Academic CV Template & Format for Grad School

How an Academic CV Differs from a Résumé

A résumé and an academic CV serve different audiences. A résumé is a targeted one-page marketing document for employers; an academic CV is a comprehensive archive of your scholarly identity for universities, funding agencies, and hiring committees.

In short: a résumé is persuasive; an academic CV is documentary.

Section Order: Three Common Profiles

The order of CV sections depends on where you are in your career and what you want to emphasize. Here are three realistic examples:

The golden rule: put your strongest material first. If you have publications, they typically appear early. If you're a first-year student with no papers, emphasize research roles and coursework instead.

What Belongs in Each Section

Here are the standard sections and one real example line for each. (Names and institutions are anonymized.)

Education

List degrees in reverse chronological order. Include: degree, field, institution, graduation date (month and year), and optionally GPA (if 3.7 or higher). Do not include high school.

[[Ph.D.]] in [[Biology]], [[University of Washington]], May 2024. Dissertation: [[Evolution of host-specificity in fungal parasites]].

[[B.Sc.]] in [[Biology]], [[Reed College]], May 2018. GPA: [[3.89/4.0]].

Research Experience

List each research position in reverse chronological order. Include the role title, lab or group name, institution, dates (month and year), and a one-sentence description of your work. Avoid "helped" or "assisted." Use active voice.

[[Doctoral Researcher]], [[Dr. Elena Vasquez Lab]], [[University of Washington]], September 2019–May 2024. Characterized the transcriptional response of *Candida auris* to antifungal stress.

Publications & Preprints

List all peer-reviewed publications, accepted preprints, and manuscripts under review. Use one citation style throughout (e.g., author-date, numbered, or APA). Mark your own name in bold. List authors in the order they appear on the paper; include the DOI.

[[Published]]
Chen, A., Vasquez, E., & Khan, T. (2024). Antifungal resistance in *Candida auris*: mechanisms and clinical implications. *Molecular Microbiology*, 148(3), 456–472. https://doi.org/10.1111/mmi.15432

[[In Press]]
Vasquez, E., Chen, A., & Park, J. (2026). Evolution of host specificity in fungal parasites. *Ecology Letters*. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.14567

[[Under Review]]
Chen, A., Patel, S., & Lee, M. (2024). Biofilm formation in environmental isolates of *Candida*. Submitted to *Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology*.

[[Preprint]]
Khan, T., Chen, A., & Foster, R. (2024). CRISPR-based resistance mechanisms in pathogenic fungi. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.123456

Conference Presentations

List oral presentations and posters in reverse chronological order. Include the presentation title, conference name, location, date, and presentation type (oral / poster). Do not list every abstract if you have many; select the most relevant ones for your audience.

Poster: Chen, A., Vasquez, E., & Khan, T. (2024). Transcriptional profiling of *Candida auris* under antifungal stress. Molecular Biology of Fungi Meeting, Chicago, IL, June 2024.

Oral: Vasquez, E., Chen, A., & Park, J. (2023). Host-parasite coevolution in *Ascomycota*. Mycological Society Annual Conference, San Diego, CA, December 2023.

Teaching Experience

List each teaching role (course instructor, teaching assistant, lab facilitator). Include course title, course number, institution, and semester(s). If you taught multiple sections, list it once with the number of sections noted.

Teaching Assistant, General Microbiology (Bio 201), University of Washington, Winter 2023 & 2024 (two sections; 50+ students per section).

Teaching Assistant, Advanced Mycology Seminar (Bio 450), University of Washington, Spring 2022–2024.

Course Instructor, Microbiology Laboratory (Bio 105), University of Washington, Summer 2021 (developed and taught curriculum for 30 students).

Awards & Honors

List fellowships, grants, scholarships, and awards in reverse chronological order. Include the award name, funding amount (if significant), awarding institution, and year.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), 3-year award, $138,000, 2019–2022.

University of Washington Graduate School Fellowship, $15,000, 2024.

Mycological Society of America Student Travel Award, $500, 2024.

