How to Write a Scholarship Resume (With Examples & Template)

One of the best ways to impress any scholarship selection committee is by putting together a scholarship resume that highlights your achievements both in and outside the classroom.

We’ll teach you how to write an effective scholarship resume and provide a customizable template you can fill in with your own information.

Scholarship resume example

This scholarship resume example shows how to present academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, and skills in a way that appeals to scholarship selection committees. It helps you understand how to tailor your resume specifically for funding opportunities by highlighting strengths that support your eligibility and impact.

Download This Scholarship Resume Example

How to write a scholarship resume

Below, we break down each section and detail exactly what to include:

1. List your contact information

List the following contact details at the top of your resume:

• Name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Address (city & state is fine)
• LinkedIn profile (if you have one)

2. Introduce yourself with a resume objective

Start your scholarship resume with a convincing, tailored resume objective (also sometimes called an objective statement).

Your objective is a short introduction that summarizes your goals, accomplishments, and passions at the top of the page.

In 2–4 sentences, you should highlight your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, career goals, and (most importantly) how they align with your reasons for pursuing tertiary education.

Here’s an example:

Recent BA History graduate awarded Dean’s list 3 consecutive years, with internship experience at New York Historical Society helping preserve historical articles and manuscripts, and a study abroad experience in Rome. Seeking the Rottsworth Scholarship to pursue an MA in History. Planning to continue research into the rise of democracy in classical-era Greece

3. Detail your academic experience

Your academic experience is the most important section of a scholarship resume.

Besides getting to know your academic goals, scholarship selection committees will want a detailed and in-depth look at your academic career thus far to understand why you’re an ideal candidate for the scholarship.

In your academic experience section, you should highlight the following information for each school you’ve attended, where applicable:

• Institution name
• Academic major (if applicable)
• Academic minor (if applicable)
• Graduation date (or expected if you haven’t finished)
• GPA
• Favorite fields of study (relevant coursework)
• Extracurricular activities

Here’s an example of how to list your academic experience on a scholarship resume:

4. Include your work experience

Scholarship committee members like to see that candidates are well-rounded and have active lives both in and outside the classroom. That’s why you should always list your work experience on your resume (even if it’s just part-time work).

However, if you’re like the majority of students applying for scholarships, you might not have much (or any) work experience yet.

If that’s the case, remember that your work experience section doesn’t have to be limited to income-based work. You can also include volunteer work, internships, or even club activities.

Here’s an example of work experience on a scholarship resume:

5. Display your awards and honors

Listing awards and honors on your scholarship resume provides you a chance to highlight any noteworthy achievements in your academic career.

You can include any of the following (if applicable):

• Scholarships (previously awarded)
• Dean’s lists
• Academic awards (subject-related, science fair, etc.)
• Publications in a student journal
• Non-academic awards
• Volunteer awards
• Academic/professional societal memberships

Key tip: tailor your resume to different scholarship types

The most successful scholarship applicants tailor their resume to the specific type of award they’re pursuing. A one-size-fits-all approach often fails because selection committees for merit-based, need-based, and leadership scholarships have vastly different evaluation criteria.

Here’s what to prioritize on your resume for different types of scholarships:

• Merit-based scholarships: academic data such as class rank, standardized test scores, and honors society memberships
• Leadership or service-oriented scholarships: leadership impact such as number of students you mentored, total funds raised, or the specific outcome of a project you managed
• Career-specific or niche scholarships: relevant projects, technical certifications, or specialized workshops

Scholarship resume template

Here’s a scholarship resume template that you can copy and paste into Microsoft Word or Google Docs:

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More resources for students

If you need more help, don’t worry — we have lots of resources for students. Check out some of our most popular below:

• Student Resume Templates
• High School Resume Examples
• College Resume Examples
• How to Write an Academic CV