Academic resume templates
Formats built for publications, teaching, funding and the longer record an academic application needs.
Academic resume templates
10 designs
Academic
A timeline-led academic CV built for publications
Caption
Section labels set as margin notes beside the content
Codex
Justified prose set like a printed book page
Crest
A formal centred serif with a double-rule masthead
Folio
A letterhead masthead with running heads and numbered pages
Gazette
An editorial serif with a hanging left date gutter
Ledger
Dot leaders running organisation to date on every entry
Meridian
A serif mirror layout with a flush-right masthead
Terrace
Three stepped left edges instead of any rules
Vertex
A centred serif masthead with short sections set two-up
How is an academic CV different from a normal CV?
An academic CV breaks most of the rules a commercial CV follows. It runs to as many pages as the record requires, lists publications in full, and treats teaching, supervision, funding and service as first-class sections. The designs here are set in book serifs and structured so a long, dated record stays navigable rather than becoming an undifferentiated list.
Other styles
- Professional resume templatesDesigns that read as considered and credible in an ordinary hiring process, without asking the reader to admire them first.
- ATS-friendly resume templatesLayouts built to survive applicant tracking software: no colour fills behind text, a clean reading order, and standard section headings.
- Simple resume templatesUncluttered designs that put the writing first, for when a plain, easy-to-read CV is exactly what the job asks for.
- Modern resume templatesContemporary layouts that look current without looking like a novelty, using colour and space rather than ornament.
- Minimalist resume templatesWide margins, hairline rules and a lot of air. Designs where the space is doing as much work as the type.
- Basic resume templatesPlain, no-nonsense designs with no colour blocks, no sidebars and no surprises. The safest thing to send.
- Student resume templatesLayouts that work when education is the strongest section and work experience is still short.
- Graduate resume templatesDesigns for the first proper job: enough structure to look serious, enough space that a short history does not look thin.
- One page resume templatesDenser designs that fit a full career onto a single page without dropping to an unreadable type size.
- Two column resume templatesSide-by-side layouts that keep contact details, skills and languages visible while experience runs full length.
- Executive resume templatesFormats for senior appointments, where the record is long and the tone needs to carry authority.
- Classic resume templatesTraditional structures done properly: serif type, small-caps headings and fine rules, without looking dated.
- Creative resume templatesDistinctive designs for when a person is definitely reading first and visual judgement is part of the job.
Frequently asked questions
How is an academic CV different from a normal CV?
Length and priorities. A commercial CV is one or two pages focused on impact; an academic CV is as long as your record and organised around publications, funding, teaching and service. Publications are listed in full rather than summarised, and the document is expected to be comprehensive rather than selective. PhD applicants and postdoctoral researchers should use an academic format rather than a business one.
Are these resume templates free?
Yes. You can fill in a template, preview it and download a PDF without paying. A JobSprout account is free, and some of the designs are marked Pro, which unlocks with a subscription. There is always a free design available in every style.
Can I edit a resume template after I download it?
Yes. Your CV stays in your account, so you can change the content, switch to a different design, adjust the colour, font size and spacing, and download a fresh PDF whenever you need one. Switching design never loses your content, because the content and the layout are stored separately.
Will these templates pass an ATS?
The designs marked ATS-friendly are built for it: no colour fills behind text, a clean reading order and standard section headings. Any CV you build can also be checked against a real parser with our free ATS resume checker, which shows you exactly what a screening system extracts.
What file format do I get?
A print-quality PDF, which is what nearly every employer and application portal asks for. The PDF keeps a real text layer rather than being an image, so screening software can read it and so can a screen reader.
Should I put a photo on my resume?
In the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada and Australia, no. Employers there usually prefer no photo, and some screening processes strip them to reduce bias. In much of continental Europe and parts of Asia a photo is still conventional. Check the norm where you are applying, and leave it off if you are unsure.
How long should my resume be?
One page if you have under roughly ten years of relevant experience, and always for students and graduates. Two pages are normal for senior, academic or highly technical roles. An academic CV is the exception and runs as long as your publication and funding record requires.