An academic CV for a doctoral application should help a reader understand your preparation for research. It is a structured record of relevant evidence, rather than a longer version of every job application you have ever submitted. A strong document makes qualifications, research experience, methods and contributions easy to find. Begin with the programme’s instructions, because a required template or page limit takes priority over a general format.
Organise around the reader’s questions
Put your name and reliable contact information at the top, followed by the sections most relevant to the application. For a recent graduate, education and research experience will often deserve early placement. Someone returning from professional practice may need a prominent section showing research-relevant responsibilities. The order should explain your preparation without making the reader search through unrelated material.
List qualifications clearly, including institution, degree title and completion date or expected completion date. Where useful, add the dissertation title and a short description of the topic. Report grades in their original system unless the application explicitly provides an approved conversion method. An unexplained self-converted grade can create confusion and should not be used to strengthen the appearance of your record.
Explain what you actually did
For each research experience, identify the project, your role and your contribution. Instead of writing “helped with data,” explain whether you cleaned survey responses, developed a coding framework or prepared reproducible analysis scripts. Include enough context for a reader outside your immediate institution to understand the work. Keep descriptions short, but make each statement specific.
A useful entry might explain that you designed an interview guide, recruited participants under an approved protocol and analysed anonymised transcripts for a dissertation. Only include tasks you performed. If the project involved a team, distinguish your contribution from the team’s overall output. This gives potential supervisors a more reliable picture of the responsibilities you could take on during doctoral study.
Describe skills through evidence
Group methods and technical skills in a way that matches the proposed research. You might separate statistical analysis, qualitative methods, laboratory techniques and software. Avoid a long list of tools with no indication of use. A short example beside a skill can help: a programming language used for a dissertation analysis is more informative than an unsupported rating such as “advanced.”
Include relevant training when it fills an important gap in your degree record. State the course or workshop accurately and avoid presenting brief attendance as professional certification. If you have introductory knowledge of a method, describe it honestly. Your CV can show a foundation for further training without suggesting that you already have every capability needed for the proposed PhD.
Label outputs and activities accurately
Separate published work from manuscripts under review or in preparation. Use consistent references and make authorship clear. A draft that has not been submitted should not appear as an accepted publication. Where an output is a report, dataset, poster or software contribution, label it accordingly. These contributions can be valuable without being presented as journal articles.
Teaching, mentoring, professional service and community work may also matter when they demonstrate relevant experience. Select examples that support the application rather than filling space. For an applicant without publications, a well-explained dissertation and thoughtful research experience can still communicate preparation. Do not add low-value entries simply because a section looks shorter than someone else’s.
Check usability before submission
Use consistent headings, dates and spacing. Export the requested file format and inspect the result on another screen if possible. Check that text remains selectable, links work where included, and page breaks do not separate headings from their entries. Give the file a clear name that includes your name and document type.
Finally, compare every important claim with the supporting record. Confirm dates, grades, titles and publication status. Ask a trusted reader whether they can quickly identify your research interests and strongest evidence of preparation. A useful final revision removes vague claims and unnecessary detail, leaving a document that is accurate, readable and clearly relevant to the doctoral opportunity.
Academic Guide Series 300 | Item 004