Technical Skills

List techniques, software, and laboratory methods relevant to your field. Be honest about your proficiency. Avoid inflating expertise in widely used tools (e.g., "Microsoft Excel" is rarely necessary to list).

Methods: Transcriptomics (RNA-seq, qPCR), CRISPR gene editing, Biofilm assays, Microscopy (confocal, electron).
Software: R (ggplot2, DESeq2), Python (pandas, matplotlib), BLAST, Jalview.
Languages: English (native), Mandarin Chinese (intermediate).

Service & Outreach (Optional)

List professional service roles (committee memberships, peer review, conference organization) and community outreach activities. Include the role, organization, and dates.

Peer reviewer for *Molecular Microbiology*, *Applied and Environmental Microbiology*, and *Fungal Genetics and Biology*, 2022–present.

Graduate student representative, Department of Biology Graduate Admissions Committee, 2022–2023.

Volunteer mentor, University of Washington Summer Science Academy for underrepresented minorities, 2021–2024.

References

List 3–4 academic references (typically your PhD advisor, committee members, or former mentors). Include full name, title, institution, email, and phone. Do not list names without contact information. Consider asking permission before listing someone.

[[Dr. Elena Vasquez]]
Professor, Department of Biology
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195
[[[email protected]]] | [[206-555-1234]]

[[Dr. James Park]]
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720
[[[email protected]]] | [[510-555-5678]]

How to Mark Publication Status & Author Names

Reviewers need to know whether a paper is published, in press, under review, or a preprint. Use clear, consistent labels and place them inline or as a prefix to each entry.

Publication Status Labels

• Published: The paper has appeared in a peer-reviewed journal or book.
• In Press: The paper is accepted and will be published soon, but has not yet appeared.
• Under Review: The paper is currently under peer review at a journal.
• Preprint: The paper has been posted to a preprint server (e.g., bioRxiv, arXiv) but not yet submitted or published.

Marking Your Own Name

Always bold your own name in the author list so it stands out. This is standard practice and expected.

Equal Contribution

If you are an equal first author, add a note after the author list: "† Equal contribution" or "* Co-first author". Place the same symbol next to your name and your co-first author's name. Do not use this label incorrectly. It applies only when contributions were genuinely equivalent.

Published
Chen, A.†, Vasquez, E.†, & Khan, T. (2024). Antifungal resistance in *Candida auris*. *Molecular Microbiology*, 148(3), 456–472.
†Equal contribution.

In Press
Lee, M., Chen, A., & Foster, R. *Biofilm architecture in clinical isolates*. *Applied and Environmental Microbiology*. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.01234.24

Under Review
Chen, A., Patel, S., & Lee, M. Submitted to *Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology*.

Preprint
Khan, T., Chen, A., & Foster, R. (2024). CRISPR-based resistance. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.123456

Formatting Rules & Standards

Name and Header

Your full name appears as a running header on every page (not in the footer). Place it in the upper left or center. Use your professional name, the name that appears on your publications and degrees.

Page Numbers

Page numbers appear in the format "1 of 4" (or the total number of pages). This tells reviewers that all pages have been received. Place it in the footer or header, typically right-aligned.

Citation Style

Choose one citation style and use it consistently throughout. Common choices for academic CVs are author-date (APA-style), numbered (IEEE-style), or numbered in order of appearance. Do not mix styles. Include DOIs for all published papers when available.

File Format and Name

Save as PDF only. Use the filename format: Lastname-CV-YYYY.pdf (e.g., Chen-CV-2025.pdf). This format is widely recognized and makes your file easy to identify in hiring committees' folders.

Content Rules

• No personal photo. Only include a photo if explicitly requested in the job posting.
• No date of birth. In the US, this is both unusual and can invite age discrimination. Do not include it.
• No objective statement. Your CV speaks for itself.
• No color, columns, or design. Keep the layout simple and linear so it remains readable when copied into forms or printed.
• No graphics, logos, or images. Exception: occasionally a simple line break or horizontal rule is acceptable.

