writing educational background

What to Include in Your Education Section

The education section on a resume gives hiring managers a glimpse into your academic achievements , interests, and skills.

It can demonstrate your commitment to learning, your ability to succeed in a structured environment, and the relevant knowledge you've acquired.

The information you should include in this section, though, varies based on things like your career level, the exact job you're applying for, and how recent your education is.

This means you don’t always have to be super detailed. Some of the information about your education is optional, and some of it may even be redundant if you have relevant work experience, so you should only use it if you think it can give your resume a boost.

Let’s start with the details most employers expect to see:

Essential Information

• Degree Name. Include the type of degree and the relevant major. (E.g.: BFA in Graphic Design)
• University Name. Add the name of the institution you studied at. (E.g.: University of Saint Andrews)
• Location. If the university isn’t well known or the name doesn’t specify where it is, include the general location. (E.g.: St Andrews, Scotland)
• Years Attended. Usually, only the years you attend there are enough, but the mm/yyyy format is also popular. (E.g.: 09/2018 - 06/2021)

Optional Information

• Honors and Awards. If you’ve received any acknowledgments, list them here. (E.g.: Dean's List, Summa Cum Laude, Merit Scholarships, Valedictorian)
• Relevant Coursework. List three to five courses that directly apply to your target job. (E.g.: Marketing 101, Marketing Strategy, PR Basics)
• Thesis or Dissertation. We recommend including this for graduate-level degrees in research-heavy fields.
• Minor. If relevant, include any additional areas of study. (E.g.: BA in Creative Writing, Minor in Journalism)
• Grade Point Average. Only include your GPA if it's 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale. Anything lower can undermine your application.
• Extracurricular Activities. Mention any clubs or organizations that seem relevant. (E.g.: Debate team, Theater Club, School Newspaper)

Here’s an example of an education section that includes information from both categories:

Getting ready to find a job? Start by learning how to write a resume with our detailed guide!

How to Format Education on Your Resume

Now that you have an idea of what to include in your education section, let’s explain how you should do it.

In terms of structuring your education section, follow a reverse-chronological order ; this means, list your latest educational entry first and then go backward from there.

And remember – if you have a relevant university degree, there’s no need to waste precious space on your resume by listing your high school education .

As a general rule, if you’re an experienced professional and you have a Master’s degree, you can also omit your undergrad degree. Hiring managers are a lot more interested in your work experience section, so your education section should only focus on the basics.

However, if you’re a recent graduate , you might want to include more details to give your resume an extra kick. It’s always a good idea to leverage your education if you don’t have enough relevant work experience.

Now, regardless of your level of experience, add the name of your degree at the very top of the entry in your education section.

The same degree can be written down differently, for instance:

• Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Culture with a Minor in Teaching
• BA in English Language and Culture, Minor in Teaching
• B.A. English Language and Culture (Major), Teaching (Minor)
• BA, English Language and Culture

Here’s an example of what the formatting in your education section should look like:

If you graduated from a famous university with a good reputation, you can highlight that first. For example, list “Harvard University” before the name of your degree.

Where to Place Education on Your Resume

Another important thing to consider is where to position the education section on your resume.

This mostly depends on where you are in your career. Do you have a lot of relevant achievements in the field, or are you looking for your first job ?

As a rule of thumb, the top third of your resume should be reserved for your accomplishments , which are most relevant to the job you are applying for.

So before you place this section on your resume, ask yourself: is your education your biggest selling point to the hiring manager?

Most of the time, it won’t be. Work experience is way more important for just about any position above entry level, so it should be listed first.

Let’s look at an example of a resume that puts this into action:

As you can see, this architect resume starts by listing their relevant work experience and then includes a detailed entry of their most recent degree.

When Does Education Go Before Work Experience?

While your work experience section is generally more important, there are a few cases where you should list your education first.

