Student CV: Template and Examples for the UK Students

Listen:

Before you get down to writing your student CV, there’s something you need to know.

Your education doesn’t matter that much.

Employers care more about what you can deliver.

How to show it to them?

Well, you’re about to learn how to make a perfect student CV.

And it doesn’t matter if you want to write an undergraduate student CV or make a CV for an A-Level student.

We’ve got you covered.

This guide will show you:

• A student CV template that will land you an interview.
• How to write a student CV to show you can deliver.
• Great student CV examples to get you inspired.
• What should a CV for a student with no experience look like. 

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Looking for a specific student CV example? See the list:

• Engineering Student CV
• Graduate School Application CV
• High School CV
• High School Graduate CV
• Nursing Student CV
• University Graduate CV
• University Student CV

And here's a few of examples that can help you start on the job market:

• Computer Science CV
• Entry-Level CV
• Entry-Level IT CV
• Entry Level Mechanical Engineer CV
• Internship CV
• Law School CV
• Scholarship CV
• Teen CV

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our CV Examples for Over 200 Jobs.

Student CV Template

 Now you know how the perfect student CV look like.

Here's how to write one: 

1. Choose the Best Student CV Format

You might be wondering:

How to write a student CV that stands out?

Well—

Your CV format must shine. Make it relevant, navigable, and readable for humans and machines alike. Pick a visually appealing CV template, a free Google Docs CV template or a free MS Word CV Template.

Simple? Yes. Easy? Ummm.

Not to worry.

Start with this checklist for a CV format for students:

• Go for the reverse-chronological format—A good student CV starts with your latest school and goes back in time. The same applies to the other sections, such as summer internships, experience, etc.
• Simple and readable CV fonts—Anything between 10 and 12pt works fine. Write simple headings. Make good use of white space. A cluttered CV will put the recruiter off.
• Make it a one-page CV.
• Put a catchy CV objective at the top of your student CV.
• Create a separate CV skills section.

Consider additional CV sections to show off your certifications, interests or membership in student associations and organisations.

Expert Hint: Export your student CV to a PDF file. Its formatting will remain intact and ATSs (Applicant Tracking Systems) will be able to read it.

2. Start with a Student CV Objective That Turns Heads

Cut to the chase:

Your student CV has 7 seconds to impress the recruiter.

So—

Make the most of the little time you have and start it off with a powerful CV objective.

This foolproof formula will help you nail it every single time:

1. An adjective/strong trait
2. Your education
3. How you can help
4. What you have to offer
5. Your experience

And here’s how it looks in practise:

Student CV Personal Statement—Example

Mention the company you’re applying to by name. You don’t want your student CV objective to look generic.

And remember—

It simply has to be great. The opening statement sets the tone for the rest.

What about when you have no experience to put on your student CV?

No Experience Student CV Personal Statement—Template

Obviously—

You won’t be able to put a lot of professional experience in your student CV profile.

But don’t let this discourage you.

Leverage your passions.

There’s always something you’re great at.

Identify it, think how it can help you in the role you’re applying for, and boast about it in your student CV objective.

Expert Hint: Your student CV should start with the objective, but there’s nothing wrong with writing it at the very end. Once your entire student CV is ready, go through it, select the best parts, and arrange them in a snappy intro.

3. Write the Perfect Experience and Skills Sections on Your Student CV

Reality check:

A recent NACE study revealed that hiring managers pay the most attention to internships and employment on student CVs.

It means one thing:

Your student CV experience section must be anything but empty.

So—

If you’re serious about landing a job as a student, you need to show you’re not entirely green behind the ears.

Think of your:

• internships
• volunteering and campus/students organisations
• part-time and freelance jobs
• extracurricular activities

All this counts.

Take a look at the example below.

It’s all about a summer internship. But reads like a summary of Jeff Bezos’ early years.

Student CV Work Experience—Template

Expert Hint: Not sure about the best jobs for students? Go right here to look for inspiration.

Here’s a heads-up for you.

Your student CV won’t get you anywhere if you’ve never heard of ATSs (Applicant Tracking Systems). ATSs are commonly used in large companies to help recruiters separate the wheat from the chaff.