Margins and Font

Use a standard sans-serif font (e.g., Helvetica, Arial) or serif font (e.g., Times New Roman) in 10–12 point size. Set margins to 0.75–1 inch on all sides. Single-line spacing within entries; 1.5 line spacing between sections.

Tailoring Your CV for Different Applications

PhD Application (First-Year Students)

Emphasize research experience and your strongest coursework. Include any publications (even if you're just a co-author). If you have no publications, lead with research roles and technical skills. Limit to 2 pages. Highlight any independent research (summer projects, honors thesis).

Postdoctoral Fellowship

Put publications first and make them detailed. Include teaching experience, grants, and service roles. Reviewers at this stage want to see your scholarly productivity. This CV can be 3–4 pages or longer.

Faculty Position

Lead with publications; emphasize grants, teaching, mentoring, and service. This is the longest CV type and can easily exceed 5 pages. Include every course taught and every committee role.

Industry Researcher Position

Publications and patents come first. Emphasize technical skills, industry internships, and applied research. You may de-emphasize teaching unless it shows leadership or communication skills.

Fellowship Application (e.g., NSF, NIH)

Tailor to the funding agency's priorities. If the fellowship values teaching, add a teaching section early. If it values outreach, expand service and mentoring. Keep publications prominent. Follow the fellowship's CV format requirements exactly (many have strict word limits or section orders).

Ten Common Mistakes

1. Including an objective statement. Academic CVs do not have objectives. Your CV is your objective.
2. Listing publications without clear status labels. A reviewer cannot tell if a paper is published or under review. Use labels.
3. Inconsistent citation styles. Mix of APA, Chicago, and IEEE styles signals carelessness. Pick one and stick to it.
4. Overly designed layout. Fancy fonts, colors, and columns look unprofessional and break when copied into online forms.
5. Vague or passive language. "Assisted with research" is weaker than "Conducted transcriptomic analysis of…" Be specific and active.
6. Not marking your own name. Readers expect your name to stand out in the author list. Use bold.
7. Missing DOIs on publications. Always include DOIs. They prove the publication exists and are standard in academic communication.
8. Outdated or incorrect institution names. Double-check the official name (e.g., "University of California, Berkeley" not "UC Berkeley" in formal contexts).
9. Grammatical errors and typos. Your CV is a sample of your writing. Proofread multiple times. Have a colleague read it.
10. Including references without asking permission first. Never list someone as a reference without permission. Always ask. If you left a lab or program acrimoniously, that person may refuse.

Ready-to-Use Templates

Plain-Text CV Skeleton

Start here if you prefer a straightforward text format. Replace all [[double-bracketed]] placeholders with your own information. This template is designed to be pasted into online application forms or opened in any text editor.

[[YOUR FULL NAME]]
[[City, State]] | [[Email Address]] | [[Phone Number]] | [[Website/ORCID URL]]

EDUCATION
[[Ph.D. in Biology]], [[University Name]], [[Graduation Month Year]]
Dissertation: [[Title of dissertation]]

[[B.Sc. in Biology]], [[University Name]], [[Graduation Month Year]]

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
[[Job Title]], [[Lab/Group Name]], [[Institution]], [[Start Month Year]]–[[End Month Year]]
[[Describe your research role and key accomplishment.]]

PUBLICATIONS & PREPRINTS
[[Published]]
[[Your Full Name]], [[Co-author]], & [[Co-author]]. (20XX). [[Title of publication]]. [[Journal Name]], XX(X), XXX–XXX.

[[In Press]]
[[Your Full Name]] & [[Co-author]]. [[Title]]. [[Journal Name]].

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Poster: [[Your Full Name]], [[Co-author]], & [[Co-author]]. (20XX). [[Presentation title]]. [[Conference Name]], [[Location]], [[Month Year]].

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Teaching Assistant, [[Course Title]] ([[Course Number]]), [[Institution]], [[Semesters]].

AWARDS & HONORS
[[Award Name]], [[Awarding Institution]], [[Year]]. [[Optional: funding amount]].

