Choose from a wide range of NEWCV resume templates and customize your NEWCV design with a single click.
Use ATS-optimised Resume and resume templates that pass applicant tracking systems. Our Resume builder helps recruiters read, scan, and shortlist your Resume faster.
Use professional field-tested resume templates that follow the exact Resume rules employers look for.
Create Resume
Use professional field-tested resume templates that follow the exact Resume rules employers look for.
Create ResumeA strong student CV should show three things quickly: what you are studying, what skills you can bring, and why an employer should trust you with the opportunity. In the UK job market, most student CVs fail because they either look empty or they try too hard to sound “professional” without saying anything useful. You do not need years of experience to write a good CV. You need clear positioning, relevant evidence, and a layout that helps recruiters and hiring managers understand your potential fast. This student CV template is designed for school pupils, college students, sixth form students, university students, graduates, and students applying for part-time jobs, internships, placements, apprenticeships, volunteering roles, or entry-level work.
Your Name
Phone Number
Email Address
Town or City, UK
LinkedIn Profile or Portfolio, if relevant
Personal Profile
Motivated and reliable student currently studying [subject or course] with strong skills in [skill one], [skill two], and [skill three]. I am looking for a [part-time role, internship, placement, apprenticeship, volunteering opportunity, or entry-level role] where I can develop practical experience, contribute positively to a team, and build my knowledge of [industry, role type, or workplace area]. I bring a strong work ethic, good communication skills, and a willingness to learn quickly.
Key Skills
Communication and teamwork
Customer service or people-facing skills
Organisation and time management
Problem solving
The best student CVs do not pretend the candidate has more experience than they do. They make the experience they do have easier to understand.
That is the bit many students miss. They think a CV is only strong if it contains paid work experience, impressive job titles, or corporate language. In reality, when I screen student CVs, I am usually looking for evidence of reliability, communication, attitude, effort, learning ability, and basic workplace judgement. For student roles, employers are often not expecting a fully polished professional. They are trying to work out whether you can be trusted to turn up, learn quickly, behave sensibly, and contribute without needing constant supervision.
A good student CV helps the reader answer these questions quickly:
What is this student currently studying?
What kind of opportunity are they looking for?
Have they done anything that shows responsibility, effort, or initiative?
Can they communicate clearly?
Do they understand the role they are applying for?
IT skills, including Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, or relevant software
Research, writing, or analytical skills
Reliability and punctuality
Adaptability and willingness to learn
Education
[Name of School, College, Sixth Form, or University], [Location]
[Qualification or Course Name], [Dates]
Subjects or modules: [relevant subjects, modules, or areas of study]
Relevant achievements:
Achieved or predicted grades in [subjects]
Completed coursework or projects in [relevant topic]
Developed skills in [research, presentation, teamwork, analysis, writing, technology, customer service, or leadership]
Work Experience
[Job Title], [Company or Organisation], [Location]
[Dates]
Supported [team, customers, classmates, staff, or project] by [specific task]
Developed [skill] through [activity or responsibility]
Managed [task, workload, customer query, stock, admin, event, project, or deadline]
Communicated with [customers, colleagues, teachers, students, or members of the public] in a professional and helpful way
Learned to work accurately, reliably, and calmly in a busy environment
Volunteering, Projects, or Extracurricular Activities
[Role or Activity], [Organisation, School, College, University, or Club]
[Dates]
Took responsibility for [task, event, project, group activity, fundraising, research, sports team, society, or campaign]
Built skills in [leadership, teamwork, communication, planning, organisation, creativity, or problem solving]
Contributed to [result, event, outcome, improvement, completed project, or group goal]
Additional Skills
Languages: [language and level]
Technology: [software, tools, platforms, coding languages, design tools, or systems]
Certifications: [First Aid, food hygiene, safeguarding, online course, or other relevant certificate]
Driving licence: [if relevant]
Interests
Include interests only when they add value, show commitment, or connect to the role. For example: sport, debating, coding, writing, volunteering, content creation, finance society, student ambassador work, public speaking, creative projects, or community involvement.
