How To Write A Graduate Student Resume (With Examples)

Updated 20 February 2023

A graduate student resume is a type of resume you create when applying to master's degree or doctoral degree programs. Applying for post-graduation courses often requires creating tailored application documents to present your relevant qualifications to universities. By reviewing a university's application requirements and learning more about the best methods for resume writing, you can increase your chances of being selected for admission to graduate school. In this article, we learn how to write a graduate student resume and review a template and an example of a good resume to help you lean more about how to create your own.

How To Write A Graduate Student Resume

Understanding how to write a graduate student resume can make it easier for you to apply to various master's courses. While an interview allows you to elaborate on your qualifications, a resume provides administrators with a concise overview of what you can bring to the institution as a student. Here are the steps you can follow to create an effective resume:

1. Decide your resume format

Choose a structure for your resume before you start writing. A resume format describes the way you arrange information within the document. Selecting a format is important, as different structures present your skills and knowledge differently. The three common resume formats are:

Chronological: This format emphasises your work experience by adding them at the start of the resume. You can consider using chronological structure if you have substantial work experience relevant to the course to which you are applying.
Functional: A functional resume focuses on your skills by listing them first. You can use this format if you have less relevant experience or are new to the field.
Combination: A combination resume is a hybrid of both the chronological and functional structure, allowing you to showcase your skills and experience equally. If your work experience and skills match the course requirements, you can choose this format.

2. Finalise resume layout

While deciding on layout, consider having a one-inch margin on all sides of your resume. Use a professional font such as Times New Roman and Helvetica. Use the font size 10-12 points for normal text and 12-14 points for headings. Try to keep inline spacing to 1.0 or 1.5. Keep your resume neat and professional and avoid using images.

3. Plan a header

Create a header at the top of your resume, including your full name. Below that, add your city and state, email address and phone number. Keep the font size of your name larger than the rest of your resume. This can help you gain the attention of the administrators. Including contact information allows them to easily contact you for additional information or schedule an interview.

4. Create a professional summary

After your header, write a professional summary describing your skills and experience relevant to the course. A strong summary tells administrators about your suitability for the program and entices them to further read your resume. Consider using action verbs and limit the summary to two to three lines.

5. Include your work history

Create a section outlining your relevant experience in this field. Prefer listing the job experience in reverse chronological order, adding the latest first. Include the job title, organisation name and employment duration for each position. Below that, include bullet points outlining your important tasks and duties on the job. While listing the jobs on your resume, ensure that they can help the administrators determine whether you can succeed in a course at their institution.

6. List your skills

Below the experience section, create a section highlighting your relevant skills. Include a mix of soft and hard skills. Read the course requirements and write all the keywords or phrases that can help you understand the type of skills and expertise that administrators are looking for in a candidate.

7. Add your education

Consider listing your educational qualifications in reverse chronological order. Begin with the name of the highest qualification you hold, followed by the location and state of the institution and the dates you attended. You can also mention any relevant groups or projects you were a member of while at the respective institution.

7. Write your awards

Listing awards and achievements can be an effective way to distinguish you from other candidates. Use a bulleted list to include the awards related to the course. With each award or achievement, include the name, year, name of the organisation that awarded and any other relevant details.

8. Proofread the resume

After completing your resume, check it to help ensure it is free from errors. Proofreading your resume also helps ensure that the details you mentioned are correct and up to date. Before submitting your application, review if there are any spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. Double-check the details, like dates, names and location. Consider asking a friend or family member to read your resume and provide constructive feedback.

Graduate Student Resume Template

Here is a template you can use to format your resume:

[Full name]
[Email address]
[Phone number]
[City, State]

Professional summary
[Two to three-line statement emphasising your achievements and skills relevant to the program]

Work experience
[Job title] [Duration of employment]
[Name of organisation] [City, State]

[Primary duty]
[Primary duty]
[Primary duty]
[Primary duty]

[Job title] [Duration of employment]
[Name of organisation] [City, State]

[Primary duty]
[Primary duty]
[Primary duty]
[Primary duty]

Skills

[Skills]
[Skills]
[Skills]
[Skills]

Education
[Name of degree] [Years of attendance] [Grade or CGPA]
[Name of college or university] [City, State]

Awards and achievements

[Award or achievement details]
[Award or achievement details]

Graduate Student Resume Example

Here is an example resume that you can reference to help write your own:

Rohan Singh
rohan.singh@email.com
+91 9289 888 777
Malviya Nagar, New Delhi

Professional summary
Driven individual with an undergraduate degree in mass communication and professional writing experience, seeking further education in digital media studies post-graduate program.

Work experience
Junior Content Writer, June 2021–July 2021
The BNDC Corporation, Noida U.P.

Strategised with associate content writers about the best SEO tactics to incorporate into written content
Researched the company's target audience to determine the median age of subscribers and use this information to create content that the target audience might find beneficial
Created a structured schedule to produce four pieces of written content every two days
Answered phone calls and transferred callers to department professors
Made copies of forms and worksheet materials for professors and the department chair
Edited coworkers' projects, looked for grammatical errors and fact-checked statistics included in their work

Public Relations Intern, Sept 2020–Jan 2021
Green Fish PR, Gurugram, Haryana

Attended weekly team meetings and recorded meeting minutes for the supervisor
Entered company expenses into Gantt charts. Reviewed them for price discrepancies and submitted them to the supervisor to be reviewed with the client
Completed research for clients regarding their ideal customer base and prepared detailed reports
Greeted students and escorted them to the professor's offices. Took messages from students to give to professors who were out of the office
Organised and labelled files containing confidential documentation. Helped integrate physical copies into a new online filing system

Skills

Collaboration
Organisation
Detail-oriented
Oral and written communication
Public speaking
Task management

Education
Bachelor's of Science in Mass Communication, Aug 2019–May 2022, CGPA 8.5
Delhi Regional University, Dwarka, New Delhi

Awards and achievement

Dean's list, May 2021–Apr 2022
Awarded as a member of the dean's list for two consecutive terms to recognise academic excellence
Published in LSU's Communication Journal, Dec 2020
Submitted research paper on social media's ever-present influence on our communication methods to ASU's communication journal. The entry was published in February 2021.

How To Write A Graduate Student Resume (With Examples)