Updated 17 October 2026 · Redream team
Preparing a master’s or PhD application in China and unsure what belongs in your CV? Show your education, achievements and relevant skills clearly. You do not need a long employment history to start. You need accurate information and a structure that helps the reader understand your preparation.
The short answer
Read the programme instructions first, then organise your education, projects and relevant experience. A CV records your achievements; a study plan explains your goals. There is no single CV template required by every Chinese university.
Do Chinese universities require a CV?
Requirements depend on the programme. Xiamen University’s 2027 master’s guide, published on 10 October 2026, lists a CV separately from the personal statement. This is a specific example, not a universal requirement for every programme in China.
Check whether your department specifies a template, language, length or file format. Its instructions take priority over the editorial advice below. Our China application documents checklist can help you organise the wider file.
A practical academic CV structure
- Name and contact details: use the passport spelling, a professional email address, a reachable phone number and relevant work links.
- Education: list your degree, institution, subject and dates. Label an expected graduation date clearly.
- Projects and research: include a dissertation, final-year project or applied assignment, explaining your contribution and methods.
- Internships and experience: prioritise activities relevant to the programme and list the most recent first.
- Skills and languages: name tools you actually use and distinguish self-assessment from official test results.
- Achievements: include verifiable awards, activities or publications that add useful evidence.
This is Redream’s suggested structure. A PhD applicant may place research before employment, while an applicant to an applied programme may emphasise technical projects.
Describe your projects with evidence
Use four elements: the topic, your role, the method and the outcome. “Participated in a university project” tells the reader little. An illustrative description might be: “Created a tracking dashboard for a course project, organised the data and wrote a report explaining the indicators and limitations of the analysis.” Use the structure, then replace it with your actual experience.
Do not invent metrics. For a team project, identify the part you completed. A course report is not a published research paper. Distinguish work in preparation, submitted work and published work accurately.
What if you have no professional experience?
Course projects, practical assignments, volunteering and student society responsibilities can provide useful material. Connect each item to a specific action such as writing, analysing, designing or organising. Omit an empty publications section unless a required template asks for it.
If a gap needs explaining, briefly state what you actually did during that period. Do not fill it with a fictional internship. You should be able to discuss every line during your university admission interview.
Language, length and formatting
Use the language required by your programme. When working from Moroccan documents in French, translate qualification names carefully and keep institutions and dates consistent. Show a grade with its original scale; do not invent your own conversion from a mark out of 20 into a GPA.
When no length is specified, one or two pages can be a practical starting point for a master’s applicant with limited experience. This is not an official limit. An established researcher may need more space. Use readable type, clear headings and short descriptions rather than arbitrary skill bars such as “research: 90%”.
Do not add a passport number or sensitive personal details to the CV unless specifically required there. Check whether a photograph, signature or prescribed template is requested instead of assuming a general rule.
How a CV differs from a study plan
Your CV records your past and present preparation. Your study plan explains what you want to achieve next. Keep facts and dates consistent without copying the CV into the plan. Connect a completed project to a research interest, but do not claim a supervisor’s agreement unless you actually have it.
A final submission checklist
- Match names, qualifications and dates to supporting documents.
- Check the required language, template and file-size limit.
- Test links and confirm your email address is correct.
- Export to PDF if accepted by the portal, then open it on a phone and computer.
- Use a clear filename such as Name_Academic_CV_2027.pdf.
- Ask someone to proofread it and verify that every claim can be supported.
Keep one clearly labelled final version for each application. After uploading, preview the file if the platform allows it: a correct document on your computer is not enough if the wrong version was attached.
Frequently asked questions
Is Europass compulsory?
Do not assume so. Use it when requested; otherwise follow the programme’s own instructions.
Will a strong CV guarantee a scholarship?
No. It is one part of an application assessed by the relevant institutions.
Can I send the same CV everywhere?
Keep your facts consistent, but prioritise relevant experience for each programme without inventing qualifications.
Ready to organise your application?
Redream can help you organise your documents and identify a suitable study route in China. Admission and scholarship decisions remain with the relevant institutions.
AI-generated illustrative image, not a student testimonial or a photograph of a specific university.