How to Write a Student Resume for MS Courses Abroad?

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Mrunmayai Bobade
Updated on Dec 16, 2022 06:09 PM IST

CV for masters is an important aspect of the extensive list of documents you will need to submit as part of your application process. Read the article below to discover five steps to write a precise CV, things you should include in your academic CV, and the top five countries to study for master's abroad.

How to Write a Student Resume for MS Courses Abroad?

The most significant document you will need for your master's degree application is an academic CV. A curriculum vitae or a CV to study abroad is a document that emphasises significant events in your academic career rather than professional experience or other relevant subjects. 

A resume, often known as a CV (curriculum vitae), is a document that lists your academic and professional qualifications, accomplishments, contributions, extracurricular activities, and technical abilities. Your student CV is the first impression you make on the admissions committee, therefore it must be properly crafted and then painstakingly analysed.

You must remember that you are one of the few thousand applicants who will apply to the university, and your resume is one of the few thousand resumes that the admission committee will review. The admissions committee may just have a few seconds/minutes to review your CV. 

As a result, you must make certain that the resume grabs the committee member's attention within the first few seconds. What is more crucial is how you try to make your resume stand out from the crowd by being more remarkable and detailed. 

Our well-versed study abroad consultants have assisted numerous Indian students to write impressive CVs for masters abroad. We are delighted to know that many of our students are studying at renowned universities abroad.

Are You Unsure of How to Format Your Masters CV? 

What is the Academic CV All About?

The most important thing you need to know about the academic CV you craft for your Master’s application is that it should convey how you understand your own achievements. The CV is sometimes accompanied by academic letters of recommendation (LOR), in which the Admissions Committee (AdCom) attest to your accomplishments and abilities. As a result, you should not approach your CV as a formality, but rather as an opportunity to reflect on your previous work and what makes it distinctive.

Difference Between a Resume and a CV for Master's Abroad

While both the CV and the Resume provide a brief history of your activities, the Resume emphasises professional successes while the CV emphasises academic achievements. As a consequence, your curriculum vitae will be requested by the majority of Master's programmes.

Guidelines for Preparing a CV

While preparing an academic CV, you must follow the below mentioned guidelines that will prove beneficial in creating an impression in front of the admission committee:

  • The order of topics in a CV is flexible. However, you should arrange the sections to highlight your strength.

  • You must elaborate on your strengths and skills within categories.

  • The items should be listed chronologically with the recent ones appearing first.

  • You can include additional headings to highlight workshops, training and special qualifications.

  • The information should be presented in attractive style. 

5 Steps to Write a Precise CV for Masters Abroad

The parameters for writing a curriculum vitae (CV) for a Master's application differ from those for a typical employment application. You ought to demonstrate to the admissions committee that your talents and qualifications make you a suitable fit for their master's programme in your academic CV.

1. Academic Credentials

One of the golden rules of any Master's application CV is to emphasise your academic achievements above your work accomplishments. Professional experience should undoubtedly be mentioned, but your education should be discussed in more depth.

In addition to your alma mater, diploma, and graduation date, you should highlight some of the most relevant courses you finished and the academic honours you have received, particularly those most connected to your field of study.

However, do not go too far with your descriptions! Each entry in your CV should only contain significant information and should be divided into two to four bullet points.

2. Powerful Language and Framework

A CV should be no more than two pages long. A CV is not the place to squander words and infuse them with meaninglessness. You should carefully select your words so that they express a lot about your accomplishments in a little amount of space.

Avoid using online cliches obtained from CV templates or samples, which will merely indicate to the admissions committee that you read a CV writing article. This includes terms like ‘detail-oriented’, which the commission has overheard a few times.

Your Master's application CV's structure is very significant, and it should include the following:

  • A header that provides your name and contact information.

  • Reverse chronological order of entries (most recent to earliest).

  • 'Relevant job experience', 'areas of scientific interest', and 'laboratory skills and procedures' descriptions are all well-defined sections with headers that emphasise technical information (usually as bullet points).