These include:

• You have no work experience. When you have absolutely no work experience yet, you should focus on your academic achievements instead.
• You just graduated college. If you don’t have relevant work experience, you’re often better off not listing it. For example, if you’re applying for an entry-level office job, the part-time teenage jobs you had won’t be anywhere near as relevant as your recently earned BA in Marketing.
• You are currently studying. If you’re in the process of earning a degree that’s relevant to your targeted field, it’s better to list education before work experience. For example, if you’re making a career change , you would want your new education to be the first thing the hiring manager sees.
• You recently earned a new degree. Getting a fresh MSc, Ph.D., or MBA in your field is worth showing off. For example, if you’ve been a line manager for years but earned an MBA to qualify for an executive position, your education section should go first.
• You are applying to academia. Usually, when applying for a research or teaching position in academia, you’ll need an academic CV , not a resume. In that case, your education will always come first.

Not sure if you need a CV or a resume ? Check out our guide to learn what the difference between the two is and when to use which.

Use a (Free) Resume Template

Creating a resume can be a hassle.

You have to find a template that works with your favorite text editor, set the page margins, adjust the line spacing, choose a professional font , and all while making sure you never go past page one.

What if there was an easier way?

This is where our resume builder comes in!

Novoresume lets you choose from 16 professional resume templates , each crafted with feedback from HR professionals around the world, and create the perfect resume in minutes.

Just look at how one of our resume templates compares to a basic text editor resume template:

16 Examples of Education on a Resume

Looking for inspiration?

We’ve compiled a list filled with real-life examples of how education can be listed on a resume, with practical examples for different types and levels of education:

#1. High School Education

If you’re a high school student, you might have some volunteer experience or extracurriculars you can show off. In that case, you can start by listing those sections, so long as they’re relevant to the job you’re applying for.

For example, if you volunteered with your local branch of the Red Cross, that’s a good experience to have when you’re applying to work at a shelter.

In most other cases, the education section would take the upper hand, and it would look something like this:

High School Diploma

Chapel Hill High School

2017 - 2021

• Courses: AP Science, Mathematics, Advanced Chemistry

If you’re still in high school, you can disclose it in your resume by writing down your expected graduation year or otherwise specifying that you’re currently still there.

2021 - Present

#2. General Education Development

If you were homeschooled or haven’t graduated high school, the previous example won’t apply to you.

But if you still received a General Education Development certificate, you can mention that in your resume in the following way:

GED Diploma

Durham Literacy Center

Just like with high school education, you can include the location of your school or GED center, as well as any relevant courses, if you have enough space.

#3. Associate Degree

If you went to a community college or opted for a vocational program, you can list it in your education section the same as any other undergraduate degree.

Associate degrees are typically cheaper and take less time than a bachelor’s degree. They tend to be focused on specific occupations and place more emphasis on daily job functions. Other than that, they follow the same formatting as any other educational entry.

Let’s look at some real-life examples of different types of degrees at this level.

First, an Associate of Arts degree:

AA in Business Designation

Community College of Denver

2015 - 2016

Summa Cum Laude

Next, here’s how you would list an ongoing Associate’s of Applied Science degree:

AAS in Medical Assisting

2018 - Present

Some associate degrees are what’s known as “transfer degrees.” Here, the long-term goal is to transfer into a bachelor’s degree program.

Similarly, if you’ve completed accredited courses at a community college that can go towards a degree, you can list them under your education section, like this:

Medical Assisting Certificate

• 30 credits completed

#4. Certificates

Certificates can be included on your resume, either as part of the education section or in a dedicated section.

Unlike broad academic degrees, certificates can show specialized expertise and commitment to professional development. They tend to demonstrate more focused, essential skills that are directly applicable to a particular job or industry.

Treat these entries the same as any other: list the name of the certificate, the institution or organization that issued it, and the year you obtained it.

Here’s an example of how to list a professional certificate in an education section:

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

American Institute of CPAs

And here’s how they would look in a separate section:

CERTIFICATES

• Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) - National Academy of Sports Medicine, 2020
• Certified Nutrition Coach - American Nutrition Association, 2023

But there are also other certificates you could list , such as after specialized software courses:

• Maya Autodesk: Advanced 3D & Animation Udemy, 2022
• Creation of Pixel Art Scenes for Video Games Domestika, 2023

#5. Undergraduate Degree

There are different ways to list a bachelor’s degree.

Let’s take a look at three different cases for a candidate with an engineering degree.

First, if you’ve graduated from university and received the degree, list it according to the following template:

B.Sc. Mechanical Engine ering

University of California, Berkeley

2002 - 2006

If you obtained a double major, you would write it down as:

B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering

If you have two or more majors, keep in mind that you should list the major that’s most relevant to the job you are applying to.