To cut a long story short. ATSs screen your student CV template for keywords. If they’re missing from yours—

Say bye-bye to the job interview.

This is what you have to do:

When describing your experience (or education, or skills) tailor your CV by using the phrasing and vocabulary from the job ad.

1. Re-read the job posting.
2. Identify the sought-after skills.
3. Write your undergraduate student CV using the language from the job ad.

In the student CV example above, the keywords are highlighted.

But it doesn’t end here.

Your key skills must be properly exposed.

According to the mentioned NACE study, the following skills are among the most valued in recent university graduates.

Skills for a CV for a Student—Example

• Problem-solving skills
• Ability to work in a team
• Communication skills (written)
• Leadership
• Strong work ethic
• Analytical/quantitative skills
• Communication skills (verbal)
• Initiative
• Detail-oriented
• Flexibility/adaptability
• Technical skills
• Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)

Mind you—

Even though these skills are the most desirable, they don’t have to be the best skills to put on a CV for a student.

So, what are the best skills to put on your CV?

Here’s the secret:

Make sure the skills on your student CV stay as close as possible to those listed in the job ad.

If the job ad refers to the ability to work in a team as collaboration go for the CV keywords used in the job ad.

Both the ATS and recruiters like it.

Expert Hint: Keep your list of skills for a student CV at bay. Put up to ten skills you feel confident about and leave out the others. This way you’ll avoid the so-called presenter’s paradox.

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your CV in our CV builder now.

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4. Turn Education Into Yet Another Reason to Hire You

It’s no secret—

Education CV section isn’t as important as experience on your student CV.

But it’s not unimportant either.

So—

If you’re serious about making the most of your student CV, don’t neglect this section.

Make sure you:

• Show off your grade (if there's something to show off).
• List relevant coursework.
• Add thesis title.
• Include your key achievements and extracurricular activities (publications, honours, awards.)

How to Write a CV for a Student—Education

On a good student CV, the education section has every right to be more detailed than on a seasoned pro’s CV.

After all, this is what you do on a daily basis.

The rule of thumb is to only list the latest school/degree. But if you’re an MA student, do list your bachelor’s as well. And don’t go back more than five years.

If you’re preparing a student CV your education section could look like this:

Sample CV for a Student—Education

Expert Hint: If the experience section of your student CV looks meagre, do a little trick. Swap the experience and education sections, so that education comes first on your university student CV.

5. Light Up Your Student CV With These Extra Sections

These little tweaks for your student CV can become a giant leap for your career.

Dazzle the hiring manager with a couple of strategically placed extras.

• List your interests on a CV. To reassure the recruiters you fit the company culture.
• Your knowledge of foreign languages will give you an edge. Especially when working in an international environment.
• Blend in your additional skills if they’re relevant to the position.

Student CV Template—Interests

• Independent music labels
• Graphic design

Student CV Example—Additional Skills

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe InDesign

CV Example UK Student—Languages

• French (Advanced)
• Spanish (Conversational)

Expert Hint: You can easily double the impact of your student CV by writing a student CV cover letter. Did you know? More than half of the recruiters expect a cover letter to be part of your job application, but less than half of the candidates write them.

Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.

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Want to try a different look? There’s 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

Key Points

Time for a quick recap. To write the perfect student CV:

• Select the best student CV template. A good student CV template (UK) will help you arrange all the sections in the most effective way.
• Make it look great. Fill up your student CV with relevant information. Make it one-page long. Choose an elegant student CV format. Put white space to good use, and avoid clutter.
• Tailor your student CV to the job offer. Your CV will be machine-read first. Do not allow poor phrasing to put you out of the game.
• Pay particular attention to the experience and education sections. These two sections of your student CV will be scrutinised by the recruiters. If you ace them, you’ll land the interview.
• Sprinkle your student CV with extras. They not only prove you’re well-rounded and serious. They show if you’re a cultural fit.

Do you have what it takes to win a scholarship? Write a scholarship cover letter that will make you stand out from the crowd. 

Questions on how to write a CV? Want to share advice on how to prepare different kinds of student CVs (undergraduate student CV or GCSE student CV)? We’d love to hear from you. Leave your comment below.