3. Volunteering and Internships 

Internships or volunteer work demonstrate to admissions authorities not just what you are interested in, but also that you are prepared to put in the effort for reasons other than monetary gain. Extracurricular activities, volunteering or internships might help you bridge the gap between your present and ideal academic topic areas if you wish to shift academic subject areas.

Instead of focusing on what you believe it says about you, describe what you have done. Allow admissions officials to draw their own conclusions by providing the required information.

Teaching experience, which is half of what academics is about, is what impresses admission commissions. As a result, make a point of including any volunteer, internship, or paid teaching or teaching assistant positions you have held.

4. Proofreading

Your curriculum vitae (CV) serves as your ‘business card’. Everything you provide should be presented with care and polish. This entails customising it for each application and modifying it to ensure that it portrays you in the best light possible. The commission will not be impressed with a degree from 'Cartridge'.

Things You Should Include in Your Academic CV for Masters Abroad

  • Education: A chronological list of your previous education from the most recent to the oldest that you should mention corresponding to the Grade Point Average (GPA).

  • Research Interests: Research interest demonstrates that you are interested in a particular field of study and wish to excel in it. If you have done some research, you can include that in your CV for masters.

  • Teaching Experience: You may mention any teaching experiences you had as this shows to AdCom that you are curious about a career in academics.

  • Computer Skills: Mention any abilities you have mastered, as well as those that you think would be useful. Pen down any programming languages you know like OOP, Python, Java, etc.

  • Honours and Awards: Only include those honours or accomplishments that are truly remarkable, such as awards or scholarships. Also, those should be relevant to the field of study you are applying for.

  • Publications: Consider including a hyperlink to each article so the commission may see examples of your work.

  • Work Experience: Mention any relevant professional experiences (if any). Work experience certificates bestow insight into a student’s professional experience and other related details.

  • Language Skills: Mention your language test grades for the IELTS exam, TOEFL exam, GRE exam, etc.

  • Memberships: Mention whether you are a member of any organisations linked to the field of study you wish to pursue.

CV for MS Formatting Process

It is crucial to know how to format a CV for the best and most effective impression on the admission committee. Poor formatting usually leads to a negative response and can reduce the chances of getting an offer letter. Here are some successful tips to format a student resume for MS abroad:

  • You must choose a skill-based resume format if you do not have work experience before your masters. On the other hand, if you have some experience, you can put information in chronological order.

  • The college resume should be one page in length. This is the optimal length for drafting a CV and exceeding that is not advisable.

  • Make your resume clutter-free and more friendly to read by keeping lots of blank spaces in the margins. 

  • It is important to use clear section headings and use similar headings for each section.

  • Use professional, easy to read and modern font for writing the resume. Do not use comical or fun looking fonts. Use a decent font size between 10 to 12 points. 

  • Consider using left alignment and line breaks between headers.

  • Save the resume in PDF format so that it does not mess up with the format even if opened on different computers or operating systems. 

Tips for Composing Your MS Student Resume

College admission staff review MS student resume from many applicants. Therefore, it is very important to separate yourself from the rest of the candidates by writing a persuasive CV. Here are some of the time tested tips to write a CV:

  • Keep the CV Concise: A CV must not include all the activities and achievements of your life. It is important to par down the activities to showcase only those that are most striking. 

  • Focus on your Commitments: While listing your accomplishments it is important to highlight only a few of the most relevant ones rather than mentioning a dozen of your achievements. You can also mention the responsibilities you have taken your training and skills. 

  • Give Details: Instead of listing your extra-curricular activities on a standard college application, it is important to provide details such as your role, participation years or hours, leadership roles and unique details that set you apart from others.

  • Tailor Your Resume to Fit the College: As each MS university is different, it is wise to adjust your resume to reflect the requirements of the college. Look for the features that stand out for the college and then apply accordingly. 

  • Write a Clear Resume Objective Statement: A resume objective is placed at the top of the resume and gives details of your education, training and skills. Write the objective in 2 to 4 concise statements to highlight how the college will help you to reach your goals. Use the rest of the resume to backup your statement.