References
References available on request.
Are they likely to be reliable in a real workplace?
That last question matters more than most candidates realise. In UK student hiring, especially for part-time jobs, retail, hospitality, internships, apprenticeships, and entry-level roles, reliability can be the deciding factor. A beautifully written CV that gives no evidence of dependability is weaker than a simple CV that clearly shows the student has handled deadlines, teamwork, customers, volunteering, coursework, or responsibilities at home, school, college, or university.
A student CV should normally include your contact details, personal profile, key skills, education, work experience, volunteering, projects, extracurricular activities, additional skills, interests, and references. You do not need every section if it is not relevant, but you do need enough evidence to show that you are employable.
The mistake I see constantly is students treating the CV like a school form. They list education, add a few vague skills, and hope the employer fills in the gaps. Employers do not fill in gaps. They skim. They compare. They move on. Your job is to make the useful information obvious.
Your contact details should be simple and professional. Include your name, phone number, email address, and location. You do not need your full home address on a UK CV. Your town or city is usually enough.
Use a sensible email address. This sounds basic, but I still see student CVs with emails that look like they were created during a chaotic Year 8 lunch break. Keep it clean. Your name is enough.
Good Example
Amira Khan
Manchester, UK
07123 456789
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amirakhan
Weak Example
Amira Khan
Full home address
Random nickname email
No phone number
No location
The issue with the weak version is not just formatting. It makes the recruiter work harder. And when a recruiter is reviewing many applications, anything that creates friction becomes a disadvantage.
Your personal profile should be short, specific, and relevant. It should not be a dramatic paragraph about your passion for success, your lifelong ambition, or your ability to work independently and in a team. Nearly every student writes that. It means very little unless you connect it to evidence.
For a student CV, your profile should answer:
What are you studying?
What type of role are you looking for?
What skills or strengths are relevant?
What kind of value can you bring?
Good Example
Motivated A Level student studying Business, Psychology, and English, looking for a part-time retail role where I can develop customer service experience. I am confident speaking with people, organised with deadlines, and used to balancing study with extracurricular responsibilities. I bring a reliable attitude, strong communication skills, and a willingness to learn quickly in a busy team environment.
Weak Example
I am a hardworking and passionate student who works well independently and as part of a team. I am looking for an opportunity to grow and develop my skills in a professional company.
The weak example is not terrible because it is badly written. It is weak because it could belong to anyone. A recruiter learns almost nothing from it. The good example gives context, direction, and usable evidence.
Your skills section should be tailored to the role. Do not copy a random list of “communication, teamwork, leadership, problem solving” unless those skills are genuinely supported elsewhere in your CV.
For student CVs, the best skills are usually practical and role relevant:
Customer service
Teamwork
Communication
Organisation
Time management
IT skills
Research
Writing
Data handling
Problem solving
Here is the recruiter reality: skills without evidence are claims. Skills connected to education, volunteering, part-time work, societies, sport, projects, or coursework become more believable.
Good Example
Customer service: supported customers during a weekend volunteering role at a charity shop
Organisation: balanced A Level study with part-time work and sports training
Communication: delivered presentations as part of Business Studies coursework
IT skills: confident using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Google Workspace
Weak Example
Hardworking
Friendly
Motivated
Team player
Good communication
The weak version is too vague. It may be true, but it does not help the employer picture you in the role.
For students, education is usually one of the strongest sections of the CV, so place it near the top unless you have very relevant work experience.
Include the name of your school, college, sixth form, university, or training provider, your qualification, dates, subjects, grades if they help you, and relevant modules or projects.
Harris Academy, London
GCSEs, 2022 to 2024
Subjects include English Language, English Literature, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Business Studies, and History.
Predicted grades include English Language 7, Maths 6, and Business Studies 8.
Birmingham Sixth Form College, Birmingham
A Levels in Business, Psychology, and English Literature, 2024 to 2026
Relevant work includes market research projects, essay writing, presentations, group assignments, and independent study.