For example, if you majored in Applied Languages and International Relations, you should focus on the languages for a job as a translator.

Lastly, if you’re still attending college, just omit the finishing year when filling in your education section and add “Present” instead, like so:

But there are also different ways you can specify that you’re still studying. Instead of “Present,” you could write:

• 2021 - Current
• Expected Graduation: 2024
• 2021 - 2024 (expected graduation)
• 2021 - In progress
• To Be Completed: 2024

#6. Graduate and Postgraduate Degrees

Graduate-level education is, in general, more detailed since it requires participating in a more focused area of research on top of your graduate-level work. 

At this level, you probably contributed to the field with a dissertation of your own, which you should include in your resume.

Here’s an example:

Ph.D. in Brain and Cognitive Sciences

University of Rochester

Dissertation: Imaging, Computational Analysis, & Neural Representations in Young Children

Graduate and postgraduate education often includes scholarships , fellowships, or outside funding involved, which you might want to include in addition to all the general information about your degree.

Here are some real-life examples:

MBA in Business Administration

University of Maine

• Avangrid Scholarship
• Magna Cum Laude

When it comes to honors and awards, there are different ways you can list them to save space on your resume. Here’s an example that mentions them but leaves more space for the dissertation title:

MSc. in Information Systems

WU Vienna University of Economics & Business

Salutatorian, Summa Cum Laude

2015 - 2017

Dissertation: Leveraging User-Generated Content for Advertising Purposes Through Information Systems

And if you’re still studying, don’t forget to check out our student resume templates to get started on your job hunt.

#7. Unfinished Education

Even if you didn’t graduate from university, you can still mention it in your education section. Just be strategic about it.

If you have several years of relevant coursework from a degree program that relates to the job you're applying for, it can show that you’re knowledgeable even without the final credential.

B.Sc. in Civil Engineering

34 credits completed

2018 - 2019

However, if you only have basic courses or your degree isn’t relevant to the role, you might be better off skipping it altogether. There’s no need to draw attention to an unfinished degree if it won’t help you impress the hiring manager.

Need more examples? Check out our 90+ resume examples for different professions .

Do you still wonder something about education on a resume? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions here:

#1. How Do You Put Your Degree on a CV?

Adding your degree to your CV is pretty much the same as adding it to your resume.

List your degrees in reverse chronological order, with the most recent degree on top. Always include the essential information, such as the degree name, your major, the name of the university, and the years you attended. If relevant, you can include your GPA, thesis title, study abroad experiences, and academic honors.

#2. How Do You Write Down Your Bachelor’s Degree?

There are different ways that a bachelor's degree can be written down on your resume. Usually, there’s no need to spell out the full degree name, so there are ways you can abbreviate it for your resume. These include:

BA (Bachelor of Arts) BS (Bachelor of Science) BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)

Just use the specific abbreviation that matches your degree type. (E.g.: BSc Computer Science, BA History, BBA Economics, etc. )

#3. What If I Have an Education Gap or Took Time Off from Studies?

Treat any gaps in your education the same as you would treat an employment gap . Be upfront with the hiring manager and list the start and end dates to account for the time of the gap on your resume.

Use your cover letter to briefly explain the gap without going into too much detail. Hiring managers are understanding, and reasons like health, family, or professional experience are all common to justify education gaps.

#4. How Far Back Should I Go When Listing My Education History?

Generally, you only need to list basic information about your education if you graduated a long time ago. Your work experience and more recent achievements will have a lot more weight than details about your time in college 14 years ago.

For most professionals, listing just your highest degree is more than enough. However, an academic CV for scientific or research-heavy roles might need a more comprehensive educational background.

Key Takeaways

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of our article!

We’re confident you’re an expert on how to list education on a resume by now, but before we part ways, let’s quickly wrap up our main points:

• Your education section belongs after your work experience section, though there are some exceptions.
• If you don’t have any work experience, recently earned a relevant degree, or if you’re applying for a research-oriented position or in academia, the education section should be listed first.
• When listing your educational entries, use a reverse chronological order. Start with the most recent degree you have and go backward from there.
• If you have some sort of higher education, there’s no need to list your high school education.
• Unless your GPA is exceptional, don’t list it. It might undermine your resume otherwise.
• There are different ways to list your education, depending on the type of school you went to and what you want to highlight. Scroll back up if you want to see some examples.

