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• How to Write a Graduate School Resume | Template & Example

How to Write a Graduate School Resume | Template & Example

Published on February 7, 2020 by Shona McCombes . Revised on June 1, 2023.

When you apply for graduate school , you’ll usually be asked to submit a resume or CV along with your application. A graduate school resume should give a focused, concise overview of relevant experiences and achievements.

The exact sections you include depend on your experiences and on the focus of the program you’re applying to. Ensure your resume gives full details of:

• Your college education
• Relevant work experience
• Relevant voluntary and extracurricular experience
• Any awards, honors, publications, or other relevant achievements
• Any relevant skills, certifications, and memberships

The main difference from a regular resume is that you’ll put more emphasis on your education and academic interests to show that you’re a good candidate for graduate school.

Download the Word templates and adjust them to your own purposes.

Resume template 1 Resume Template 2

Table of contents

Step 1: plan the structure and layout, step 2: create a heading with your personal information, step 2: detail your education, step 3: outline your work experience, step 4: highlight other relevant skills and achievements, step 5: proofread and save as a pdf, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about graduate school resumes.

Before you start writing, you need to decide how you’ll organize the information. Which sections you include, and in which order, depends on your experience and the program you are applying to.

If you’re applying for a research-focused program in the sciences, social sciences or humanities, emphasize your academic skills and achievements. Awards, publications, grants, fellowships, and teaching experience should take center stage. If you don’t have many academic achievements yet, you can focus on your courses, grades, and research interests.

If you’re applying to a professionally-focused program, you’ll probably want to emphasize your work experience and practical skills. Internships, jobs, and voluntary work should all be included.

Keep the layout clean and simple. Make sure all headings are the same size and font, and use text boxes or dividing lines to separate the sections.

Example of a resume outline

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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 your name is fine.
• Do include links to relevant professional or academic profiles, such as LinkedIn, Academia.edu, or ResearchGate.

A graduate school resume should always start with your educational history. For each program you’ve completed (or are soon to complete), always list:

• The degree (e.g. Bachelor of Arts in English Literature)
• The college and location
• The month and year of graduation

If you’re applying for a research-focused program, you can also give the title of your thesis and go into slightly more detail about your studies – for example, by listing 2–3 advanced courses that demonstrate relevant academic skills.

• Don’t include your high school education.
• Do include other applicable information such as your minor(s), study abroad programs, and other relevant educational experiences.
• Awards and honors

If you’ve received any awards, honors, scholarships, or grants, make sure to include these too. If you have several such academic achievements, it’s worth including a separate section on your resume to make sure they stand out.

Next, your resume should give an overview of your professional and voluntary experience. If you have varied experience, you might want to split it up into separate sections:

In a resume for an academic program, you could include headings for teaching experience and research experience.

A professionally-focused resume could be divided into sections for employment, internships, and voluntary work, or headings for managerial and administrative roles.

Each section should be organized in reverse chronological order. For each role, list:

• Your job title
• The dates of employment
• The organization’s name and location
• A bullet-point list of your main responsibilities

Be concise and specific when describing your work.

• Don’t attempt to list everything you did in every job.
• Do pick out some key achievements that show what you learned and how you succeeded.

For example, instead of:

• Made lesson plans
• Taught students
• Graded papers
• Attended departmental meetings

You could write:

• Designed lessons in academic writing skills
• Taught classes of 20–30 undergraduate students
• Graded practical assignments and coordinated peer feedback sessions
• Contributed to the evaluation and redevelopment of the curriculum

The other sections of your resume depend on what you want to emphasize. You can include some of the section headings listed below, or combine them into larger sections.

Publications and presentations

Publishing in academic journals or presenting at conferences is a big selling point on a graduate school resume. List any publications (including co-author credits) or papers you have presented.

You can also include pending publications – that is, articles that have been accepted by a journal but not yet published. Make sure to note what stage the publication is at (e.g. under review, in press).

Certifications and memberships

If you have participated in professional development or other relevant training courses, list your certifications.

Are you a member of any professional bodies or organizations? You can list these too to demonstrate your involvement in an academic or professional community.

Languages and technical skills

If you speak more than one language, list your level of fluency (with certification if applicable).

There’s usually no need to include standard computer skills like Microsoft Word, but do highlight your proficiency in specialist softwares or tools relevant to the program (such as statistical programs and design software).

Extracurricular activities

Don’t include irrelevant hobbies or try to show off how busy you were in college, but do list any community or voluntary activities that demonstrate your skills in things like leadership and communication, or that are directly related to the subject you want to study.

Examples of the kinds of things that are worth including might be:

• Organizing events
• Editing a college paper, magazine, or journal
• Being president of a club
• Being involved in a community project

Make sure to carefully proofread your resume (and the rest of your application) before you submit. Also, check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services to see what we can do for you.

To ensure your formatting stays consistent, it’s generally best to save your resume as a PDF file (unless the university specifies another format).

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A resume for a graduate school application is typically no more than 1–2 pages long.

Note, however, that if you are asked to submit a CV (curriculum vitae), you should give comprehensive details of all your academic experience. An academic CV can be much longer than a normal resume.

Always carefully check the instructions and adhere to any length requirements for each application.

The sections in your graduate school resume depend on two things: your experience, and the focus of the program you’re applying to.

Always start with your education. If you have more than one degree, list the most recent one first.

The title and order of the other sections depend on what you want to emphasize. You might include things like:

• Professional experience
• Voluntary and extracurricular activities
• Publications
• Skills and certifications

The resume should aim for a balance between two things: giving a snapshot of what you’ve done with your life so far, and showing that you’re a good candidate for graduate study.