University of Leeds, Leeds
BA Marketing and Management, 2023 to 2026
Relevant modules include Consumer Behaviour, Digital Marketing, Business Strategy, Market Research, and Brand Management.
Relevant project: Completed a group marketing campaign project involving competitor research, audience analysis, presentation delivery, and campaign planning.
Do not hide your education behind vague wording. If your course is relevant, make it easy to see. If your grades are strong, include them. If they are average, you can focus more on modules, projects, coursework, responsibilities, and transferable skills.
And please do not write “attended school” as though the reader should guess what happened there. Explain what is useful.
If you have no paid work experience, use education, volunteering, school responsibilities, university projects, extracurricular activities, societies, sports, caring responsibilities, informal work, personal projects, and online learning as evidence.
No work experience does not mean no experience. It means you need to translate your experience properly.
Employers hiring students know that many applicants are at the beginning of their working life. What they are looking for is potential. But potential has to be visible. You cannot just say “I am willing to learn” and expect that to carry the CV. Show where you have already learned, contributed, organised, helped, led, researched, built, supported, or completed something.
School or university projects
Group presentations
Coursework with research or analysis
Volunteering
Charity work
Sports teams
Student societies
Student ambassador roles
Peer mentoring
Tutoring
Babysitting
Caring responsibilities
Helping in a family business
Content creation
Coding projects
Portfolio work
Duke of Edinburgh Award
National Citizen Service
Fundraising
Event support
Community work
Online courses
Competitions
Creative projects
The key is not to list these randomly. You need to explain what they show.
Good Example
Student Ambassador, University Open Day, Manchester
Welcomed prospective students and families during a busy open day
Answered questions about student life, courses, facilities, and the local area
Supported event staff by directing visitors and helping sessions run on time
Built confidence communicating with different people in a professional setting
That is far stronger than writing “I helped at an open day.” It gives the employer context and shows transferable skills.
Even small jobs can be valuable if written properly. A weekend job, babysitting role, café shift, charity shop role, tutoring responsibility, or summer job can tell an employer a lot about how you behave in real situations.
The trick is to avoid turning work experience into a task dump. Do not just describe what the job was. Explain what you did, who you supported, what skills you used, and what the employer can trust you to do again.
Retail Assistant, Local Fashion Store, Bristol
June 2025 to Present
Serve customers on the shop floor by answering questions, checking stock, and helping with product choices
Support till operations during busy weekend shifts, handling payments accurately and professionally
Replenish stock, organise displays, and keep the shop floor tidy and presentable
Work with team members to manage customer queues and maintain a positive shopping experience
Developed confidence communicating with customers and staying calm during busy periods
Café Assistant, Independent Café, Cardiff
April 2025 to Present
Take customer orders, prepare drinks, clear tables, and support the team during busy shifts
Handle customer queries politely and escalate issues when needed
Maintain cleanliness and follow basic food hygiene standards
Work quickly and accurately while balancing several tasks at once
Built strong time management skills through weekend work alongside college study
Maths Tutor, Self Employed, London
September 2024 to Present
Support younger students with GCSE Maths topics including algebra, fractions, and exam practice
Prepare simple lesson plans based on each student’s confidence level and schoolwork
Explain difficult topics clearly and adapt communication style when students need extra support
Track progress and provide feedback to parents after sessions
Developed patience, planning skills, and confidence explaining complex information clearly
Volunteer, Charity Shop, Nottingham
January 2025 to June 2025
Sorted donations, priced items, organised displays, and supported customers on the shop floor
Helped maintain a tidy and welcoming store environment
Worked with volunteers from different age groups and backgrounds
Built customer service, teamwork, and reliability through regular weekly volunteering
Recruiters and hiring managers do not read student CVs like academic essays. They scan them for signals.
Those signals are not always obvious to students because most hiring advice focuses on formatting and “standing out.” Standing out is useful only if you stand out for the right reasons. Purple fonts, huge profile paragraphs, and five pages of life story are not competitive advantages. They are usually mild admin crimes.
The strongest student CVs send the right signals quickly.
