diff --git a/.github/pull_request_template.md b/.github/pull_request_template.md
index f6baf9bae..1276cb2c3 100644
--- a/.github/pull_request_template.md
+++ b/.github/pull_request_template.md
@@ -1,11 +1,21 @@
-# PR Standards
+## Description
 
-## Opening a pull request should be able to meet the following requirements:
+<!-- Add a description of the changes that this PR introduces and the files that
+are the most critical to review.
+-->
 
----
+----
+
+Closes #XXX
+
+**All** items are required. Please add a note to the item if the item is not applicable and
+please add links to any relevant follow-up issues.
 
-For Author:
+PR review checkboxes:
 
+I have...
+
+- [ ]  Added a relevant changelog entry to the `Unreleased` section in `CHANGELOG.md`
 - [ ]  Targeted PR against the correct branch
 - [ ]  included the correct [type prefix](https://github.com/commitizen/conventional-commit-types/blob/v3.0.0/index.json) in the PR title
 - [ ]  Linked to the GitHub issue with discussion and accepted design
@@ -19,13 +29,13 @@ For Author:
 
 For Reviewer:
 
-- [ ]  confirmed the correct [type prefix](https://github.com/commitizen/conventional-commit-types/blob/v3.0.0/index.json) in the PR title
+- [ ]  Confirmed the correct [type prefix](https://github.com/commitizen/conventional-commit-types/blob/v3.0.0/index.json) in the PR title
 - [ ]  Reviewers assigned
-- [ ]  confirmed all author checklist items have been addressed
+- [ ]  Confirmed all author checklist items have been addressed
 
----;
+---
 
 After reviewer approval:
 
-- [ ]  In case it targets the main branch, PR should be squashed and merged.
-- [ ]  In case the PR targets a release branch, PR should be rebased.
+- [ ]  In case the PR targets the main branch, PR should not be squash merge in order to keep meaningful git history.
+- [ ]  In case the PR targets a release branch, PR must be rebased.