German CV format for a master's application: the tabular Lebenslauf, section by section
How to write the tabular CV German universities expect: what goes in, what to leave out, the photo question, and a layout that fits on two pages.
Short answer: German universities expect a tabular CV (tabellarischer Lebenslauf): reverse-chronological, one to two pages, dates in a left column, no paragraphs of prose, no career objective. A photo has been optional since 2006 and admissions committees do not care either way. Save it as a PDF named Lastname_Firstname_CV.pdf.
The CV is the document Pakistani applicants spend the least time on, and it shows. Admissions staff read hundreds; a five-page CV with a career objective and a bar chart of skills marks you as someone who has not looked at how Germans write these. It matters less than the letter of motivation, but it is read first.
What "tabular" means
Two columns. Dates on the left (MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY), the entry on the right: institution, place, what you did, one or two lines. Newest entry first within each section. No full sentences and no "I". The whole thing should be scannable in thirty seconds.
The sections, in order
- Personal details: name, address, email, phone, date and place of birth, nationality. Marital status and religion used to be standard on German CVs. Leave them out.
- Education: bachelor's first (university, degree title, major, dates, CGPA with its scale, for example "3.4 / 4.0", thesis title), then intermediate and matric with board and year. Add the German grade equivalent only if the program asked for it.
- Work experience, internships, research assistantships: employer, role, dates, two lines on what you actually did. Part-time and unpaid work count.
- Skills: software, lab methods, programming languages. Be specific ("Python, pandas, MATLAB"), not "MS Office".
- Languages with CEFR levels: English C1 (IELTS 7.0), German A2, Urdu native.
- Optional: publications, awards, volunteering. Skip the section if it would hold one weak line.
Close with place, date and a signature; a scanned signature is fine. It is an older German convention, still common and harmless.
The photo question
Since the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) of 2006, no German employer or university may require a photo. Many German applicants still add one; most international applicants do not. If you include one, use a plain professional headshot in the top right corner, not a passport photo on a white background. If in doubt, leave it out. Nobody has been rejected for a missing photo.
What to leave out
- A career objective or personal statement. That is what the letter of motivation is for.
- "References available on request." Filler.
- Hobbies, unless one is relevant to the program.
- Percentages or star ratings next to skills.
- A third page. If you are on it, something above is too long.
Dates, gaps and the sixteen-year question
German evaluators count years of education, so your dates need to add up to sixteen without gaps that look like mistakes, and they must match your transcripts and attested certificates to the month. If you took a year out, name it (family, work, exam preparation). Unexplained gaps get questions at the visa interview more than at admission.
Europass or your own layout?
Either. DAAD scholarship applications ask for the Europass format specifically, so if DAAD is on your list, write the Europass version first and export a simplified copy for universities. For university-only applications a clean two-column layout in Word or LaTeX looks better and is easier to keep to two pages.
Before you upload
- PDF, under 2 MB, named Lastname_Firstname_CV.pdf
- Dates identical to your transcripts and certificates
- CGPA shown with its scale
- Email and phone that match your application account
The CV is Step 4 of the 9-step application process. Write it once, properly, and reuse it for every program.
Frequently asked questions
Do German universities require a photo on the CV?
No. Under the AGG (2006) a photo cannot be required. It is a convention some German applicants keep. International applicants can safely leave it out; if you add one, use a professional headshot rather than a passport photo.
How long should a CV for a German master's application be?
One page for a fresh graduate, two at most if you have work experience or publications. German CVs are tabular, so a lot fits on a page without prose.
Should the CV be in German or English?
In the language of the program. For English-taught master's programs, English. Do not sprinkle German section headings into an English CV; it reads as decoration.
Is a Europass CV accepted by German universities?
Yes, everywhere, and DAAD requires it for scholarship applications. It is a little long and plain compared with a custom two-column layout, but no admissions office will hold that against you.