CV Examples for Students

If you’re a student with limited experience, writing a CV might seem overwhelming. But trust us, the assignment gets much easier once you know what you’re working with.

On this page, you’ll find student-focused CV examples, templates, and CV section guides — everything you need to demystify the writing process and create an impressive CV that shows employers you deserve that invitation to interview.

Standard student CV example

Let’s start with the basics — this general-purpose student CV contains all the essential information employers look for, including relevant experience, skills, and academic qualifications.

There are a few features that make this CV example really shine:

• Easy-to-follow structure: The sections are ordered in terms of relevance to the job, with the education section appearing high up on the page because the applicant’s relevant degree
• Strong opening summary: A short, focused introduction outlines the applicant’s goals and career direction, highlighting their enthusiasm for the job
• Concise bullet points: Each role or experience is described using brief, active bullet points that highlight responsibilities and achievements

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Tailored student CV examples

The most effective way to make your student CV stand out to employers is to adapt your CV’s format and contents to your target role. When you do, it’s important to consider what kind of job you’re applying for (e.g., a full-time graduate role or part-time student job) and how relevant your education is to the position.

Check out the examples below to see how student CVs can be adapted for different situations.

Student CVs by field of study

If you’re applying for an internship or a graduate scheme, it’s worth considering what employers expect from students in your field. These examples show how to present your academic achievements, career interests, and technical skills so that stand out to graduate recruiters.

Student CVs for part-time jobs

If you’re applying for a part-time job to support yourself while you finish your degree, your CV should emphasise your availability, soft skills, and any relevant experience you already have.

Free student CV templates by format

Using the right CV format for your specific situation can make a world of difference to the strength of your application. The templates below are suitable for students in any field, but you should know when each layout style is most effective:

• Chronological CVs are best for students with previous relevant experience because they emphasise your job history
• Education-focused CVs suit recent graduates and internship applicants by providing extra space for academic achievements, honours, and awards
• Skills-focused CVs are perfect for highlighting transferable skills over career progression (making them a great choice for students with zero experience)

What to include in each section of your student CV

An understanding of the finer details of your CV will give you a competitive edge over other applicants.

Personal statement

Your personal statement should give employers a quick overview of your CV. At this early stage of your career, the purpose is to show that you have the right interests and training for the role.

A good student personal statement should be 50–75 words and contain three elements:

1. Brief introduction: Your chosen professional title and area of specialisation
2. Key trait: A skill or achievement that makes you stand out for this specific role
3. Motivation statement: A clear career goal or reason for applying to the company

Example personal statement for an internship

First-year business student with strong analytical and communication skills, seeking an internship in a fast-paced finance environment. Eager to build hands-on experience and contribute to a team while continuing to learn.

Example personal statement for a part-time student job

Hard-working and reliable student with part-time retail experience and excellent customer service skills. Looking for a weekend role to build on this experience while completing my degree.

Example personal statement for a graduate scheme

Recent history graduate with strong research and writing skills, looking to start a career in publishing. Proven ability to manage deadlines and collaborate with others through academic projects and volunteer work.

Relevant experience

This is the ‘work experience’ section you’ll see on most CV templates. Tweaking the name to ‘relevant experience’ allows you to include a broader range of experiences — which is important when you’re writing a CV for your first job.

As a student, the best approach to listing experience on your CV is to include any paid or unpaid jobs that relate to the target role — or require relevant skills or interests. Don’t worry about having ‘enough’ to write for this section. What employers want to see at this experience level is enthusiasm, an understanding of the job requirements, and a strong work ethic.

