bio data for phd application

  • How to write an Academic CV for a PhD Application
  • Applying to a PhD
  • The purpose of an academic CV for a PhD application is to provide a summary of your educational background and demonstrate the research skills and relevant experience you have that make you capable of undertaking a PhD.
  • It should be divided into nine sections : (1) contact information, (2) research interests, (3) education, (4) research and work experience, (5) teaching experience, (6) relevant skills and experience, (7) publications and conferences, (8) professional memberships, (9) referees.
  • It should ideally be up to two pages for a new research student, but can extend up to four pages if required.
  • The smaller details matter more than you think – write concisely, use consistent formatting, avoid jargons and general statements, check spelling and grammar, and have at least one academic to proofread it for you, ideally in the same area you are applying to.

Introduction

So you are nearing the end of your current degree or making a return to education, and you’ve decided to make your next step a PhD. While the road ahead will be filled with much excitement, you’ll need to secure your position first. This will all begin with a strong PhD application and an equally impressive academic CV and personal statement or cover letter.

Together with your personal statement or cover letter, your CV will show who you are as an individual and what you have to offer. It needs to be concise, correctly formatted and well written to convince your preferred university and supervisor that you are the right student for the project.

This step-by-step guide will get you on your way to creating an outstanding academic CV for your next PhD application. We’ll discuss the sections your CV should be structured into, what each of these sections should include, and how it should be written. We’ll also give you valuable tips that are sure to get your readers’ attention.

What Is an Academic CV?

When applying for a PhD position, it’s common for the university to request a curriculum vitae (CV) from you to accompany your application.

An academic CV may appear similar to a standard CV used for job applications, but they are two relatively unique documents.

Where a standard CV focuses mostly on what your previous responsibilities have been and what you have accomplished to date, an academic CV concentrates on your academic background, achievements and experiences . Your academic CV will be used by a PhD supervisor to determine whether you can meet the challenges associated with undertaking a demanding PhD research project, as not everyone can.

How to Write an Academic CV for A PhD Application

A good academic CV should be broken into nine section headings:

  • Contact Information
  • Research Interests / Personal Profile
  • Research and Work Experience
  • Teaching Experience
  • Relevant Skills and Experience
  • Publications and Conferences
  • Professional Memberships
  • Referees / References

Below, we discuss what each of these sections should contain and how they should be written.

1. Contact Information

Start your CV by providing your contact details. All of the following should be included:

  • Full name  – Your name should be your document title, formatted in bold and centralised text.
  • Email address and contact number
  • Location  – Your town/city and country, e.g. ‘Birmingham, UK’, will be sufficient; it’s not necessary to provide your full home address.
  • Profiles  – Include a link to any professional profiles you may have, such as LinkedIn or ResearchGate.

NOTE:  Some individuals include a profile photo but be careful before doing so. While this would be expected in some countries such as those in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, this would not be the case in other countries such as the UK and US. This is because it can lead to complications with labour and anti-discrimination laws and potentially cost you your application. We therefore strongly advise you to look into the norms and regulations of the host country before deciding to do so.

2. Research Interests / Personal Profile

For an academic CV written for a PhD position, your ‘research interests’ section will double as you ‘personal profile’. As a brief introduction to yourself, this will be an important section as it sets the first impression of you for the reader.

Use bullet points or a brief paragraph to summarise who you are, your relevant qualifications, your research interests and your relevant skills and experience. When writing this section, your focus should be on two aspects: demonstrating your  ability to conduct a PhD  and your  enthusiasm for the project .

To create an impactful research interests’ section, adhere to the following:

  • Tailor to each research project you apply for:  One of the easiest ways to do this is to read the project description attached to the PhD advert, identify two to three of the most prominent keywords, and incorporate them into your writeup.
  • Keep it short:  This section is only an introduction, so keep it concise and punchy over long and detailed; 50 – 60 words is a good target.
  • Make every word count:  As 50 – 60 words isn’t much, be as specific as you can. Avoid clichés such as “I am committed to research and have a high attention to detail” at all costs; not only are they generic and overused, they also don’t provide the reader with any useful insights into you.

3. Education

A PhD CV is all about academic achievements and qualifications, so your education section should be given high importance and form the bulk of your CV, especially as it will be used to determine if have the core skills required for the position.

Working in reverse chronological order, provide a breakdown of your current academic qualifications. For most of you, this will be an undergraduate Bachelor’s degree and a postgraduate Master’s degree.

When listing your qualifications, provide the full name of the degree, the degree type, and the duration in terms of its start and end year. You do not need to limit this to your past qualifications; if you’re currently studying or taking an external course, include them as well, but state that they are ongoing and provide an expected grade if you have one.

If your degree is relevant to the PhD project you are applying to, include a list of the modules you completed and your corresponding marks; the same applies to your final year dissertation project.

Note:  If you list your relevant modules, streamline their names by removing any course codes. For example, “FN01 Fluid Dynamics” should become “Fluid Dynamics”. Course codes are only used for internal purposes, and each university will have its own system, so remove them to avoid any possible confusion.

Feel free to also list your GCSEs, A-Levels or other relevant academic qualifications if applicable to the field you are applying to, however, this isn’t necessary, and most supervisors will not ask for them. The exception to this is if your university degree is not directly related to the project you are applying for, but your previous qualifications are. In these cases, include them to help demonstrate the suitability of your academic background.

Finally, list any honours, awards and prizes that you have won or any other notable academic achievements that will help to strengthen your application.

4. Research and Work Experience

Your research and relevant work experience is just as, if not more, important than your educational background. This is because most applicants applying for the position will have similar qualifications, so your research experience can often be the deciding factor when all other things are considered equal.

Your research experience may include both paid and voluntary, full-time and part-time work, as well as university project work. However, in all cases, the experience you mention should be relevant to the project you are applying for or have helped you develop skills that make you a more capable researcher. For example, it’s not necessary to mention your time in retail, but any previous time as a laboratory or teaching assistant or teaching support absolutely will be.

If you any discuss research that you have done as part of your studies, present them as individual project listed in reverse chronological order, as before. You can also include research projects you are currently working on, regardless of how developed they are.

When discussing any projects, include the following:

  • What the project was about,
  • What research methods you used,
  • The skills you gained,
  • Any notable achievements or outcomes.

5. Teaching Experience

Since one of the main career paths after a PhD is an academic career, teaching experience can significantly strengthen your academic CV. However, it is generally accepted that not all applicants will have teaching experience, but if you do, include it here.

When discussing your teaching experience, state what level it was at, e.g. undergraduate or postgraduate, and what it involved, i.e. marking, teaching, supervising or organising.

6. Relevant Skills and Experience

This section should describe all other skills and experiences that will help strengthen your application.

They should be specific to the PhD project or demonstrate your potential to become a competent researcher. This includes:

  • Technical skills and experience, e.g. the use of computer software packages or research equipment common to the project you’re applying for.
  • Non-project specific courses you’ve sat, e.g. an academic writing and communication course.
  • Languages you know with their proficiencies noted.

7. Publications and Conferences

Most students won’t have academic publications, but if you do, list them here. Formal publications can include anything from journal articles, which is most likely to an adaptation of your final year dissertation project if you do have one, and published reports. If you have these, list them in reverse chronological order using the reference system adopted by the university you are applying to, as this is what the PhD supervisor will most likely be used to.

If you aren’t a published author or co-author, you can still include other text publications that you may have been involved in, such as online articles, magazines, newsletters and blogs. The topics of these publications should relate to your field or academia in general and be written in a formal tone that showcases your critical thinking and writing skills.

If you’ve ever given a conference presentation, include it here with details of the name, date and location of the conference, the title of your presentation and a summary of what it was about.

Even if you haven’t presented in conferences, you should still list any you have attended, including any seminars or talks. This is a useful way to illustrate your interest in the subject and your commitment to gaining new knowledge within your field.

TIP:  If you haven’t attended many conferences or seminars, consider attending several upcoming ones relevant to the research area you’re interested in. Not only is this a great way to learn more about the field in terms of its latest developments and gaps, but it can also be an effective way to make your academic CV more relevant if it’s currently light on research experience.

8. Professional Memberships

Being affiliated with an academic group, society or professional body demonstrates your enthusiasm for your field and for connecting with other like-minded individuals within the community.

When listing these, include the name of the group, the associated membership dates and the position you have held within it.

9. Referees / References

Your references will form the last section of your academic CV.

Your PhD application should specify the number of referees you should include, but if it does not, try to include at least two, but ideally three.

Two of the referees should be academic, with most students choosing their personal tutor and their final year’s dissertation project supervisor. It can be other staff members, but the essential requirement is that it is someone who knows you well enough to be able to substantiate your abilities and character.

If you don’t have two academic referees, you can use a professional referee as long as they are still relevant to the project you are applying for. This will most likely be the case for those who have worked in industry for some time before deciding to return to education.

When creating your reference list, list your referees in order of relevance and how well they know you, not in alphabetical order. This is so if only the first referee is called upon, it will be the individual who can provide you the most useful reference. The following information should be provided:

  • Professional title,
  • Name of current university,
  • Phone number and email address.

It’s imperative that you first seek permission from the individuals before listing them as a referee. It would also be beneficial to send them a copy of your CV, cover letter and application form so they can familiarise themselves with the broader details in case they are called upon.

Tips for Creating a Standout Academic CV

Research CV for PhD Application - Tips

No matter how impressive your academic achievements are or how much experience you have accumulated in your field, the PhD supervisor may never find out if your CV is too difficult to read. With this in mind, here are a few tips for achieving a high degree of clarity:

Formatting for Clarity

  • Highlight key information through the use of bolding, italics and underlining, but be careful not to overdo it so that it loses its purpose.
  • Keep your formatting consistent throughout, such as indentations, font type and font size, vertical spacing and margins.
  • Insert page numbers on each page.
  • Avoid jargon and abbreviations to maximise clarity.
  • Avoid splitting sections across two pages.

Keep It Concise

  • Try to limit your CV to two pages and not more than four. If you need to go over two pages, make sure the most important information is on the first two pages.
  • Avoid dense paragraphs, overly long sentences and generic statements. The aim is to pass on essential information in a way that doesn’t require the reader to have to extract it themselves. This leads to the next tip,
  • Use bullet points whenever possible, they’re easier to digest than paragraphs.

NOTE:  Remember that you will also submit a cover letter or personal statement alongside your CV, so don’t feel the need to cover everything to a high level of detail here as you will have the opportunity to do so elsewhere.

Check and Revise

  • As a rule of thumb, the academic CV you submit as part of your PhD application should be the third or fourth version you produce. Try to keep a day or two between each version so that you always approach it with a fresh perspective.
  • Proofread for any spelling and grammar mistakes. Although this will seem like we’re stating the obvious, a small mistake can be enough to jeopardise your chances considering that there will be many other high-profile candidates for the supervisor to choose from.
  • Have your document checked, first by an academic such as your tutor, and second by a professional proofreader or by an advisor from your university’s careers team. The former will check for technical issues, the latter for common curriculum vitae formatting, spelling and grammar mistakes.

Save in PDF Format

If the submission method allows for it, convert your CV to PDF format. This significantly reduces the likelihood of compatibility and reformatting issues when opened by the supervisor.

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StandOut CV

Resume for PhD application example

Andrew Fennell photo

You’ve wrapped up your degree and are keen to embark on your PhD journey.

But before you can get stuck in, you’ll need to secure your place by putting forward a compelling PhD application and resume.

If you’ve never written an academic-style resume before, the process can be daunting. That’s why I’ve created this step-by-step guide to writing a resume for a PhD application.

I’ve also included a PhD resume example, to give you a better idea of what you need to include. Here’s what I’ll cover in the guide:

Guide contents

PhD application resume example

  • Structuring and formatting your resume
  • Writing your resume summary
  • Detailing your education
  • Detailing your relevant experience

Resume templates 

PhD Applicant Resume-1

As you can see from the resume example above, a PhD resume is structured differently to a traditional resume. Instead of focusing on work experience, academic experience and accomplishments are prioritised.

However, the fundamental resume writing rules stay the same. Therefore, the candidate has put forward their information in a way which is clear, concise and formatted for easy reading.

bio data for phd application

PhD application resume structure & format

PhD programmes receive thousands of applications, meaning the university admissions teams are generally very time-strapped.

As such, you need to structure and format your resume to make it as easy as possible for them to review.

First impressions count and a cluttered or disorganised application won’t do you any favours.

Instead, you should aim for a clean, well-organised and professional appearance throughout.

Formatting Tips

  • Length: While academic resumes are generally longer than standard resumes, it’s still best to aim for a short, relevant and concise document. For PhD applications, a length of one or two A4 pages is ideal. This is more than enough space to highlight your suitability without overwhelming the reader with irrelevant information or excessive detail.
  • Readability: The information on your resume should be laid out logically, with clear section headings for easy navigation. Break up large chunks of text into small, snappy paragraphs and include bullet points where appropriate.
  • Design: Opt for a clear, legible font and stick to it throughout – consistency is important. Ensure your headings are formatted for attention by using bold text or a slightly larger font size.
  • Things to avoid: Steer clear of elaborate designs, fancy fonts, images or logos – they’re simply not needed and might distract from the all-important written content.
  • Things to consider: resumes ‘rules’ differ from country to country, so if you’re applying to an international university, take some time to research what’s expected of you.

Structuring your resume

Organise your content into the following sections for ease-of-reading:

  • Contact details – These should always be at the very top of your resume.
  • Personal statement – A brief introductory summary of your qualifications, skills and experience in relation to the PhD.
  • Core skills – A short and snappy list of your most relevant skills, tailored to the PhD.
  • Education – A detailed breakdown of your relevant qualifications, especially your undergraduate and postgraduate degree(s).
  • Career summary/research experience – An overview of any relevant work or research experience, angled towards your chosen field of study.
  • Additional information – A space to detail any other relevant information which may boost your application.

Quick tip: While the simple resume format above is usually ideal, academic institutions often have their own preferred structure. Double-check their guidelines before you start writing – their preferences should be prioritised – and use a resume template if you want to speed things up without sacrificing quality.

Resume Contact Details

Resume contact details

Commence your resume by sharing your basic contact details

  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Location – Rather than listing your full address, your town or city, such as ‘New York’ or ‘Boston’, is enough.
  • If you have one, add a link to your LinkedIn profile or a portfolio of work.

Resume for PhD Personal Statement

Your summary / personal statement is essentially your first impression on the reader and is a great way to hook their attention.

It should provide a snappy summary of who you are and why your qualifications, skills and ambitions make you a perfect candidate for the PhD.

resume summary

Tips to consider when creating your personal statement:

  • Tailor to the PhD: Every PhD programme should have a description available, which you can use to tailor your personal statement ( and your resume as a whole). Focus on proving you have the appropriate educational background, skillset and knowledge to carry out the project.
  • Prove your enthusiasm: It’s important to put forward your drive and motivation for your field and explain why the specific PhD is so well-matched to your wider interests and ambitions.
  • Avoid clichés: Clichés and generic phrases like “I’m a motivated team player” and “gives 110%” won’t impress the admissions team.
  • Keep it short: A paragraph length of around 8-15 lines is perfect. This is only an introduction – the detail can come later on in your resume.

What to include in your resume for PhD personal statement?

  • Your academic background – Give a brief overview of your undergraduate degree and/or masters and how they’ve brought you towards this PhD.
  • Impressive results – PhD students are normally academically extraordinary, so make sure to point out any impressive results or feedback – whether that’s your degree as a whole or a particularly relevant assignment/project grade.
  • Relevant skills – Use the PhD project description to find out what the university is looking for in candidates. Then, try to incorporate the core skills into your summary.
  • Relevant experience – Not everyone will have any relevant research or work experience to their name at this stage, but if you do, make sure to briefly highlight it here.
  • Interests, goals & motivations – Give a brief insight into your motivation for taking on a PhD, why you’re so committed to your specific research topics(s) and what you think you can add. It’s also helpful to summarise how the course will fit into your wider career ambitions/goals.

Core skills section

Next, create a punchy list of core skills, organised into 2 or 3 columns of bullet points.

Use the project description to identify the required skills and knowledge, then use your findings to inform your list.

resume core skills

This will help the busy admissions team to see that the PhD is right for you at a glance.

Education & Qualifications

A PhD resume is all about academic achievements and qualifications, so this section should make up the bulk of your resume.

Working in reverse chronological order, provide a detailed breakdown of your undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.

If you have any other academic qualifications that are particularly relevant to the PhD subject, they might be worth listing, too.

Structuring your education

By working to a considered structure, you can ensure your education is easy to navigate and that your key achievements stand out.

For each of your relevant qualifications, break up information into the following sections.

Start by detailing the type of qualification, the title, the achieved grade, the academic institution at which you studied and the year you graduated.

MSc – Environmental Engineering (Distinction)

St James University (2018)

Course content

Next, discuss your thesis or dissertation title (if applicable), the modules you studied and any relevant projects you were involved in.

What you choose to write here should be tailored to the PhD you’re applying for – focus the detail on the most relevant aspects of the qualification.

Thesis: “Identification of the Bacterial Profusion and Variety in Nuclear Waste Disposal”.

Modules: System Analysis in Urban Water Management; Process Engineering in Urban Water Management; Air Quality Control; Waste Management; Ecological Systems Design, and Remote Sensing and Earth Observation.

Project: “Research Study for Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment”

Key achievements (optional)

Finish up with a snappy list of key results, accomplishments or learning outcomes you achieved.

This might be an impressive grade for a highly relevant assignment, an award you won or a quote of exemplary feedback from a tutor.

Career & Research Experience

Next up is your career & research summary, which should be tailored to the PhD in question.

You could include relevant research experience here, as well as any related employment (even if temporary or voluntary).

Make sure to be selective with the type of employment you list, though. For example, a part-time waiting on job isn’t worth including, but a laboratory or tutoring job might be. Ultimately, it should be related to your field or have helped you develop relevant skills or knowledge.

When discussing your research roles, make sure to detail the techniques you used, the skills developed and any interesting findings.

Structuring your experience section

Ensure your career & research section is clear, scannable and easy to read by working to the following structure:

Outline the dates of employment/contract, the role title and the organisation or institution you worked for.

Aug 2018 – Sep 2019 Research Intern Hydro Continental, New York

Give a brief overview of the position or research project as a whole, discussing the team you worked with (or lead), who you reported to and what the goal of the project was.

“Undertook a short-term assignment pertaining to the Economics of climate change in order to research and drive improvements in energy consumption and emissions; reported to the Executive Engineer.”

Key responsibilities

Then use bullet points to pinpoint your duties and responsibilities within the role, making sure to mention any relevant techniques or skills used that could benefit your candidacy.

  • Employed the Marginal Abatement Cost (MAC) curve tool to present carbon emissions abatement options.
  • Built partnerships and participated in open discussions with other country modellers and research associates.
  • Amassed and processed varied data from multiple sources.

Writing your resume for PhD

Applying for a PhD is a daunting yet exciting time, but a flawless resume can help you achieve your goals.

Remember to tailor your resume to the specific PhD you’re applying for and aim to make a compelling case for your suitability and aligned goals.

Before you send off your resume, try to get a second opinion from a current or previous tutor, trusted family member or friend.

It’s also worth checking the finished document with our quick-and-easy Resume Builder , to eliminate the risk of overlooking mistakes.

Best of luck with your PhD application!

The Savvy Scientist

The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

How to Write a CV for a PhD Application (with free template!)

Writing an Academic CV for PhD Applications

When you’re faced with writing an academic CV for a PhD application it can be hard to know where to start.

After all, along with your personal statement an academic CV is the heart of your PhD application: essentially acting as a “highlights reel” of your greatest achievements. You need it to be well formatted and engaging, yet concise enough that all of your most relevant experience is unmissable at a glance.

Quite a challenge!

In this post we’ll break down what to include. From the essentials to the nice-to-haves. All quotes are from the CVs I personally used when applying for PhDs.

If you’re just getting started be sure to download my Academic CV Template.

In addition, if you’d like to get some inspiration from active researchers’ CVs, you may wish to check out the repository of example academic CVs I have put together here:

Academic CV Examples From Active Researchers

What should i include on an academic cv for a phd application, contact info.

Name, email address and phone number. Personally I don’t see a need to include your address and certainly not a photo.

Education / Qualifications

List all major grades from aged 16 upwards: GCSE, A-Levels and university degrees.

  • Undergraduate (and masters degrees) should include the subject, university and grade. I’ve tended to include the title of any significant research projects and the titles of the most relevant modules.
  • For A-Levels you should name each of the subjects you took with the grade. Personally to keep the page more clean I’ve not included the schools I went to: though it may be worth drawing attention if you did well despite attending a particularly poorly performing school.
  • GCSEs can just be summarised to the grades. Subjects needn’t be named.
My aim is to apply my skills to improve lives. I have a proven track record of overseeing successful development of innovative medical devices and now desire the opportunity to expand my skills beyond mechanical engineering into biomaterials research.

Sometimes it can be useful to include a few lines about your motivation and aims for your career. Despite currently having a short profile on my own CV I’m not 100% convinced by them: they can sound cliché especially if you’re fresh out of undergraduate . Profiles are most common in industry and it is up to you whether you think you have content worth sharing: do not waffle, and avoid excessive use of the typical buzzwords: hardworking, motivated etc!

University Research Projects

Third year project “3-D printing of multi-scale porous bioscaffolds for ligament attachment” Manufactured novel magnesium calcium phosphate scaffolds to investigate 3-D printing parameters for optimum implant integration Analysed parts under SEM to verify multi-scale porosity and XRD for detecting phase changes and composition Conducted a statistical analysis of variance study in sample porosity using optical microscopy and deduced the optimum printing parameters to maximise porosity Wrote a technical report and presented results during an oral presentation and viva

More than likely the research projects you’ve undertaken during the latter years of your degree will be your most substantial research experience. State the title of the project followed by a few bullet points covering:

  • Useful skills and experience you gained such as: experimental & analytical techniques; software; instrumentation; report-writing; presenting
  • Any substantial outcomes: prizes; publications & patents

Feel free to also state whether these projects were undertaken as a group or individually but remember to avoid clutter: you can go into more detail for your personal statement.

[Work] Experience

Jan – May 2013 Research Assistant, Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge Developed prototype HIV diagnostic devices for commercialisation within a multi-disciplinary team: Debugged, calibrated and optimised several novel medical devices Produced standard operating procedure and calibration documentation Experienced an audit and developed an appreciation of ISO 13485 and FDA requirements Inspected and tested parts for quality control processing

Whether you include this section will depend on what experience you have outside of the typical university projects. Here you can describe any additional work experience you have had such as: summer internships; research job roles; years in industry plus any potential outreach you’ve taken part in or voluntary work.

The level of detail you go in to will depend on how relevant the work was and how long ago: working in a shop at weekends when you were 17 probably isn’t particularly relevant. Unless you have had a significant amount of relevant (or impressive) work experience I’d keeping this section below University Research Projects .

A keen photographer, my photographs have appeared in the international press and have raised over £5000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. University of Warwick Photographic Society Executive Committee (2010-2012) Positions held: President, Treasurer, First Aider and Equal Opportunities Officer Duties included overseeing the 270 member-strong society’s running and progression – leading to a doubling of active membership over two years, chairing meetings and international trips, implementing new payment methods and securing funding.

Unless extremely relevant or impressive, I tend to not put too much emphasis on extra-curricular activities: no admissions tutor really needs to know that you enjoy cooking or cycling unless to a very high level. Having said that, do be sure to include anything which can show useful transferable skills such as team-work and responsibility.

I like to include any roles of responsibility such as society committee positions with any useful outcomes.

Nice-To-Haves

There are number of other sections which are common among academics further up the ladder. Unless you have more than a couple of pieces of content per category I suggest adding them where relevant elsewhere: for example an undergraduate award could feature under Education . If you have enough relevant content to warrant adding a new section, they can look very impressive.

Publications

It is often said that publications are the currency of academia. If you have managed to get involved with any publications then display them here in your favourite citation style.

If you’ve been involved in a significant amount of scientific outreach: STEMNET; teaching; mentoring; schools events; unpaid tutoring; public events etc.

Other sections sometimes included, and which are pretty self explanatory:

  • Awards & Prizes
  • Professional Memberships
  • Grants/Scholarships

Tips for Writing a CV for a PhD Application

Translate your skills.

Beyond any subject-specific skills that you know will be useful, translate how your previous experience can transfer to your PhD.  Think about things such as:

  • Independence
  • Problem-solving

Ask yourself: how did your work standout? Use specifics to quantify performance rather than sticking to buzzwords. For example imagine if you’re writing as your role as president of a society:

“Leadership and teamwork experience”
“Overseeing the 270 member-strong society’s running and progression: leading to a doubling of active membership over two years”

Now you don’t need to go to that level of detail for everything, but if you’ve put in the work, make sure you do yourself justice.

Keep Things Concise

Make sure things are understandable but avoid long-winded sentences and especially paragraphs creating big blocks of dense text. Not only are big paragraphs off-putting to read, they make it really difficult for the reader to tease out the crucial information.

Bullet points are faster and easier to read, plus easier on the eye: all things you want to be encouraging! If you can’t succinctly describe a role in a few one line bullet points you’re probably adding too much information.

Don’t forget you can go in to more detail in your personal statement. Don’t waffle on your CV for a PhD application.

Well-Formatted

  • Leaving lots of white space around your text keep it easier to read and therefore more likely that someone will continue to read it.
  • In Word, zoom out so that you can see the pages of your document at once. If possible format sections so that nothing, and especially sentences, trails between pages: it makes the document look clean and professional. You can accurately play with line spacing by adding blank lines and setting the font size to something small: in my template I use size 3.
  • Lead the eye . Make key information bold for it to stand out: though keep it consistent and don’t go too crazy!
  • Try and keep your most important information to two pages . Anything beyond that should be supplementary.

If you’d like some guidance with formatting be sure to click  HERE for my downloadable Academic CV Template .

Spelling & Grammar

Nothing can more quickly make you appear incompetent than spelling mistakes, especially near to the top of your CV or in section headings. Once you’ve double checked your spelling take a break and come back to the document with fresh eyes: it’s amazing what you’ll spot. After that, ask a friend to have a read through too.

Save as PDF (if allowed)

Now that you’ve formatted your CV nicely, I suggest saving it as a PDF if the online submission allows. With PDFs the formatting is locked in place and you needn’t worry about the formatting screwing up because of differing versions of Word.

Take Inspiration

Often senior academics will include links to download their CVs from their personal webpages and I keep a folder of them for some inspiration. You can check out my online respository below!

If you’d like personalised help with your PhD application I am now starting to offer a small number of one-to-one sessions. Please contact me to find out more or click here to book a call.

I hope this post has helped with writing your own CV for a PhD application. If you have any tips or advice to share then I’d love to hear them in the comments! You can also subscribe for more content here:

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How to apply for a PhD

11th June 2020 30th January 2024

4 Comments on “How to Write a CV for a PhD Application (with free template!)”

Hey Jeff, great article!!

Any chance you can do one on personal statements?

Thanks, Yusuf

Hi Yusuf. I’m glad you’ve found it useful! Good idea about one for personal statements, I can see that being helpful so I’ll add it to my schedule and hope to get it out in not too long! Best wishes, Jeff.

hi, I cant seem to access the downloadable template! please could you post another link?

Hi Georgia, sorry that you’re having issues accessing the template. I’m tried it on two computers and it seems to work okay for me. Here is the same link again which works for me . Does that work? In case not I can email it to you. Let me know. Best wishes, Jeff

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Application materials for PhDs and Postdocs: Examples and how-to guides

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These resources are designed for MIT PhDs and postdocs to serve as guides through the process of career document preparation. Whether you’re converting your CV into a resume for an industry role, refining your CV for an academic job search, or creating other documents, you’ll find examples, how-to guides, and strategies here.

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3 PhD Resume Examples Made to Work for 2024 

Stephen Greet

PhD Student Resume

Phd application resume.

  • Write Your PhD Resume

With the role of a PhD student, you’re the intellectual powerhouse driving groundbreaking research and contributing to the advancement of knowledge. Your expertise allows you to dive deep into complex subjects, developing innovative solutions and pushing the boundaries of what’s already known. 

At the same time, you’ll need to balance your responsibilities as a teacher as well, imparting your knowledge to the undergraduates at your institution. Crafting a resume and creating a cover letter that demonstrate your ability to shine in this diverse role is no easy task.

Luckily, we’re here to guide you through the maze of showcasing your academic journey. With our varied PhD application resume examples , you’ll find the ideal resume template to help you craft your own winning resume in no time.

or download as PDF

PhD resume example with 7 years of experience

Why this resume works

  • Thankfully, Liam does a great job highlighting his internship and project achievements and how both are applicable in helping sustainably improve production.

PhD Student resume example with 6 years of experience

  • One strategy you can use to boost the chances of your PhD student resume to clinch an enrolment slot into the health sciences department is by harnessing the achievements from a volunteer project that brought screening services to a marginalized community.

PhD application resume example with 4-year experience

  • Therefore, achievements in increasing student participation and engagement accompanied by metrics in improved grades and assessment scores would go a long way to prop your suitability.

Related resume examples

  • Research assistant

Adapt Your PhD Resume to the School You’re Applying to

Job seeker stands with hands in air, questioning how to fill out job materials

As an aspiring PhD student, your resume is your scholarly calling card, showcasing the intellectual artillery you bring to the academic battlefield. 

This is where you can showcase your skills and express why you’re the right person to join the program. To do this, tailor your skills section to align with the specific requirements of your desired program and department. 

Highlight your expertise in research methodologies, statistical analysis, and any specialized software or equipment you’ve mastered. For the more technically inclined, don’t shy away from showcasing hard skills like Python, Matlab, Java, or Tableau.

You can also include a couple of soft skills because they’re essential for giving lectures and mentoring students. Just remember to reinforce them with demonstrable examples in the experience section later. 

Want some pointers?

15 top PhD skills

  • Microsoft Office
  • Google Sheets
  • Research Methodologies 
  • Academic Writing
  • Public Speaking
  • Lesson Planning
  • Grant Proposals
  • Grading Essays
  • Collaborative Research

bio data for phd application

Your PhD work experience bullet points

From conducting groundbreaking research to publishing papers, your journey as an academic is about more than just the day-to-day grind. In the experience section of your resume, the real spotlight should be on your transformative contributions. 

If this isn’t your first PhD, highlight achievements from your previous studies like securing research grants, publishing impactful papers, or successfully leading research projects. If you’re moving up from postgraduate studies, highlight the best and most impressive accomplishments from your master’s and bachelor’s degrees. 

Add some numbers to make your accomplishments pop. This could be the number of students mentored, successful experiments and research projects, or the reach of your published work. 

  • Highlight the number of your articles or research papers that were published in reputable journals.
  • Quantify the success of research projects with metrics such as project scope, budget management, or studies carried out.
  • Demonstrate your ability to secure research funding by specifying the number and value of grants obtained.
  • Showcase your impact as a mentor or tutor by talking about the number of students you’ve guided or the way they were able to improve their grades through your help.

See what we mean?

  • Created engaging course materials using Articulate Storyline, resulting in a 39% increase in student engagement and comprehension
  • Managed EHR software to document patient assessments, vital signs, and medication administration, maintaining 99.99% accuracy in recordkeeping
  • Partnered with farmers to develop customized crop management plans, resulting in a 31% increase in yields
  • Assisted in the development and implementation of assessments, leading to a 33% reduction in student dropout rates

9 active verbs to start your PhD work experience bullet points

  • Innovated 
  • Collaborated

3 Tips for Writing a PhD Resume With Little Prior Experience

  • Mention your involvement in conferences and workshops. This will showcase your ability to engage with and contribute to the broader scholarly community.
  • Echo your passion for knowledge throughout your resume, and look into the future. Outline your career objectives , illustrating your commitment to making a lasting impact through your PhD studies.
  • Any and all academic achievements look great on a PhD resume, so make sure to add them. Talk about your GPA, awards won, or competitions you’ve participated in to show your drive as a college student.

3 Tips for Writing a PhD Resume for Your Second PhD

  • Research is often independent, and academics are sometimes considered lone wolves. That’s why it’s important to emphasize your leadership and collaboration skills explicitly. The school needs to know you can mentor students and collaborate with other colleagues effectively—so turn up the enthusiasm for this area!
  • If you’re going for a research role, it’s essential to be at the forefront of your field—following all the latest papers and studies. You can show this by mentioning your participation in research initiatives or the conferences you like to attend. 
  • Show that you put just as much effort into your students as you put into your research by sharing student performance and engagement metrics. You can also discuss your favorite lecture and seminar-planning techniques to convey your passion and commitment. 

Absolutely! While not mandatory, a tailored career summary can be a powerful tool. Customize it for the PhD position, mentioning the specific program and academic role. Don’t forget to highlight things like research methodologies, data analysis, and any unique contributions to your academic field.

Choose a clean and professional format that prioritizes your academic achievements and research experience. Use clear headings, bullet points, and a consistent structure, much like you would in a research paper. 

Include skills that align with the specific requirements of the PhD program and your academic discipline. Highlight technical and soft skills relevant to research, teaching, fieldwork, and collaboration.

Create my free resume now

  • Resume Examples

PhD Resume—Examples and 25+ Expert Writing Tips

You’ve been hitting the books with a vengeance, but now you need to bust out and join the workforce. Reference PhD resume examples better than most, get more interviews than ever.

Bart Turczynski

Looking around for PhD resume examples—

You’ve probably noticed a common point of confusion: A doctoral student CV, doctoral student resume, and a resume for a doctoral program are all very different things.

A PhD resume is what you want if you’re looking for a job outside of academia—

A CV is the way to go if you’re applying for a post, grant, fellowship, place, etc. at a university.

In this guide:

  • PhD resume examples better than most.
  • How to create the perfect doctoral resume job descriptions.
  • How to write a resume when you’re a PhD or PhD candidate.
  • Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing your dream job.

Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder for free. Start by choosing a resume template .

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PhD resume example

What users say about ResumeLab:

I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.” Patrick I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work! Dylan  My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful! George

A PhD opens so many doors, a lot depends on your field of study, what stage you’re at, and what you want to do. Check out some of our other guides, whether you’re:

Moving into these non-academic fields:

  • Entry-Level Business Analyst Resume
  • Business Analyst Resume
  • Data Analyst Resume
  • Financial Advisor Resume
  • Investment Banking Resume
  • Computer Science (CS) Resume
  • Technical Resume

Entering one of the professions:

  • Legal Resume
  • Medical Resume
  • Engineering Resume
  • Architecture Resume
  • Biology Resume

Sticking with teaching and research:

  • Education Resume
  • Teacher Resume
  • Research Assistant Resume

Going it alone:

  • Technical Writer Resume
  • Consultant Resume
  • Business Owner Resume
  • Stay at Home Mom Resume

Or still working towards or supplementing a PhD:

  • Student Resume
  • Internship Resume
  • Law School Resume
  • Scholarship Resume
  • MBA Application Resume

Finally, if you’re on an academic track, then an academic CV is what you’re after:

  • Academic CV Template

Doctoral Resume Sample

Patrick Labarge

Design Engineer

Personal Info

Phone: 630-354-4392

E-mail: [email protected]

linkedin.com/in/patrickclabarge

Passionate design engineer with 3+ years’ experience working in the industry, currently completing doctoral studies in industrial engineering and operations research. At GDC Allstorm, increased compliance by 17% while reducing manufacturing costs by up to $140,000 p.a. Seeking opportunity to apply proven PCB design and PM skills in helping RottenFruit increase margins.

Experience 

GDC Allstorm

October 2018–present

  • Specified performance testing parameters, boosting compliance by 17%.
  • Optimized product designs to reduce manufacturing costs by up to $140,000 p.a.
  • Established 10+ project development schedules from concept to production implementation in line with business requirements.
  • Developed integrated circuit security solutions that circumvented 15% of known attack vectors at the hardware level.

Senior Tutor

University of Illinois, Chicago, IL

September 2016–June 2018

  • Tutored 90+ students in finite element method design.
  • Taught four classes of 16–22 mechanical engineering students each week.
  • Graded 400+ assignments with <0.5% adjustment after double marking.
  • Averaged 4.96 / 5.00 on teaching evaluation questionnaires.

Education 

PhD in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research

2024 (anticipated)

  • Thesis: PCB Design Optimization Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
  • Thesis supervisor: Prof. Gary Young

MS in Electronics Engineering

  • Thesis: Minimizing Water Usage With a Linux-Driven IoT Irrigation Monitoring and Controller System
  • Thesis supervisor: Dr Jamie Nuttall

BS in Mechanical Engineering

Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL

  • Pursued a passion for control systems coursework.
  • Excelled in circuit design elective coursework.

Programming Languages

  • Circuit design
  • Technical writing
  • Project management
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Collaboration

Now here’s how to write a PhD resume they’ll love:

1. Choose the Right Doctoral Resume Format

You’ve got non-academic friends—

You know how their eyes glaze over when you start talking about grad-school politics or your plans for a monograph.

Don’t do that to the hiring managers who pick up your doctoral resume.

Make your resume format as quick and clear as a three-minute thesis final. Here’s how:

Doctoral Resume Format

  • Use the chronological resume format to show your most recent stuff first.
  • Stick to an understated resume font like Book Antiqua in 11–12 pt.
  • Keep the margins of your resume at one inch and budget for plenty of white space.
  • How long can your resume be ? Submit a one-page resume if at all possible. Cap it at two pages max .
  • Include at least these five resume sections: Resume Header , Profile, Experience, Education, and Skills.

Life (and Microsoft) has taught you that the answer to the PDF versus *.docx debate for your resume is PDF.

Always check the job ad and go with any file-type preferences listed there.

Some organizations usedeprecated ATSs (Applicant Tracking Systems) that can’t handle PDF. Keep that in mind when writing your ATS resume . If the jod ad asks for a *.docx file, just send them a *.docx file.

2. Summarize Your Candidature With a Doctoral Resume Profile

This is the elevator-pitch version of your resume.

Short and sweet and basically complete.

Write a career summary if you have some experience that’s relevant to the job at hand.

  • One adjective (efficient, productive, passionate)
  • Job title (PhD Candidate, Mechanical Engineer)
  • Years of experience (3+, 4+)
  • How you’ll help (help Company X reduce costs)
  • Two or three of your most impressive achievements (maintained 94% TEVAL score, received Catafalque Award for best design)

These career summary examples show how:

PhD Resume Summary

Who would you hire?

The first example presents past achievements as predictors of future performance—

It’s concrete, quantified, and all about bringing value to the organization.

OK, but what if you don’t have any relevant experience?

Write a resume objective and talk up achievements from your studies and indirectly relevant jobs.

PhD Resume Objective

Once again—

Focusing on what you hope to gain is not a winning strategy.

Feel a case of the dreaded writer’s block coming on?

Write your resume profile last—

It’ll be much easier and you’ll be able to do a much better job.

3. Create the Perfect Job Description and Skills Sections for Your Doctoral Resume

Show, don’t tell—

Make your resume work history section a showcase of accomplishments.

How to write a resume job description for a PhD resume:

  • Re-read the job ad (it’s not the driest thing you’ve had to read more than once).
  • Pay attention to the skills and duties mentioned there.
  • Think of times you’ve wowed superiors by leveraging those skills.
  • Write resume bullet points that focus on the benefits you brought to your higher ups.

These PhD resume examples show how:

PhD Resume Job Description

June 2018–present

2018–present

  • Specified performance testing parameters.
  • Optimized product designs.
  • Established project development schedules in line with business requirements.
  • Developed integrated circuit security solutions.

Same candidate—

Huge difference.

The first example is all about achievements—

The second, duties.

Both make decent use of resume power words , though.

One more thing:

You’ll be needing a skills section.

Be selective.

Let the job ad determine which skills to put on your resume .

And don’t overshoot the mark, at least not by much—

More is not more.

The following are just examples, yours will depend heavily on your field and line of work.

Skills for a Doctoral Resume

Hard skills

  • Lean manufacturing
  • Computer aided design
  • Mathematical modeling

Soft skills

  • Organization
  • Problem solving
  • Critical thinking
  • Communication skills
  • Time management
  • Creative thinking
  • Conceptual skills

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now .

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

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Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now .

4. Handle Your Education the Right Way

Whatever your motivation for getting into doctoral studies —

Do your education justice.

Here’s how you can make sure it has maximum impact:

List degree names (including majors), school names, and years graduated.

Add a couple of bullet points that prove key skills or detail your theses.

This PhD resume example shows how:

Education Section for a Doctoral Candidate Resume

Work history looking a little sparse?

Include projects, classes, and relevant academic accomplishments in your resume education section .

5. Expand Your Doctoral Resume With Added Sections

With all the talk of increasing the workforce readiness of postgrads —

You don’t want to pass up the opportunity to show your readiness.

Add one or two extra sections to fill in the blanks:

  • Additional Activities
  • Foreign Languages
  • Classes Taken

Hobbies and Interests

  • Volunteering on a Resume
  • Certifications
  • Professional References

These two PhD resume examples show yes vs no no no:

PhD Resume Examples—Extra Sections

  • CAD software
  • Mathematical software
  • Operating systems
  • Sandcastle building (competitive)
  • Speed dating (competitive)
  • Tennis (recreational)

A-, meet D+.

Hobbies and interests are absolutely fine—

As long you follow the golden rule:

Every single thing you add has to be directly relevant to the position at hand.

One final step:

You’ll need to write a cover letter to go with your doctoral resume.

Irrespective of your field, a cover letter is part and parcel of any application process that requires a resume.

Consider yourself exempt only if you’ve explicitly been asked not to include one.

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

create your cover letter now

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here .

For a doctoral resume that gets interviews:

  • Use the PhD resume examples given throughout this guide. Like peer-reviewed articles, they’ve been tested and tried.
  • Put relevant achievements  in your resume profile, work history, and education sections to show you’ve got what they need.
  • Choose the right skills to include in your doctoral resume. The job ad or announcement to which you’re responding will tell you what the right skills are for you.
  • Write a doctoral cover letter. Use it to demonstrate your enthusiasm and state your case.

Need more guidance on how to write a doctoral candidate resume? Not sure how to list doctoral candidate on a resume? Leave a comment, we’ll be glad to reply.

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines , ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets . Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Bart Turczynski

Bart, published by the Financial Times, Hewlett-Packard, CareerBuilder, and Glassdoor, ensures ResumeLab articles are based on scientific data and in-depth studies.

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  • • 2+ years of experience in how the AI development lifecycle impacts systems, distributed computing, and cloud-native paradigm
  • • Main research focused on how blockchain security could be enhanced by 65% within decentralized infrastructure
  • • Other research projects (36+), looking at how future trends could impact network security in AI automated systems
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  • • Built 10 full-stack web applications with Java and Ruby
  • • Was tasked to help 5 researchers with the development of for-academia software with a focus on security
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9 PhD Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your PhD resume must highlight your extensive research and expertise in your field of study. Tailor it to showcase how your unique skills are transferable to the job you're applying for. Demonstrate your proficiency in critical thinking and problem-solving through concrete examples of your work. Articulate your ability to communicate complex ideas effectively, as this is key to standing out.

All resume examples in this guide

bio data for phd application

Traditional

bio data for phd application

Lecturer in Molecular Engineering and Bioengineering Researcher: Biomedical Engineering, Ph.D. resume example

bio data for phd application

Electronic Product Design and Engineering Lab Technician, Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering resume example

bio data for phd application

APTA Certified Physical Therapist, Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Science resume example

bio data for phd application

Data Scientist: Niched In Statistics, Appplied Mathematics, and Machine Learning resume example

Resume Guide

Guide Overview

Additional Resumes

Extra Reads

Writing Your Ph.D. Resume

Resume Header Tips

Ph.D. Resume Summary

Resume Experience Section

Systematizing Your Experience

How to Include Your Degree

Ph.D. in Progress on Resume

Skill Set for Ph.D. Resumes

Certifications on Resume

Additional Sections

Key Takeaways

PhD resume example

George C. Jones's 8-year-Odyssey to his doctoral degree in engineering is finally complete. All he has to do now is complete his Ph.D. resume.

Little does George know that within the next three years, he'd apply to 500+ roles and still not be any closer to working in the renewable energy sector.

A little birdie told us why.

Everywhere George applied, he was labeled as an "egghead": book-smart with no real-world experience.

At least that's the story his resume told.

Unfortunately, George's sad "tale" depicts many graduates’ job searches.

By 2030/31, the US is expected to have 221,000 Ph.D. graduates . While this may be fantastic news for the academic community, the job pool is limited.

Swimming into the big blue sea - a.k.a. the "real world" - would require Ph.D. graduates to adapt their resumes to the business or industry requirements.

And listing vague bullets pinpointing your experience just won't do.

Enhancv knows how to translate your skills, knowledge, and achievements to ensure your resume stands out in the vast talent pool.

Because a well-written Ph.D. resume , showing skills, passion, and knowledge, is your ticket to the moon and beyond.

Our exclusive, Ph.D. resume guide will answer some of the following questions for you:

  • What are some of the biggest, unintentional mistakes Ph.D. graduates tend to make when writing their resumes?
  • Perfecting the top one-third of your resume: how to get recruiters' attention every time?
  • 102 of the most popular Ph.D. skills you need to add to your resume right now!
  • Lacking much professional experience: how to align your academic background with job expectations?
  • Get inspired with more ideas about formatting, writing your resume summary, and including your academic body of work in a way that works.

4 additional Ph.D. resume samples and why they work

Ph.d. bioengineering graduate.

Ph.D. Lecturer and Researcher in Bioengineering resume

This Ph.D. Bioengineering Graduate has certainly focused her effort on getting that tenure-track position.

Here’s why her resume works.

Within the top one-third of Dr. Taylor’s resume (the headlines, summary, and skills section), you’ll find many relevant keywords for the job advert.

She has also used the summary to qualify and quantify her results to help recruiters better understand her strengths.

The experience section is split into two parts: the first one notes all relevant teaching experience; the second section showcases depth and knowledge of research.

Dr. Taylor has included industry experience and strengths to further define her skill set and show results.

This approach would also be very helpful for any Applicant Tracking System (ATS) reviewing the resume, as it cross-aligns the candidate’s talents with the job requirements.

Ph.D. mechanical engineering

Engineering Lab Technician  Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering.png

If you’re wondering how to translate your academics into real-life experience, check this example out.

Dr. Aubry’s resume headline highlights his area of expertise and his Ph.D. degree, while his summary qualifies his key academic achievements, contributions, and success.

Dr. Aubry’s skills section focuses more on the technology he is apt at within the specified job requirements.

His roles as a lab technician, contributor, and research assistant also hint to recruiters that he’s results-oriented and can show how his work affected the industry.

Finally, his strengths section cross-aligns soft skills that are important for the role, including mechanical engineering knowledge, cross-disciplinary teamwork, and technical writing.

Apta certified physical therapist

APTA Certified Physical Therapist  Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Science resume.png

In some industries, a specific certification can be a real game changer to meeting ATS standards.

Dr. Brubaker knows this and that’s why she has used her resume to highlight her American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) certification within various sections (headline, summary, and certification).

Another reason why Dr. Brubaker’s resume works is that it pinpoints her niche of expertise with tangible results.

Her education section not only lists all of her degrees, but she has turned recruiters’ attention to the grant funding her Ph.D. thesis secured (an outcome of the project).

Did you notice how she curated the experience section? Dr. Brubaker started with her more job-oriented responsibilities, followed by a leadership role.

if you’ve participated in any extracurricular activities during your studies, they could indicate various soft skills on your resume, including leadership, initiative, organization, etc.

data scientist, ongoing Ph.D. in statistics

Data Scientist  Ongoing Ph.D. in Statistics.png

Are you a current Ph.D. student, wondering how to include your ongoing degree on your resume?

Charles Flack’s resume includes some of the best how-to practices.

Charles uses the resume headline and summary’s first section to specify his research niche, which is followed by his ongoing Ph.D. Status.

N.B. Remember that the recruitment process is one of building trust with honesty. If you note in your resume that you’re a Ph.D. graduate (without this being the reality), recruiters will find out.

Continuing with Charles’s resume summary. It goes on to include an array of expertise and soft skills (e.g. leadership, adaptiveness, perfectionism) all within achieved results in academia.

His experience section includes roles in leadership, technical writing, and private tutoring, denoting individual skills and contributions.

The strengths Charles has included are more specific and tie in with data science roles. Those include quantitative problem-solving, deep learning, and iterative process.

21 Ph.D. related resume examples to help you get inspired

  • Entry-Level
  • Grant Writer
  • Lab Technician
  • Research Associate
  • Research Assistant
  • Lab Assistant
  • Lab Manager
  • Finance Intern
  • Data Science Intern
  • Entry Level Engineering
  • Entry-Level Mechanical Engineer
  • Software Engineer Intern
  • Nursing Student
  • Data Analyst Entry Level

Quick steps to success in writing your Ph.D. resume to get recruiters’ attention

Let's start with a big no-no: your academic CV, the one you used to secure that tenure position, is a No-go. Put simply - it lacks personality .

HRs and the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) need more context to your experience.

Unfortunately, here comes one of the biggest disadvantages you may face, leaving academia. Often, Ph.D. graduates get rejected as they lack practical work experience .

Don't get discouraged. Instead, find a resume format that works for you.

For Ph.D. graduates that have less work experience, we recommend a functional-skill-based format . It will help you highlight your unique skill set and academic excellence.

Also, it'll align your niche area of expertise with the role expectations.

Now that we've settled the formatting debate, let's look at a couple of more quick pointers for your Ph.D. resume.

1. The top one-third of your resume - the resume header and summary - is crucial to getting a high score on the ATS.

That's why you should try to include as many of the advert's relevant requirements within this section.

2. Expand your qualifications and skills within the experience section.

Don't just list plain bullets, but focus on the outcomes of your studies, research, or publications.

How to write your experience bullets:

3. Speaking of impact, detail your accomplishments within your academic work.

Focus on the picture and your research's influence on the scientific field, business/ industry, or communities.

Bonus: Remember to always list all work and academic experience that is relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Your Ph.D. experience can open many doors for you, giving you a front-row seat on the cutting edge of new technologies.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves, here are a couple more bits and pieces to keep in mind when writing your Ph.D. resume.

What recruiters are looking out for in your Ph.D. resume:

  • What methodology or technology have you used to prove your research?
  • If you've ever led teams, were you able to manage them successfully?
  • Would your niche area of expertise contribute to the organizational goals?
  • Can you bring to the table more than just theoretical knowledge?
  • How fast can you adapt to a non-academic environment and deliver tangible results?

Ph.D. resume's five most important sections:

  • Resume header with keywords from the job description
  • Resume summary cross-aligning requirements with experience
  • Resume experience to expand on the summary
  • Education section, listing all diplomas
  • Professional achievements in research and publications

Your Ph.D. resume should balance your knowledge with how fast it can be applied in a real-world environment.

That's why you need to be precise about the resume sections you chose to prove your merit.

Mythbusters: Your PhD resume header under the Enhancv microscope

After endless hours of searching different platforms, you've finally found that cancer research position that perfectly matches your profile.

Avoiding all emotional attachment and excitement, you finally decide on the following header:

2 PhD resume header examples

Let’s look at the bright side of things. If the organization would like to get in touch with Dr. Garnett, they'd easily find his contact details .

But on the other hand, he is making one huge mistake: Dr. Garnett isn't taking advantage of the power of the top section of his resume. More specifically - his headline .

This crucial section could provide Ph.D. graduates with an opportunity to include all relevant keywords that could match their profile. And at the same time, tease their professional story.

This may be obvious, but this example works as it shows that Dr. Garnett is not only a Ph.D. graduate, but his specific area of research and interest, which should supposedly match with the role he’s applying for.

A rule of thumb for headers is to never be vague about your research and expertise.

You could list your Ph.D. degree within your resume title so that it’s the first thing recruiters (and the ATS) see.

In the case of Dr. Garnett, his resume title could read “Dr. David Garnett, Ph.D.”.

Our suggestion is to be wary about the organization you’re applying for because if the culture is more informal, this may come off as “pretentious”.

Ph.D. resume summaries: HRs’ favorite instrument for advanced career storytelling

The Ph.D. resume summary is a really useful section for good first impressions and explaining your experience.

The summary can be used to highlight your skills, strengths, and achievements. While telling the story of your professional growth.

We know how important real-world examples are for you.

So, without further ado, here's how Dr. Lucina Collard rewrote her resume summary. And in the end, got the attention of a prestigious software development company.

2 PhD resume summary examples

Dr. Collard may have spent too much time in the lab, as her Ph.D. resume summary just lists what courses she took and her thesis statement.

No results, no outcomes.

In the end, she did decide to include some soft skills and passions, but without actually pointing out the “why” behind her work. This doesn’t make sense at all.

Here’s what her modified resume summary looked like in the end:

This summary works for one simple reason: it qualifies the achievements.

Dr. Collard has noted that within the past 6 years, she has been specializing in the job advert keywords “robotics” and “mechatronics”. The award is also a nice touch to paint the big picture of her experience.

Dr. Collard is apt at achieving results within a dynamic environment. That includes various professionals from different backgrounds.

When talking about her thesis, she goes on to show her familiarity with the process.

Editing Dr. Collard’s summary may seem just like one small step for her, but it’s actually a giant leap to securing an interview.

Making your Ph.D. resume experience section stand out for all the right reasons

When listing their experience section, most Ph.D. graduates are probably making the same mistakes.

The first one: leaving out your academic practice, thinking that recruiters only want to see work experience.

That's not true at all.

Your education would not only prove your technical capabilities, but also your soft skills. But, more on that in the following paragraphs.

The second error: those tricky job titles.

You'd find 1000+ resumes, listing each experience using the given academic titles; e.g. Professor, Lecturer, Post Doctorate Student, Graduate Student, etc.

Robotic vs personalized approach: 1:0.

The ATS, reviewing your resume, is set to recognize keywords that are vital for the job. The faster those appear at the top of your experience, the better.

Instead of listing that you used to be a "Lecturer at XYZ University", go with "Data Science and Machine Learning Lecturer at XYZ University".

Third slip-up: those tricky experience bullets.

Some Ph.D. graduates just list all their courses, research, and publications.

This isn't the way to go.

You should rather align your knowledge with the job description to prove tangible results.

A couple of questions to help:

  • What did this course help me learn and achieve that could be applicable to the job I'm applying for?
  • How did leading lectures help me to cooperate better within the learning environment?
  • What grants did my publications secure for the educational institute?
  • What effects did my research have on the big-picture subjects within the field?
  • The more you can get into the actuality (and practicality) of your education, the higher your chances are to get your first interview booked.

Let’s look at an example of how your experience can be showcased within your resume as crucial for the job.

Phd resume experience examples.

  • • Got PhD in Philosophy
  • • Took Philosophy of Mind, Brain, and Behavior Course
  • • Took Ethics Course
  • • Wrote Diploma on ‘To Be Or Not To Be: The Ethics of The Human Existence In The 21st Century’

This experience section is pretty negligent and robotic. Did you just get a diploma during those three-plus years?

You may be exiting from a leading higher education institution, but putting in the extra effort to your resume shows that you are diligent.

And that you’re actually invested in getting that particular job.

  • • Contributed 60+ publications to the university scientific journal, niching within human rights, ethics, and the big why of human existence
  • • Peer-reviewed publications for 12+ philosophy colleagues and professionals with a focus on consistency and validity of the thesis
  • • Collaborated with 10+ professionals from arts, science, and biotech fields to question and understand the ethics behind their projects
  • • Apart from the scientific paper for my final thesis, entitled 'To Be Or Not To Be: The Ethics of The Human Existence In The 21st Century’, published a short video on the university website to help inspire young professionals of philosophy to always stay alert

There’s no ground for comparison between the two examples. But let’s look at some of the basics.

The first experience bullet hints that the professional can write technical papers for their niche.

Next, the candidate showcases an eye for detail, collaboration, and teamwork.

Finally, they have found a way to get their thesis submitted on time and also make it more understandable.

On a side note - did you notice how a better job title could be a complete game-changer?

One bonus tip on better systematizing your Ph.D. experience

General practice is that you'd create one single resume experience section.

But what if while writing your Ph.D. resume, you realize that in the past six years, all your experience is for the same institution?

Here's an idea to spice up your experience section. You can create a couple of experience sections, based on functionality.

Thus highlighting job advert keywords and, at the same time, including more details.

So you could have some of the following headers, under which you could classify your work:

  • Research Experience
  • Technical Experience
  • Analytical Experience
  • Leadership Experience
  • Mentorship Experience
  • Teamwork Experience
  • Higher Education Experience

Feel free to align your transferable skills, which would be beneficial for the job you're applying for.

How should you include your degrees within your Ph.D. resume education section?

Here's the advice you've probably been waiting for; introducing…

… "How to write about your degree without sounding like a snob?"

And there are two possible scenarios at play.

The first is that you're applying for a job related to your area of study.

You should list your Ph.D. degree in detail, including research topics, method expertise, and publications.

As you're writing for non-specialized audiences, don't go overboard with the complex terms. Instead, weave keywords from the job requirements within your education section.

In the second case scenario, you're applying for a job that has nothing to do with your degree.

Keep your education section plain and simple with your degree, university/college, dates, and location.

Either way, remember to always list all of your degrees in chronological order, starting with the latest.

This isn't just some made-up rule or HR caprice. Your resume education helps recruiters determine if:

  • Your basic training and knowledge would fit the job
  • You stayed focused on your coursework and graduated on time
  • You would be a good fit for the team. Some companies tend to hire graduates from the same university

Ph.D. in progress: Should you include your potential degree on your resume?

Being transparent on your Ph.D. resume is what builds that fantastic initial relationship with the company you're applying for.

Thus, you have to be very clear and precise, especially in your education section.

If you're still pursuing your Ph.D. degree, shift the focus from the future to what you've achieved so far.

Your education section could answer any of the following questions:

  • How applicable your degree is to the job opening?
  • Which of the courses you've completed would help the company grow?
  • Is your education a stepping stone within your professional experience?
  • What is your expected graduation date?

Being on the course to completing your Ph.D. is definitely commendable, but sometimes life happens. And you may be forced to drop out of your Ph.D. education.

Should you then list the degree you didn't complete?

The answer is 100% yes, as your Ph.D.:

  • fills gaps within your professional experience
  • is valuable experience
  • has helped you gain new knowledge

Making it clear to recruiters that your degree is "Incomplete" or that you "Didn't Graduate" is very important.

List your degree, dates, university/college, and status.

If you get to the interview stage, recruiters will ask you why you dropped out. Be prepared to talk about why it wasn't the best option for your career at the time, or hint at the circumstances.

Even if it's hard to believe, HR managers are people - just like you and me - and they are able to show understanding and compassion.

Ph.D. resume: Is there a dream skill set your potential employers would like to see?

Recruiters review your resume to see how your experience aligns with the role, with a big focus on transferrable skills.

Or in other words, what else can you bring to the table to help the business or institution grow?

And transferable skills can be both hard (or technical ) and soft skills .

Your hard skills include the technology you used to complete your studies.

Consider the opportunities you've has to:

  • test and measure antennas parameters in an Anechoic chamber
  • audit in a lab environment renewable energy sources' efficiency
  • develop software, using Python, to patch cybersecurity risks

The list can go and on and on. Your Ph.D. has probably provided you with a pretty solid technical background.

When writing your resume’s separate technical skills section, ever wonder which technology should go first?

Rule of thumb: align the technology within the job description with your expertise.

The more proficient you are at a certain skill, the sooner you should list it.

Wondering what some of the most popular Ph.D. resume hard and technical skills are?

Check out our list, based on some of the most popular industries.

PhD resume technical skills for various roles:

15 hard skills for opportunities in business consulting:

  • Knowledge of different business-crucial frameworks, including Benchmarking, Balanced Scorecard, Porter’s Five Forces, The GE-McKinsey Nine-Box Matrix, The BCG Growth-Share Matrix, Core Competencies
  • Data Management and Analysis
  • Advanced Data Modelling
  • Strategy, Planning and Implementation
  • Assessing and Managing Risk Using Frameworks
  • Statistics and Understanding Correlations
  • CRMs: Salesforce, Zendesk, Bitrix24, etc.
  • Lead Generation Software: Zendesk Sell, Pipedrive, HubSpot, etc.
  • Project Management Software: Jira, Hive, Asana, etc.
  • Employer and Customer Satisfaction Surveys
  • Proposal Writing
  • Scheduling Software: Calendly, Google Calendar, Doodle, etc.
  • Revenue Optimization and Sales

15 technical skills for biology, biotech, biochemistry, and medical research:

  • Design, conduct, and analyze scientific research
  • Tissue Culture
  • PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
  • Gel Electrophoresis
  • Western Blot
  • Molecular (Gene) Cloning and various techniques
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Confocal Microscopy
  • Cell-Based Assays
  • Radioimmunoassays
  • Data Analysis in biotechnology, bioinformatics, and medical research
  • Laboratory and Equipment

15 engineering technical skills to add to your PhD resume:

  • Manufacturing: Forging, Welding, Assembling, etc.
  • Quality Control
  • Industrial /System Design and Analysis
  • Conceptual, Logical, or Physical Data Modeling
  • AI and/ or Machine Learning
  • Design Tools: AutoCAD, SolidWork, 3dsMax, etc.
  • Programming Languages: C++, Python, Java, etc.
  • Equipment Diagnosis
  • Project Management: Trello, Zoho, Microsoft Project, etc.
  • Data Analysis Software: Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, Qlik Sense, etc.
  • CNC Programming
  • Advanced Physics
  • Structural Analysis
  • Nanotechnology

15 recommended computer science technologies:

  • Programming languages: C++, PHP, Swift, etc.
  • Software engineering and development: Atom, GitHub, Chrome DevTools. etc.
  • Cloud Platforms
  • Data migration and deployment
  • Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
  • Integrated Environments Management
  • Network Maintenance
  • Cybersecurity
  • Machine learning AI
  • Business Intelligence and Statistical Analysis Tools
  • SQL Consoles
  • SAS Development and Forecasting
  • Data Modelling Tools: ER/Studio, Archi, Ludichart, etc.
  • Automation Tools

15 academic and research technical skills:

  • Technical Literacy
  • Presentation and visual: Tableau, Prezi, PPT, etc.
  • Learning platforms: Moodle, Classroom, Teams, etc.
  • Surveys: Google Forms, MailChimp, Kahoot, etc.
  • Data-Processing Software: SPSS, RStudio, NVivo, etc.
  • Academic Networks: Google Scholar, Academia.edu., ResearchGate, etc.
  • Academic Research and Technical Writing
  • Email Writing
  • Data and Information Analysis
  • Copyright and License
  • Videoconferencing: Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, etc.
  • Applications for Securing Grants and Funding
  • Peer Reviews and Co-Writing Interdisciplinary Technical Papers

Moving on to your PhD resume soft skills

There's still no precise formula for how soft skills are gained and applied in the workplace.

How many times have you seen an advert that requires "a can-do attitude and teamwork"?

Yet soft skills are on all recruiters' must-have checklists.

In the case of Ph.D. applicants, these transferable skills are built thanks to all the healthy habits you've maintained through your education, including your:

  • collaboration
  • ability to meet deadlines

Soft skills hint to recruiters more about your character and style of work.

Here are some ideas as to which ones you can include within your resume:

37 PhD soft skills to spice up your resume:

  • Critical / Logical Thinking
  • Problem-Solving
  • Time Management
  • Brainstorming
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Meeting Deadlines
  • Working Under Pressure
  • Negotiation
  • Project Management
  • Organization
  • Prioritization
  • Flexibility
  • Independent Work
  • Ethical Decision-Making
  • Leadership or Mentorship
  • Collaboration
  • Teaching or Lecturing
  • Conduct Meetings
  • Supervision
  • Feedback and Evaluation
  • Motivating Others
  • Communicating Ideas
  • Presentation
  • Constructive Debating
  • Leading or Participating in Group Discussions
  • Public Speaking
  • Accelerated Learning
  • Attention to Detail
  • Writing Proficiency
  • Quantitative Literacy
  • Listening and Reflection

When describing your leadership or mentorship soft skills, here are a couple of questions you could answer within your resume to qualify your achievements:

  • What actions did you take to maintain a constant and successful team dynamic?

Mix in extracurricular certificates

Back in the day, you earned a couple of extracurricular certificates and wondering if you should include those on your Ph.D. resume.

Again, it's a matter of analyzing how necessary your certification is for the job.

E.g. if AICPA's CPA certificate is listed as obligatory within the job description - and you have earned yours - you know what to do.

Certificates show that you're willing to put in the extra effort to stay relevant. Proving that you're committed, flexible, and a life-long learner.

So, think about the relevancy the certificate would have within your field.

Then, consider including some of these popular certificates:

Top 50 PhD certificates from various institutions for your resume:

  • Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) - Certified Professional
  • ACRP - Clinical Research Associate Certification
  • ACRP - Clinical Research Coordinator Certification
  • American Health Information Management Association - Coding Specialist Physician-Based Certification
  • Nationally Registered Certified Patient Care Technician
  • National Healthcare Association (NHA) - EKG Technician Certification
  • NHA - Phlebotomy Technician Certification
  • NHA - Clinical Medical Assistant Certification
  • American Association of Medical Assistants - Medical Assistant Certification
  • Red Cross - Nursing Assistant Certification
  • Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc. - Registered Behavior Technician
  • American Association of Professional Coders - Certified Professional Coder
  • Pharmacy Technician Certification Board - Certified Pharmacy Technician
  • Society for Clinical Data Management - Clinical Data Manager
  • American Medical Writers Association - Medical Writer Certified
  • Board of Editors in Life Science - Board-Certified Editor in Life Science
  • International Society for Medical Publication Professionals - Certified Medical Publication Professional
  • Regulatory Affairs Professional Society - Regulatory Affairs Certification
  • Google Project Management Professional
  • Society of ​​Petroleum Engineers - Petroleum Engineering Certification
  • American Institute of Chemists - National Certification Commission in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Certification
  • Coursera - Software Engineering MasterTrack Certificate
  • Cisco Certified Network Professional in Service Provider Operations
  • CompTIA Security+ Certification
  • (ISC)² Certified Information Systems Security Professional
  • American Society for Quality (ASQ) - Quality Engineer Certification
  • ASQ - Reliability Engineer Certification
  • Advanced Certificate Program in CFD-Aircraft Aerodynamics
  • Engineer in Training License and Certification
  • Society of Broadcast Engineers - Certified Audio Engineer
  • Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering - Certified Technical Professional
  • International Council on Systems Engineering - Systems Engineering Professional Certification
  • American Academy of Project Management - Certified Planning Engineer
  • Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Master Specialist Certificate
  • iNARTE Electromagnetic Compatibility Designer Engineer Certificate
  • American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists - Board Certified Environmental Engineer
  • American Public Power Association - Key Accounts Certificate Program
  • Global Association of Quality Management - Certified Agile Developer
  • Environmental Protection Agency - Operator Certification Program Management
  • Institute of Management Accountants - Certified Management Accountant
  • National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers - Certified Bookkeeper
  • Association of International Certified Professional Accountants - Certified Public Accountant
  • Chartered Financial Analyst Institute - Chartered Financial Analyst
  • Internal Revenue Service - Enrolled Agent
  • The Institute of Internal Auditors - Certified Internal Auditor
  • Association of Certified Fraud Examiners - Certified Fraud Examiner
  • National Association of Sales Professionals - Certified Professional Sales Person
  • Institutes of Management Consulting - Certified Management Consultant

PhD resume: let’s get creative with a few more resume sections

When completing your Ph.D. resume, you should always find ways to stand out from the crowd.

That’s why we’ve compiled for you some of the most popular sections which you could add to your resume.

Before doing so, always question each section's relevance to the job you're applying for.

  • Publications or Projects - focus on topic, methodology, and impact; include your grant ID code, if your research won any funding
  • Academic Awards - once more, consider if those would shine a better light on your expertise
  • Conference Presentations - this would showcase your public speaking abilities
  • Language Skills - be honest when listing your language proficiency

One final word of warning - your Ph.D. resume offers limited space to showcase your expertise, so try to make the most out of it.

key takeaways

  • The extra effort to align your Ph.D. skills with the job you're applying for always gets recruiters' attention.
  • Include as many relevant keywords within the header and summary of your Ph.D. resume.
  • Have separate sections, detailing how your academic background has helped you attain experience, skills, and certifications.
  • List chronologically all degrees you've earned through your education, with an adaptable approach to details.
  • Remember that the recruiters or the ATS assessing your resume may not be that scientifically literate. Substitute complex terminology with impact and results.

phd resume example

Looking to build your own PhD resume?

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A quick guide to a CV for a PhD application

How is a phd cv different from other cvs.

""

Whilst it may include a lot of the same information, a CV for a PhD can be slightly different from a CV for a graduate job. Here are some key things to consider when writing a CV for a PhD application:

  • Emphasise your academic excellence.
  • Highlight your enthusiasm for your research topic through previous research experience, attendance at conferences etc.
  • Showcase research skills gained through Masters and Undergraduate dissertations or projects, lab work or specific technical skills where relevant.
  • Draw attention to modules and other courses you have taken that are especially relevant to the PhD topic.
  • If you will be undertaking duties such as teaching alongside the PhD, include relevant experience of working with students.
  • Your PhD CV may be slightly longer.

