Scholarship Resume Examples to Help You Succeed This Year

A scholarship resume lays out your case for potentially gaining a scholarship. How do you write the best scholarship resume possible?

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Scholarship Resume Example

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Scholarship Resume

When you apply for a scholarship, there are many different steps you might have to take. Oftentimes, when you submit a scholarship application, you’ll also submit a scholarship resume. A college scholarship resume works slightly differently than a traditional resume, but the general process is very similar. Here’s what you need to know about writing a scholarship resume that scholarship committee members will actually be interested in reading.

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Fields Associated with Scholarship Resumes

There are many scholarships that might benefit from a resume – here’s just a few of them:

Performing arts degree
Postgraduate degree
Master’s degree
Associate degree
Bachelor’s degree
Professional degree
Graduate degree

Whether or not you need a professional resume, however, typically depends on the specific scholarship you’re applying for. Some selection committees use resumes, while some request only personal mission statements or another type of form. Just check to see whether the application requests a “scholarship resume” or “student resume”.

Important Elements for Scholarship Resumes

A scholarship resume objective is different from the objective for any other type of resume. That means the resume writing process is necessarily going to have to be different. Every time you write a resume for a scholarship, think about who the scholarship is meant to help, then showcase how you’re the type of person that the scholarship is supposed to help. These are the most common headings that you’ll see in a scholarship application:

Contact and Personal Information

The first thing to list will be your contact information. Typically, this will go in the same place you would think of as a resume header in another resume format. You’ll want to include your full name, email address, phone number, and links to portfolio or job networking profiles if you have public-facing handles you’re comfortable showing to a scholarship committee.

Work Experience/history

The work experience section will typically be used for any experiences that you’ve had that a scholarship resume might benefit from. This could include volunteer experience, internship experience, community service, and extracurricular activities, as well as academic activities, including part-time experiences. Remember to list your experience in reverse chronological order, with the most recent activities first.

Education

Since you’re a student, education is probably going to be the most obvious thing that you can add to a scholarship resume template. Your education section will include your academic accreditations and experience, including your expected graduation date for any education you’re currently pursuing. However, it’s typically best not to include your GPA. Instead, list graduation honors in the next section.

Achievements and Awards

Next are any academic achievements and awards that you’ve received. For example, if you were part of the honor society or made the Dean’s List, you can showcase it here. If you have any memberships to high school or college groups, then you might also be able to include them in the achievements section.

Certifications

If you’ve gained certifications in specific skills (e.g., certification in specific software) that is pertinent to your field of study, include those here.

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Scholarship Resume Examples You Can Use

One of the best ways to create a great scholarship resume is by seeing other people’s examples. The ResumeHelp resume examples section has over 50,000 examples available for a wide variety of resumes and cover letters. You can also use our step-by-step resume builder to build your scholarship resume.

Tips for Creating Your Scholarship Resume

Only include the information that the scholarship is asking for. Sure, it’s good to look qualified, but adding extra information might lower your chances because it seems like you don’t know how to follow instructions.
Use bullets and punchy, concise phrases throughout the resume. Bullet points make it easier for a scholarship committee to quickly skim through your document.
Proofread your resume multiple times. This helps you avoid easy-to-miss mistakes, which can negatively affect your ability to get a scholarship.

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FAQ: Scholarship Resume Examples

Q: Do I need to submit a cover letter with scholarship resumes?

Typically you’ll need to submit a cover letter alongside your scholarship resume. However, the cover letter may take a different form, like a personal statement. Check the information about your scholarship to see exactly what documents the scholarship committee wants to see from you, and make sure you include only those documents and all of those documents.

Q: Should I submit a scholarship resume even if I don’t strictly meet the criteria?

It’s typically recommended that you submit to as many scholarships as possible. Even if you don’t meet the criteria, the worst that can happen is that the scholarship committee turns down your resume. Above all, avoid exaggerating or lying about your achievements. Lying on your scholarship resume could lead to losing the things you’re bragging about, including leadership roles and even a position as a college student.

Q: Is it a good idea to change up my scholarship resume for every scholarship?

Yes. You should make sure you’re tailoring your scholarship resume to each individual scholarship so that you’re more likely to meet what the organization is looking for. Essentially, you’re looking for resume keywords in the scholarship posting, specifically skills and prerequisites that the scholarship demands. Address those requirements in your own resume.

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