How to Write a Student CV + Template & Examples [2025]

A student's CV needs to feature their education, skills, and all relevant experience, even if minimal. It's crucial that the CV is concise and reader-friendly, highlighting the student's potential and versatile skills. Core sections should cover contact information, a personal summary, education, relevant experience (including jobs, volunteering, and projects), and technical or soft skills.

Not sure how to write a CV as a student? In this guide, you'll find CV examples for students with and without experience, an effective student CV template, and practical tips to help you highlight your strengths. Let me teach you how to make a CV that impresses employers!

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We created the sample on the right using our builder. See other good CV examples like this one.

I’ve prepared several CV examples for students that reflect how you can present yourself in a CV depending on your particular situation. Do not hesitate to take inspiration from these templates and customise them to your needs!

Sample CV for a student for a part-time job

Best for: If you're looking for a part-time job during uni, in retail, hospitality, or similar areas.

Format: Chronological CV

This CV helps you clearly lay out any past roles, even short-term ones, with an emphasis on reliability, customer service, and time management. It’s designed to demonstrate to employers that you’re flexible, responsible, and ready to start contributing immediately.

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Graduate student CV template

Best for: If you've just finished your degree and are applying for graduate programmes in business, tech, finance, or similar fields.

Format: Chronological CV with highlighted achievements

This student CV puts your education and any relevant work experience – including placements or university projects – front and centre. It’s designed to show employers that you’re already developing the key skills they’re looking for in graduate hires.

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CV example for a student with no experience

Best for: If you're applying for your first internship and don’t have formal work experience yet.

Format: Skills-based CV

This CV helps you focus on what you do have – your transferable skills. It highlights experiences from group projects, volunteering, or extracurriculars, so you can show an employer how you think, communicate, and solve problems. It’s ideal for internship roles where potential matters more than a job history.

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University student CV example

Best for: If you're planning to apply for a master’s degree and want to showcase your academic profile.

Format: Academic CV

Follow the structure of this student CV template to highlight academic achievements, research interests, and dissertation work in a professional, research-focused layout. It's built to support your postgraduate application by showing strong academic ability, clear motivation, and relevant experience.

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How to write a CV as a student

Now that you’ve seen various student CV examples, you’re probably wondering what your CV should look like exactly and what to put on a CV as a student. Here’s how to write a student CV in 7 easy steps:

1. Write a personal statement for your student CV

Start your student CV with a strong personal statement. This short paragraph—no more than 150 words—sits at the top of your CV, just below your contact details. It introduces you to the employer, shows what you bring to the table, and explains what you’re aiming for.

Even if you’re writing your first CV as a student with little experience, you can still make a great impression. Highlight your transferable skills from school projects, part-time jobs, volunteering, or hobbies. If you have any work experience, include a clear achievement to show your impact.

Tailor every personal statement to the job you're applying for. Use keywords from the job ad—for example, “teamwork skills” instead of “collaboration.” Mention the company name and job title to make your CV feel targeted.

Although the personal statement comes first on your student CV, it’s often easier to write it last, once the rest of your CV is complete (that's why it's often called a CV summary). 

CV examples for students with no experience: personal statement

A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder.

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2. Add work experience to your student CV (if you have it)

If you have relevant work experience, make it count. Even in a student CV, internships, part-time jobs, freelance work, and work placements demonstrate that you possess the skills needed by employers. Volunteering can also be valuable, so list it in a separate section, especially if you’re writing a CV with no work experience whatsoever.

Only include experience that relates to the job you’re applying for. Irrelevant roles or filler content can weaken your application.

When it comes to the correct student CV format, use the reverse-chronological approach—start with your most recent job and work backwards. For each role, list:

• Job title
• Employer and location
• Dates of employment
• Up to six bullet points outlining your achievements

Start each bullet point with an action verb like “performed,” “checked,” or “managed.” Focus on quantifiable achievements instead of job duties. Avoid weak phrases such as “responsible for” like the plague. Use the PAR (Problem-Action-Result) formula to phrase the bullet points. And, as always, keep your descriptions tailored to the job advertisement you’re responding to. Presenting your work experience section in a professional manner will help you showcase a strong work ethic, a trait that employers expect in graduates.

CV examples for students: job description

3. Turn education into an asset in your student CV template

The education section is an essential part of every student's CV, but its placement varies. Usually, it comes after the work experience section, but if you have no experience or your work experience section is underdeveloped, consider moving your education section directly under the personal statement.

There's usually no need to include grades or list all your GCSEs (except for Maths and English—some employers will be on the lookout for these as a minimum). If you’re a high school student, your education section will still be relatively brief, so list all your A-level subjects.

If you’re a university student, please include your expected graduation date, the name of your degree, and the name and location of your university. Of course, if you’ve already graduated, include either the starting and graduation dates or just the year of graduation.

Besides listing your degree, you can further improve the education section of your student CV by adding relevant coursework, memberships, and other extracurricular activities. They serve a similar role to work achievements in your work history section.

“Interns and students should focus on highlighting any academic achievements when crafting their first professional CV. This includes involvement in student societies, extracurricular activities, workshops, student government, scholarships, and notable grades. They should also list any additional courses they've completed and detail projects undertaken both during and outside their studies. These elements demonstrate initiative, skills, and a proactive approach to learning and development”.

4. Show transferable skills in your student CV

Even without formal work experience, you possess valuable skills that are worth showcasing in your student CV. Employers want to see how your skills align with their needs, so make this section count.