How is a PhD CV similar to a CV for a graduate job?

  • You should still ensure the layout is clear, concise, and professional.
  • It is still important to tailor your CV for the opportunity by providing evidence of relevant skills and experience.
  • You should still aim to keep language positive and achievement focussed. Don’t undersell yourself.

What should I include in my CV?

Personal details.

Include your full name and contact details at the top of your CV.

Research interests

You can include a short summary of your research interests as an introduction to your CV. Make sure this is relevant to the PhD you are applying for to show your motivation towards that field.

Include the title, dates, institution and grades for your previous degrees. You may also include titles of relevant modules and research projects/dissertations.

Research experience

Summarise your Undergraduate and Masters research projects and any other research projects you have undertaken, either as part of your studies or elsewhere.

Additional experience/Positions of responsibility 

This section is an opportunity to showcase any additional experience and skills you have which are relevant to the PhD. If you will be taking some teaching duties as part of the PhD, you should include any experience you have that is relevant. Choose a title for this section that best fits your experience. Highlight transferable skills which will be useful for the PhD and give examples of how you have developed them. Also, highlight membership of any relevant societies or professional bodies.

Publications

If you have had any work published at this stage, make sure you include it. You will not be expected to have published work at this stage, so exclude this section if you haven’t.

Conferences

You can include attendance at relevant conferences, particularly if you have presented. If this does not apply to you, exclude this section.

Provide a brief summary of your relevant extra-curricular interests. Use this section if your hobbies demonstrate an interest in your subject and/or research, or if your hobbies help you to demonstrate skills you will need to undertake a PhD (e.g. creativity, self-motivation) that you can’t show through your education or work experience.

References 

You will normally need at least two academic referees. Ensure you ask their permission before you include their contact details.

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DiscoverDataScience.org

Guide to Applying for a Ph.D in Big Data

By Kat Campise, Data Scientist, Ph.D.

Ph.D. programs, in general, are a strenuous undertaking. You’ll spend between 4 to 7 years, on average, in deep and highly structured research on one topic with specific writing requirements. These won’t be blogs or superficial articles waxing poetic about the trials and tribulation of AI. You’ll be expected to publish and present your research to the highest levels of academia who will undoubtedly relish (at least some scholars will) in debating — if not outright challenging — every aspect of the research you conducted.

None of this is meant to scare you away from embarking on the Ph.D. journey. Rather, this is to prepare you for many years of sacrifice and, to be forthright, stress. Ph.D. completion rates hover around 50% . However, this statistic may be more promising depending on the graduate school you choose to attend and the program you intend to complete. For example, Duke University has Ph.D. completion rates as high as 95% .

By the conclusion of your Ph.D., however, you’ll be positioned as one of the leading experts in your chosen area of research. While this doesn’t make you omniscient or omnipotent (too many scholars conflate expertise with being downright arrogant), you will have more knowledge about a given subject than those at the bachelor’s or master’s degree levels. This knowledge is granular, meaning that through your applied research, you will have accrued greater understanding of the nuances involved in the problems you’ve studied at great length.

A Ph.D. is creational. The expectation is that you’ll create or discover something new in your research area. For example, if you’re in the midst of a Ph.D. in Data Science, deriving a brand new AI system, and then discussing how you arrived at this via your dissertation — which you will defend — is what a Ph.D. program will demand of you.

Should You Apply to a Ph.D. Program?

Most Ph.D. programs require full-time study. This will leave very little room for additional employment responsibilities, e.g., having a part-time job or attempting to work full-time. You won’t merely be reading others’ research and then repeating or summarizing it. You’ll critically analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their research, and then use it to inform your research design, development, and implementation. You’re building a brand new solution to a particular problem.

Many Ph.D. programs have a stipulation that you will be part of a teaching cadre, meaning you’ll be teaching either bachelor’s or master’s level students in your discipline. This is in addition to your research and writing. While these may be paid, the teaching assignments don’t tend to be as lucrative as jobs within private industry. For instance, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median salary for data scientists is $100,910 as of May 2021. It’s extremely unlikely that you’ll earn that type of salary within your Ph.D. in Data Science program.

The flip side of this is that you can reach a six-figure salary once you complete your Ph.D. if you’re willing to take on the opportunity cost during your Ph.D. program. In fact, BLS data says the highest-earning data scientists have salaries of $167,040 or more.

So, should you apply?

If you are certain of the program, which includes having an idea as to what you want to research, you enjoy focusing on a problem (almost endlessly) and creating new solutions, and you’re willing to spend around 6 years of your life constantly reading, analyzing, writing, publishing, and presenting, then start by reviewing the next steps of the application process.

Step 1: Finalize School and Program Choice

Although there are a growing number of online programs, Ph.D. programs are still primarily an onsite experience for the sciences, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. So, most Ph.D. applicants will need to take the university location into consideration along with the availability of the specific Ph.D. program.

Regarding program choice, ideally, you should have either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related discipline. In many cases, one of the application requirements is for you to have completed specific courses (or a directly relevant degree). Using data science as an example, all Ph.D. programs in data science currently require the completion of Calculus (at the very least, Calculus I), Linear Algebra, and advanced statistics.

Some programs go further and have programming requirements (Python, Java, R, etc.) along with coursework in data structures and algorithms. It’s rare to jump from a B.A. in English to a Ph.D. in Computer Science (or Data Science); not because someone isn’t capable of doing so, but due to the major “catch up” required in terms of extensive practicum in the subject. A Ph.D. is already rigorous without you needing to take a series of prerequisite courses.

Review the current professors’ research interests and publications. One of them is likely to be your advisor and you’ll need to invite others to be a part of your dissertation committee (if the Ph.D. is structured in that way). This will also help you to generate research ideas of your own while also helping your application to “connect” with the department’s goals and objectives.

Additionally, peruse the required courses. If you can find the syllabi for those courses, read through them thoroughly. Note the journals and journal articles they reference. If you can find them (many are locked away in pay for view gateways such as JSTOR, but Google Scholar may have them available for free via PDF), then start reading! Doing so will clue you in on both the professor’s research area — especially if they are an author for one or more of the articles — and the focus of both the particular course and the Ph.D. program.

Remember, the department and its constituents want a high Ph.D. completion rate (which also holds true for master’s and bachelor’s degrees). The prestige factor attracts more students and more students translate into more funding. It’s not all about the money, of course. But, they do strongly prefer candidates who will successfully complete the program and earn their Ph.D.

While you should read the program requirements carefully. Don’t hesitate to gather questions that you can’t find answers to (specifically about the program itself rather than “how do I apply”) and send an email to the Department Chair. Keep in mind that if this is in the middle of a semester, it may take them time to respond to you as they also have teaching, research, and other bureaucratic duties.

Step 2: Review the Application Process

Depending on the department’s website layout, usually, it’s pretty easy to find their “How to Apply” section. Wherever that is located, make sure you find it and review the materials you’ll need to send along with your application. Thus far, just about every U.S. university has an option for applying online (we’ve yet to find one who doesn’t accept online applications). An overwhelming majority of Ph.D. programs require the documents discussed in the steps below. As such, you’ll need to set aside additional time, and money, so that you’ll have all of the requisite materials.

Step 3: Gather Your Transcripts

All U.S. universities are going to ask for official transcripts. During the online application process, you may be asked to upload unofficial transcripts for review by their admission committee. Subsequently, the Graduate Department will request your official transcripts upon admission acceptance. If you have any gaps in education or there was a semester or two where you weren’t performing very well academically, this can be briefly (and professionally) addressed in your Statement of Interest or Letter of Intent; more will be included on this topic below.

Step 4: Test Scores

Some Ph.D. programs are moving away from the GRE testing requirement. Others will accept GMAT test results in lieu of GRE scores. But, STEM programs aren’t likely to abandon the GRE as part of the application process. You’ll need to pay close attention to any cutoff scores listed by the department and whether you should take the General GRE or its Subject Tests .

Depending on where you are located in the world, GRE fees range from $205 to $230 . Subject Tests are $150 per subject. That aside, you’ll also need to spend time in test preparation mode which can be as little as 50 hours and as high as 120 hours. Your test preparation needs are unique and depend on many different factors. Most students perform better on one section over the other, e.g., if you have a Bachelor’s Degree in Math, the Quant section may be a breeze but your performance on the Verbal section may not be as stellar.

Also, keep the application due date in mind when scheduling your GRE test. Give yourself time to retake the test if need be while also ensuring that your test scores are received by the university before the application due date.

Step 5:  Writing Samples, Resumes/CVs, and Letters of Intent

It cannot be overstated that scholarly work at the Ph.D. level requires a mind-numbing amount of writing (and research!). The department admission committee wants to determine if you can write at an academic level and if you have begun to form research interests. Essentially, they want to understand why you want to enter the Ph.D. program and how your studies will align with your career goals. All of this is part of determining not only your commitment but also your readiness.

Having industry experience is a bonus which is one of the reasons they ask for a resume or CV. As much as a Ph.D. seems to be “ivory tower” pontificating — admittedly, it can be —  students who have some hands-on experience in the particular research area tend to have more successful outcomes — as do students who have a set of clear goals and objectives.

If you don’t have an academic writing sample, then this is the time to reach out to the Department Chair to determine what you should write about for application purposes. If you’ve completed a master’s degree, you should have your thesis to send. Some departments will explicitly state what the writing sample should contain. Summarily, if for some reason you don’t have a sample readily available, be prepared to create one.

What the department committee is likely not seeking is for you to have an already formed dissertation topic. If they’re seasoned academics, as they should be, they’re keenly aware that research interests evolve over time. But, as long as you have some direction, e.g., “I’m interested in researching how AI facial recognition can be accurately and equitably deployed in determining the likelihood of criminal activity”, then you’ll have a higher probability of making it to the acceptance pile.

Step 6: Letters of Recommendation

Sometimes referred to as “Letters of Reference” department requirements vary on the number and type of recommendation letters to include with your application. Usually, you’re required to send 3. Since you’re applying for admission into academia, recommendations from prior professors are the prevailing preference. However, an increasing number of universities also accept references from employers if they can include how your employment experience has prepared you for your intended academic studies.

The “how” of routing the reference or recommendation letters differs between universities. Some will still require that the letters are sent via postal mail directly to the department. But, there’s a shift towards simply uploading the letters as a PDF directly to your online graduate application.

Remember Self Care

Your application is viewed from a holistic perspective. Although GRE scores can be part of the admission consideration equation, most universities don’t view you as merely a test score number (which is one reason some are foregoing that requirement). As mentioned elsewhere, the department does want a high graduation rate along with generating scholars who are well-regarded in their expertise. The department admission committees are aware of the blood, sweat, and tears that committing to a Ph.D. program requires.

There is a high probability that you’ll experience disorienting moments including imposter syndrome. Life doesn’t always flow smoothly and definitely doesn’t stop just because you’re in the middle of your Ph.D. in Statistics (or whichever discipline you’ve chosen). It’s perfectly feasible to speak with your advisor about taking a short break from your studies so you can enact self-care. Only you can know and determine if that’s an action (or inaction) you need to take so you can return to your program revived and ready for the next set of challenges.

2021 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for data scientists reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2023.

bio data for phd application

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what is biodata

A 7-step guide to writing a biodata | Biodata sample inside!

Are you planning to apply for your first job or looking to study abroad in both these situations, you will need well-crafted biodata to portray your details and achievements. so, how do you go about creating biodata read on to get tips to create the perfect biodata and skyrocket your success., table of contents, biodata | an introduction, what is biodata, 1. employment, 2. education, 2. personal details, 3. educational background, 4. achievements, 5. essential skills, 6. proofread, 7. appendices, a simple biodata template, things to remember, key takeaway.

Nowadays, most universities require the submission of biodata along with a statement of purpose and related academic documents. Therefore, as a student, you may need it for higher education. However, most students are often confused about the proper biodata format. If you have similar concerns and want to know how to create biodata that stands out, you will first need to understand what it is and its different purposes.

By definition, a biodata is the biographical data of a person’s life and experiences. Such an account can include personal, academic, and career information. It may contain your personal information, like name, date of birth, nationality, and more. Further, it includes information about your academic qualifications and work experiences. So, what kind of information to input? Depends on the type you are preparing.

Types of Biodata

You may need a biodata for applying to a job or a university, and hence these two are the most prominent types:

While biodata is no longer a necessity by most employers, it was the single most important document for job applications a few decades ago. 

You may notice some employers still asking for a biodata, but it is generally accompanied by a resume . Although you might not need it for a job anymore, it is still an important document for college applications.

Compared to the requirement for employment, colleges expect a rather simple biodata format that includes certain basic personal details and physical attributes. 

It is merely a record of who you are and what you like to do. If you want to know how to write an application for college, then we recommend you spend some time in self-reflection. 

In doing this, you will be able to jot down the most important attributes that are worth mentioning to your prospective college.

How to prepare a biodata?

bio data for phd application

Writing a biodata is not as complicated as it may seem at first. You just need to follow a step-by-step process to ensure that your application truly stands out amidst the several hundred submitted to your desired university. This simple 7-step guide will solve all your doubts.

The first and foremost thing you need to remember is to be honest. Notably, honesty is highly valued by both colleges and employers. 

In today’s connected world, it is not very difficult to verify all the details you mention. Most colleges and employers perform background checks on their candidates through their social media activities or valid references. With an honestly written biodata and powerful statement of purpose, you will have great chances to get accepted at the university of your choice.

This is the first section, as it gives an overview of a candidate. If you believe in the first impression being the last impression, you need to formulate this part perfectly.

While you may find various samples online, do some research on your workplace or college to see which format they like. It will assist you in filtering your reference research and save you time.

The personal details section of this document essentially consists of your full name and current age, along with your updated contact information.

bio data for phd application

The next part should emphasize your educational background. This includes the latest educational qualification (school, diploma, certificate, graduation, or post-graduation). When applying to colleges and universities, it is best to provide the grades of your latest exams as well. 

Moreover, you can mention any other certifications you may have achieved during your education. Do not include any extra or co-curricular certifications in this section.

When creating an online biodata as well as an offline one, you must never forget to mention the most prominent achievements during your academic life. 

When applying for a diploma or a graduate course, you will have to provide certificates of your achievements during your school days. What is interesting about this is that you may include both co-curricular and extra-curricular achievements in this section.

Since many universities and employers value these as attributes that make a candidate more desirable, you will have to be quite specific when writing about your achievements.

For some employers and colleges, this is the most important section because it clearly identifies what you, as a candidate, can and cannot do. Therefore, you need to be extra cautious with this part. One way to do this is first to jot down all your personal and professional skills and briefly describe each. 

Finally, the last step is to proofread and ensure there are no grammatical, spelling, or formatting errors. A biodata with such errors does not speak well of the applicant. You can safely submit a well-polished record of your details and create an impression on either a prospective employer or college.

A biodata is incomplete without an appendix of your educational documents. This is an optional step but is highly recommended, especially for students who wish to enroll themselves in prestigious universities. This means when applying for a graduate program, you will have to attach your high school mark sheet along with your biodata. Similarly, when applying for a postgraduate program, you will have to attach your graduation mark sheet along with your biodata. 

This step-wise creation will definitely give you a competitive edge. Let’s look at a simple template to get an idea of how to create one. 

bio data for phd application

The template given below is most suitable for a college or a university but can also be used as a biodata format for a job application. 

Contact Information:

Educational Details: 

Professional Experience:

Achievements:

biodata

Even with the 7-step process and a template, you may have a few apprehensions related to the role of a biodata, resume, and curriculum vitae. So, here are a few things to remember that will help you differentiate among them.

  • The term biodata is often used interchangeably with resume and curriculum vitae (CV). Although a biodata can be a part of a resume, it can never be vice-versa. 
  • A biodata is simply a record of personal details like name, age, ethnicity, and contact information, whereas a resume is job-oriented and can be different for an individual applying for different types of jobs.
  • A biodata is also different from a CV because the former is generally one to two pages long, whereas there is no page limit for a CV. 
  • With a well-written biodata, you effectively have an upper hand in the competition for both education and employment.
  • Follow the 7-step process so that you do not have to rely on the biodata sample available online. 
  • Remember the important rules and instructions mentioned by your university to avoid rejections.

If you are still not sure about the university or job application processes or want to apply for a university abroad, reach out to us. We will help you with the process and make your application stand out.  

Like this blog? Then read: How to study smart for exams

Q1. Should a biodata be handwritten or printed?

Answer- Nowadays, handwritten biodata is usually not accepted anywhere. Therefore, you need to have a printed one.

Q2. Should a biodata contain a passport-sized photograph?

Answer- Such a photo is usually required for a resume or CV more than in a biodata, but there are no rules that say you cannot attach one in your biodata as well.

Q3. When applying to a university abroad, what other documents should accompany a biodata?

Answer- In such cases, it should be accompanied by a statement of purpose, letter of recommendation , scores of tests like IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, or GMAT, and an essay (optional).

O4. Why have the terms resume and CV become synonymous with biodata?

Answer- A resume is a preferred term used in the United States, while CV is used in the United Kingdom. Due to recent professional exchanges and globalization, CV, resume, and biodata are sometimes used synonymously in India.

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  • Resume Examples

Scholarship Resume Examples [+Template with Objective]

Michael Tomaszewski, CPRW

Our customers have been hired by:

All the hard work is finally paying off . You’ve been accepted. But there’s just one more step—applying for a scholarship. 