No, don’t include your high school courses and grades. The education section should only detail your college education.

If you want to discuss aspects of high school in your graduate school application, you can include this in your personal statement .

A resume is typically shorter than a CV, giving only the most relevant professional and educational highlights.

An academic CV should give full details of your education and career, including lists of publications and presentations, certifications, memberships, grants, and research projects. Because it is more comprehensive, it’s acceptable for an academic CV to be many pages long.

Note that, outside of the US, resume and CV are often used interchangeably.

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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!

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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

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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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• Lisa Marlin https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/lisa-marlin/ 25 Best Gifts for Law Students for 2024

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Student Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Recently graduated and looking for a job?

Or maybe you’re still in college, applying for your first internship?

Whichever the case might be, you’ll need a strong resume to stand apart from all the competition.

And yes - the whole process can seem super scary if you don’t have a lot of work experience. 

After all, what can you even include in your resume, if you’ve never worked a day in your life?

Worry not, we’ve got your back! 

It’s actually pretty easy to create a compelling resume, even if you’re just a student starting out their career journey.

And in this guide, we’re going to teach you how. Here’s what we’re going to cover:

• All the essential sections to include in a student resume
• How to list work experience on your resume, and what to do if you don’t have any
• How to create a compelling resume that stands out (with zero work experience)
• 3 student resume examples to get you inspired (high school, student, and graduate levels)

Let’s dive in:

What to Include In a Student Resume

First things first, let’s talk about which sections to use on a student resume.

The essential sections for a student resume are:

• Contact Information.
• Resume Objective
• Work Experience (if you have any)

If you don’t have much work experience, you can also use the following optional sections to stand out:

• Volunteering
• Awards and Qualifications
• Hobbies and Interests

Of course, you don’t have to include ALL of these sections, just the ones that are relevant for your resume.

Now, let's dive into all these sections one-by-one, and explain how to do each right.

Show Contact Information on Your Resume - How-To & Examples

Contact information is the most critical section on any resume ever.

Sure, it’s not that hard to mess up, but if you make a single typo - you risk messing up your whole application because the HR manager couldn’t get in touch with you.

It goes without saying that you should double-check , and even triple-check that everything in this section is up-to-date and accurate.

Here’s what you should include in your contact information section for your student resume:

Must have information:

• First Name, Last Name - Jane Doe
• Phone Number - 451-483-6924
• Email address - [email protected]
• Location - Chicago, USA

Optional information:

• Title - Your professional title. If you don’t have a lot of experience, feel free to insert the position you’re applying for or your current position - e.g. Business Graduate 
• LinkedIn URL - Do you have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile? Mention it in your contact info! Sure, it’s not a game-changer on it’s own, but a good LinkedIn profile shows the recruiter that you’re serious about your career.
• Social Media - Do you have a published portfolio online? For developers, this could be your GitHub, for designers - your Behance or Dribbble, and so on.
• Website / Blog - Do you have some form of online presence that’s relevant to your job? Let’s say you’re applying for a job as a content writer, and you have a personal blog where you review tech products. You want to include a link to show off your writing skills.

What NOT to include:

• Date of Birth - The HR manager doesn’t need to know how old you are. Unless it was specifically requested in the job ad (e.g. bartender), keep your age off your resume.
• Headshot - Same as above, unless requested (e.g. modeling), keep your headshot off your resume. After all, you’re looking for a job, not a date!
• Unprofessional Email Address - List your professional email address (e.g. first name + last name), not whatever you made in grade school ([email protected]).

Student Resume: Summary or Objective?

Did you know that the HR manager spends around 6 seconds, on average, scanning each resume they get?

That’s right.

Your carefully worded resume just gets 6 seconds to convince the recruiter that you’re relevant.

So, how are you supposed to do that?

Why, by using a resume summary or objective, of course!

If you’re new to resumes, a summary/objective is a short statement that goes on top of your resume. It’s main use is to show the recruiter that you’re relevant in a single glance.

Here’s what that looks like:

Now, you’re probably wondering, what’s the difference between a summary, and an objective? Here’s your answer:

• Resume summary - Main focus is on your work experience. You’d use a summary if you have 2-3+ years of work experience.
• Resume objective - The focus is on your skills, education, and goals. An objective is perfect if you don’t have any work experience.

Now, let’s explain how to write each:

How to write a student resume summary

A resume summary is a 2-3 sentence summary of your career achievements and work experience that goes at the top of your resume.

You’d go for a resume summary if you got started with your career early, and already have 2-3 years of work experience (if you don’t, you just go for a resume objective! More on that later).

Here’s what a resume summary might look like for a recent college grad:

• “Recent college graduate with a B.A. in English from University X seeking an entry-level job as a content writer. Previous experience includes working as an English tutor for 2 years at University X, having worked with 100+ students, helping them improve their essays. In addition, managed a personal blog about tech, publishing over 40 articles in the last 3 years.”

Don’t have a lot of work experience?

No problem!

Here’s how to write a resume objective instead:

How to write a resume objective as a student

A resume objective , as we mentioned before, is basically the same thing as a resume summary, but with a focus on goals, objectives, skills, and education instead of work experience.

In your student resume objective, you include:

• What your field of study is.
• Relevant skills
• Why you’re applying for the position and what you can do to help .

Here’s a student resume objective done right:

• “Finance student with a 3.92 GPA seeking an entry-level Financial Analyst position at Company X. Skilled in financial data analysis, and reading financial sheets, with excellent knowledge of accounting and tax legislation. Hoping to help Company X improve their activity-based accounting techniques and grow within the company.”