The employer wants to know what kind of role you are aiming for. A student applying for retail, finance internships, apprenticeships, software placements, or hospitality roles should not use exactly the same profile.
You do not need to have your entire career mapped out. But you should show that your CV has been written for this opportunity, not sent everywhere with the same hopeful energy.
Responsibility can come from many places: work, volunteering, school leadership, society roles, sports teams, caring responsibilities, or projects. Employers care because responsibility predicts workplace behaviour.
A student who has handled deadlines, customers, events, younger pupils, cash, stock, group projects, or regular commitments is easier to trust than someone who only says they are responsible.
Most student roles require communication. That may mean speaking to customers, emailing colleagues, presenting ideas, explaining information, listening carefully, or working in a team.
Your CV itself is also evidence of communication. If it is messy, vague, or full of errors, the employer notices. Fair? Not always. Real? Yes.
For internships, placements, apprenticeships, and entry-level roles, employers know they will need to train you. They want signs that you can absorb information, ask sensible questions, and improve.
Use examples from coursework, projects, volunteering, part-time work, or extracurricular activities to show that you can learn and apply feedback.
This is especially important for part-time student jobs. Employers have seen candidates who interview well and then disappear, cancel shifts, ignore messages, or treat work like an optional side quest. Your CV can reduce that concern by showing consistent commitments, punctuality, regular volunteering, balanced study and work, or long-term involvement in activities.
A student CV should not be rewritten from scratch every time, but it should be adjusted for the role. Tailoring is not about sprinkling keywords everywhere like CV confetti. It is about making the most relevant evidence more visible.
Focus on reliability, availability, customer service, communication, teamwork, and confidence in busy environments.
Mention experience that shows you can:
Turn up consistently
Speak to customers politely
Work under pressure
Follow instructions
Handle routine tasks accurately
Support a team
Balance work with study
Focus on education, relevant modules, projects, research, analytical skills, technical skills, and motivation for the industry.
Mention experience that shows you can:
Research information properly
Analyse data or ideas
Work on projects
Communicate professionally
Use relevant tools
Learn quickly
Understand the company or sector
Focus on willingness to learn, practical ability, commitment, reliability, and interest in the field.
Mention experience that shows you can:
Follow instructions
Build practical skills
Commit to training
Work with others
Handle feedback
Show genuine interest in the trade, profession, or sector
Focus on academic relevance, transferable skills, projects, commercial awareness, software, teamwork, and any work experience.
Mention experience that shows you can:
Apply your course knowledge
Work in a professional environment
Manage deadlines
Contribute to projects
Communicate with stakeholders
Understand basic workplace expectations
Focus on degree relevance, internships, placements, projects, work experience, achievements, and evidence of professional maturity.
Mention experience that shows you can:
Think critically
Work independently
Collaborate across teams
Solve problems
Manage competing deadlines
Understand the industry
Take ownership of tasks
Your personal profile should match the opportunity. Below are examples you can adapt, but do not copy them blindly. A copied profile always sounds copied. Recruiters can smell template language from a depressing distance.
Reliable and friendly sixth form student studying Business, English, and Psychology, looking for a part-time retail role in the UK. I have strong communication skills, enjoy helping people, and can stay organised during busy periods. Through school projects and volunteering, I have developed confidence working with others, managing responsibilities, and learning new tasks quickly.
Marketing undergraduate at the University of Leeds with strong interests in consumer behaviour, digital campaigns, and brand strategy. I am looking for a summer internship where I can apply my academic knowledge, research skills, and creativity in a practical business environment. I bring experience from group projects, presentations, customer-facing work, and independent research.
Practical and motivated college student studying Engineering, looking for an apprenticeship where I can develop technical skills and gain hands-on industry experience. I am reliable, focused, and comfortable following detailed instructions. My coursework and workshop projects have helped me build problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and a strong interest in mechanical systems.
Organised and motivated student currently studying GCSEs, looking for a first part-time role where I can build workplace experience and contribute positively to a team. I have developed communication, teamwork, and time management skills through school projects, sports activities, and volunteering. I am reliable, willing to learn, and confident taking on new responsibilities.