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Writing the Education Section of a Resume (5 Key Tips)

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Here are the common guidelines to follow when listing education on a resume:

• Always include the following information: the degree you received, your major, the name of your school, its location, and your graduation year.
• Start with your highest educational attainment.
• List all other degrees in reverse-chronological order.
• Delete high-school education if you already graduated from college.
• Remove your graduation date if you earned it more than five years ago.

Of course, these guidelines don’t apply to all situations. When adding your education to your resume, you should add any recent education. This shows the hiring manager that you've got a gap because you were working on your skills.

But if your education was more than ten years ago, you don't need an education section on your resume. Also remove your education once you’ve accomplished 10 to 15 years of work experience. ( Remove the education section of your resume--or at least the dates of your education--because this section can make it easier for people to discriminate against you because of your age. )

I’ll discuss all these in more detail in the succeeding sections:

If You're In High School

List your education at the top one third of your resume, just below your skills summary. Let your education do the heavy lifting for now, even if you already have a bit of work experience.

If You're In College or Just Graduated

At this stage, you probably have more credentials related to your target job as a student, than as a working professional.

So, if you haven’t had a job, project, or volunteer work related to the position you’re applying for, put education before work experience on your resume.

You might argue that it’s better to list the odd and part-time jobs you did first. Maybe you think these job entries show that you’re employable and at least know what it’s like to work for a living.

Perhaps some hiring managers might consider that fact.

But what if they don’t read past your job title as “Waitress,” “Cashier,” or “Barista”? All the qualities and achievements you list below the job title will be ignored, too. Even if those skills are related to the job at hand.

For now, list education before your work experience first. Just consider it your first step in convincing employers that you've got the qualifications they need. 

If You're Already a Working Professional

At this stage, employers pay less attention to the GPA and college coursework of experienced applicants than they do with fresh graduates. Because of this, a seasoned professional’s education is either listed after their work history or at the bottom of the resume, just after the skills section.

1. High School

Below are different resume education examples, depending on where you are in your high school education.

Examples for High School 

If high school is your highest level of education, list it like this:

“Western High School, Baltimore, MD

Graduated in 2023”

But if you’re still at school, just change the second line so it looks like this:

Expected to graduate in 2025”

If you didn’t finish high school:

List the name of your school and its location, followed by the years you attended.

“Edmonson-Westside High School, Baltimore, MD

Attended school from 2020 to 2024”

If You Completed a GED

Some people who didn’t finish their high school education took a General Education Development (GED) test instead.

If that’s you, list the institution where you took your GED test followed by your high school information.

“GED High School Equivalency Diploma

Richland One Adult Education Center, 2020

Spring Valley High School, Columbia, SC

Attended 2020 – 2022”

Trade School

If you studied a trade after high school, list it on top of your high school education as long as it’s related to your target job.

Here's an example: 

“Dorsey School, Madison Heights, MI

HVAC Technician, 2023

Portage Central High School, Portage, MI

Graduated 2022”

2. Undergraduate Degree

Below are different ways to list college education on your resume.

College Graduate

“BS in Electrical Engineering, 2023

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA”

You can also write the degree type in full instead of abbreviating it:

“Bachelor of Arts in English, 2023

UCLA, Los Angeles, CA”

Still at School

If you’re still at school, just put “in progress” beside the course you’re taking.

“BS in Mathematics in Progress

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA”

You can also write “Expected in” followed by the estimate date of your graduation.

“BS in Economics, Expected in 2024

New York University”

Unfinished Degree

Not everyone who attends college completes it, for whatever reason. There’s no shame in that. So, don’t let your education go to waste by excluding it on your resume.

List your school’s name, followed by your start and end dates, so it’s clear you’re no longer enrolled. Then write how many credits you earned towards your chosen degree. Put your high school education below it.

“Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

2021-2022: Completed 32 credits towards BA in Education”

  J.P Stevens High School, 2023

Edison, New Jersey”

3. Graduate Studies

A graduate degree in your field increases your credibility as an applicant. That’s why it should be listed on top of your undergraduate degree.

The example below is impressive for an applicant in the IT sector. 

