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Application Guidelines for Research Programs

Sep 9

5 min read

Your application is the first impression you’ll make on prospective departments and supervisors—so take your time and get it right!

Your application package typically includes:


  1. Letter of Intent

  2. Curriculum Vitae

  3. Reference Letters


Part 1: Letter of Intent (LOI)


The purpose of the LOI is to capture your motivation and interest in applying to a specific program, department, or university.


LOI Guide:

  • Focus on the why: Why this program, department, or university? What makes it stand out, and how does it align with your personal and professional goals?

    • Note: It’s okay if you’re unsure about your long-term goals—emphasize the skills you hope to gain and how this degree will expand your future opportunities.

  • Share your experiences: Talk about how course X or lab Y sparked your curiosity in a particular field, and how that experience has fueled your eagerness to explore related questions through graduate study.

  • Suggest potential supervisors and/or specific areas of research: Depending on the structure of the application process, you may be applying to a department before securing a supervisor. It’s essential to research the department—learn who works there and what kinds of research are being conducted.

  • Be honest and modest: At the end of your undergraduate degree, you’re not expected to be a “subject matter expert” in a specific research topic—so don’t oversell yourself or overload your LOI with scientific jargon. Will you cure disease X? Maybe, maybe not. But you aspire to contribute meaningfully to new discoveries. Focus on your strengths and your excitement about pursuing research-based graduate studies.


Part 2: Curriculum Vitae (CV)


Your CV is a reverse chronological document that highlights your achievements and experiences. Always list the most current and relevant experiences first, then work backwards.


  • Formatting: This is crucial—use a consistent font type and size (e.g., Arial, Calibri, etc.), keeping it between 11–12 pt. Make sure there’s enough white space between sections; avoid overly condensing or cramming too much information in.

  • Length: At this stage in your career, aim for 2–4 pages. While a CV doesn’t have a strict page limit, be intentional about what you include. Focus on clarity, relevance, and impact.

 

Section Guidelines:

  • PERSONAL (top)

    • Name, email, phone number, LinkedIn

    • Email – university or professional gmail is standard (e.g., firstname.lastname@gmail.com

    • LinkedIn – make sure you edit the link name to just be your name (e.g., https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-mohabeer/ not https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-mohabeer0457353/)

    • Do not include your address, photo, or any personal details


  • EDUCATION (first section)

    • Include your major/minor/specializations

    • Year started – present (or simply Expected Year X)

    • Include your GPA (if competitive)

    • Do not include your high school diploma


  • AWARDS (second section)

    • Omit if this section if you don't have anything to include

    • Only include awards from grade 11 onwards

    • Include monetary value if significant e.g., $500+

    • Include any declined awards (e.g., entrance scholarship to a program you didn’t pursue) or nominations that were unsuccessful

      • Nominated for X

      • Entrance Scholarship to XYZ (Declined)


  • RESEARCH EXPERIENCE (third section)

    • This includes paid and volunteer experience, thesis course, relevant courses

    • Include position title (bolded), supervisor (if applicable), location, date range

    • Provide a brief description of the experience  

      • Formula: Action Verb + What you did + Why/Outcome/Metrics

      • Share 2-4 points per experience depending on length and complexity

      • Check out Bloom’s Taxonomy for an Action Verb Guide

      • List relevant technical skills as applicable

    • Include all similar course types (except the thesis) as one entry (e.g., lab courses, [topic X] specific courses i.e., those relevant to the type of research you want to conduct in grad school)

      • Include the course title names and not just the codes, with a single line summary of what you learned

      • Focus on 3rd and 4th year courses which are more specialized and field specific

      • Note: if the course is highly relevant and/or you did a major project etc., then have it as a separate entry

Research Experience Example:

Research Assistant, York University, Toronto ON, May 2011 – August 2014

Supervisor: Dr. Patricia Lakin-Thomas

  • Investigated how different fungal strains affected circadian rhythms by analyzing banding patterns in race tube experiments.

  • Technical skills: media preparations, DNA extraction, PCR, gel electrophoresis

 

  • PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS (fourth section)

    • Tailor the title of this section to what you have to include (i.e., if you do not have any publications, it should be omitted from this subheading)

    • Presentations – includes both oral and poster presentations

      • Format with author list, title, name of event, year, location

Presentation Example:

  • Mohabeer, A., and Smith, G. Exploring the relationship between X and Y. Toronto Higher Education Conference, 2025. Toronto, Canada.

 

  • PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (fifth section)

    • All other experiences: summer/part-time job, volunteering, co-curricular and extra-curricular

    • Follow the same format as the 'Research Experience' Section'

    • Note: These non-research roles can still demonstrate your professional skills such as time-management, organization, leadership, teamwork etc.

    • Focus on the purpose, outcomes and the why the experience is important

    • Formula: Action Verb + What you did + Why/Outcome/Metrics


Additional advice on CVs:

 

Part 3: Reference Letters


Reference letters are a standard part of the application package. Alongside your LOI and CV, these letters offer valuable insight into the kind of person and researcher you are—because they’re written by people who know you well. Most programs request 2–3 letters, with either all or the majority coming from academic references (i.e., professors).


When deciding who to approach, consider the following:


Academic Relevance:

  • Did you work with them in their research lab through a work-study or thesis course?

  • Did you complete a 3rd or 4th year course with them that involved a project or presentation?

Depth of Relationship:

  • Choose someone who knows you well enough to write a detailed and personalized letter.

  • The stronger your relationship with each writer, the more unique each letter will be.

    • For example, if you provide the same supporting documents to every professor, there’s a chance they’ll highlight the same things—making the letters feel repetitive. Instead, aim for some (but not total) overlap, so each letter brings a fresh perspective.

  • Avoid choosing someone just because they have a prestigious title—if they barely know you, the letter will likely feel generic.

    • This is especially true for professors who taught large lecture courses (100+ students). If you’re early in your academic journey, start building relationships through office hours, networking events, or other opportunities at your institution.

Availability and Willingness:


Part 4: Finalizing It All


Once you’ve got a solid working draft of your LOI and/or CV, it’s time to take the next step.


If you're looking for personalized guidance, I encourage you to book a Career Planning session with me. We’ll go through your documents together and make sure everything aligns with your goals.


Already landed an interview? Amazing. Let’s keep that momentum going—an Interview Prep session will help you feel confident, prepared, and ready to make a strong impression.


Whether you're polishing your application or gearing up for the next stage, I'm here to support you.

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