When it comes to applying for scholarships, especially international or highly competitive ones, your Academic CV or Resume plays a major role. It is one of the first documents scholarship committees use to evaluate your potential, and it’s your chance to make a strong first impression.
One of the best ways to stand out is to prepare a resume that showcases your academic achievements, leadership, and relevant experiences both inside and outside the classroom.
This comprehensive guide will take you through the steps to write an academic CV that impresses, with tips and a sample template to guide you. But firstly, you need to understand what an academic CV is.
What is an Academic CV?
An Academic Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume is a detailed document that outlines your educational background, academic accomplishments, research experience, skills, and career goals.
For international scholarships, this document helps demonstrate your dedication, achievements, and suitability for the program you are applying to. It is not just a list of you academic achievements, it tells the story of who you are academically and professionally.
Some scholarship applications may require a resume specifically, while others may list it as an optional document. Either way, including one can give your application serious consideration.
Key Features of a Strong Academic CV for Scholarships
A well-written academic CV aims to capture the attention of the scholarship committee by offering a clear and organized overview of your academic and professional experience.
Your academic CV should :
- Be well-structured and easy to read
- Focus on your educational and research background
- Show skills and achievements that align with the scholarship
- Be customized for each opportunity
- Include quantifiable results and real contributions
How to write an Academic CV/Resume for Scholarship Applications
Below are the key areas you should include in your academic CV to make it more catchy and compelling for your scholarship.
Personal Information:
This includes your full name, current contact address, email address, and phone number. You may also include links to a professional website or LinkedIn profile if applicable.
Career Objective/ Personal Statement:
After your personal information, write a brief professional profile or career objective. This should summarize your academic interests, career goals, and motivation for applying. It is your opportunity to briefly highlight your qualifications, future ambitions, and what you hope to gain or contribute through the scholarship.
Education:
The details of your education should be arranged in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent qualification. Mention the name of your school, degree obtained, dates attended, and any honors or distinctions you received.
If you completed a notable final-year project, thesis, or coursework that is relevant to your field, include that information too. You may also mention leadership roles, academic societies, or extracurricular engagements that added value to your academic journey.
Work Experience:
Your work history/experience should include internships, part-time jobs, volunteer roles, or full-time employment. Just like your education details, use reverse chronological order and briefly describe your role, responsibilities, and the skills or results you gained from the experience.
Focus on those positions that are relevant to your field of study or demonstrate qualities that the scholarship committee may value, such as leadership, teamwork, or innovation.
Research Experience:
This is another critical part of an academic CV, especially if you are applying for a postgraduate or research-based scholarship. Clearly describe the title of the research or project, your role in it, the duration, the methodologies used, and key outcomes or findings. If the research resulted in publications or conference presentations, you should also highlight them in this section or under a separate heading if preferred.
Skills:
Your CV should showcase your technical and soft skills. These may include software proficiency, laboratory techniques, research tools, programming languages, writing and editing abilities, or foreign languages. It is important to list skills that are both relevant to your field and those that demonstrate your readiness for advanced study.
Awards and honors:
This is another important aspect of your academic resume. Include any recognition you have received, from scholarships and grants to leadership awards and academic distinctions. These help to further demonstrate your merit, commitment, and impact.
You may also want to include a section on leadership and extracurricular involvement. This shows the committee that you are not only academically sound but also engaged in your community, responsible, and proactive — all qualities scholarship boards look out for.
Referees:
Lastly, do not forget to include your referees. You should list two or three people who can vouch for your academic abilities and character. This typically includes professors, academic supervisors, or professional mentors. For each referee, include their full name, title, institution or organization, email address, and phone number if required.
To make your CV scholarship-ready, always tailor it to suit the requirements of the scholarship. Read through the eligibility criteria carefully and align your experience with the values and objectives of the program.
Keep the formatting neat and professional. Avoid long blocks of text, check for typos and grammar errors, and keep your CV to one or two pages unless otherwise specified.
In summary, a scholarship-winning academic CV should be well-organized, clear, and purposeful. It should highlight your academic journey, achievements, and future aspirations in a way that convinces the selection panel that you are a worthy candidate.
Scholarship CV/Resume Template
This template is a professional academic CV template for scholarship applications tailored to someone with an engineering background like Oluwafikayomi Adelodun, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.
Oluwafikayomi Adelodun
Lagos, Nigeria
+234 [Your Phone Number]
[[email protected]]
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/oluwafikayomi (optional)
Portfolio/GitHub/Website (if applicable)
Personal Statement
A results-driven engineering graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University with a strong academic background in Electrical/Electronic Engineering. Passionate about research and innovation in renewable energy systems, automation, artificial intelligence, etc. Committed to using engineering solutions to solve real-world problems and contribute to sustainable development. Seeking a fully funded scholarship to pursue advanced studies in Software Engineering to further develop my technical and research skills.
Education
Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) in [Electrical/Electronic Engineering]
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
2017 – 2022
Final Grade: [ Second Class Upper Division]
Relevant Coursework: Thermodynamics, Control Systems, Fluid Mechanics, Engineering Mathematics, Project Management
Final Year Project: Design and Implementation of a Smart Home Energy Management System with Renewable Energy Integration. This project involves designing and building a system that intelligently monitors and controls energy consumption within a smart home, focusing on integrating renewable energy sources (like solar panels).
Research Experience (if any)
Undergraduate Final Year Research Project
Obafemi Awolowo University | Oct 2021 – Jul 2022
Title: Design and Implementation of a Smart Home Energy Management System with Renewable Energy Integration
Focused on integrating renewable energy sources
Collected data, modeled energy efficiency, and tested system performance
Supervised by Dr. Adeolu
Internship & Work Experience
Engineering Intern
(Julius Berger], Lagos | Jun 2021 – Sep 2021
Assisted in equipment maintenance and automation design
Participated in the assembly of industrial control systems
Learned how to operate and program PLCs
Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES)
Faramove], Ibadan | Jan 2020 – Apr 2020
Supported electrical design and panel wiring
Contributed to safety inspections and reporting
Certifications & Technical Skills
Certified in AutoCAD, MATLAB, and SolidWorks
Programming: Python, C++, Arduino
Tools: MATLAB, Proteus, Multisim
Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
Awards and Achievements
Top 5% of graduating class – 2022
Best Project in Renewable Energy – Department of [Your Dept], OAU – 2022
Dean’s List – 2019, 2020
Leadership & Volunteering
President, Engineering Students’ Society – OAU | 2021 – 2022
Led over 100 student members
Organized technical workshops and career seminars
Volunteer, IEEE OAU Chapter | 2020 – 2022
Supported in planning tech innovation conferences
Mentored junior engineering students
Referees
Dr. Adebayo Olu
Senior Lecturer, Department of [Engineering], Obafemi Awolowo University
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +234 XXXXXXXX
Engr. Grace Alade
Project Engineer, [Company Name]
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +234 XXXXXXXX
[scholarshipregion]