Should I start with education or experience?

For most Master's applications, start with education. If you have substantial experience and are applying for a professional degree such as an MBA, you can lead with experience.

Should I include my GPA if it is not high?

If the programme requires it, include it exactly as it is. If it is not required and does not help, you can leave it out and focus on projects and experience.

Should I add a photo to a Master's CV?

For the UK, US and Canada it is better without one. In some European and Arab countries it may be acceptable. Follow the university's instructions.

How long should a Master's CV be?

One page for a fresh graduate, and two pages at most if you have experience or research.

How to Write a CV for a Master's Application

Whether you are applying for a Master's in Egypt, Europe, the UK, North America or the Gulf, most universities ask for a CV alongside transcripts, a statement of purpose and references. This CV differs from a job CV in one key way: education and academic work take centre stage, and your work experience is read through the lens of "how did this prepare you for the programme?".

Suggested order

Contact details: name, email, phone with country code, city, and a LinkedIn, GitHub or portfolio link if relevant.
Education: the first section after contact details in most cases.
Research / Academic Projects: your graduation project and any other projects or research.
Professional Experience: jobs and internships.
Skills: technical and academic (software, programming languages, analysis tools).
Languages & Test Scores: English level and test result if required.
Awards, Activities & Volunteering.

If you have substantial work experience (roughly more than three or four years) and are applying for a professional Master's such as an MBA or management degree, you can place experience before education. The rule: whatever strengthens your application most goes first.

Education: detailed but useful

On a job CV, education is two lines. On a Master's CV it can be longer, but every line must earn its place:

The exact degree and major, such as B.Sc. in Computer Engineering.
The official English name of your university and faculty, and the city.
Graduation year (or expected year if still studying).
Grade or GPA exactly as on your transcript, if it helps or is required.
Your graduation project title.
Advanced courses directly related to the Master's (three to five at most).

B.Sc. in Statistics, Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University (2024)

Grade: Very Good with Honours
Graduation project: Forecasting electricity demand in Greater Cairo using time-series models
Relevant coursework: Regression Analysis, Time Series, Sampling Methods, Statistical Computing in R

Graduation project and research

Your graduation project is often your strongest evidence that you can do independent academic work. Write it up like a job: the question or problem, what you did and the result. If it was a team project, make your own role clear.

Built and compared ARIMA and exponential smoothing models in R on five years of public demand data; my model was selected by the team for the final report and presented to the department.

Did a graduation project about forecasting with my team and got an excellent grade.

Work experience: link it to the programme

The committee does not need every detail of your job; it needs to see how your experience connects to what you want to study. If you are applying for a data analytics Master's while working as an accountant, focus your bullets on analysis, reporting and tools rather than administrative tasks. And never add tasks you did not do to look closer to the field.

For bullet ideas by field, browse our CV examples by job, such as the data analyst example.

If there is a gap between graduation and your application, do not hide it. State honestly what you did during it, whether work, courses or family circumstances; you do not need to explain the details on the CV itself.

A short academic profile (optional)

Not every Master's CV has a summary, but if you include one, keep it to two lines about your background and academic interest:

Statistics graduate with a strong foundation in time-series analysis and R, and one year of experience as a data analyst in the energy sector. Seeking to deepen my skills in applied machine learning for public-sector decision-making.

Languages and tests

If the university requires a language test, state the test, your actual score and the year. If you have not taken it yet, do not write an expected score. List languages at their real level: Native, Fluent, Professional or Intermediate. Exact requirements for each programme are on the university's official website.

Your CV and statement of purpose

The CV presents the facts; the statement tells the story behind them and why you chose this programme. Make sure both are consistent in dates and titles, and that the key points in your statement are reflected in your CV. If you need a short motivation letter, you can start with the cover letter tool and rewrite it in your own voice.

Format details

One or two pages depending on your experience.
No photo for universities in the UK, US or Canada unless requested.
A simple single-column template with a clear font.
Consistent date formats throughout.
A PDF named with your name.

When you finish, run the file through the CV checker. If you are applying with a scholarship, read our scholarship CV guide, and if you plan to continue to a doctorate, our academic CV for a PhD guide.

One last piece of advice

Do not pad your CV to make it look longer. Admissions committees value a focused one-page CV with real evidence more than a three-page CV full of attendance certificates and generic skills. Choose what serves the programme, write it clearly and honestly, proofread several times and ask someone else to read it before you submit. Also check the programme's own website, as some universities require a specific format or extra sections.