Now, let’s move on to the next section: education.

Emphasize Your Education and Certificates

Education is one of those sections that sound simple to structure, but requires a lot of details.

You insert all the schools you attended in chronological order and done. You move on, right?

Not exactly.

There’s a ton of details that make up an education section.

• Does your education section go on top, or under your work experience?
• Should you mention your GPA , even if it’s not all that good?
• How do you mention your awards, honors, and so on?

See? Not quite so simple, is it?

Let’s start with the basics: how to list education on a resume , how to format it, and what to mention within.

Here’s what a typical education entry includes:

• Program Name : E.g. “B.A. in Business Administration.”
• University Name : E.g. “University of Texas at Austin”
• Years Attended : E.g. “08/2008 - 06/2010”
• (Optional) GPA : E.g. “3.9 GPA” 
• (Optional) Honors : E.g. “Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude”.
• (Optional) Academic Achievements : E.g. any interesting projects or papers you’ve written.
• (Optional) Minor : E.g. “Minor in Psychology.”

Here’s what that might look like on a real resume:

If you don’t have much relevant work experience, make sure to put your education section on top of work experience.

And finally, here’s some other essential tips on your education section:

• Mention your latest educational entry on top.
• If you have a university degree, don’t mention your high school at all.
• ONLY mention GPA if you had an impressive academic career (i.e. 3.5 GPA or higher).

Now, let’s move on to the next section on your student resume: work experience.

How to List Your Work Experience as a Student

When applying for a job, the number one thing recruiters want to know is if you can really do it right.

And one sure way to check that is to look at your past experience .

But what if you don’t have any?

Don’t worry, we’ll cover that below!

If you DO have work experience, here’s how you list it on a student resume:

How to list work experience as a student

When listing your previous jobs, you should follow a reverse-chronological order, and go with the standard work experience format.

Which is as follows:

• Job Title and Position - The first section the HR manager will check. To keep things simple, you can just use the exact name you saw in the job ad you’re applying for.
• Company Name, Description, Location - Describe the company in 1-2 sentences, and be sure to mention the location (country, city) of the firm too.
• Dates Employed - Simply list how long you worked at the previous role for. If you don’t remember the exact dates, feel free to give an approximate. Standard format for dates is: mm/yyyy 
• Achievements and Responsibilities - When possible, you should always list achievements over responsibilities. After all, the HR probably already knows what your responsibilities are. And with achievements, you should list any specific changes you made possible (use data and numbers!), that the HR manager could apply to their company. 

And here’s what that looks like in practice:

• For more tips and tricks on how to best present your work experience, check out our complete guide to the work experience section.

Student Resume FAQ

• Should you list irrelevant work experience in a student resume?

Most students don’t have much professional work experience.

What they DO have is some experience doing part-time work during university, summer break, etc.

So, you’re probably wondering, is your part-time summer server experience something you mention in your resume?

The answer is yes.

Even though the experience is probably not relevant for the job you’re applying for, it shows the recruiter that you have SOME work experience.

2. What to do if you don’t have any work experience?

Here’s the thing:

Most college students don’t!

And this shouldn’t stop you.

For most entry-level jobs, the HR manager knows that the candidates are students with not much work experience (and that’s OK!).

Instead of work experience, you can focus on the following sections:

• Internships - Have you done an internship that’s relevant for the position you’re applying for? Here’s your chance to mention it. Format it like the work experience section (see above).
• Extracurricular Activities - If you still have a lot of empty space in your college resume, extracurricular activities are always a great addition. Whether they’re related to your job or not, they still show that you’re passionate and hard-working. Activities can include anything from personal projects to organizations or groups you’re part of.
• Volunteering Experience - Volunteering shows that you have a cause that you care about (and that you’re willing to work for it!). And there’s nothing a recruiter loves more than a dedicated employee. Whether you spent some time at the soup kitchen, or just helped collect trash in the parks, you can always mention your experience in your resume!
• Projects - Finally, in this section, you can add just about any type of project you’ve participated in, as long as it’s relevant. Graduation thesis, coursework or personal projects, all of that goes here.

Here’s a student resume example that focuses on volunteer experience and personal projects instead of work experience:

Best Skills to Mention on a Student Resume 

Another must-have section for your college resume is the Skills section .

Here, you want to mention your expertise and why you’re the perfect candidate for the job.

How do you do that?

Let’s take a look.

There are 2 types of skills you can mention:

• Soft Skills (Personal Skills) : These are a mix of social, communication, and other personal traits. For example, leadership, critical thinking, time-management, so on.
• Hard Skills (Measurable Abilities) : These are your measurable abilities. So, anything from baking to complex machinery skills.

A good resume should aim for a mix of both, soft and hard skills.

And if written correctly, the skill section can look something like this:

Now, when listing skills on your resume, here are a few essential tips to keep in mind:

• List hard skills with experience levels . For each skill you list, you can mention your proficiency at it as well (i.e. from beginner to expert).
• Keep it relevant and tailored to the job . You might have some awesome and rare skills, but they’re not always going to be useful. You wouldn’t talk about your accounting skills in a marketing job, right?
• Include some Universal skills. There are skills that are bound to be useful pretty much anywhere. These are both soft skills (communication, teamwork, etc.) and hard skills (Photoshop, Powerpoint, writing, etc.). Whatever job you’re applying to, these skills will probably come in handy.

And for a student resume , here are a few of some of the top skills almost every single employer will value:

• Verbal and Written Communication.
• Adaptability
• Punctuality.
• Organization.
• Flexibility.
• Problem-solving abilities.
• Motivation.
• Persuasion.
• Time-management.

