Sample Grad School Resume: Format, Sections and Examples
Last updated: October 2026
A grad school resume is a short summary of your academic record, research and relevant experience. This guide shows a complete sample, the best section order, and how to turn your experience into clear, honest bullet points.
What is a grad school resume?
A grad school resume is a one- or two-page document you submit with an application to a master's or doctoral program. It puts your education first and focuses on research, teaching, projects and any work that relates to the subject you want to study. Admissions committees use it to see quickly whether your background fits the program.
It is shorter and more focused than an academic CV. A CV can run many pages and lists every publication, grant and talk. If a program asks for a CV, follow its instructions. If it asks for a resume, keep it to one page, or two if you have substantial research or work history.
Sample grad school resume
The sample below is fictional. Every name, school and number is an example. Use only facts and figures that are true for you.
Nora Al-Harbi
Summary
Computer science graduate with undergraduate research experience in Arabic natural language processing and a 3.8/4.0 GPA. Seeking to study machine learning methods for low-resource languages.
Education
BSc Computer Science, Example University, Riyadh – 2021–2025
GPA 3.8/4.0 · Dean's List, 6 of 8 semesters
Relevant courses: Machine Learning, Statistics, Algorithms, Databases
Research experience
- Labeled and cleaned 12,000 Arabic text samples for a sentiment classification study
- Trained and compared 3 baseline models, raising the F1 score from 0.78 to 0.84
- Presented results at the department research day to an audience of 40
Teaching
- Led weekly tutorials for 25 students and held open office hours
- Graded assignments and returned feedback within 3 days
Experience
- Built dashboards that cut weekly manual reporting from 6 hours to 1 hour
- Cleaned sales data from 4 sources and documented the process for the team
Honors
Dean's List (6 semesters) · Best Graduation Project, Computer Science Department, 2025
Skills and languages
Python, R, SQL, PyTorch, scikit-learn, Git, LaTeX · Arabic (native), English (fluent)
Which sections to include, and in what order
| Section | What to put in it |
|---|---|
| Contact details | Name, city, professional email, phone, and a LinkedIn or portfolio link if it is up to date |
| Summary (optional) | Two lines: your field, your strongest credential, and what you want to study |
| Education | Degree, university, dates, GPA if it is strong, honors, and relevant courses |
| Research experience | Lab or project role, methods, tools and results |
| Publications and presentations | Papers, posters and talks, if you have them |
| Teaching | Teaching assistant, tutoring or mentoring roles |
| Work experience | Jobs or internships related to your field, or showing skills such as analysis and teamwork |
| Honors and awards | Scholarships, prizes and dean's lists |
| Skills and languages | Software, methods and language levels you can prove |
If you have no research yet, move projects, coursework and relevant work above the other sections, and say what you learned.
How to write strong bullet points
Start with an action verb, say what you did, and finish with the result or scale. Compare:
- Weak: Helped with research on text data.
- Stronger: Labeled and cleaned 12,000 Arabic text samples and trained 3 baseline models, raising the F1 score from 0.78 to 0.84.
Use real numbers only. If you do not have one, describe the scale or outcome in words, for example "for a class of 25 students".
Formatting rules
- Length: one page, or two if you have substantial research or work experience.
- Layout: a single column, standard headings, and consistent date formats.
- Font: a clear font such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman at 10 to 12 points.
- File: save as PDF unless told otherwise, and name it like FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf.
- Photo and personal details: many programs in the US, UK and Canada do not expect a photo or date of birth. Follow each program's instructions.
Tailor it to each program
Read the program page and the research areas of the faculty. Move the experience that matches those areas higher up, and reuse the program's own terms where they describe your work truthfully. Two or three small changes per application are better than sending the same file everywhere.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Listing duties instead of results.
- Including a long list of unrelated jobs from years ago.
- Using a two-column or graphic template that confuses application systems.
- Writing numbers you cannot explain in an interview.
- Skipping a spell-check, especially on names of tools and methods.
Final checklist
- Education and research are easy to find in the first third of the page.
- Every bullet starts with a verb and shows a result or scale.
- Dates, fonts and spacing are consistent.
- The file is a PDF and opens correctly on your phone.
- A friend or mentor has read it.
Frequently asked questions
Should a grad school resume be one page or two?
One page is best for most applicants. Use two only if you have substantial research, teaching or work experience that is relevant.
What is the difference between a resume and a CV for grad school?
A resume is short and selective. A CV is longer and lists everything, such as all publications, grants and talks. Submit what the program asks for.
Should I include my GPA?
Include it if it is strong or if the program asks for it. If you leave it out, make sure your honors, courses or research show your academic ability.
What if I have no research experience?
Show projects, coursework, relevant jobs and skills, and explain what you built or learned. Admissions teams also look for potential, not only past research.
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