Academic CV Examples for 2026
Updated 17 June 2026
An academic CV is not a two-page summary. It is a comprehensive record of your scholarly work, typically running four to five pages (often longer for senior academics), and it prioritises publications, research and teaching over the transferable-skills framing of a standard UK CV. This guide shows you how to structure an academic CV for research and teaching posts in UK universities, grounded in what hiring panels actually look for: peer-reviewed output, grant capture, teaching evidence and research independence.
Academic CV examples
Early-Career Researcher (PhD Candidate)
entryDemonstrates an active research pipeline with works in progress, clear teaching experience with class sizes, and named academic referees.
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Senior Lecturer / Associate Professor
seniorShowcases research leadership through substantial publication record, major grant capture (£340k), PhD supervision, and evidence of teaching innovation and impact.
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How to write an academic CV
Format and length
An academic CV has no two-page limit. A PhD candidate will typically produce a three- to four-page CV; a senior lecturer or professor may run to six or more. The extra length is not padding, it accommodates full publication lists, detailed teaching records, conference contributions and grant histories that hiring panels expect to see.
Section order
There is no fixed template. Reorder sections to suit the post. For a research-intensive role, lead with Research Interests (if requested), Publications and Grants, then Teaching and Education. For a teaching-focused lectureship, put Teaching Experience and Curriculum Development near the top. Within each section, list items in reverse chronological order and put the most prestigious or recent item first.
What to include per section
| Section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Contact details | Name, institution email, mobile, LinkedIn or academic profile (ORCID, ResearchGate). No photo, no date of birth. |
| Education | PhD title, supervisor(s), one-sentence research summary, viva date or expected submission. Include MA/MSc and BA/BSc with degree class. |
| Publications | Peer-reviewed journal articles first, then book chapters, then works in progress (labelled 'forthcoming', 'under review', 'submitted'). Full citations, your name in bold. |
| Teaching | Module title, student level, cohort size, your role (designed/delivered/marked), any evaluation data or curriculum innovation. |
| Grants & Funding | Awarding body, amount, dates. Include PhD studentships, travel grants, project grants. |
| Conferences | Full citation (authors, title, event, location, date), state whether paper or poster, and list invited talks separately. |
| Referees | Two to three named academic referees (typically your PhD supervisor plus one or two others established in your field). Include their title, institution and email. |
Personal statement
Most academic CVs omit a personal statement entirely. If a job advert specifically requests a research-interests summary or a cover letter, provide a short (three to four sentences) paragraph on your current research focus and future direction. Avoid the salesy, transferable-skills tone of a standard CV personal statement, it reads as non-academic.
What to leave out
Do not frame your CV around transferable skills or generic competencies. An academic CV is judged on scholarly output: publications, citations, grants, teaching quality and research independence. Include non-academic work only if it is directly relevant to the post (for example, a museum role for a heritage-focused lectureship). Otherwise, omit it or relegate it to a brief 'Other Employment' section at the end.
Personal statement examples
My research examines the economic and environmental impact of medieval monasticism in northern England, using archival records, charters and archaeological evidence to reconstruct patterns of land use and landscape change between 1150 and 1300. My current work, supported by a Royal Historical Society grant, focuses on Cistercian sheep farming and its role in the expansion of the wool trade. I am developing a second project on monastic responses to climate variability in the thirteenth century, drawing on dendrochronological and documentary sources.
I am a hard-working and passionate historian with strong research and communication skills. I have experience teaching undergraduates and working in archives, and I am looking for a role where I can develop my career and contribute to a dynamic research environment. I am a team player who is committed to excellence in both teaching and research.
Writing your experience
Academic CVs do not use the 'achievement bullet' format of a standard CV. Instead, you provide detailed evidence of your teaching, supervision and administrative contributions, with specific numbers and outcomes where possible.
Teaching entries
For each module or course, state:
- The module title and student level (first-year undergraduates, MSc students, etc.)
- The cohort size
- Your role: did you design the module, deliver lectures, lead seminars, mark assessments?
- Any evaluation data (student satisfaction scores, progression rates) or curriculum innovation (new assessment formats, digital tools, field trips)
Before (vague):
- Led seminars for Medieval Britain module.
After (specific):
- Led 18 undergraduate seminars per year for Medieval Britain module (cohort of 85 students), achieving 92% student satisfaction on module feedback.
Supervision
List PhD, MSc and undergraduate dissertation supervision separately. For PhD students, state whether they completed, are in progress, or withdrew, and note any first-destination outcomes (academic posts, industry roles). For MSc and UG projects, give the annual number supervised and any notable dissertation topics or awards.
Before:
- Supervised several PhD students.
After:
- Supervised five PhD students to successful completion (2019–2025), with four now in academic or research positions.
