Build a CV for your PhD application
Sign in with ORCID and SigmaCV assembles a clean, citation-formatted CV from your open research record — ideal for PhD and doctoral-programme applications, ready to curate and export.
Applying for a PhD means convincing a committee of your research potential, and your CV is where that case is made. SigmaCV builds a clean, citation-formatted PhD-application CV from your open research record, so you start from your real work — publications, preprints, posters and projects — rather than a blank template.
Your work is matched to you by your ORCID iD, not your name, so nothing is misattributed, and you curate exactly what the committee sees. It is free and open source, and the same CV exports to PDF, Word, LaTeX or Markdown.
- Start from your real record — publications, preprints and posters pulled from ORCID and OpenAlex by identifier, never by name.
- Consistent citations in any CSL style, exported to PDF, DOCX, LaTeX or Markdown.
- Free for individuals and open source; you curate exactly what the committee sees.
How to build a PhD-application CV
- Sign in with your ORCID iD. SigmaCV reads only your public ORCID record — no manual entry of your work.
- Your record fills in. Publications, preprints and posters are pulled from ORCID and OpenAlex and formatted automatically; add anything missing by DOI.
- Curate for the programme. Lead with research experience, choose which items appear, and order them for the committee you are applying to.
- Style and export. Pick a citation style and template, then export to PDF, DOCX, LaTeX or Markdown.
Why build your PhD CV with SigmaCV
At the application stage your record is small and every item counts, so accuracy and clean formatting matter. SigmaCV pulls your work by identifier, formats citations consistently, and lets you present early outputs — a preprint, a poster, a conference talk — properly rather than awkwardly.
It is free for individuals and open source, reads only public metadata, and never invents anything: you curate exactly what the committee sees, and the same canonical CV exports to every format.
Do I need publications for a PhD-application CV?
No — research experience, projects and skills matter most at this stage. SigmaCV includes any publications, preprints or posters you do have, formatted consistently, and you can add work by DOI.
Is it free?
Yes. SigmaCV is free for individuals and open source under the Apache-2.0 licence, and reads only public research metadata.
How long should a PhD-application CV be?
Usually about 2–4 pages. Clear research experience and a few representative outputs beat padding.
What should I emphasise if I have few publications?
Lead with research experience — projects, methods, your role and outcomes — plus relevant skills, awards and presentations. That is what committees weigh most at this stage.
Can I add a paper that isn't on my ORCID yet?
Yes. You can add any work by its DOI and SigmaCV formats it to match the rest of your CV.