“MS in Computer Science, 2023

BS in Computer Science,

Michigan State University, 2021”

You can still list an advanced degree not related to your line of work. But it might be better to list it below your undergraduate degree if it’s not related to your current role.

For example, if you work in the IT sector, a master’s degree in political science isn’t relevant except perhaps for the skills you learn while researching for your thesis. To make this information worth including in your resume, highlight any coursework that may be applicable to your job.

“BS in Computer Science,

Michigan State University, 2020”

MS in Political Science, 2023

Coursework: Models and Methods, Security Studies”

This tip isn’t applicable to everyone, as it all depends on your career plan. For example, a master’s in business administration applies to many jobs with a management role.

Incomplete Graduate Studies

The strategy here is like that used in undergraduate degrees. List the anticipated graduation date on resume, if you still have a lot of coursework to finish before graduating. Here's an unfinished degree on resume example:

“Master of Science in Economics, to be completed 2024

Harvard University, Cambridge, MA”

But if you finished everything except the dissertation, write “all but dissertation,” which is sometimes abbreviated as “ ABD ” below your graduate program. Be warned, though, there are mixed opinions about this. 

“MS in Biology

All but dissertation (ABD), 2025”

City College of New York”

Always list your undergraduate degree below your graduate studies.

Discontinued Graduate Study

You can still list a master’s or doctoral degree on your resume, even if you didn’t finish it or ended up dropping out from the program entirely.

To avoid confusion, list this in a separate section called “ Research Work ” or “ Professional Development” instead of listing it together with your other education credentials.

Write the number of units completed in the subject, the name of the institution, and the dates you attended.

“15 credits in Applied Mathematics

University of Maryland, 2023-2024”

This example shows how you could list a MS in Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and Scientific Computation, if you only did part of the coursework (i.e. Applied Mathematics)

You can also list it in this format, so it’s all in one line and it downplays the low number of units finished and the incomplete degree.

“Post-graduate coursework in Applied Mathematics, University of Maryland, USA, 2022-2023”

4. Master’s & Doctoral Studies

When adding your master’s degree, use the abbreviations or spell it out. Whichever you decide, be consistent throughout your resume. Here are some of the master’s degree abbreviations:

• A.M., M.A., MA (Master of Arts)
• M.B.A., MBA (Master of Business Administration)
• M.E., ME, Meng, M.Eng. (Master of Engineering)
• M.S., MS, M.Sc. MSc (Master of Science)

Here's a completed master’s degree example:

Dates you attended the program College, City of College, State of College Master of Arts in English

Here's how to show a master’s degree that hasn’t been completed:

College, City of College, State of College Master of Arts in Psychology Expected Graduation Date: (put date here)

 Doctoral Degree 

Add your doctoral degree in the resume education section. Your doctoral degree is formatted similarly to other degrees. Here's an example of adding your doctoral degree to your resume:

Name of university Doctorate degree years in university

Here's another example of how to add a doctoral degree to your resume:

University of Chicago Ph.D. in Education 2020-2026

5. Certifications

Some applicants may not have the formal education required for the job. But they made up for it through certifications, courses, seminars, and training events. Professional training and ongoing education can be listed in the education section of a resume, or under a separate section for “ Professional Development.”

Format to Follow : 

“Name of Training, Training Provider or Certification Body, Date Obtained, Location”

Here's an example:

“Oracle SBC Troubleshooting Certification, Pearson Vue Testing Center, 2023, Hong Kong”

Including the training location is optional, except for state-specific licensure and certifications.

If you haven’t completed the training, list it as “In progress” or write the estimated completion date.

“Oracle SBC Implementation by Oracle, Toronto, (To be completed, Sept 2024)

These templates can give your resume a better format:

Fresh graduates with no work experience sometimes have trouble filling out a one-page resume. It doesn’t have to be this way if you get creative in how you present your qualifications. No big fonts necessary.

Below is some good information you can add to beef up your resume:

List the GPA for coursework related to the job you’re applying for. Only do this if your GPA isn’t below 3.0.

 “BS in Economics, 2023

Ohio University, Cleveland, OH

Relevant Coursework

You can also list the subjects or units relevant to the job you’re applying for. Not sure which subjects are relevant? Compile job ads for five similar positions in your field, and then list the most common skills or educational requirements listed. Compare this keyword list with your college transcript to find the relevant coursework.