Under each job entry, use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements. Use these tricks to make them really pop:

• Start each bullet point with a verb rather than the first-person ‘I’ to make your bullets easier to speed-read
• Summarise what your role was in the first bullet point (job titles can be vague on their own)
• Focus on achievements that demonstrate relevant skills – focus on the transferable skills if you don’t have direct experience

Example of transferable skills on a student CV

Barista
Coffee & Co., Manchester
Sept 20XX – May 20XX

• Delivered friendly service to customers in a fast-paced environment
• Handled cash and card payments with accuracy
• Built strong communication and problem-solving skills through daily customer interactions

Example of relevant experience on a student CV

Relevant experience (e.g., part-time work related to their field):

Marketing Intern
Bright Sparks Digital, London
June 20XX – Aug 20XX

• Assisted with writing content for client social media accounts
• Researched competitor trends to inform campaign strategies
• Helped track engagement metrics and reported weekly performance

Education

This is the simplest way to write your education section:

University of the West of England, Bristol (expected graduation: May 20XX)
BSc (Hons) Business Management

Use this approach if you’re applying for a job that doesn’t relate to your degree (e.g., you’re a drama school student applying for bar work).

Your education section should be more detailed if your target job is related to your degree — especially if you’re applying for an internship or graduate program.

Academic achievements like the ones below highlight your expertise in your field and key professional traits, such as leadership skills and critical thinking.

• Relevant modules
• Dissertation titles
• Student societies
• Awards and honours

If you have already graduated, you can also include your degree classification — especially if you received first-class or upper-second-class honours.

University of the West of England, Bristol (20XX–20XX)
BSc (Hons) Business Management, first-class honours (1)

• Dissertation: The Impact of Digital Transformation on SME Growth Strategies in the UK
• Winner, UWE Bristol Business and Management Prize (20XX)

Skills

Your skills section is a short list of the strengths you don’t want the employer to miss. These could be technical skills that are required for the job or transferable skills that set you apart from other candidates.

Keep your skills list 5–10 bullets long to keep your skills section relevant and impactful. Focus on matching any certifications or job-specific skills that are listed in the job posting. These could be skills that you used in previous jobs, learned in college or university, or self-studied.

To give you an idea of what this should look like, here’s how you would write a skills section for a part-time sales role at Zara:

Key Skills

• Visual merchandising
• Operating tills
• Inventory management
• Spanish (CEFR B2)

Make sure that you mention any skills from the job posting as they appear in the job posting. This approach is an important part of optimising your CV for ATS systems — the AI tools that employers use to process large volumes of job applications.

Additional sections

Not everything that makes you a strong candidate fits neatly under one of the main CV sections.

These sections typically go at the bottom of your CV and are worth adding to highlight non-essential skills or achievements that make you stand out.

Some useful additional sections for students include:

• Foreign languages – Especially useful if you’re applying for international companies or customer-facing roles
• Extracurricular projects – Like student society involvement, personal websites, or creative work
• Certifications, awards, or volunteering – Anything that adds to your profile and shows commitment or initiative
• Projects – Great for software development and design roles

Frequently asked questions about student CVs

Here are some common questions students have when writing their CVs for the first time.

What do I do if I have no experience at all?

Don’t stress if you’re writing a CV with no experience. The key to success is to focus on your skills and enthusiasm for the role. There are two approaches you can take at your experience level.

1. Use a skills-based CV – Organise your CV around a detailed key skills section. Choose 3–4 core skills as subheadings, then bullet list relevant achievements under each heading. These could be certifications, awards, or small wins in personal projects or volunteer roles.
2. Write a strong cover letter – Writing a cover letter allows you to explain the advantages of hiring you in your own words, which can be a game changer if you’re worried your CV doesn’t do you justice. Focus on explaining how your skills and interests are a natural fit for the vacancy.

If you’re not a confident writer, using a cover letter builder can help you speed up the process.

How do I show I’m willing to learn on my CV?

Put a strong career goal in your personal statement.

Choose a goal that reflects your interests and aligns with the role or company. For example, you could highlight a professional certification that the company offers or a specific value or niche in which you share an interest. Be specific to make your career goal authentic and avoid vague references to the employer’s mission statement.

Should I put my A Levels and GCSEs on my CV?

Your CV should always include your highest level of formal education.

If you’re an undergraduate student, your A Levels, BTEC qualifications, or T Levels should be on your CV. Including your GSCEs is optional. If you do, write them as a summary (e.g. ‘9 GCSEs including Maths and English’).

More student CV examples and guides

Get inspired by looking at some more CV examples and templates. Here are some additional student-specific CVs: