects, academic coursework, and publications.

Your graduate school resume should coordinate with the rest of your application, such as the statement of purpose or letters of recommendation. If you mention a research project on your resume, you can provide more details on what you learned and how it contributed to the field in your statement of purpose. Adding a letter of recommendation from the project supervisor provides additional information.

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

Andrew Stoner is an executive career coach and resume writer with 17 years of experience as a hiring manager and operations leader at two Fortune 500 Financial Services companies, and as the career services director at two major university business schools.

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