Here’s an example for a fresh graduate applying for an entry-level job as a Clinical Specialist

“BS in Biomedical Engineering, 2023

Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Relevant coursework: Quantitative Experimentation and Design, Systems Physiology, Biomedical Systems Analysis, Biostatistics”

Check out this guide to get more information on how to use keywords in your resume: 

List honors, scholarships, and awards you received while studying. List these items after your education, if you've got less than three items to list.

If you've received more than three distinctions, it’s better to list them in a separate section called “Honors and Awards.”

Include the name of the institution that granted the award, and the date it was awarded to you. Here's an example format to follow: 

Here are some sample resumes to highlight your education:

1. If You've Got Minimal Education and Experience

If you don’t have a lot of education, it’s best to focus on any professional skills you’ve learned or any certifications you've got. If you've got a lot of credentials and training, try adding a section for that. Leaving the education section off your resume is best if you only have a high school diploma.

Here are the changes made to a resume for someone who has some training and only a high school diploma. As you can see, the education section was deleted, as well as the work experience section. The skills sections were kept and showcase relevant skills to the job that's being applied to. The certifications section was kept and added the relevant certifications. Also, a profile picture was added, and a positive summary to help convince the hiring manager.

3. If You've Got a Lot of Education and No Experience

In the resume education section, include any classes you took that would be relevant to the job you're applying to.

In the example above, the courses and the thesis that were added were relevant to the job that’s being applied to. When adding your GPA, only add it if it’s 3.0 or higher. If it’s lower, don’t add it to the resume.

In the experience section, add any volunteer work and unpaid internships. Also, add any achievements that you achieved during your volunteer experience or internships. Adding achievements shows the employers what you can do. Fill out the sections for the rest of the resume while remembering what job you’re applying for.

Here are some frequently asked questions about adding education to a resume:

1. What if You Went Back to School to Get a New Degree?

Are you changing careers? If you got a new degree because you want to pursue another type of work, then it’s vital that you include your new degree on your resume. Put it on top of your previous college degree.

When you switch roles, most of your previous work experience will be considered irrelevant. Let’s say you want to switch from nursing to selling life insurance or IT to managing a restaurant. In those cases, most of your previous qualifications—education, skills, achievements—are inapplicable.

That’s where your new degree comes in. You’re like a fresh graduate in your new field, but a tad better. Your formal education satisfies the job requirements of most employers, and your transferrable skills will boost your qualifications a bit more, so you’re not seen as a total newbie.

2. What if Your Degree Isn't Related to Your Job?

I know someone who graduated with a degree in design that's now working as a life insurance agent. I also know a nursing graduate who worked in IT for years, before becoming a real estate agent. This happens more than you know. So, don’t let this stop you from chasing after your dream job.

Below are two ways to downplay the lack of formal education in your target job:

• List the relevant coursework in your degree. Let’s say you've got a Psychology degree but want a job in marketing. If you took units in social psychology, communications, grammar, and business, those subjects show you've got the knowledge required for the job.
• List professional courses or ongoing training you took to compensate for your lack of formal schooling on the subject.

3. What if You Attended Multiple Schools to Finish One Degree?

Only list the school where you graduated or finished your degree. Educational institutions require transferring students to submit their transcript, along with a detailed list of the subjects they completed with their previous school.

Your school records are consolidated where you graduate, so that’s what you should list on your resume. If you put the wrong school, you may get a negative result from an employer’s pre-employment background check.

Having a college degree doesn’t guarantee you a job, not anymore. Still, a college education is one of the job requirements for high-paying work. So, you should learn how to list your education on a resume in a way that paints you as a skilled and knowledgeable professional, not just a student who only did the minimum work to pass.

Now that you're done listing your education on a resume, why not improve the other parts of your resume too?

Browse our professional resume templates on Envato Elements for a great resume design.

Envato Elements is the best source for any kind of resume template . They've got templates for people with no experience and for people with a lot of experience. Also, they've got themed resumes that you can use to match the job that you're applying to.

So, what's Envato Elements? It’s a premium subscription service where you pay a low monthly fee to gain unlimited access to premium digital assets . These assets include resume templates, fonts, stock images, audio, etc.