To get it, you have to make a stunning resume for a scholarship. Did you know that selection committees would often look at your scholarship resume before they start reviewing other documents? If they don’t see what’s relevant for them, they might even decide not to review the rest of your scholarship application. 

Don’t let that happen. Read on, and you’ll learn how to make the best scholarship resume in the pile.

This guide will show you:

  • A scholarship resume sample better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
  • How to write a resume for scholarships step by step.
  • A complete scholarship resume template you can use to make your resume.
  • How to describe your academic experience on a resume for college scholarships to get any scholarship you want.

Here's a free college scholarship resume sample made using our resume builder.

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here .

Scholarship resume example

Sample resume made with our builder— See more resume examples here .

If you've got a lot of academic experience, you'll probably need to write an academic CV, not just a regular scholarship resume. Learn how to do it here: Academic CV: Example, Template & Writing Guide [with 20+ Expert Tips]

You'll need a standout cover letter as well. See how to write it here: Sample Cover Letter for Scholarship Grant

To see other resume samples related to education and learning check out one of our dedicated guides:

  • MBA Application Resume Example
  • Student Resume Example
  • Graduate School Resume/CV for PhD Programs
  • College Freshman Resume
  • High School Student Resume
  • College Student Resume
  • Undergraduate Resume
  • How to Put Phi Beta Kappa on a Resume
  • How to Put Athletics on a Resume
  • More Sample Resumes for 500+ Jobs

Scholarship Resume Example

Carl Forsythe

Business Administration Major

(123) 456-7891

[email protected]

linkedin.com/in/carl.forsythe

Talented and motivated college student majoring in Business Administration with a Minor in Accounting, seeking to leverage accounting, business analysis, financial management, and communication skills to secure a scholarship at the University of Montana. Achieved an outstanding GPA of 3.8. Completed 15 assigned projects within stipulated deadlines during an internship at Krausz Financial Services.

Accounts Internship

Krausz Financial Services, Bozeman, MT

June 2021–August 2021

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

  • Created financial reports for the senior management team with accuracy and attention to detail.
  • Assisted in the development of budget plans and forecasts for various departments.
  • Prepared accounts receivable invoices using QuickBooks accounting software.
  • Analyzed current expenditures and formulated ideas on cost reduction strategies.
  • Developed Excel spreadsheets to track company expenses and revenues accurately.

Key Achievement:

  • Completed 15 assigned projects within stipulated deadlines, providing valuable assistance to the senior management team during the internship period.

Student Assistant at Student Help Desk

Bozeman High School, Bozeman, MT

March 2020–June 2021

  • Resolved queries related to student registration procedures for new entrants efficiently.
  • Maintained accurate records of incoming calls from parents related to their children's attendance records.
  • Compiled data related to transcript requests and admission process updates.
  • Ensured smooth functioning of daily activities such as answering 20 phone calls on average from parents and students, providing information on school policies, and helping new entrants register on time by assisting them throughout the process.

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, University of Montana, MT

August 2019–Present

Relevant Extracurricular Activities

  • Member of Beta Gamma Sigma Honorary Society since September 2019.
  • Volunteered for Saint Joseph's Home for Children, Bozeman, MT since 2017.

Academic Achievements:

  • Won first prize at Marketing Plan Competition held at University of Montana in October 2020 for designing and presenting an effective marketing plan to promote the University
  • Received Dean’s List Award consecutively since Fall semester 2019
  • Business Analysis
  • Financial Management
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Decision Making

Certifications

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), 2021
  • Academic Excellence Award, University of Montana, 2020
  • Outstanding Student Award, Bozeman High School, 2019

Memberships

Member of International Association for Scholars (IAS) since April 2020

  • Conducted monthly seminars focused on promoting research opportunities among undergraduates.
  • Represented IAS at regional conference on entrepreneurship held by University of Montana in June 2020.
  • English–Native
  • French–Intermediate
  • German–Advanced
  • Exploring different cultures by traveling around the world since June 2018.
  • Participating in annual marathons held at Bozeman since April 2019.

What is the Best Scholarship Resume Template

Selection committees have to review thousands of scholarship applications.

Now, guess how much time it would take to read this many personal statements, study or research objectives, transcripts of records, and scholarship resumes.

Too much time.

That’s why scholarship committee members don’t read every document they get. They skim them, searching for most relevant information.

And you know what?

For you, that’s an opportunity. Choose a right scholarship resume template, and you’ll be able to serve the committee what they’re looking for on a silver platter.

Begin with dividing your scholarship resume into five sections:

Sample Academic Scholarship Resume Outline:

  • Contact Information
  • Resume Objective (or a Career Goal)
  • Academic Experience
  • Awards and Honors
  • Work Experience

In each section, list your experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your current or most recent activities.

Make the section headings in bold and slightly larger than the rest of the text. Be consistent with your headings format and with the layout of each section.

Use clear, legible fonts. Make your scholarship resume look, well, scholarly. Don’t cram it with gimmicky graphics. White space is your friend - decision makers need some breathing room!

Pro Tip: Once you’ve finished writing your application resume, save it as a PDF to make sure the layout stays intact.

How to put scholarships on a resume?

Have a look at our dedicated guide and find out how to list your academic and professional achievements on your resume: Achievements to Put on a Resume - Complete Guide (+30 Examples)

How to Write a Career Goal or an Objective for a Scholarship Resume?

First things first.

What’s a career goal or a scholarship resume objective?

A brief, concise paragraph just below your contact information in which you outline your academic plans and goals, as well as give an overview of your educational background.

True, you’ve already discussed your educational plans at length in your personal statement and your study or research objective - but you still need to reiterate them on your resume. Why? Because it’s the best way to immediately catch the selection committee’s attention - to make it irresistible for them to read your whole resume.

How to write a scholarship resume objective?

The three key messages you have to get across are:

  • Your strong academic record
  • Your relevant extracurricular activities
  • Your sense of purpose in continuing your academic career

Let’s have a look at these examples of objectives for scholarship resumes for graduate applicants:

Sample Scholarship Resume Objectives for Graduate Student

Why is it so bad?

Because it doesn’t include any specifics. It’s got nothing but generic information without any evidence to support it.

“Extensive international experience”?! What does it even mean? Working in an international company, taking part in study abroad programs, or just travelling?

Have a look a properly written sample scholarship resume objective:

Sample Objective for a Scholarship Resume

See the difference?

This candidate doesn’t tell the scholarship committee that she’s a great pick to receive funding. She shows it by providing examples of her verifiable achievements and clearly stating her future study and research plans.

That’s exactly the way you should do it when writing your scholarship resume objective.

Pro Tip: Research the institution from which you’re hoping to receive a scholarship to find out about their values and mission - make a list of the top qualities required, based on the mission statement, website, and accepted students. Remember to refer to those values while writing your personal statement or research objective to show how you fit the scholarship’s requirements.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check . Start building a  professional resume template here for free .

A view from the Zety resume maker outlining the approach of populating the employment history portion and an array of pre-written resume descriptions proposed for the specific job.

When you’re done, our easy resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

Want to make sure you didn't forget anything when writing your scholarship resume? Get our free checklist and learn what makes a successful resume: 46 Things You Need To Do Before You Send Your Resume

Need more ideas for your scholarship resume objective? Read our guide: +20 Resume Objective Examples - Use Them On Your Resume (Tips)

How to Describe Your Academic Experience?

It’s pretty obvious that your academic experience section is the most important part of your scholarship resume, right?

But does that mean that you have to list every educational institution you’ve attended alongside detailed descriptions of all courses you’ve taken?

Of course not.

What do you put in a scholarship resume academic experience section?

  • Your minors (if applicable)
  • Your graduation date, or expected graduation if you’re still studying
  • The name of your institution

All of the above are absolute must-haves. But you should also include the following to truly make your student scholarship resume stand out:

  • Favorite fields of study
  • Key academic achievements
  • Extracurricular activities

If you’re applying for a freshman scholarship, put only your high school in your academic experience section.

If you’re writing a graduate scholarship resume, leave your high school off, unless it’s very prestigious or you’ve scored some amazing achievements there.

Writing a postgraduate or a PhD scholarship resume? List both your bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Don’t forget that the scholarship committee has full access to your transcript of records - that’s an ultimate data sheet comprising most of the necessary details about your past education.

But “most” doesn’t mean “all.”

In your academic experience section, include the information that your raw transcript of records cannot contain.

Show the committee that your academic performance so far has not only been about the impressive numbers, but that you’re also passionate about your field of study.

Every academic institution is eager to accept candidates who, apart from having flawless grades, display the following qualities:

  • Curiosity and self-motivation (1)
  • Leadership skills (2)
  • Enthusiasm for what they study (3)

These are solid examples of skills to put on a scholarship resume.

How to highlight these qualities?

Have a look:

Sample Resume for College Scholarship - Academic Experience Section

“She’s exactly the kind of student we’re looking for!”

This academic experience section is guaranteed to bring this kind of response from the selection committee.

Pro Tip: If you’re just beginning to put together your scholarship application, remember to prepare a separate document in which you’ll record your academic references. List your references’ names, positions, relationships to you, and the number of years you’ve known each other. And don’t forget to inform your references that you’ve listed them!

Hungry for more information on how to list academic experience on your resume for college scholarship? Make sure to read our handy guide: How to Put Your Education on a Resume [Tips & Examples]

Is Your Work Experience Section Underperforming? It Might Be

Resumes for scholarships are different from typical, professional resumes. More often than not, your education section will be much more important for the selection committee than your work experience.

Does that mean you can omit the latter?

Your work experience section is still crucial. It shows scholarship directors two things:

  • That you have organizational skills which helped you manage your time between academics and a job
  • That you’re persistent and productive

In this section of your scholarship resume, list your work experience in reverse chronological order. Start with your current or most recent job and follow it with all previous jobs.

Remember that you’re not expected to have done dozens of amazing internships in international corporations or to have held a senior position.

Don’t be ashamed of your work history. Mention every job you’ve done, even volunteer experience or part-time gigs.

In each entry, list the name of your position, the company, the location, and dates worked. Underneath every job, add up to four bullet points that describe your responsibilities.

Work Experience Section on a Scholarship Resume Example

Pro Tip: In your work experience section, use action words to talk about your responsibilities. “Assisted,” “developed,” or “performed” sound much better than “responsible for assistance, development, and performing other tasks as assigned.”

Want to learn more how to make the most of your work experience section on a scholarship application resume? Here’s a dedicated guide to walk you through listing your work experience: How to List Work Experience on Your Resume [+20 Examples]

How to Add Awards and Honors on an Effective Scholarship Resume

In the final section of your scholarship resume, it’s time to do some bragging. And it could well be the best selling point of your whole resume.

It’s just that, this section quite often falls flat.

Because scholarship applicants don’t know how to make their awards meaningful .

A typical entry on an “Awards” section might look something like this:

Sample Scholarship Resume Awards Section

The problem?

This award will mean nothing to the selection committee. Alright, so you won. But what was the competition? How prestigious is the award? What are the numbers behind it?

Keep in mind, that committees don’t know every single award in the country backwards. You have to give them some context. See this:

Now, that’s impressive! And yes, listing how much you won for your award is a good idea. $10,000? Wow. That means something. Even if I don’t know what exactly the award is, I’m aware that they don’t just throw ten thousand bucks at anyone.

Struggling for ideas on what’s worth putting on a scholarship resume?

Have a look at some suggestions. All of these will make great entries on your scholarship resume:

What To List in a Scholarship Resume Awards Section

  • Scholarships (yes, list previous scholarships on a resume)
  • Honor Rolls inclusions
  • Dean’s Lists
  • Subject-related awards
  • Science fair awards
  • Publications in student journals
  • Perfect attendance awards
  • Non-academic professional awards
  • Volunteer-related awards

If you’ve graduated with honors, resume awards section is a perfect place to list it.

Writing an athletic scholarship resume?

List all the individual or team trophies you’ve won. If it’s a team award, write down the name of your team, the division in which you played and your position.

Done with writing a resume, but still haven’t written your scholarship resume cover letter or a letter of motivation? Learn how to do it in our comprehensive guide: How To Write A Cover Letter [Complete Guide With Examples]

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.  Here's what it may look like:

A set of job application materials that match, consisting of a resume and cover letter, crafted with the Zety resume generator using the Modern resume template, which includes a two-column layout and decorative rectangles in the header and footer regions.

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

It’s a make-or-break moment of your scholarship application, when the scholarship selection committee starts reviewing your resume.

If you want to make sure your scholarship resume impresses the committee members, keep in mind the key strategies we covered:

  • Choose a legible, clear format for a scholarship resume.
  • Below your contact information, give a summary of your academic goals and motivation in a scholarship resume objective.
  • Don’t ignore your work experience section. List all your past jobs in reverse chronological order.
  • Quantify whenever possible - make your achievements and awards measurable and meaningful.

All check? Then I’m sure you’re going to make your resume work for you!

What are your experiences with writing a scholarship resume? Do you have any questions on how to make the most of your resume for a college scholarship? Give us a shout in the comments and we’ll get back to you!

See more scholarship-related articles:

  • High School Graduate Resume
  • High School Resume for College Applications
  • Resume Examples for Teens
  • Medical Student CV
  • Research Assistant Resume
  • First Job Resume

About Zety’s Editorial Process

This article has been reviewed by our editorial team to make sure it follows Zety's editorial guidelines . We’re committed to sharing our expertise and giving you trustworthy career advice tailored to your needs. High-quality content is what brings over 40 million readers to our site every year. But we don't stop there. Our team conducts original research to understand the job market better, and we pride ourselves on being quoted by top universities and prime media outlets from around the world.

Michael Tomaszewski, CPRW

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Stanford - Department of Biomedical Data Science

For Prospective Students

Introduction to the biomedical data science graduate program.

Biomedical Data Science is an interdisciplinary field that combines ideas from computer science and quantitative disciplines (statistics, data science, decision science) to solving challenging problems in biology and medicine. Applicants enter our program with many different backgrounds, so the program is designed to be flexible. Training in informatics and biocomputation is also available through other departments at Stanford, such as Bioengineering, Computer Science, Statistics, and Genetics. We recommend your explore the various options to find the best fit for you.

Important Dates:

Application Deadlines: December 5th for PhD and Academic MS; other MS applications accepted quarterly.

Mentoring and Info sessions : Faculty Online Information Sessions will be scheduled in the summer for the fall term, 2024. Meet-the-Students Online Panel will be scheduled in the summer for the fall term, 2024. Peer-to-Peer Application Mentoring Program registration deadline will be scheduled in the summer for the fall term, 2024.

What DBDS Offers

  • The Academic (Research) MS, with NLM-funded positions for postdoctoral trainees; others may also apply, but are not guaranteed funding from DBDS.
  • The Honors Cooperative Program (Professional Masters) MS, a part-time distance education program
  • The Coterminal MS for Stanford undergraduates
  • Certificate in Bioinformatics
  • Individual courses
  • Post-doctoral research training (not pursuing a degree)
  • Scholarly Concentration and Med Scholars programs for Stanford Medical Students

Why apply here?

Prerequisites, diversity and inclusion, phd + masters of medicine, academic (research) ms, honors cooperative program (hcp) ms, coterminal ms, writing your personal statement, postdoctoral training, clinical informatics fellowship, distance education programs, for stanford medical students, for stanford mstp students, for stanford graduate students, for stanford undergraduates, for international applicants, why apply to this program.

  • Reputation . Stanford is ranked #1 for graduate training in Biological Sciences (including  Genetics/Genomics ), Bioinformatics , Computer Science , and  Statistics . You will work with world-renown leaders in these areas.
  • Interdisciplinary Research . DBDS is part of the Stanford Biosciences PhD program, and draws on faculty from research and clinical departments located throughout Stanford’s School of Medicine. We have access to the extensive research clinical database and clinical informatics expertise at Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. In addition, we have strong ties to Bioengineering, Computer Science and Statistics. All of these are in close physical proximity on Stanford’s main campus.
  • History . Founded in 1982, our program is one of the oldest and most illustrious in the United States. Our graduates have gone on to become distinguished faculty at top universities and medical schools, industry leaders at major corporations and startups, or high-ranking positions in government.
  • Curriculum . Our core courses span a wide array of topics, from the analysis of biological sequences and structures, to translational and imaging informatics, the use of clinical data to drive health care, and understanding the principles of developing models and representations of biomedical phenomena. Much of the course material is based on cutting-edge research conducted here at Stanford. Electives come from DBDS, Computer Science, Statistics, and other departments.
  • Scientific Communication . We place a very high value on being able to present complex ideas to colleagues, collaborators, and the public in speech and in writing. Students present annually at our research seminar. All students make presentations regularly in their labs.
  • Community . DBDS is a small, collegial, friendly program. We have an annual off-campus retreat, and a strong alumni network.
  • Location . Stanford University’s campus occupies over 8000 acres, bordering Palo Alto, California. It has an ideal Mediterranean climate, is the heart of Silicon Valley, and provides easy access to the amenities of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Prerequisites for Graduate Degrees in Biomedical Data Science

Our program is quite quantitatively and computationally rigorous, and our students take graduate-level coursework in statistics and computer science at Stanford. Therefore, we expect strong preparation in these areas in order to make reasonable progress through our curriculum. All of our degree programs have the same prerequisites. Note that these are the minimum requirements, and that many applicants exceed them.

