How to Mention Education on your CV

The education section of your CV is an important area to list your most relevant formal qualifications and academic history. No matter what stage you are in your career, a dedicated section to your education gives you the chance to show employers that you have the credentials for the jobs you are applying for.

What does the education section on a CV mean?

The education section on a CV is the place to mention your qualifications and training. While you can list skills throughout your CV, when it comes to formal qualifications, it's best to list them in a dedicated education section.

The education section is one of the core sections of any CV. This is because your qualifications are critical to passing the ATS screening stage of the recruitment process. According to a study from Jobseeker, 49% of HR professionals believe your education details are the most important aspect of your CV to optimise for ATS screening. If the ATS app can't accurately identify that you have the qualifications required for the job, your application might not pass this preliminary screening stage.

In your CV's education section, recruiters will typically be looking for only the most relevant qualifications to the role. They'll hope to find confirmation that you have the required level of education, and see your education history presented in a clear, consistent format so they can easily confirm your eligibility for the position.

How to mention education on your CV

In most cases, you'll list your formal education in a dedicated section of your CV. If you have any professional certifications or licences, these either go in your education section or in a separate certifications section.

The best way to approach your CV's education section is to list your relevant qualifications in reverse-chronological order. This means starting with your most recent qualification and working back from there (if you need to list multiple qualifications). In most cases, it's not necessary to mention education of a lower level than your most recent and highest qualifications. For example, if you have an undergraduate degree, you won't need to go back as far as your GCSEs, but in some cases it might be worth mentioning A-levels if they're particularly relevant.

When adding an entry to your CV's education section, make sure you include the following information:

How to list different types of education on a CV

Now that you know the structure and basic details of how to list education on a CV, let's take a deeper look at how to mention different types of education and qualifications:

Experienced professionals

Once you've built up a body of work experience, this is typically the most important aspect of your CV and the thing recruiters will be most interested in. As such, your education is not as important as it might have been earlier in your career. However, this does not mean you shouldn't mention your degree.

Including your education in your CV can still play a critical role in confirming your eligibility for the job. It also demonstrates an interest in learning — a highly desirable trait for working in rapidly evolving industries such as technology, e-commerce or finance.

Unless you’re applying for an academic position or a role where a professional qualification is essential (for example, accounting), there’s no need to list details of the course modules you’ve completed—a simple list of your highest qualifications will suffice. It's also best to leave your secondary education off your CV altogether and to focus on your skills and achievements.

Here's a CV example of how your education section should look if you're an experienced professional:

Secondary school

If secondary education is your highest level of qualification, your GCSEs or A-levels will be the main focus of your CV's education section. Whether you’re applying for a full-time role, a part-time job or a temporary position before continuing with your education, it’s important to know how to write either GCSEs or A-levels on a CV. If you don’t have lots of work experience and other qualifications, these are one of the best indicators to employers of your soft skills, knowledge and suitability for a role.

GCSEs on a CV

If you need to mention your GCSEs, it’s usually acceptable to simply list the number of GCSEs you achieved, and the range of grades you received. Some job adverts might ask for GCSEs in specific subjects, such as English and Maths, in which case you can mention them on your CV. If you’re wondering when to stop putting GCSEs on CV, if you have a degree or a vocational qualification at the equivalent of degree level, it’s not typically necessary to mention your GCSEs.

See this example of how to list GCSEs on a CV:

A-levels on a CV

If you're leaving school at the age of 18 after completing A-levels, these are important to add to your CV. An A-level CV will typically include more detail than a GCSE CV, including each A-level you completed, and the grades you received. If you have further qualifications beyond A-levels, it may be suitable to remove your A-levels from you education section. However, if your A-levels are in a subject that’s particularly useful or desirable for the role you’re applying for, you might wish to leave them in.

This is the best approach for listing A-levels on a CV:

University degrees

If you’ve recently left full-time university education, your main focus will be your degree rather than any part-time jobs you've had, or your pre-university education. For each degree in your education section, list the course name and level, the name of the institution and your dates of study. It’s not essential to list course modules and other details, such as your dissertation title or awards you won. However, doing so displays your knowledge and expertise to employers, especially if your areas of specialism align closely with the skills and experience listed in the job description.