Here’s how to build a strong skills section in a student CV template:

1. Scan the job advert for key skills they’re seeking (e.g., customer service skills, IT skills, teamwork skills).
2. List 5–10 relevant skills, mixing hard and soft skills.
3. Back each skill with evidence from school, volunteering, part-time jobs, or personal projects.
4. Be specific—don’t just say “good at time management,” describe a time you juggled deadlines and delivered results.
5. Tailor your list for every job application—matching keywords helps you get past Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

But, a word of caution: don’t go overboard with skills, as they can bloat your student CV in an instant. A one-page CV is considered the ideal CV length. Try to aim for five well-described skills if you’re running low on space, or more, if you have a lot of blank space left on your student CV.

Other than hard skills, which are job-dependent, some of the most valuable and universal skills for a student's CV include:

• Verbal and written communication
• Time-management skills
• Teamwork
• Decision-making skills
• Leadership skills
• Adaptability
• Creativity
• Organisation
• Flexibility
• Problem-solving abilities
• Motivation
• Patience
• Critical thinking
• Persuasion
• Negotiation skills
• Multitasking
• Actve listening skills
• Quick learning

Now, have a look at how you should approach describing your chosen skills:

CV examples for students: skills section

🎁 BONUS: Download our free student CV skills checklist to compose your skills section even faster!

5. Enhance your student CV with additional sections

To make your student CV template stand out, include 1–3 additional sections that highlight relevant skills, achievements, or experience beyond education and work history.

Here are some innovative additions for your student CV template:

• Volunteer Work – It serves a similar role as the “work experience section.” If you have volunteering experience, really think about what relevant experience you have gained during the practice.
• Languages – List any additional languages you speak and your proficiency.
• Certifications – Include industry-relevant certificates (e.g., Google Analytics).
• Courses & Training – Show ongoing learning outside formal education.
• Awards & Honours – Demonstrates excellence and recognition.
• Hobbies & Interests – Only if they support your professional profile.
• Professional Memberships – Great for roles that value involvement in student or industry bodies.

Keep everything relevant to the job you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a role in SEO, a “professional fisher certificate” won’t be a helpful addition, but a “Google Analytics certificate” will be of great benefit. Remember: tailoring is key for writing a perfect CV—avoid unrelated achievements that don’t support your CV’s main goal.

CV examples for students with no experience: extra sections

6. Keep your student CV template clean with the proper formatting

As much as you want this CV to set you apart, you don’t want to depart from the standard CV format too much. Here’s why: recruiters are busy people who’ll only have as little as a few seconds to scan through your student CV the first time. 

To make the best student CV template, follow these rules:

• Stick to reverse-chronological order as recruiters are most familiar with it, and that's what makes a good CV. Go for a skills-based CV only if skills are what you want to highlight the most.
• Use standard section names and leave your contact details at the top to make it easy for whoever reads your CV to find what they're looking for. Including your address on a CV isn't necessary.
• Use a standard, professional-looking CV font such as Calibri or Arial for a clear student CV layout.
• Use 1.15 line spacing and double space after subheadings in your CV, making it clear and pleasing to the eye.
• Don’t make your CV too long. Student CVs, and CVs in general, should be one page long (you can eliminate unnecessary details such as your date of birth).
• Send your student's CV in PDF format unless asked to do otherwise (even if you use a Word CV template). PDFs will keep your CV structure intact.

If formatting isn’t your cup of tea, find the best CV templates online. Ideally, a basic CV template without fancy graphics is perfect if you're applying to a traditional company. Opt for a modern CV template if you aim to work in the creative industry.

One last piece of CV advice: If you don't hear from them for a week, write a follow-up e-mail. It’s a small gesture, but hiring managers expect it, as it shows your commitment.

7. Add a cover letter to your student CV

Writing cover letters might seem painful at first, but not including one is a fairly reliable way of having your student's CV rejected before it’s even read. Around half of employers still expect to receive a cover letter (although they might not mention it in the job ad).

Here’s how to write a strong cover letter to support your student CV:

1. Start your cover letter by hooking the recruiter with previous achievements and passion for the role.
2. Show how your skills and experience can help the company.
3. End your cover letter with a call to action and ask for an interview.

How long should a cover letter be? Not longer than one page. For higher readability, use a simple template without fancy infographics.

Above all, tailor your cover letter to the company in question as much as possible and format it like a standard business letter. Ensure it aligns with the design of your student CV template for consistency.

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

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Additional LiveCareer expert research for student CVs

Thinking about writing your student CV? It helps to know what the UK student job market looks like before you start. This data-driven infographic breaks down key insights – from the most popular first jobs and graduate salaries to the top skills employers want and how AI is shaping future careers.

Explore the trends, prepare smarter, and stand out.

Need different CV examples for students? Check out the recommendations below:

• Academic CV
• Apprenticeship CV
• CV for a Part-Time Job
• Early Years Practitioner
• Graduate CV
• Internship CV
• Law Student CV
• PhD CV
• School Leaver CV

Haven't found what you're looking for? See all our CV samples.

How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with LiveCareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.

Sources

• McDowell E. E., (1987), Perceptions of the Ideal Cover Letter and Ideal Resume
• Portland Community College, Samples of PAR formula statements
• Chartered Management Institute, The skills that employers want in the modern workplace
• The University of Edinburgh, Graduate Employers: Future Needs and Current Perceptions
• Moneypenny, (2021), The most popular first jobs in the UK
• Institute of Student Employers, (2025), What are average graduate salaries over a 3-year programme?
• Chartered Management Institute, (2021), Work Ready Graduates: Building employability skills for a hybrid world
• Handshake, (2025), Early talent career influences in the AI age