Academic positions are jobs at educational institutions, primarily at universities and colleges, that involve teaching, research, and administrative duties. These differ by the level of responsibility and experience; for instance, the position of a professor requires several years of teaching experience, while the role of a postdoc is usually geared towards recent Ph.D. graduates and young researchers.
Besides providing a motivation letter and copies of your academic credentials, you would be asked to provide a list of references for most academic roles as part of your application. The individuals on your list could be your mentor, professors, supervisors, etc. A template can help you neatly organize the list of references and save time.
At WordLayouts, you will find a template specifically for compiling an academic reference list. At the top of the template, you can write your Name, Email, Address, and Phone number.
The template offers two layouts. A minimalist layout to present information in a compact format. The second layout is for a more detailed approach. Each layout features the following standard fields:
- Name: Write the full name, including academic title such as Dr, Prof., etc.
- Position: Write the current title of the referee, such as Assistant Professor, Head of Department, etc.
- Institution: Write the complete name of the university and the institution.
- Contact Information: In the contact information fields, add the postal address, phone number, and email address.
- Relationship: This is the most important part of the reference list, and you should explain your relationship briefly but clearly here. For example, you can write Project supervisor, PhD thesis supervisor, co-author of a manuscript, etc.
These preformatted fields will make it easy for you to add all details quickly. You can easily access this template in DOCX, Google Docs, or ODT formats and modify it according to your requirements. Moreover, you can adjust fonts, colors, and layouts to match your style or organizational guidelines. Any field that needs to be added or removed can be done with ease.
Once you have customized it and added your details, the template can be directly printed without requiring any further adjustments or shared online as a PDF.
For most job applications, the best approach is to provide at least 3–5 academic references. However, this may vary in various institutions, and some request only 2 references or only the most recent place that you have worked for.
As a matter of principle and good professional ethics, you should also ask permission from the people who you mention as references.
You may have worked at various places and positions during your career, but when selecting references, choose only those that are suitable for the position you are applying for. If you are applying for a teaching position, mention the department chair or your dean as a reference, as they can vouch for your capability as a teacher. If you are a recent graduate and applying for a PhD position, for instance, then you must include your thesis supervisor or mentor as one of the references so that they can highlight your research skills and your aptitude for the position.
This template is developed to organize references for any kind of academic role. Whether you are applying as a PhD candidate, as a principal investigator for a research project, or for a senior role at a university, you can present your references in a clear and professional manner.
Use this template to neatly organize your references and showcase the relevant contacts for the academic role!