If, during your studies, you had the opportunity to complete an internship or a work placement, you can include it in the work experience section of your CV. Place this section above your education, provided the work experience was significant and is directly related to the role you’re applying for.

Here's a basic example of how to list university degrees on a CV:

Training courses

Completing online courses or short training courses can improve your chances of success with your job applications. However, unless you're short on official qualifications, you shouldn't list these in your CV's education section.

Typically, online courses, seminars and training programmes would go into a separate 'certifications and training' CV section. This tends to be placed towards the bottom of the document, as it carries less significance than your work experience and education sections.

Certificates and diplomas

If you’ve completed a professional certification or a vocational qualification such as an apprenticeship, NVQ or BTEC, it’s important to mention this in your CV. If a diploma or vocational qualification is your highest level of qualification, you'll want to mention it in your CV's education section. You might also wish to add some bullet points explaining the skills and abilities you learned while studying.

Likewise, if your professional certification is critical to your eligibility for the job (for example, the ACA award for accountants), you'll want to mention it in your education section. However, if it's a certification that's useful, but not essential, for the job, it's typically best to mention it in a separate certifications section.

Here is an example of how to mention certificates and diplomas on your CV:

How to list education if you have no degree

If you don't have a degree, the best policy is to list your highest qualifications on your CV, along with any other training courses you've attended or certifications you've completed. You'll also want to focus your CV more on your relevant experience and skills, than your education.

Even if you don't have much relevant work experience, you can focus on soft or transferable skills developed via hobbies and interests or volunteering activities. Mention your soft skills in the ‘Skills’ section of your CV and in the ‘Hobbies and Interests’ or ‘Volunteering’ section. You might also want to consider using a functional CV format, to emphasise your skills above your qualifications and work experience.

How to mention ongoing or incomplete education

If you haven't yet finished your education, either at school, college or university, it can still be beneficial to mention qualifications you're working towards on your CV. This can show employers you're on the way to becoming qualified, and it shows proactivity and a commitment to professional development.

Even in situations where you were unable to complete a course or qualification for any reason, there are benefits to mentioning it on your CV, or referencing it in your cover letter. In a competitive field of candidates for a junior or entry-level position, it could help you show skills that might set you apart from other candidates.

Here's a guide to how to list incomplete education in different circumstances:

Where to place education on a CV

The placement of your CV education section will depend on the type of CV format you pick for your application. If you have plenty of work experience, a traditional, reverse-chronological CV format is the most effective, as it emphasises your career timeline. The typical order of sections for this type of CV is as follows:

1. CV header with contact details
2. CV summary/profile
3. Work experience
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Optional sections

Alternatively, if you're less experienced, such as a student, a recent graduate, or you're changing careers, a functional CV layout could work better. This showcases your skills instead of a chronological timeline of your work experience. The order of functional CV sections tends to be like this:

1. CV header with contact details
2. CV summary/profile
3. Skills
4. Education
5. Work experience
6. Optional sections

How to format education on a CV

Clear, consistent formatting is essential for your CVs education section. You'll need to communicate all the necessary details in a simple format that performs well with ATS and is easy to read for recruiters and hiring managers.

For each CV education entry, follow this format:

Here is an example education section entry, following the format outlined above:

Jobseeker can help you add education to your CV in a professional, well-structured way that meets all the requirements of most employers. By using Jobseeker's pre-designed CV templates, you can avoid potential CV design pitfalls and focus on ensuring the content of your CV makes a strong impression with the reader. Take a look at the CV example below in various Jobseeker's CV templates, with well-structured and correctly positioned education sections:

Tips to make your CV education section stand out

Follow these tips to help your CV's education section stand out against other candidates:

Use our CV templates to add your education in a professional way

When you're writing your CV's education section, there are few key points to remember. Include the name and level of the award, the institution, your dates of study and, if appropriate, bullet points showcasing your areas of study or specialisms. List your qualifications in reverse-chronological order, and focus on the most relevant achievements. Consider including professional certifications in your education section, if these are a vital part of the role. Finally, tailor your education section, including its placement and content, to your circumstances and the job description, and consider including your grades, awards or extracurricular activities.

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