A student CV does not need to be perfect, but certain mistakes make employers question the application before the student even gets a chance to interview.
Many students write long paragraphs about being passionate, motivated, enthusiastic, hardworking, and dedicated. These words are not wrong, but they are weak without evidence.
Employers do not hire adjectives. They hire evidence.
Instead of saying you are hardworking, show that you balanced study with a part-time job. Instead of saying you are a team player, show that you contributed to a group project, sports team, volunteering event, or society committee.
This is one of the biggest student CV mistakes. Students often think unpaid experience does not count. It does.
Volunteering, family business support, school responsibilities, sports leadership, tutoring, caring responsibilities, and personal projects can all be useful if they show relevant skills.
The employer does not only care whether someone paid you. They care what you learned, handled, contributed, and proved.
Some CV templates look beautiful and perform badly. Two columns, icons, charts, skill bars, and heavy design can make the CV harder to read, especially when applicant tracking systems are involved.
In the UK, most student CVs should be clean, simple, and easy to scan. Design should support the content, not distract from it.
Most student CVs should be one page. A two-page CV can work for university students, placement applicants, graduates, or candidates with several relevant roles, but do not stretch it for the sake of looking impressive.
A long student CV with thin content feels padded. Recruiters notice padding immediately. It has a very particular smell.
A generic CV tells the employer you want a job. A tailored CV tells the employer you want this type of job.
Tailoring does not mean rewriting your personality. It means adjusting your profile, key skills, and examples so the most relevant information appears first.
Spelling mistakes, inconsistent dates, missing phone numbers, and confusing formatting all create doubt. Nobody expects a student CV to look like a senior executive CV, but basic care matters.
A CV is also a sample of your attention to detail. That may sound harsh for a part-time job, but employers use whatever evidence they have.
The best student CV format is simple, reverse chronological, ATS-friendly, and easy for a human recruiter to scan. Use clear headings, consistent spacing, readable fonts, and standard section names.
A good UK student CV format usually looks like this:
Contact details
Personal profile
Key skills
Education
Work experience
Volunteering, projects, or extracurricular activities
Additional skills
Interests, if useful
References
Use a Word document or PDF unless the employer asks for a specific format. For online applications, a Word document is often safe because many applicant tracking systems can read it cleanly. PDFs usually preserve formatting well, but some older systems can be awkward with them. When in doubt, follow the application instructions. That sounds obvious, but you would be amazed how many candidates lose points by not doing the one thing the advert clearly asked for.
Keep the CV to one page if you are at school or college
Use two pages only if you genuinely have enough relevant content
Use a clear font such as Calibri, Arial, Aptos, or Times New Roman
Use font size 10.5 to 12 for body text
Use clear section headings
Avoid photos unless specifically requested
Avoid icons, graphics, skill bars, and complicated tables
Use consistent dates
Save the file with a professional name, such as
Your Name
Phone Number
Email Address
Town or City, UK
Personal Profile
Reliable and motivated student currently studying [subjects or course], looking for a [part-time role, apprenticeship, internship, volunteering role, or first job]. I have developed communication, teamwork, and organisation skills through [school projects, coursework, volunteering, sports, societies, or responsibilities]. I am keen to build practical experience, learn quickly, and contribute positively in a workplace environment.
Key Skills
Communication skills developed through presentations, group work, and school activities
Organisation and time management from managing coursework, revision, and deadlines
Teamwork from group projects, sports, societies, volunteering, or extracurricular activities
IT skills using Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, or relevant software
Reliability shown through regular attendance, commitments, or responsibilities
Problem solving developed through coursework, projects, or practical tasks
Education
[School, College, Sixth Form, or University], [Location]
[Qualification or Course], [Dates]
Subjects: [subjects or modules]
Relevant coursework or projects: [brief details]
Projects or Activities
[Project, Activity, Society, Sport, or Responsibility], [Organisation]
[Dates]
Worked with others to complete [project, event, assignment, activity, or goal]
Took responsibility for [task, planning, research, communication, support, or organisation]
Developed [relevant skills] through [specific activity]
Volunteering or Informal Experience
[Role], [Organisation or Context]
[Dates]
Supported [people, team, event, family business, community group, or organisation]
Helped with [specific tasks]
Built skills in [communication, reliability, organisation, confidence, or teamwork]
Additional Skills
Software: [tools]
Languages: [languages]
Certificates: [certificates]
References
References available on request.