Now, you might be wondering - but isn’t just about everyone ‘communicative’ and ‘flexible’?

And you’d be right!

Mentioning buzzword skills only for the sake of sounding smart will get you nowhere.

To really show that you do have these skills, you want to back them up with the rest of your resume.

For example, if you say you have “critical thinking” as a skill, you could have a work experience section that emphasizes that.

In other words: show, don’t tell.

Now, if you have some space left in your student resume, here are some other ‘nice-to-have’ optional sections you could mention.

5 Other Awesome Sections to Include in a Student Resume

The sections we’ve covered so far are essential for any student resume.

They’re going to be your bread-and-butter. Get those sections right, and you’ll land any job you apply to.

But consider the following situation:

The HR manager has to make a decision between 2 near-identical student resumes, with very similar work experience and backgrounds.

Even if the following sections might not be relevant at first glance, they might end up being the deciding factor between you getting the job or not.

You should only ever mention the following sections in your student resume - IF you have the space for them.

Hobbies and interests

Why would I want to include my hobbies in my resume, you might ask? 

Sure, it’s not going to be the section that gets you hired.

It will, however, give the recruiter some insight on what you’re like as a person, and what are your interests.

When the hiring manager is faced with 2 near-identical resumes from 2 equally-qualified candidates , the deciding factor might come down to your personality and interests .

• Not sure which hobbies to mention in your resume? Check out our comprehensive guide on 40+ hobbies and interests to put on your resume for a full list!

This one’s pretty simple.

Are you bilingual? Maybe even trilingual?

You should ALWAYS mention that in your resume!

Most companies are pretty international nowadays. And even if the position you’re applying for doesn’t need any specific language skills, it can still come in handy at some point.

To list languages in your resume, simply write them down and assign them the appropriate level:

• Proficient.
• Intermediate.

It goes without saying that you should never lie about your language skills.

You never know when the interviewer might turn out to be fluent in the language.

Awards and Certifications

Do you have a piece of paper with your name on it that says why you’re so smart and qualified?

It could be an award from a competition, or an online certificate .

Whichever the case, as long as it’s relevant to your job - you can include it in your resume to further back up your expertise.

Publications

Are you a freelance writer? Or worked with your university’s student paper?

You can include any relevant works you published (online, academic journal, etc.) with an URL in a publications section.

Extracurricular activities

Still have some space on your resume and an activity or two that you didn’t get to mention until now?

Extracurricular activities are always a great addition.

Whether they’re related to the job or not, they’ll still show one thing:

You’re hard-working and committed.

Here’s what that might look like on a resume:

Public Speaking Club

Founder and President

09/2018 - 09/2019

• Founded club to help fellow students improve at public speaking and promote discussion-based events.
• Organized 5+ public speaking lectures.
• Brought in professors from the university and organized 2 speaking workshops.

You get the point.

3 Job-Winning College Student Resume Examples

Looking for more resume inspiration?

Check out the 3 different student resumes below to see what a job-winning resume might look like.

College Resume Example

M.A. Student Resume Example

High School Resume Example

Key Takeaways

And there you go.

That’s how you create a powerful student resume from scratch!

Now, let’s quickly summarize everything we’ve learned so far:

• Don’t have much work experience? No worries - recruiters don’t look for any in entry-level candidates.
• Want to stand out without work experience? Focus on one of the following instead: extracurricular activities, internships, projects, and volunteering experience.
• Need some inspiration? Check out the student resume examples we mentioned above!

Need some more guidance on everything job-search? Check out our career blog for the latest industry-leading advice and more actionable guides.

Recommended reading: 

• 43+ Resume Tips and Tricks to Land Your Next Job in 2024
• 35+ Common Interview Questions and Answers [Complete List]
• Best Resume Formats for 2024 [3+ Professional Templates]

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Graduate School Application Tips & Advice

Applying to graduate school can be both exciting and a little overwhelming. You’re making a decision that could advance your career or allow you to dive deeper into a subject area that fulfills your personal goals, but you’re also making a significant investment of your time and finances.

With proper research, a clear head, and confidence, however, you can find the perfect program and submit an application that the admissions committee will be hard-pressed to reject.

Are you thinking about applying to graduate school? Here’s what every prospective student needs to know.

Tips for Applying to Graduate School

1. find a program that aligns with your goals ..

Finding the right graduate program can sometimes feel like the hardest part of the process. It’s important to find the right program for you, and with different degrees and certificates popping up at universities across the country, there are likely dozens of options available to you.

Write down the most important features of your ideal program before you begin your research. For example, do you want a full-time, on-campus experience or a flexible, online environment? Do you want research-based coursework or a program with experiential opportunities integrated into the curriculum? Once you have your list of non-negotiable features, you can kick off your research.

Learn More: How to Organize Your Grad School Search

After you’ve explored a range of programs, consider your career goals and how each program can help you achieve them. If you’d like to hone your skills to work in a specific focus area of a broader field, for instance, a program that offers a concentration or certificate aligned with those skills can be beneficial. On the other hand, if you’d like to have flexibility in your chosen career, pursuing a broader degree program that can be applied across various functions may be better suited to your needs.

Investing in this research upfront will help you find a graduate program that is right for your specific goals and allow you to feel more confident in your choice when it comes time to complete and submit your application.

2. Ask questions . 

The old-school idea that the admissions office is a scary room filled with judgment is a falsehood. Today, graduate school admissions counselors are here to help guide you through the application process process. They want to be there to support your educational journey. If you have any questions, ask . Don’t worry that your interactions with the admissions team could impact your application. If anything, your interactions will only help improve your application before review and help demonstrate your sincere interest in the program.

Many colleges and universities offer online resources where prospective students can find information about the application process and requirements. Getting in touch with an admissions counselor, though, may be the most efficient way to find answers to specific questions you might have. Engaging with them will also give you a chance to get to know the school better and decide if what they offer is really the right fit for your needs. 

Consider This: Admissions counselors are well-versed in the logistics of application requirements, individual programs, and financial aid and scholarships . If you have specific questions, be sure to reach out to them for the clarity and insight you need at any step of the process.

Prospective students should not be afraid of contacting faculty, either. If there’s a particular class you’re interested in taking or a lab you hope to work in, contact the faculty member in charge. Ask about that faculty member’s research and pose any questions about the degree program that you might have. You may have a better chance of standing out during the admissions process if you express interest early.

Ready to Get Your Questions Answered?

Reach out to our admissions team for personalized advice on the application process.

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3. Understand the timeline.

Although the application process varies by college or university, the vast majority will require you to submit your transcript, letters of recommendation, professional resumé , and statement of purpose. Your transcript alone could take weeks to be delivered and processed, so don’t wait until the last minute to start applying.

In an effort to avoid procrastination, consider developing a calendar of deadlines. Map out when you need to apply to each of your desired schools and the specific requirements for that program. For example, if you need to submit your undergraduate grades, create a to-do at least a month before the application deadline that reminds you to order your transcript.   

4. Update your resumé.

Before sending your resumé, make sure it’s optimized for your grad school application . In general, your experience should be listed in chronological order, starting with your current position, and described in bullet points using action-packed verbs, such as “achieved,” “improved,” “launched,” “negotiated,” or “trained.” Quantify any achievements and show your results, whether it’s the number of people you’ve managed, dollars you’ve raised, or articles you’ve written.

To help your resumé align with your grad school application, be sure to tailor it to the program you intend to pursue by showcasing your skills, highlighting relevant experience, and including your professional achievements.

5. Write a strong statement of purpose.

While some might think that a statement of purpose —or personal statement —is an afterthought during your application review, many admissions committees, consider it one of the most important components of your application. The statement of purpose can make or break your application for admission.

The key to crafting an impactful statement of purpose is to not get caught up in what you think the admissions committee wants to hear. Use this opportunity to tell the committee more about who you are and your background while also explaining specifically what you hope to get out of the program. Be sure to address the unique features the school offers that interest you most.

For Example: If you plan to apply to Northeastern, you might consider highlighting experiential learning as the unique feature that interests you about your program. In this case, you might explain that you’re excited to tackle real-world projects in your desired industry and learn from faculty who are experts in your field of study.

No matter where you apply, a strong statement of purpose should include:

• Insight into what drives you, whether that’s professional advancement, personal growth, or both
• The features about the school that appeal to you most
• Your expectations of the degree program and its potential impact
• Authenticity and a clear picture of what makes you unique

6 . Choose appropriate references .

Letters of recommendation are another piece of the application process that helps elevate your application for admission. When it comes to asking for letters of recommendation , carefully consider whom you’re contacting. You want to choose someone who knows you well and can speak to your strengths. 

Reach out to a professor you regularly interacted with who can detail your academic accomplishments and describe why you were a standout student. You can also ask a former supervisor who’s working in a field that aligns with the graduate program you’re pursuing. No matter your choice, make sure it’s someone you know in a professional or academic capacity—not a friend or family member—who will to provide a positive recommendation representative of your character. 

You can typically provide either a professional or academic recommendation in support of your application, but programs have specific requirements around who is writing the recommendation and what the content needs to address. Research what each program requires before you coordinate your references.

When asking for a recommendation, provide your chosen reference with as much information about your request as possible. The more insight you can provide, the better your recommendation letter will be. Include in your first outreach:

• The name of the school you’re applying to
• The degree you’re pursuing
• Why you want to enroll in that specific program
• Your resumé

Make sure you keep your timeline in mind as you embark on these communications, especially if you reach out to a professor. It’s likely your letter isn’t the only one he or she needs to write, so be respectful of their time by giving as much notice as possible. Four weeks is ideal. 

7. Proofread your materials before applying.

You could be a perfect fit for your desired program, but if you submit materials that are riddled with spelling and grammar errors, the admissions team might dismiss your application before ever digging into it. Triple-check your materials and make sure that when you do press send, you’ve included all necessary documentation and hit all deadlines set in place by the university.

It’s easy for an individual to unknowingly overlook their own mistakes, so it can also be helpful to ask a friend to review your materials before you submit them, as well. Reading your materials out loud to yourself can also help you spot potential mistakes.

Though this may seem like a lot of effort, remember: Your application is the first impression you will make on the university, and it’s important to put your best foot forward.

8. Be true to yourself .

Of all the tips for applying to graduate school, the most important is being true to yourself. Being perfect is not the recipe for admission; admissions committees want to know the real you and understand your ambitions. Whether you’re a working professional hoping graduate school can bring you to the next level of your career or a recent graduate looking to further master your chosen skill, just be yourself, and you’ll start off in the right direction.

Applying to Northeastern’s Graduate Programs

If you are interested in applying to one of Northeastern University’s 200+ online, on-ground, or hybrid graduate degree and certificate programs , there are various resources available to help you along the way. 

First, it is important to understand the application process and requirements. Specific application requirements vary by college and degree, so be sure to explore the admissions information for your desired program before getting started. In general, however, the application requirements for Northeastern’s graduate programs include:

• A completed online application 
• Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools you’ve previously attended
• A statement of purpose that details your goals and interest in the program
• One to three letters of recommendation (varies by program)
• Your updated professional resumé or curriculum vitae 
• Your official GRE, GMAT, or LSAT test scores (if required)
• A non-refundable application fee 

Additionally, international students who are non-native English speakers must submit proof of English proficiency in the form of TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo test scores, though the minimum scores vary by program. Students who do not meet the minimum requirement for these scores may also apply to the university’s Global Pathways program .

As always, students who intend to apply to a graduate program at Northeastern should also research the application deadlines for their program of interest. Be sure to set a timeline for yourself and avoid procrastination to ensure that you’re able to submit all of the required materials on time.

The faculty and admissions team at Northeastern are always available to help prospective students throughout this journey, and prospective students are always encouraged to reach out to ask questions and get personalized advice . Whether you need information about selecting the right program, the application process, program-specific requirements, financial aid, or anything in between, the admissions team is here to help.

The First Step Toward Grad School Success

Once you’ve made the decision to further your education and pursue a graduate degree or certificate, submitting your application is the first step toward being a successful graduate student. 

No matter where you choose to apply and ultimately attend, there are countless resources available to help you throughout the process. 

To learn more about the specific schools and programs you are interested in, it’s always best to start by reaching out to admissions teams and faculty to get to know what makes them unique and ask any questions you might have. Building these relationships early on will help you find a program that fits your personal and professional goals, and can ultimately help you through the process of getting accepted to a program that’s right for you.

Are you interested in applying to graduate school? Explore Northeastern’s degree and certificate programs , and contact us for personalized advice.

This article was originally published in August 2017. It has since been updated for accuracy and relevance.

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Important Dates

• Application Opens: April 15, 2024
• Application Deadline: June 17, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. ET
• HILS Preview Weekend: September 26-28, 2024

Please read the program description, eligibility criteria, and application instructions before beginning your application.

Program Description

The goal of the  Harvard Integrated Life Sciences  (HILS) Preview Weekend is to provide an in-person academic professional development and community building experience for prospective HILS PhD program applicants who have not previously had the opportunity to visit Harvard and become familiar with its programs and resources. Core to the mission of the HILS Preview Weekend is the promotion of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in STEM.

At the HILS Preview Weekend, participants will:

• connect and network with  HILS PhD program students, staff, and faculty
• gain insights into the application process and how to prepare a strong application for HILS PhD programs
• learn about resources, support, and the life sciences research environment at Harvard
• explore the city of Boston.

Lodging, airfare, and all meals are covered for HILS Preview Weekend participants.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants must meet  all of the following criteria:

• US citizens, permanent residents, or non-US citizens with DACA 
• individuals who will be applying to PhD programs in the life sciences in 2024
• must be available to attend the entire in-person program.

Individuals ineligible for the HILS Preview Weekend include those:

• who have participated in summer research, postbaccalaureate, or other outreach programs at Harvard, its affiliated hospitals and/or institutes
• who are current or former research assistants or master's students at Harvard or its affiliated institutes.

Please note that applications that do not meet these eligibility criteria will not be considered.

Who Should Apply?

• college seniors, postbaccalaureate students, research assistants, master's students, and STEM professionals

Individuals with:

• a demonstrated interest in pursuing a PhD in the life sciences
• a strong interest in  HILS PhD programs
• prior hands-on research experience in a wet lab or dry lab environment.

We especially encourage applications from students who are from  underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds (see also  NOT-OD-20-031 ). Applications are open to all, and HILS does not consider race, ethnicity, or national origin in reviewing applications.

Application Components

The HILS Preview Weekend application consists of the following components:

• personal, academic, and research background
• unofficial transcripts
• statement of purpose – see instructions below
• personal statement – see instructions below
• a letter of recommendation (from a faculty member in whose laboratory you have performed research) – see instructions below
• resume – see instructions below
• Note: There is no application fee for the HILS Preview Weekend.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Stay tuned for the launch of the application!

Statement of Purpose (750 words max)

Your statement of purpose should be clear, concise, and coherent, including all of the following components.

• Describe your reasons and motivations for participating in the HILS Preview Weekend and pursuing a PhD in your chosen field(s), including how you will benefit from the HILS Preview Weekend. 
• Briefly indicate your career objectives. 
• the central question and/or hypothesis driving each of your research projects or research experiences
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• your specific experimental and intellectual contributions to the work.

Your statement should be free from spelling or grammatical errors, well structured with transitions, labeled with your first and last name, and comprehensible for someone who is not an expert in your field. Please upload your statement of purpose as a PDF.

Personal Statement (500 words max)

A core part of the Harvard Griffin GSAS mission is to identify and attract the most promising students to form a dynamic and diverse community. We are committed to training individuals who reflect the growing diversity of society today and who will contribute to our commitment to sustain a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment. Please briefly describe your personal journey to graduate education and how your experiences have impacted your decision to pursue graduate study. In addition, please describe any personal experiences in your education or upbringing—including opportunities, hardships, or obstacles—that you believe to be pertinent to your application.

Letter of Recommendation

Please have a faculty member in whose lab you have conducted research submit a letter of recommendation for you, describing and discussing (1) your work in their laboratory, (2) academic performance, (3) intellectual potential, (4) motivation for graduate study, (5) creativity and originality, and (6) other qualities that make you a strong candidate for PhD programs in the life sciences.