  • Be Honest and Accurate: Colleges can find out if there are any inconsistencies in your claims in the CV and can verify them during interviews. Therefore it is essential to stick to the truth.

  • Use Keywords: With advancements in technology, many universities use software to scan for keywords to determine if you have the necessary qualifications. Compare your document with the MS programme requirements to ensure that you have relevant keywords. 

Hope this article has helped you understand how to craft a CV for master's abroad. Before submitting your CV, make sure you have double-checked it or it is checked by your senior, professor, family member, etc. as they might know if something to be added or subtracted. 

Are you crafting your master’s CV for the first time or unsure of how to start? If you have any queries ask then drop us a line at abroad@collegedekho.com to resolve them right from our experts.

Create an Impressive Master's CV With Expert Help! 

FAQs

What should I include in a CV for a masters degree abroad?

There is a list of things you should include in a  CV for a masters degree abroad. These include a header containing your name and contact information. clearly defined parts with headers emphasising technical information, such as 'relevant job experience,' 'areas of scientific interest,' and 'laboratory abilities and procedures.' descriptions (usually as bullet points) items in reverse chronological sequence (most recent to earliest).

What is the ideal length of a masters CV?

The ideal length of a masters CV to study abroad is usually no more than one to two pages long. A master’s  CV (curriculum vitae) should provide detailed information about all of your academic experience and technical skills. 

Where should I list my English proficiency test scores on a masters CV?

English proficiency test scores or any other test scores should not be included in a CV. The test score reports will be already attached with the application, hence, there is no need to mention it separately in a CV or your SOP or Personal Statement.

What mistakes should I avoid while writing a masters CV?

You should avoid the following mistakes while writing a masters CV:

  • Falsely claiming something is true.

  • Misspellings and grammatical errors.

  • Not focusing on your accomplishments/achievements.

  • A personal profile that lacks originality.

  • Excessively long CVs.

  • Incomplete/poor formatting.

  • Incorrect contact information.

Can a masters CV be four to five pages long?

No, a masters CV should not be four to five pages long. Even if your CV is full of degrees, relevant abilities, and outstanding job experience, it is essential to keep it concise. This is because recruiters are busy and tend to skim-read. As a result, a masters CV should be no more than two A4 pages (unless you are an academic job seeking).

What is the difference between an MS resume and an MBA resume abroad?

The difference between an MS resume and an MBA resume abroad is that an MBA resume is a professional document, whereas an MS resume is an academic one. MS candidates should remember to highlight their academic background, research experience, and technical expertise developed as a result of these experiences. MBA applicants, on the other hand, must highlight their work experience, professional accomplishments, and, most importantly, leadership abilities.

How do I start writing a CV for a Masters degree abroad?

You can start writing a CV for a Masters degree abroad by following the pointers mentioned below:

  • Finalise what you want to write well in advance.

  • Do not ramble, get straight to the point.

  • Specify details about your academic background.

  • Mention revalant work experience (if any).

  • Include other relevant work experience or qualifications like membership, volunteer ship, etc.

  • Proofread and check for plagiarism before submitting.

What skills should I include on a Masters CV?

You should include skills on a masters CV by giving examples of the pertinent methodologies, academic, and technical expertise you have learned, developed, or mastered. To demonstrate your academic standing, write about a notable project, piece of coursework, or dissertation. 

What should be the format of a CV for masters abroad?

The following should be the format of a CV for masters abroad:

  • Do not title the document as a resume for masters or a CV for masters.

  • Use section headings (font size 14 or 16).

  • Only use fonts such as Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman (font size 10 to 12).

  • Use reverse chronological order to list achievements, education, etc.

  • Use clear spacing and bullets.

  • Save the document in PDF format.

How do I write a good CV for masters abroad?

You can write a good CV for masters abroad by using the following pointers:

  • Make use of active verbs like ‘devised’ or ‘analysed’ frequently.

  • Make sure it does not contain any spelling or grammatical errors.

  • Make sure the email address you provide sounds professional.

  • Do not over-exaggerate anything.

  • If the employer does not specify otherwise, always include a cover letter.

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