Administrative and leadership roles
Include committee membership, curriculum reviews, programme leadership and external examining. State the role, the dates, and any measurable outcome (a new module launched, a policy change implemented, a review completed).
Before:
- Served on departmental committees.
After:
- Chaired the Environmental Science Curriculum Review Panel (2022–2024), leading a restructure that increased student progression by 11%.
Action verbs for academic CVs
Designed, delivered, supervised, examined, chaired, led, established, restructured, evaluated, mentored, co-ordinated, published, secured (funding), presented (at conferences).
Key skills & ATS keywords
Hard skills
Soft skills
ATS keywords
Education & certifications
Education section
Your PhD is the centrepiece. Hiring panels want the specifics:
- Thesis title (in full)
- Supervisor(s) (name and title)
- A one- to two-sentence research summary explaining what the thesis examined and the methods or sources used
- Viva date (if completed) or expected submission date (if in progress)
For a PhD in progress, stating 'expected submission: September 2026' signals that you are on track and close to completion, much stronger than a vague 'PhD candidate' with no timeline.
Include your MA/MSc and BA/BSc with degree class (First, 2:1, Distinction) and any prizes or awards. If your undergraduate degree is in a different field, briefly note how it connects to your current research (for example, 'BA Philosophy provided the analytical foundation for my work on medieval logic').
Certifications and professional development
Academic CVs rarely include generic professional qualifications (project management, IT skills). Include only:
- Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) or equivalent teaching qualification, if you have one (increasingly expected for lectureships)
- Associate Fellowship or Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA, FHEA), if awarded
- Specialist training relevant to your research methods (advanced statistical courses, palaeography summer schools, digital humanities workshops)
List these under a separate 'Professional Development' or 'Teaching Qualifications' heading, with the awarding body and date.
Common mistakes to avoid
Compressing the CV to two pages by cutting publications or teaching detail
An academic CV runs long by design. A PhD candidate should produce three to four pages; a senior academic may run to six or more. Do not cut peer-reviewed publications or teaching evidence to fit an arbitrary limit.
Listing publications without full citations or author order
Every publication entry must include the full author list (with your name in bold), year, title, journal or book title, volume, pages and DOI. Hiring panels need to see your author position (first, last, middle) and the journal's standing at a glance.
Including a salesy personal statement focused on transferable skills
Most academic CVs omit a personal statement. If the post requests one, provide a short research-interests summary (three to four sentences) focused on your scholarly agenda, not on generic skills or career goals.
Saying 'references available on request' instead of naming referees
Academic CVs name two to three referees with their full contact details. Include your PhD supervisor and one or two other established academics who know your work well. Panels expect to see named referees, not a placeholder.
Omitting works in progress when you have a thin publication record
If you are early-career, include papers that are forthcoming, accepted, under review or submitted, clearly labelled. A pipeline of work signals an active research programme, even if not all of it is published yet.
Listing teaching as 'led seminars' without student numbers, level or outcomes
For every teaching entry, state the module title, student level, cohort size, your role (designed/delivered/marked) and any evaluation data or curriculum innovation. Panels want evidence of teaching quality and impact, not a vague duties list.
Junior vs senior: what changes
| Aspect | Junior | Senior |
|---|---|---|
| Publications | One to three peer-reviewed articles (often including works in progress or under review). May include conference papers and a strong MA dissertation. | Substantial publication record (15+ peer-reviewed articles), including high-impact journals, book chapters and possibly a monograph. Clear research trajectory and citation impact (h-index, total citations). |
| Grants and funding | PhD studentship, small travel or research grants (Royal Historical Society, British Academy small grants, typically under £5,000). | Major research grants (AHRC, ESRC, NERC, Leverhulme, often £100k+), multiple awards over time, evidence of research independence and grant leadership. |
| Teaching | Graduate teaching assistant roles: seminar leadership, marking, some undergraduate dissertation supervision. Limited curriculum design. | Module leadership, curriculum design and innovation, large cohorts, PhD supervision to completion (multiple students), teaching awards or high student-satisfaction scores. |
| Research leadership | Independent researcher (PhD project), possibly some collaborative work or a postdoc role. Limited supervision experience. | Leads a research group, supervises PhD students and postdocs, serves on editorial boards, invited talks at major conferences, external examiner roles. |
| Professional service | Peer review for one or two journals, conference organising (helper role), departmental seminar series. | Editorial board membership, grant-panel reviewer, major conference organiser, institutional committee leadership (research committee, curriculum review, REF co-ordinator). |
| CV length | Three to four pages (shorter publication list, limited teaching and admin). | Five to seven pages (or more), reflecting a long publication list, extensive teaching and supervision, major grants, and significant professional service. |