TECHNICAL SKILLS
Methods: [[Techniques and laboratory procedures]].
Software: [[Programming languages and tools]].
Languages: [[Spoken languages]].

REFERENCES
[[Dr. First Name Last Name]]
[[Title]], [[Department]], [[Institution]]
[[Email]] | [[Phone]]

Minimal LaTeX CV Template

This LaTeX template compiles with standard packages and produces a clean, professional CV. It uses only the article class plus geometry, titlesec, enumitem, and hyperref, no exotic packages. Copy this into a .tex file and compile with pdflatex.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[margin=0.75in]{geometry}
\usepackage{titlesec}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage{hyperref}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}

\pagestyle{fancy}
\fancyhf{}
\chead{[[YOUR NAME]]}
\cfoot{\thepage\ of 4}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}
\renewcommand{\footrulewidth}{0pt}

\titleformat{\section}{\bfseries\large}{}{0pt}{}[\titlerule]
\titleformat{\subsection}{\bfseries}{}{0pt}{}
\titlespacing*{\section}{0pt}{12pt}{6pt}
\titlespacing*{\subsection}{0pt}{8pt}{4pt}

\setlist{nolistsep}
\setlist[itemize]{leftmargin=18pt}

\pagenumbering{arabic}

\newcommand{\cventry}[4]{%
  {\bf #1} \\ #2 \\ #3 \hfill #4\\[2pt]}

\begin{document}

\section*{EDUCATION}
\cventry{Ph.D. in [[Discipline]]}{[[Institution]]}{Dissertation: [[Title]]}{[[Year]]}
\cventry{B.Sc. in [[Discipline]]}{[[Institution]]}{}{[[Year]]}

\section*{RESEARCH EXPERIENCE}
\cventry{[[Position]]}{[[Lab/Group]], [[Institution]]}{[[Brief description]]}{[[Dates]]}

\section*{PUBLICATIONS}
\textbf{Published}
\begin{itemize}
\item [[Your Name]], [[Co-author]]. ([[Year]]). [[Title]]. \textit{[[Journal]]}, \textbf{XX}(X), XXX--XXX.
\end{itemize}

\textbf{In Press}
\begin{itemize}
\item [[Your Name]] \& [[Co-author]]. \textit{[[Journal Name]]}.
\end{itemize}

\section*{TEACHING EXPERIENCE}
\cventry{Teaching Assistant}{[[Course Title]]}{[[Institution]]}{[[Semester]]}

\section*{AWARDS}
\begin{itemize}
\item [[Award Name]], [[Institution]], [[Year]].
\end{itemize}

\section*{REFERENCES}
[[Dr. Name]], [[Title]], [[Institution]], [[[email protected]]]

\end{document}

Publications Section Snippet

Use this when you need to show how to format publications in all four states: published, in press, under review, and preprint. Copy this section structure into your full CV.

PUBLICATIONS & PREPRINTS

Published
[[Your Name]], [[Co-author]]. ([[Year]]). [[Title of paper]]. *[[Journal Name]]*, [[Volume]](Issue), [[Page range]]. https://doi.org/[[DOI]]

In Press
[[Your Name]] & [[Co-author]]. [[Year]]. [[Title]]. *[[Journal Name]]*. https://doi.org/[[DOI]]

Under Review
[[Your Name]], [[Co-author]], & [[Co-author]]. [[Title]]. Submitted to *[[Journal Name]]*.

Preprint
[[Your Name]], [[Co-author]], & [[Co-author]]. ([[Year]]). [[Title]]. [[Preprint server]]. https://doi.org/[[DOI]]

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• Purdue OWL: Curriculum Vitae (CV): Standard CV formatting guidelines and best practices.
• UC Berkeley Graduate Division: CV Guidelines for Graduate School Applications: Advice specific to PhD and graduate school CVs.
• University of Washington Graduate School: Application Requirements: Graduate school application standards including CV expectations.
• CTAN: Article Document Class: LaTeX article package documentation (used in CV templates).
• CTAN: Geometry Package: LaTeX geometry package for page margins (used in CV templates).