Note: You are responsible for ensuring that the faculty member writing your letter of recommendation submits it by the application deadline. Applications without a letter of recommendation will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Resume (1-2 pages)

Your resume should include a brief overview of the following elements, as applicable: your relevant education, research experience, laboratory skills, teaching experience, presentations, publications, honors and awards, and relevant leadership, outreach, and extracurricular activities. Resumes that are longer than two pages will not be reviewed.

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New Career Resources Website from the College of the Environment

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The new Career Resources website  for College of the Environment students is now live on the  Dean’s Office webpage !

This new site is primarily geared for undergrads and contains information and resources to help you:

• find jobs, internships, and research opportunities
• prepare application materials
• explore graduate school and careers in academia

They also have a Career Services Events calendar   with upcoming workshops, programs, and other events to further your career goals. You can  subscribe to the calendar   for a weekly email update of upcoming events.

Bookmark their website for easy access as you look for opportunities during your time at the UW and beyond!

Survey: Almost all 2023 MU grads had a job or other placement 6 months after graduation

Almost all 2023 University of Missouri graduates got a job , continued their educations, joined the military or are volunteering, according to an MU career outcomes survey .

Six months after graduation, 95% of graduates had placements.

One of them is Savannah Gonzales, who graduated in May 2023 with a bachelor's degree in language and hearing sciences. She's now pursuing her master's degree in speech language pathology in graduate school at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

MU prepared her well for her current situation and the future, Gonzales said in Friday phone conversation.

"The clinical experiences with preschool students is very similar to what I'm doing now," Gonzales said. "Not every bachelor's program has that. It's super-helpful to build background knowledge and research skills."

There's another aspect of her MU education that is also important, she said.

"Gaining different soft skills and interpersonal skills with people is really valuable," she said. "Working with prospective students and in Tiger Pantry and Truman's Closet, I learned a lot of soft skills."

After earning her master's degree, she will complete a clinical fellowship and be certified as a speech langauage pathologist, she said.

Though her MU graduation is less than a year in the past, she said she knows she will feel the same about her MU education even after 40 years.

"I don't even have to think about my answer," Gonzales said. "I have really strong relationships with peers, classmates and mentors."

The career outcomes survey , conducted in partnership with the National Association of Colleges and Employers, notes that the 2023 graduates were hired by 2,504 employers. Graduates also were accepted at 283 educational institutions.

It's an important measure of MU's success, said Jim Spain, vice provost of undergraduate studies, in a news release.

“At MU, we aim to support students as they make the transition from college to the workforce, post-grad studies or other pursuits so they can apply what they have learned as they continue to explore their interests,” Spain said. “Our alumni are changing the world every day, and out of all the benefits of attending college at MU, the one pride point we hear from our students more than any other at graduation is that they feel prepared and equipped for life after college.”

Mun Choi, MU chancellor and system president, also touted the student experience in the release.

“Students at Mizzou learn from world-class faculty, conduct research, enjoy SEC sports and participate in many activities including fraternity and sorority life for a well-rounded education and development," Choi said. "These impressive career outcome results show that Mizzou prepares students to lead our state and world."

Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at [email protected] or 573-815-1719. He's on X at @rmckinney9.

Western celebrates impact of student workers on campus

Collin Holzberger, pictured right of Buster, is Leadership Student Employee of the Year.

Antonia Kistler Ellis, Diversity and Inclusion Student Employee of the Year, and Muhammad Hassan Asif, Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year Overall, both work at the Student Recreation Center.

Jithendran Senthilkumar, right, is Graduate Student Employee of the Year Overall.

Jaqueline Chavarria, pictured holding flowers, is the Critical Thinking Student Employee of the Year.

Seth Falkenstein is Technology and Innovation Student Employee of the Year.

Dr. Brandon Youker, pictured third from right, is Student Employee Supervisor of the Year.

Katelyn Frankel, pictured holding flowers, is Community Service Student Employee of the Year.

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Students at Western Michigan University are empowered to learn through experience-driven education, and working on campus is one of the many avenues Broncos engage in. The University will celebrate student employee contributions to campus April 8 to 12 during National Student Employment Week. Observed annually during the second week of April, it recognizes students who work with enthusiasm, dedication and initiative to support the campus workforce.

"The work of student employees drives the University forward in supporting students' experiences both in and outside of the classrooms," says Amanda Jeppesen , student employment specialist.

Western currently employs about 2,800 student workers, and they are embedded into nearly every department and program at the University.

"As you walk through our beautiful campus, you are seeing the work of student employees in Landscape Services. When you grab food between class or between meetings, you are benefiting from services provided by student employees in Dining Services. During a play at Gilmore Theatre Complex, you are immersed in a reality designed and supported by student employees," Jeppesen says. "Every single experience you have at Western Michigan University has been influenced, executed or organized, in part, by student employees."

Students who work on campus also have the opportunity to work closely with professionals in an environment that supports on-the-job learning and growing as a professional, adds Jeppesen.

"Student employment positions foster leadership and are worthy of top billing on resumes because the expectations and stakes are high. Student employees graduate from WMU with core job skills that employers seek in new college graduates entering the professional workforce."

THE HONOREES

Every year, Western recognizes top talent with the Gary L. Belleville Student Employee of the Year and Student Advisor of the Year awards. New this year, the National Student Employment Association added more categories in addition to overall excellence that highlight student employees who go above and beyond in a number of crucial areas. This year's winners include:

Graduate Student Employee of the Year Overall Award

Jithendran Senthilkumar , an engineering management master's student, was nominated for his work as an office assistant for the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. His nominators highlighted his eagerness to learn and adapt as well as his open-mindedness to integrating new ideas. Senthilkumar also helped enhance the department's operations by suggesting a new method of organizing homework and test results that made them more secure. He also works as a liaison for graduate students and is committed to mentorship, supporting peers to success within the department.

Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year Overall Award

Muhammad Hassan Asif , a pre-aerospace engineering student, was nominated for his work as a customer service specialist with University Recreation. His nominators point out his dedication, professional growth and proactive approach to learning and development. They laud his community-building skills and outreach efforts while also highlighting his initiative to acquire new skills and versatility in taking on various tasks regardless of his position. Asif's commitment to excellence shines through in every aspect of his work, inspiring others and influencing the well-being of all members of the Western community.

Community Service Student Employee of the Year Award

Katelyn Frankel , a nursing student, is a lab assistant in the Bronson School of Nursing. Nominators say she not only excels in her assigned duties but "significantly surpassed" expectations in terms of her dedication to community service both at Western and the broader community. They note her efforts to improve operational efforts within the lab while also inspiring and encouraging her peers to engage more deeply with their community. Frankel also showcases exceptional care and professionalism in her community nursing classes and as a nurse extern at Bronson Hospital.

Critical Thinking Student Employee of the Year Award

Jaqueline Chavarria , a psychology and criminal justice studies student, was nominated for her work as a student receptionist in Lee Honors College. Her nominators lauded her exceptional abilities in multitasking, problem-solving and critical thinking. They also highlighted her initiative in creating and maintaining clear channels of communication, providing compassionate and constructive feedback and ability to use inclusive reasoning and judgment as ways she's contributed to enhancing the quality of service and the collaborative environment of the college.

Diversity and Inclusion Student Employee of the Year Award

Antonia Kistler Ellis , an exercise science and pre-nutrition and dietetics student, was nominated for her work as a GroupEx instructor in University Recreation. Nominators highlight Ellis' commitment to fostering an inclusive, supportive and empowering environment for all participants and workers. Their holistic mission to create safe spaces where all individuals feel valued, heard and encouraged paired with innovative routines and a motivational atmosphere reflect a deep understanding of empathy and compassion provide inspiration and encouragement for everyone they work with—both on campus and in the community.

Leadership Student Employee of the Year Award

Collin Holzberger , a public and nonprofit administration student, was nominated for his role as lead student ambassador for the College of Education and Human Development. Nominators say he exemplifies leadership qualities that enrich the department and the entire University community. His dedication to mentorship and professional growth are evident to all who work with him, and his innovative initiatives to expand lines of communication with registered student organizations and peers have improved collaboration within the college. 

Supervisor of the Year Award

Dr. Brandon Youker was nominated for his role as director of the Evaluation Lab at The Evaluation Center. Nominators value his ability to foster an inclusive environment where every student evaluator feels heard. They call Youker's enthusiasm for evaluation and teaching "infectious" and his mentorship "transformative," highlighting the engaging and personalized learning environment he creates to prepare students for future careers and inspire them to pursue excellence in their fields.

Technology and Innovation Student Employee of the Year Award

Seth Falkenstein , a history student, was nominated for his work as a student activity assistant in the payroll and disbursements department. His nominators laud his extraordinary ability to leverage technology to enhance efficiency, productivity and decision-making processes within the department. They call his contributions in training coordination, email restructuring, website redesign and communication strategy improvement "transformational." He also provides crucial mentorship for fellow student co-workers, helping them become more proficient in the department's operations.

In addition to recognition at Western, winners’ names are also submitted for consideration for regional awards through the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators and potentially national awards through the National Student Employee Association.

For more WMU news, arts and events , visit WMU News online.

Baltimore Shipping Set to Resume by End of April With Full Capacity by End of May

View of the Dali cargo vessel which crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., April 4, 2024. REUTERS/Nathan Howard

By Daniel Trotta

(Reuters) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Thursday it expects to open a new channel to the Port of Baltimore by the end of April, freeing up commercial shipping blocked by a collapsed bridge, and then restore port access to full capacity by the end of May.

The main channel has been blocked by wreckage since the fully loaded container ship Dali lost power and rammed into a support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, killing six road workers and causing the highway bridge to tumble into the Patapsco River.

The Army Corps, part of a multiagency team responding to the Baltimore disaster, announced the plans one day ahead of a visit by President Joe Biden, saying that within four weeks the channel would be suitable for some roll-on/roll-off vessels that transport automobiles and farm equipment.

The Port of Baltimore ranks first in the United States for the volume it handles of autos and light trucks and farm and construction machinery, according to the state of Maryland. Most of that traffic has been suspended since the accident, though some terminal operations outside the affected area have resumed.

Earlier this week, two auxiliary channels suitable for emergency vessels, tugs and barges were opened on either side of the disabled ship, which is stuck beneath bridge debris with thousands of containers and a crew of 21 sailors still aboard.

But with depths limited to 11 feet (3.35 meters) and 14 feet, those two channels are too shallow for major cargo ships, which need a depth of 35 feet.

"USACE expects to open a limited access channel 280 feet wide and 35 feet deep, to the Port of Baltimore within the next four weeks - by the end of April," the corps said.

By the end of May, the corps said it expects to restore port access to its full capacity with a 700-foot-wide by 50-foot-deep navigation channel.

Before then, salvage crews must remove steel bridge debris from atop the Dali in order to extract it from the harbor, then clear the twisted metal and highway wreckage that fell into the water.

Ensconced within that debris are the bodies of four of the six highway workers who were killed.

The Biden administration has provided an initial $60 million in emergency funding to clear the channel and begin recovery, and Biden has said he would ask Congress to fund the complete rebuilding of the bridge.

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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Tags: United States , international trade , Maryland

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