Amira Khan
Manchester, UK
07123 456789
linkedin.com/in/amirakhan
Personal Profile
Motivated A Level student studying Business, Psychology, and English Literature, looking for a part-time retail or customer service role in Manchester. I have strong communication skills, enjoy helping people, and can stay organised while balancing study, volunteering, and extracurricular activities. I am reliable, confident speaking with customers, and keen to develop practical workplace experience in a busy team environment.
Key Skills
Customer service and communication developed through charity shop volunteering
Organisation and time management from balancing A Level study with weekly commitments
Teamwork through group coursework, netball, and volunteering activities
Confident using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Google Workspace
Reliable, punctual, and comfortable following instructions in busy environments
Strong written communication from essay-based subjects and presentation work
Education
Manchester Sixth Form College, Manchester
A Levels in Business, Psychology, and English Literature, 2024 to 2026
Predicted grades: Business A, Psychology B, English Literature B
Relevant work includes business case studies, consumer behaviour research, essay writing, presentations, and group projects.
Work Experience
Volunteer Retail Assistant, Local Charity Shop, Manchester
March 2025 to Present
Welcome customers, answer basic questions, and support a positive shop experience
Sort donated items, organise displays, and help keep the shop floor tidy
Support till staff during busy periods by preparing bags and assisting with customer flow
Work with volunteers from different backgrounds and age groups
Developed confidence in customer service, teamwork, and staying organised during regular shifts
Projects and Extracurricular Activities
Business Studies Group Project, Manchester Sixth Form College
January 2025 to March 2025
Researched a UK retail brand and analysed its target audience, competitors, and marketing approach
Worked with three classmates to prepare slides and deliver a group presentation
Took responsibility for competitor research and summarising findings clearly
Built confidence presenting information and responding to questions
Netball Team Member, Manchester Sixth Form College
2024 to Present
Attend weekly training and represent the college in local fixtures
Work closely with teammates to improve performance and communication
Developed discipline, commitment, and resilience through regular training
Additional Skills
IT: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Google Docs, Google Slides
Languages: English fluent, Urdu conversational
Certificates: Online customer service course completed in 2025
Interests
I enjoy netball, reading about consumer behaviour, volunteering, and learning about retail brands and customer experience.
References
References available on request.
Before sending your CV, read it like an employer who does not know you. That is uncomfortable, but useful. Ask yourself what the employer can actually prove from the page.
Can they see your education clearly? Can they understand what role you want? Can they find evidence of skills? Can they see responsibility? Can they contact you easily? Can they skim the CV in less than 30 seconds and still understand your value?
That is the real test.
A student CV is not about sounding older than you are. It is about showing that you are ready for the next step. Employers do not expect you to have a decade of experience. They do expect you to present yourself clearly, take the application seriously, and show why you are worth interviewing.
Is your CV focused on the role you are applying for?
Is your personal profile specific rather than generic?
Have you included your education clearly?
Have you added work experience, volunteering, projects, or activities?
Does every bullet show a skill, action, responsibility, or result?
Have you removed vague phrases that could apply to anyone?
Is the formatting simple and easy to read?
Is the CV likely to work for UK employers and applicant tracking systems?
Have you checked spelling, grammar, dates, and contact details?
Is the file name professional?
Written by Simar Malhi, a recruiter and headhunter with international recruitment experience. I write about CVs, job applications, hiring decisions, and the reality behind recruitment processes. My goal is to help candidates understand more honestly how employers, recruiters, and hiring managers actually select candidates.
Attention to detail
Cash handling, if applicable
Social media, if relevant
Presentation skills
Reliability
Adaptability
Upload Resume
Import from Linkedin