What Makes a Good Scholarship CV? A Simple Guide for Students

You open the scholarship requirements and see it:

“Please upload your CV.”

And suddenly you’re wondering:

• Is my CV “good enough”?
• Is it too empty? Too long?
• Do scholarships even care about CVs, or is it just a formality?

Here’s the truth: your CV doesn’t have to be packed with crazy achievements. But it does need to be clear, relevant, and easy to read.

This guide breaks down what actually matters in a scholarship CV - and what you can stop stressing about.

First: What’s the Purpose of a Scholarship CV?

Your CV is basically a snapshot of your journey so far. It helps the committee quickly see:

• What you’ve studied
• What you’ve done outside of classes
• What skills and responsibilities you’ve taken on
• Whether your background fits what they’re looking for

Think of it as the “facts” to support the story you tell in your motivation letter or essay.

So no, it doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to do its job well.

How Long Should a Scholarship CV Be?

Short answer: 1–2 pages is usually ideal.

• If you’re in high school or early bachelor → 1 page is often enough.
• If you have more experience (internships, research, jobs) → up to 2 pages is fine.

If you’re stretching to 3–4 pages, you’re not “impressive” — you’re making it harder to read.

The Basic Structure (Use This as a Template)

You don’t have to invent anything fancy. A clean, simple structure works best.

Suggested order:

1. Contact Information
2. Education
3. Scholarships / Awards (if any)
4. Experience (internships, part-time jobs, volunteering, projects)
5. Extracurricular Activities & Leadership
6. Skills (languages, technical skills, tools, etc.)
7. Optional: Interests (1 short line, only if relevant/interesting)

Let’s go through each part.

1. Contact Information (Make It Look Grown-Up)

At the top, include:

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number (with country code)
• City & country (no full home address needed)
• Optional: LinkedIn or portfolio link (if it actually has content)

👉 Important:
Use a professional email address – something like firstname.lastname@gmail.com, not cutieprincess99@….

2. Education (This Is Your Base)

For most students, this is the strongest section — and that’s okay.

For each program, include:

• Degree + field (e.g., BSc in Mechanical Engineering)
• Institution + country
• Start year – expected graduation year
• Optional: GPA (if it helps you), relevant courses, thesis topic

Example:

BSc, Computer Science – University of XYZ, Country
2021 – Present (Expected graduation: June 2025)
Relevant courses: Data Structures, Machine Learning, Databases

If your grades are average or mixed, you don’t have to put GPA. You can highlight strong subjects instead.

3. Scholarships, Awards & Honors (If You Have Them)

If you already received any:

• Scholarships
• Dean’s list
• Academic honors
• Competition results

…this is the place to show them off.

Example:

XYZ Foundation Scholarship – Full tuition scholarship for academic merit (2023–2025)
2nd Place, National Physics Olympiad (2022)

If you don’t have any yet, skip this section completely. Empty headings look worse than not having the section at all.

4. Experience: It’s Not Just About Fancy Internships

Committees know many students don’t have big-name internships. They don’t expect that.

You can include:

• Internships (even short ones)
• Part-time jobs
• Volunteering
• Teaching or tutoring
• Research projects
• Serious personal projects (like running a blog, YouTube channel, app, small business)

For each experience, add:

• Role (e.g., Volunteer Tutor, Cashier, Research Assistant)
• Organization name + country
• Dates (month/year – month/year)
• 2–4 bullet points explaining what you did and achieved

Example bullets:

– Tutored 10+ middle school students in math twice a week, improving their average grades from 5.6 to 7.0.
– Managed evening shifts at a grocery store, handling cash, customers, and closing procedures.
– Co-designed a small mobile app to help students track deadlines; 150+ downloads from my university.

Tip: Start each bullet with an action verb: organized, led, created, supported, analyzed, designed, etc.

5. Extracurricular Activities & Leadership

This is where you can show who you are beyond classes.

Include things like:

• Student clubs or associations
• Sports teams
• Debate, music, art
• Organizing events or workshops
• Online communities you helped run

Again: role, organization, dates, and 1–3 bullets.

Example:

President – Environmental Club, University of XYZ (2023 – Present)
– Led a team of 12 students to organize monthly clean-up events and awareness campaigns on campus.
– Secured small sponsorships from local businesses to support activities.

You don’t need to be “president” of everything. Participation is fine — just show what you did.

6. Skills (Show What You Can Actually Use)

This section is short but powerful.

You can include:

• Languages – and level (e.g., native, fluent, intermediate)
• Technical tools – Excel, Python, SPSS, AutoCAD, Canva, etc.
• Other skills – Public speaking, basic photo/video editing, social media management, etc.

Example:

Languages: Arabic (native), English (C1), French (B1)
Technical: Python (basic data analysis), Excel (formulas & charts), Canva, PowerPoint
Other: Public speaking, event organization, tutoring

Don’t overdo it — listing 20 skills you barely know doesn’t help.

7. Interests (Optional, but Can Be Nice)

One quick line at the bottom can make you feel more human.

Something like:

Interests: Long-distance running, photography, mentoring younger students, reading about behavioral economics.

Skip this if you’re tight on space, or if your interests are very generic.

What Makes a Scholarship CV “Good,” Not Just “OK”?

Here are the characteristics that quietly impress committees:

✅ Clear and Easy to Scan

• Headings stand out
• Dates and locations are aligned
• Font is simple and readable
• No walls of text — mostly bullet points

✅ Tailored to Scholarships (Not Jobs)

A job CV focuses on how you fit a specific role.

A scholarship CV should lean more on:

• Academics
• Potential
• Commitment
• Impact and initiative

So it’s okay if you highlight:

• Volunteering and community work
• Academic projects
• Personal projects that show curiosity and effort

✅ Honest and Consistent

• No inflated titles (“CEO of small Instagram page with 50 followers”)
• No invented roles
• Dates make sense and don’t overlap in impossible ways
• What you mention in the CV matches your motivation letter

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Scholarship CV

Let’s save you some time (and stress).

❌ Using a very “creative” layout
Lots of colors, graphics, and columns might look cool, but they can be hard to read or print. Simple wins.

❌ Including irrelevant personal details
Height, weight, religion, parents’ jobs, relationship status — not needed.

❌ Writing long paragraphs instead of bullet points
Nobody has time to dig for information.

❌ Mixing different fonts and styles
Choose one font family and stick to it. Use bold for headings, that’s enough.

❌ Sending it with typos or wrong information
Double-check your dates, roles, and spelling.

“But My CV Feels Empty. What Should I Do?”

If you feel like you “don’t have anything to put,” try this:

1. List everything you actually do in a week or month.
   • Helping siblings with homework? → informal tutoring.
   • Managing your family’s small shop? → responsibility and customer skills.
   • Organizing group projects? → teamwork and leadership.
2. Think about one-time things.
   • Competitions, events, workshops, online courses, summer camps, projects.
3. Start small, now.
   • Volunteer a few hours a week, join a club, start a small project.
   • Even a few months of consistent activity looks meaningful on a CV.

You don’t need a “perfect” CV to get a scholarship — just show that you’re active, curious, and willing to learn.

Want Help Reviewing Your Scholarship CV?

If you’re still unsure whether your CV is “good enough,” you don’t have to guess.

With Schology’s support, you can:

• Get your CV reviewed for clarity and relevance
• Make sure it matches your scholarship goals
• Fix layout issues that make it harder to read
• Highlight the parts of your experience that actually stand out

👉 Check out our CV/Resume service on Schology if you want feedback before sending your next application.