  • Calculus: at least one year, preferrably the track taught for engineering or physical science. Additional coursework in multivariate calculus is  strongly  recommended
  • Probability and statistics: at least one course, and preferably one course in both areas
  • Linear algebra
  • Computer science: one year, preferably the introductory sequence for CS majors. The focus should be fundamentals of computer science (data structures and algorithms) and software engineering principles (abstraction, modularity, object-oriented programming)
  • Biology/Medicine: at least some coursework in this area, preferably the introductory sequence for biology majors

The Department of Biomedical Data Science recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.  

The Department of Biomedical Data Science welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. The review process is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, prior research experience, and admissions essays to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field and how they might enrich the learning community at Stanford.

We would like to make applicants aware of the following Stanford programs and resources:

DBDS Peer-to-Peer Application Mentoring Program

The DBDS Peer-to-Peer Application Mentoring Program is a student organized initiative that strives to assist individuals who:

  • Identify as part of one or more groups that are historically underrepresented in STEM and
  • Are applying to the DBDS PhD or MS program.

Participants may receive one round of feedback on their statements of purpose, up to the limit of our time and resources. Participation does not guarantee nor increase chance of admission.

The Peer-to-Peer application will be available in the fall term, 2024.

Meet the Students Panel

The Biomedical Informatics graduate students panel will be scheduled in the fall term, 2024.

Meet the Faculty Panel

Join our Meet the Faculty Panel will be held in the fall term, 2024.

Other Programs:

  • SSRP-Amgen Scholars Program , an eight-week, residential, summer research program for current undergraduates, with a goal of bringing diversity to graduate study in the biomedical sciences, including Biomedical Data Science.
  • Stanford’s Biosciences  ADVANCE Summer Institute  to prepare students for a successful graduate career.
  • Stanford’s Biosciences Graduate Program  Diversity & Engagement  website.
  • Stanford’s Vice Provost for Graduate Education  Diversity in Graduate Education  website.
  • Stanford’s  Office of Accessible Education
  • Stanford’s  SCRIBE  system to convert documents to Braille and audio formats.

We have admitted students who have previously studied at the following institutions across the world:

All India Institute Medical Sc Amherst College Andhra University Arizona State University Ateneo De Manila University Bar-Ilan University Baylor University Beijing Inst Chem Fiber Engine Bharathidasan University Birla Institute of Tech and Sc Boston College Boston University Brandeis University Brigham Young University Brown University Calif Polytechnic State Univ Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve Univ Central University of the East City College of New York Claremont Graduate School Claremont McKenna College Clark College Clark University Colby College Columbia University Cornell University CUNY Mount Sinai School Me Dartmouth College Davidson College De Anza College Drexel University Duke University Ecole Polytechnique Emory University Florida State University Fudan University George Mason University George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Tech Harvard University Harvey Mudd College Hendrix College Hitotsubashi University Howard University HS Affiliated Renmin Univ Indian Institute of Technology Indiana University Indiana-Purdue University Indi Iowa State University Iran Univ Science & Technology Johns Hopkins University Leeward Community College Lomonosov Moscow State Univ Louisiana State Univ Medical C Loyola University of Chicago Ludwig Maximilian Universitat Marlborough College Massachusetts Inst of Tech McGill University Mesa Community College Monash University Morehouse College Mumbai University National Chiao Tung University National Taiwan University National University Singapore New College of Florida New York Medical College New York University North Harris County College Northwestern University Parkland College Peking Union Medical College Pennsylvania State University Pomona College Portland State University Princeton University Queens University at Kingston Rush University Rutgers University S.U.N.Y. State Univ at Bingham S.U.N.Y. State Univ at Buffalo Saddleback College Saint Andrew’s College Saint Andrew’s Junior College San Diego Miramar College San Diego State University San Francisco State University San Jose City College Santa Clara University Seoul National University Shanghai Jiaotong University Smith College Solano Community College Southwestern College St John’s College St Marys College Stanford University Swarthmore College Syracuse University Technion Israel Inst of Tech Temple University Tsinghua University Tufts University Tulane University of Louisiana Univ of California Berkeley Univ of California Davis Univ of California Irvine Univ of California Los Angeles Univ of California San Diego Univ of California San Francis Univ of Illinois Urbana-Champa Univ of Michigan Ann Arbor Univ of Southern California Universidad De Los Andes Universidad Del Valle Universidad Nacional Autonoma Universidad Nacional De Rosari University of Akron University of Alabama Tuscaloo University of Alberta University of Baghdad University of Calgary University of Cambridge University of Canterbury University of Chicago University of Cincinnati University of Edinburgh University of Florida University of Georgia University of Guelph University of Hawaii Manoa University of Maryland Balt University of Maryland College University of Massachusetts Bo University of Melbourne University of Miami University of Minnesota Twin C University of Missouri Kansas University of New Mexico University of New South Wales University of Notre Dame University of Oxford University of Pennsylvania University of Phoenix University of Pittsburgh University of Pune University of Rajasthan University of Sydney University of Texas Austin University of Tokyo University of Toronto University of Utah University of Virginia University of Waterloo University of Western Ontario University of Wisconsin Madiso Vellore Institute Technology Virginia Commonwealth Universi Washington State University Washington University Weizmann Institute of Science Wesleyan University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Yale University

The PhD Degree in Biomedical Data Science

The PhD degree allows graduates to lead research in academic, industry, or government positions. All prospective applicants should note that the program in Biomedical Data Science is intellectually rigorous, and emphasizes research in novel computational methods aimed at advancing biology and medicine. You may also want to investigate degree programs from other computational and quantitative graduate programs (Bioengineering, Computer Science, Statistics) and other programs in the Biosciences Programs (such as Genetics, Chemical & Systems Biology, or Structural Biology). In contrast to the other computational/quantitative programs, DBDS focuses more on informatics issues of knowledge representation and reasoning, data mining and analysis, and machine learning, while in contrast to the Biosciences programs, DBDS places greater emphasis on method development and evaluation than on basic science. Faculty from many departments have research projects of a computational nature, and in some cases there is considerable overlap, but our applications committee evaluates the fit of your application to our program, so the choice of a home program is an important one.

Our students come from diverse backgrounds and training experiences. Some enter straight from baccalaureate training, while others have pursued advanced degrees, such as an MS, MPH, or MD, or worked in clinical medicine, bioengineering, biotechnology, or software engineering.

Please see the  prerequisites  page.

Degree Requirements

The curriculum is described on  Stanford ExploreDegrees .

The doctoral program is a full-time, residential, research-oriented program. DBDS does not offer part-time or distance education leading to the PhD. However, some students have applied to the part-time distance education MS program, completed that degree, and then submitted a separate application to the PhD program. There is no guarantee that Masters graduates will be accepted into the PhD program.

PhD students typically start in the fall quarter, but may begin in the preceding summer. They spend an average of about five years at Stanford.

Candidates are encouraged to explore the various research interests of the biomedical informatics core and participating faculty. Lab rotations during the first year expose students to different labs and faculty. Prior to being formally admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree at the end of the second year of study, each student must demonstrate knowledge of informatics fundamentals and a potential for succeeding in research by passing a qualifying examination. Students later complete and defend a doctoral dissertation.

MDs interested in the PhD should contact us early, especially if you are coordinating the DBDS training with further medical residency or fellowship training. It is also important to ensure that sufficient math and computer science prerequisites are completed before applying.

BMI follows the same funding model as other programs in Biosciences: all of our PhD students are fully funded, and, at time of starting graduate school, your funding does not tie you to any particular lab, giving you the freedom to explore your research interests at Stanford. All funding sources cover tuition, a stipend, and health insurance. However, there are some restrictions:

US Citizens and permanent residents are eligible for our National Library of Medicine (NLM) Training Grant. They can also apply for National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships, and other external fellowships; this is encouraged, but not required.

Join dozens of  Stanford Medicine students  who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  (KHS). KHS admits up to 100 select applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of leadership programming, and receive full funding for up to three years of your PhD studies at Stanford. Candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment. If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 11, 2023. Learn more about  KHS admission .

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) . Open to first  or  second year graduate students. Eligibility: No previous graduate training (e.g., masters degree), must be US citizen or permanent resident. Due date: late October.

We do not accept “self-pay” PhD students.

Application Instructions and Deadlines

Applications are due late November/early December each year. See details on the  Graduate Admissions webpage  and on the  Biosciences Application  website.

The Application Deadline: December 5, 2023 (11:59:59 pm PST).  

  • Note that the Biosciences Program allows you to select two departments/programs from which you will receive simultaneous consideration. Also note that only one PhD application per academic year is allowed, and that Computer Science, Bioengineering, and Statistics are not part of the Biosciences Program.
  • Submit scanned (unofficial) transcripts as part of the Biosciences application.  Graduate Admissions  only requires admitted applicants who accept the offer of admission to submit official transcripts that shows their degree conferral. Please do not send or have sent any official transcripts to us at this time.
  • See our page about the  Personal Statement .
  • Please include an up-to-date version of your CV.

The GRE General Test score is not required and will not be considered if submitted. We do not require any GRE Subject Test scores.

  • Letters of recommendation cannot be mailed, emailed, faxed, or submitted through a letter service (with the exception of Interfolio). For letters submitted via Interfolio, please remember that letters written specifically for your Stanford graduate program tend to be stronger than letters written for general use purposes.
  • For materials that are mailed, please use our  Contact Address .
  • Please do NOT upload supporting materials, such as published papers, unpublished manuscripts, BS or MS theses, writing samples, posters, or class projects, with your application .
  • To check your application status,  click here to Visit Your Status Page . Interview invitations go out in early January, and interviews are in late February or early March. Offers of admission are made on a rolling basis starting in March. Finals decisions from admitted candidates are due by April 15.
  • The selection of PhD students admitted to DBDS is based on an individualized, holistic review of each application, including the applicant’s academic record, the letters of recommendation, the statement of purpose, personal qualities and characteristics, and past accomplishments.
  • Deferral of admission: DBDS generally does not allow deferral of admission to the PhD program, and it is better for you to apply when you are ready to begin your graduate study following the normal timeline. However, sometimes one’s circumstances change; please contact us if that happens to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is highly recommended that you review our  Frequently Asked Questions  page.

The PhD with Masters of Medicine

The Masters of Medicine (MOM) is for students also pursuing the PhD. This combined degree program trains graduates who will conduct basic research with relevance to current problems in medicine. Candidates receive shared training with Stanford medical students and through seminars in translational medicine. The MOM program takes at least one additional year. Students interested in the MOM and PhD program must be accepted into the PhD program before they are eligible to apply for the MOM.

The MOM program supports students through a scholarship during their MOM training. The program does not accept candidates who do not qualify for the scholarship. The balance of the PhD training is funded through the usual DBDS mechanisms.

Application Instructions

See  Masters of Medicine  website for application instructions.

Combined MD/PhD

The MD and PhD degrees may be pursued jointly through the  Medical Scientist Training Program .

The PhD Minor in Biomedical Data Science

The PhD minor in Biomedical Data Science is designed for graduate students in allied departments to acquire specialization in biomedical informatics during their graduate studies. The PhD minor is open to Stanford graduate students only, and is not a formal degree. The minor may be of particular interest to those in Bioengineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Statistics, Biology, or any of the Bioscience Programs. Consider if the minor will advance your research career, and consult with your academic and research advisors in your home department.

Prerequisites depend on the classes you select for the minor but generally you should have completed at least most of what we have listed on our  Prerequisites page . Note that you cannot use any class numbered below 200 to contribute to the 20 units required for the minor.

Requirements

See the section on Biomedical Data Science  PhD Minor  in the Stanford Bulletin, especially the information about  not double counting course units .

The Biomedical Data Science Training Program is unable to fund the PhD minor.

You will need to submit the following three documents:

  • The application form from the Registrar’s office. List the courses for your program of study that fulfill the University’s and DBDS program requirements.
  • A copy of your unofficial transcript.
  • A one-page statement of purpose.

You may submit your application any time during the academic year to our  Contact Address.

Academic MS in Biomedical Data Science

The Academic MS degree is a full-time, on-campus, research-oriented program, and is for candidates with an interest in academic or research positions. The MS requires 45 units taken at Stanford. Most will be taking 10 units per quarter, so this program typically lasts 1.5 to 2 years.

A research project is required for completion of the degree. Trainees are encouraged to participate in one or more research rotations during their first year.

All students are expected to participate fully in the program events including Journal Clubs, research presentations, orientations, retreats, and the National Library of Medicine’s Informatics Training Conference (if funded by NLM).

MDs interested in the Academic MS should contact us as early as possible, especially if you are coordinating the DBDS training with further medical residency or fellowship training. It is also important to ensure that sufficient math and computer science prerequisites are completed before applying. This degree program is not appropriate for those with little to no quantitative or computational skills; you might want to consider Health or Clinical Informatics masters programs elsewhere, or the Clinical Informatics Fellowship .

Clinicians who wish to maintain their clinical activities may do so, but should be aware that the NLM training grant restricts outside employment to eight hours per week. The DBDS program does not arrange appointments to clinical positions or to subspecialty fellowship training.

Our NLM funding for this degree is limited to post-doctoral scholars who are US citizens or permanent residents; others, including predoctoral or international candidates, will have to get external funding or pay themselves. In this context, postdoctoral means those holding one of these degrees: PhD, MD, DDS, DMD, DO, DVM, OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, Dr PH, DNSc, DPharm, DSW, or PsyD. Post-doctoral scholars are required under the terms of the funding to devote at least 50% time to research and 50% towards classes, and because of the terms of the NLM funding, we would prefer they remain in the program in increments of full years (typically, two). Note that there are limits on the number of years of NIH funding one may receive. The exact rule is: “No individual trainee may receive more than 5 years of aggregate Kirschstein-NRSA support at the predoctoral level and 3 years of aggregate Kirschstein-NRSA support at the postdoctoral level, including any combination of support from Kirschstein-NRSA institutional research training grants and individual fellowships.” ( National Institute of Health Grants Policy page )

Also, if you are currently pursuing a PhD degree (at Stanford, or elsewhere) you may apply for our postdoctoral MS funding. Note that we cannot appoint you to the NLM Training Grant until your PhD has been conferred, so it is important that your estimated graduation date be correct.

For applicants who are not postdoctoral, we do not guarantee funding, and you are responsible for arranging your own support. You can pursue external fellowships (although these are rarely available for MS students). If admitted, you can contact faculty in whose research you have interest, and see if they have research funds to support you. International applicants should read our  webpage .

Applications are due early December each year. Note: Applications should be submitted beginning mid-September and will not be considered before that. See details on the  Graduate Admissions webpage  and on the  Biosciences Application  website.

The Application Deadline: December 5, 2023 (11:59 pm PST)

  • Application materials, including letters of recommendation, should be received by the deadline. We do review all applications, including incomplete ones.
  • Please do NOT upload supporting materials, such as published or unpublished papers, posters, or class projects, with your application.
  • If the application is incomplete, the Biomedical Data Science Admissions Officer will notify the applicant by February. For post-doctoral candidates, there is no special paperwork or application required to apply for NLM funding. There is no in-person interview for the Academic MS program. Offers of admission are made on a rolling basis starting in March. Finals decisions from admitted candidates are due by April 15.
  • The selection of MS students admitted to DBDS is based on an individualized, holistic review of each application, including (but not limited to) the applicant’s academic record, the letters of recommendation, the statement of purpose, personal qualities and characteristics, and past accomplishments.

Distance Education MS in Biomedical Data Science

The Biomedical Data Science program offers a Honors Cooperative Program (HCP), a part-time, distance education Masters program. The HCP MS program is designed for working professionals, generally those employed in biomedical informatics or related fields. Other candidates may also apply. Note that the HCP MS is a regular MS degree awarded by Stanford University.

Students receive course content and interact via the Stanford Center for Professional Development (SCPD). It is  highly recommended  that candidates start by reviewing the information about this program on the  Stanford Online  website, especially their  HCP student handbook . Applicants are  strongly encouraged to consider starting as a Non-Degree Option student (either a single course, or a three course certificate). Taking at least one of the DBDS core courses before applying is recommended but not required.

Currently all of the curriculum content is available for fully-remote access. HCP MS students are allowed to attend class on campus if that is better for them. Remote access is not fully under DBDS’s control, and might change in the future; however, we would make every reasonable effort to accommodate alternatives if needed.

To learn more about our programs, consider attending the  Meet the Students Panel .

Our graduate curriculum is described  here . Candidates may wish to begin with SCPD Certificate program in Biomedical Data Science, or individual courses through the SCPD’s Non-Degree Option. Up to 18 units of academic credit from relevant Certificate programs may be transferred upon acceptance into the degree program. In addition, you can complete some prerequisite coursework through SCPD, such as a Computer Science Certificate.

Students spend on average of 3.5 years in the program. The program must be completed within five years.

Switching MS Programs

Requests to transfer from part-tIme (HCP) to full-time (Academic MS) are reviewed by the DBDS Executive Committee on a case-by-case basis. Final decisions are at DBDS’s discretion. Please note the following limitations (for students enrolling in the HCP program starting Fall 2020) :

  • Students must  complete a minimum of two (2) quarters in the part-time program excluding summer quarter or enrollment as a non-degree option student, before requesting to transfer to full-time. Therefore, the soonest the transfer can be discussed and approved is during the first DBDS Exec meeting of the third quarter of the student in the HCP program
  • Students must complete a minimum of 10 units of letter-graded courses that meet requirements for the DBDS MS degree before commencing their first full-time (Academic MS) quarter
  • GPA will be considered as part of the request.
  • Students can make a maximum of two (2) transfers during the program (e.g. transfer from part-time to full-time and back to part-time).
  • Students should consider the availability of courses online before requesting to switch from full-time to part-time, especially if this may interfere with their ability to satisfy the requirements of the degree.

The Stanford Center for Professional Development sets the tuition for all of the Honors Cooperative Programs. There is a three unit minimum enrollment per academic quarter. Check the latest tuition and fees at the  Stanford Center for Professional Development website. The DBDS program does not set rates or policies or collect tuition.

Some employers will support tuition for students enrolled in graduate studies while employed. Check with your Human Resources department for programs and policies. Students in the HCP MS program are not eligible for funding from many US government fellowships and other scholarships due to the required research component of the awards. Many student loan programs require full-time registration status. DBDS does not provide financial aid for this program.

Review the information on the  Bioscience Application  website.

Complete the  Biosciences Application  (same as PhD) online. Applications are accepted most of the year, and students can start any quarter except Summer. The deadlines for HCP applications are specific to this degree program, and are listed  here .

Applications are accepted for admission each quarter except summer. The application deadlines are shown here:

Coterminal MS in Biomedical Data Science

The Biomedical Data Science program offers a coterminal Masters program for Stanford undergraduates.

Policies and Degree Requirements

The Registrar’s webpage on Coterminal Degree Programs is  here . Graduate Education website on coterminal degrees is  here .

The MS curriculum is described  here . Coterminal Masters students are not required to perform research rotations or submit a research project, although they are welcome to do so.

Please see the  prerequisites page. In addition, we recommend (but do not require) that you take at least one DBDS core course before applying.

We accept applications to the coterminal Masters program quarterly.  These application instructions are for the Coterminal Masters only.  The deadlines to submit your applications are listed in the table below. Letters of recommendation are required by the deadline.

If you lose your undergraduate status prior to the completion of the application for the coterminal MS, you must apply as a regular candidate to the DBDS program.

Application Procedure

Fill out the  Coterm on-line application . The application will ask you for:

  • A Stanford Transcript
  • GREs: Applicants to DBDS’s Coterminal MS program are not required to submit GRE scores.
  • TOEFL:  The TOEFL is not required.
  • Personal Statement (1-2 pages):  See  here .
  • Enriching the Learning Community: Stanford University welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of experiences, interests, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. We invite you to share the lived experiences, demonstrated values, perspectives, and/or activities that shape you as a scholar and would help you to make a distinctive contribution to Stanford University.
  • Your Curriculum Vitae:  If you listed Awards and Publications on your CV, then you can skip the Awards and Publications question on the application.
  • Two Letters of Recommendation:  You may submit more if you feel this enhances your chances of admission. The letters should come from faculty or others who are familiar with your academic/research activity.
  • Prerequisites: We expect strong preparation of our prerequisites in order to make reasonable progress through our curriculum. Otherwise, please clearly indicate what your plan is to complete them, preferably prior to enrolling in DBDS. They will be reviewed on a case by case basis. The Registrar’s package contains the Preliminary Program Proposal Form; it is better to list all the proposed courses on the DBDS  Flow Sheet , and then just write “see flow sheet (attached)” on the Proposal Form. Please make sure you have a clear set of classes and schedule that will complete your prerequisites, your undergraduate degree requirements and graduate degree requirements. If you are uncertain, make your best estimate.  These instructions  (for current students) are also likely to be of use when applying.
  • Additional Materials:  If you are submitting any additional materials, send them directly to the DBDS program at our Contact Address .
  • Other:  Supplemental or additional department application requirements.

Decisions and Acceptance

In general, you will be notified by the end of the month in which you apply. If offered admission, you should reply by email to the offer.

Getting an Advisor

Upon acceptance into the program, you will be assigned a course advisor. You will revise your Program Proposal at this time. Please contact the DBDS program office if you need advice about coterminal status between acceptance and your first appointment with your course advisor.

Funding Sources

Access to financial aid and other options is very different for coterminal students and depends on the number of units and quarters as a registered student at Stanford.

Coterminal students have full access to undergraduate sources of financial aid until their twelfth quarter or four years of study. Coterminal students who have completed 180 units of are eligible for University fellowships and assistantships. However, many federal and private fellowships and assistantships are awarded only to students who have received the bachelors degree. Even after the conferral of the bachelors, there is no guarantee that a coterminal student will be awarded financial support via a RAship, TAship or fellowship.

Upon completion of the requirements for the bachelors, coterms may choose to obtain their bachelors degree early. However, all classes after conferral of the degree may only be counted towards the graduate degree. Please note, part of the strategy which allows coterms maximal flexibility in their course of study is their dual status as both undergraduates and graduate students.

You should definitely look at  our page for current coterm students . Also, it is highly recommended that you review our  Frequently Asked Questions  page

Personal Statement for applying in Biomedical Data Science

Instructions for writing your personal statement (statement of purpose).

You are required to submit a Personal Statement (Statement of Purpose) as part of the Graduate Application for either the MS or PhD degree.

Please note that the DBDS program focuses on the development  of novel computational and quantitative methods that can advance biomedicine. If your primary interest lies in the  application of such methods to pursue problems in a particular domain of biomedicine, then other Biosciences home programs are likely a better choice. The Admissions Committee will read your Personal Statement carefully to determine how well your aspirations align with the mission of the DBDS Training Program.

In your Personal Statement, please tell us how your schooling, work, research, and life experiences prepare you for study at DBDS, describe your current research interests and career goals, and explain how our training program will enable you to achieve them.

The Personal Statement should be 1-2 pages. Please do not append class projects, research proposals, draft manuscripts, published papers, posters, or other ancilliary materials.

Postdoctoral Training in Biomedical Data Science

Postdoctoral training is for those who already possess a doctoral level research degree (PhD, DSc), or professional degree (MD, DO, DDS).

  • If you are interested in postdoctoral training which leads to an MS degree, then apply to our  Academic MS  program. (You could also apply to the PhD program if for some reason you wanted a second PhD, but we do not recommend this.)
  • If you are looking for a postdoctoral research position without required classwork, then you should apply directly to the relevant faculty, generally in response to posted listings of postdoctoral positions. See the  general information  about postdoctoral training at Stanford. Also, see our  Resources for Postdocs page and our Faculty page.

Stanford offers an ACGME-approved fellowship in Clinical Informatics for board-eligible MDs. For more information, see the  main page for that fellowship .

Note that although there is some overlap in name, content, and personnel, the CI fellowship and DBDS graduate program are organizationally separate and serve different career goals. You may only apply to one of the two programs . The CI fellowship is for clinicians seeking further training in the broad area of applied clinical informatics; the DBDS program is for those seeking research training in quantitative and computational methods. Please review the materials for both programs and contact either program if you have questions.

Distance Education Programs in Biomedical Data Science including Certificate Program

In addition to the  distance education MS degree , DBDS offers a non-degree option of obtaining a certificate (three classes) or for taking individual classes. Students receive course content and interact via the Stanford Center for Professional Development (SCPD). All of the coursework is on-line; no time at Stanford is required. It is highly recommended that you start by reviewing the information on the SCPD  website, especially their  handbook  for non-degree option students. Information about any course can be found in Stanford’s  Explore Courses .

Certificate Program Eligibility and Prerequisites

The following are required for entry into the Certificate Program. Note that these prerequisite courses do not count towards the Certificate, even if taken at Stanford.

  • A bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 (B) grade point average or better.
  • One year of computer programming/software engineering coursework or equivalent experience. We recommend that students take the equivalent of Stanford’s CS 106A and CS 106B prior to entering the Certificate Program.
  • One year of college biology.
  • One year of calculus is required for some classes.
  • Classwork in probability and statistics is a prerequisite for some classes.
  • Some BIOMEDIN courses may have additional prerequisites. These are listed in Stanford’s catalog,  Explore Courses .

You need to achieve at least a B (3.0) in each Certificate class to continue in the program.

Student with good reasons may request waiver of these requirements through DBDS program staff.

Certificate in Biomedical Data Science: Data, Modeling and Analysis

Three courses are required for the Biomedical Data Science  Certificate . These courses are chosen from the following DBDS core courses.

  • BIOMEDIN 210: Modeling Biomedical Systems: Ontology, Terminology, Problem Solving (Win quarter)
  • BIOMEDIN 214: Representations and Algorithms for Computational Molecular Biology (Aut quarter)
  • BIOMEDIN 215: Data Driven Medicine (Aut quarter)
  • BIOMEDIN 217: Translational Bioinformatics (Win quarter)
  • BIOMEDIN 260: Computational Methods for Biomedical Image Analysis (Spr quarter)

Individual Courses (Non-degree Option)

You can enroll in individual courses without pursuing a degree or certificate. You can use up to 18 Stanford units towards a degree (including those from a certificate) if you are later accepted into one of our degree programs.

You should apply directly through  SCPD , not DBDS or Biosciences.

See  here .

Biomedical Data Science for Stanford Medical Students

There several ways that Stanford medical students can be involved in DBDS-related activities. Some of these are integrated into the medical curriculum. Others involve applying to DBDS degree programs.

Scholarly Concentration

The Stanford medical curriculum provides medical training and an intellectual foundation to support future medical investigation through the required  Scholarly Concentrations . Stanford medical students interested in Biomedical Data Science can choose the Informatics and Data-Driven Medicine  concentration, one of the Foundation areas. These students take several classes in this area, including  BIOMEDIN 205 , where leading researchers from Stanford and the Bay Area present overviews of their work.

Medical Scholars

Medical students who want a more in-depth research experience are invited to participate in the  Medical Scholars  research program.

Graduate Programs (MS or PhD)

Medical students can apply to our MS or PhD programs. Follow  these procedures  for normal graduate applications and  these procedures  for MSTP students or applicants.

Postdoctoral Programs

Medical students can also apply to pursue either the MS or PhD degree after receiving their MD.

Biomedical Data Science for Stanford MSTP (Medical Scientist Training Program) students

For those already in the mstp program.

  • You do rotations during the first two years (M1-2). When you join the DBDS PhD program during the Autumn quarter of your 3rd year, file a Graduate Authorization Petition (via Axess) by the second week of the quarter.
  • You should request that the MSTP office send us a copy of your MSTP application.
  • A unofficial copy of your Stanford transcript
  • An up-to-date copy of your CV
  • Your  personal statement (specifically for DBDS)
  • One letter of recommendation from Stanford faculty
  • The DBDS supplemental application form
  • Note that GREs are not required, and there is no personal interview.

For current medical students applying to the MSTP program

  • You can apply to the internal track of the MSTP and you also apply to DBDS through the standard Biosciences PhD procedure .
  • MCATs can be supplied in place of the GREs (but strong performance on GRE could increase chance of acceptance in some cases).
  • In-person interviews are typically early March.
  • If you are not chosen by MSTP for funding, DBDS will consider you in the normal application pool with training grant funding through DBDS.

These instructions are for those currently enrolled in graduate study at Stanford (including medical students) who want to add our MS degree. However, if you are applying to DBDS for a degree to start after your current degree has been conferred, or if you are applying to DBDS to the PhD degree or the postdoctoral MS degree, then skip this page and follow the normal application instructions for the desired degree; note that generally you will have to apply in the Autumn to start in the following Autumn (or Summer).

You should submit  directly to us :

  • A Graduate Authorization Petition (via Axess)
  • Two letters of recommendation (have recommender send directly to us, or submit in sealed, signed envelope)
  • An unofficial copy of your Stanford transcript and of any previous transcripts
  • A 1-2 page  personal statement
  • The DBDS  supplemental application form
  • a DBDS  course flowsheet  with your proposed plan of study

Applications are accepted throughout the year. The deadlines to submit your applications are listed in the table below.

Biomedical Data Science for Stanford Undergraduates

The Biomedical Data Science Program does not offer an undergraduate major.

For students interested in an undergraduate major with an option to specialize in the area of Biomedical Data Science, see the Biomedical Computation  major.

Stanford undergraduates may choose to combine their major with the coterminal Masters degree. The Biomedical Data Science coterminal MS may be combined with many undergraduate majors; Computer Science, Biomedical Computation, Mathematical and Computational Science, Bioengineering, or any of the biological science programs offer the most efficient combination of the two degrees. See our webpage on the coterminal degree , and  the University rules .

Information for International Applicants

We welcome applications from international applicants. International applicants follow the same application process as other applicants, with additional rules and requirements listed here .

Required Academic Credentials

You need to hold a four-year bachelors degree in order to apply. The exact requirements vary by country and are listed on the Office of Graduate Admissions  International Applicants page .

Scores are required of all applicants whose first language is not English. Note that if  all  instruction for your bachelors or master degree program was in English, then the TOEFL is not required. See the  Biosciences Admissions page  for more details. Note that Stanford only accepts the TOEFL, not other tests of English.

We do not advise applicants about visas. The  Bechtel International Center  has information about how to maintain visas for international students. The US State Department has information about student and exchange visitor visas.

Please look at the webpage for the degree program (PhD or MS) to which you are applying. Unfortunately, funding for international students is quite limited, and you are encouraged to seek external funding. You should consider applying for Stanford’s  Knight-Hennessy Scholars program . Your home country may have programs to support study overseas. The  Fulbright program  funds international scholars. The Fogarty International Center maintains a  Directory of Funding Opportunities . The  Institute of International Education  has a search engine which will help you locate programs which fund international study.

For MS applicants: We have very occasionally had self-funded international MS students. You need to show funds equivalent to one year of tuition and board to meet the visa requirements.

HR Cabin

30+ Simple Bio Data Formats for Job PDF & Word (Free Download)

The Biodata form is a job application template that should contain the candidate’s name, photograph, education, work experience, contact details, and personal information such as the father’s name, gender, nationality marital status, etc.

If you are a fresher then no experience details are required.

Biodata formats are required to apply for the bob. A good biodata form draws the attention of the recruiters. A simple and effective biodata form will do the job for you.

What is the Biodata Format

Biodata format is the simple version of the resume. It is an organized template that presents your information to employers. It summarizes all your educational, personal, and professional information. You can make your biodata format in MS Word or Google Docs.

Here are the 5 Important Sections of the Biodata Format

  • Personal Information: This includes your name, gender, father’s name, nationality, religion, marital status, and contact information like mobile number, email ID and address.
  • Educational Qualification: This includes a summary of your education in chronological order, i.e., from higher to lower education. You can mention the course, institution name, and marks obtained.
  • Work Experience: Here you can specify your current and previous work experience details like your designation, organization’s name, and roles & responsibilities.
  • Photograph: A recent passport-size photograph should be affixed on the biodata format.
  • Contact information: A biodata format must include the candidate’s mobile number and email ID for communication.

Here you can download simple blank biodata formats in Word & PDF formats which you can use to apply for any job.

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Why Biodata Format is Important for Jobs

Submitting biodata format is the first step in applying for any job. Based on the information provided on the biodata employers will call the candidate to the interview.

Employers receive several biodata formats every day, they do a preliminary verification of each application to know whether the candidate profile matches with the job requirements.

How to Prepare Good Bio Data Format for Job

Job biodata formats can be prepared in either MS Word or Google Docs. You can download the above free biodata formats in Word and make edits as per your requirements.

Tips to Make Good Bio Data Format

  • A biodata format should be simple and always try to keep the biodata format to a single page. So that it becomes easy for the interviewer to read your details.
  • Don’t use fancy fonts, which makes your biodata weird. The best fonts for the biodata format are Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, Segoe Ui, and Times New Roman.
  • Never forget to mention your contact details on the biodata. Mobile number and email ID are a must in any biodata format. So that you will not miss any communication from the employer.

Difference Between Bio Data, Resume, and CV

In the olden days, people used the word biodata more frequently. But biodata is a shorter form of resume. It consists of your basic details like your name, dob, father’s name, gender, education, and work experience.

Whereas in the resume you. need to write elaborate details. In most cases, the biodata format should be limited to 1 page and the resume can consist of 1-3 pages.

CV means Curriculum Vitae, it is a longer form of biodata. It consists of your research works, experience details, and project works more elaborately.

When to Submit Bio-Data/Resume/ CV

BioData : You can submit biodata format when your job needs only your basic details , and whenever you don’t have time to prepare a resume, you can just take the printout of the biodata and write down your details.

Resume: A resume is widely used as an instrument to apply for jobs, whenever you have time and whenever you want to showcase your details more descriptively then you can use a resume .

CV: Curriculum Vitae can be used whenever you are applying for research-related jobs or studies and scholarships.

There is no fixed format for biodata, you can be creative in making your biodata format but always keep it simple and shorter.

It is better to adjust your information to fit in 1 page of biodata format. If it is not possible to adjust then you can add another page.

Yes, you can send it. It is not a problem. But if you have time to prepare a resume then it is better to make a resume for yourself.

A biodata is a summary of all your details, whereas a resume consists of your detailed information. If you are highly experienced and looking for high cadre jobs then you can use a resume, if you are looking for small jobs use a biodata format.

Recommended:

  • Free online job biodata maker with photo option.
  • Marriage biodata formats in Word & PDF formats .
  • Fresher resume formats in Word

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16 thoughts on “30+ Simple Bio Data Formats for Job PDF & Word (Free Download)”

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    Types of Biodata. You may need a biodata for applying to a job or a university, and hence these two are the most prominent types: 1. Employment. While biodata is no longer a necessity by most employers, it was the single most important document for job applications a few decades ago.

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    30+ Simple Bio Data Formats for Job PDF & Word (Free Download) The Biodata form is a job application template that should contain the candidate's name, photograph, education, work experience, contact details, and personal information such as the father's name, gender, nationality marital status, etc. If you are a fresher then no experience ...