Professionals make every template to look stylish and impressive. This means that you're getting a high-quality product. When you use a template, you save time because it's already designed. All you need to do is add text in the designated sections. You still can if you like adding your personal touch to your resume. A good template is easily customizable.

In this article, you learned how to fill out the education section of your resume in several different circumstances. So, put those skills to use and download a premium template from Envato Elements. Also, learn more about making a great resume in our comprehensive series. There are several resume strategies to master that'll help you land the job you want.

Editorial Note: This content was originally published on August 17th, 2017. We're sharing it again because our editors have determined that this information is still accurate and relevant. It's been updated for relevancy and accuracy by Sarah Joy .

How to List Education on a Resume in 2024 (With Examples & Tips)

Not sure what degree to list? If you should include a GPA? It just so happens that there's a variety of ways to effectively list your eduction.

The education section of a resume may not always be the star of the document but knowing how to properly list your education can be essential for advancing into the next phase of the hiring process.

In this guide, we will cover all the ins and outs of crafting an education section for your resume. 

We'll cover the following:

• What to Include in an Education Section?

Tips for Listing Degrees (College, High-School, GED)

Listing incomplete education.

• Where to Include Education on a Resume?

What Employers Look for in an Education Section

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job.

What to Include in an Education Section

As we've covered, different formats of resumes may require different information to be included within an education section.

In general, there is some basic information that should be included within the education section of a resume:

• The name of the school — "e.g. Georgia Institute of Technology"
• The location of the school
• Your degree ( high-school diploma, GED, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, etc. )
• Graduation year ( if applicable )
• Major field or department of study (if applicable )
• Minor field or department of study (if applicable and relevant )
• GPA ( If you're a student or graduates who held lower GPAs, this bit of information may be good to omit unless specifically requested by the employer )

Here's what that looks like for and university grad:

Georgia Institute of Technology • Atlanta, GA B.S. in Computer Engineering, 2006 - 2010 GPA: 3.9/4.0

For high-school students, you can do something like the following:

Georgia Institute of Technology • Atlanta, GA High School Diploma, Graduated in 2010 GPA: 3.9/4.0

Remember, including a GPA  is optional. Only add it if it's required by the job listing or it's relatively high. If your GPA is low (under 3.5), it's better to just leave it out.

Listing Education with Limited Work Experience

In resumes that have limited or no work experience , as may be the case with college students or recent graduates, the education section may be a good opportunity to show off educational achievements instead.

Additional information that can be included in longer education sections can include:

• Internships completed as part of a curriculum 
• Academic awards or sponsorships
• Relevant coursework
• Academic assistantships with professors or other academic professionals

As covered, in documents such as CVs the education section could be fairly lengthy.

However, the education section for most resumes will be one of the shortest sections.

This is mostly because standard resumes will be used for entry-level or mid-level positions, while longer-form resumes like the CV will only come into play for more prestigious or hard to obtain positions. 

It is much more important to show either a robust work history or detail relevant and transferable skills, using your education as support rather than the main point of interest. 

Here are some quick tips for deciding what educational information to include in a resume:

1) When including professional hobbies and extra curricular activities, it is important to keep relevance in mind

Incorrect: Do not include information about sports clubs or other clubs that cannot be connected back to your qualifications for a job.

Correct: If you held leadership positions in clubs or other extra-curricular activities, this can be useful information to include to highlight non-paid leadership or management experience.

Keep your descriptions simple and concise

Incorrect: Including long-winded and wordy paragraphs explaining the relevance of a certain piece of information. If a piece of information is relevant, it should be easily explained in one, simple sentence.

Correct: Use bullet points to separate bits of information to keep your resume easy to read or skim.

The readability of a resume can be the defining factor of whether or not a job recruiter or potential employer moves the candidate into the next phase of the hiring process.

As such, using clear and concise wording and formatting is essential for not just the education section, but for all sections. 

Here are a few tips for different formatting options depending on the level and type of education you have completed.

1) Adding High School and GED on Resume

• If your highest level of education is a high school diploma or a GED, this should still be included as there are many jobs that are open to high school graduates as well as college graduates.
• Generally, this type of education section should be kept short and sweet. Listing that you have received either a diploma or a GED should be sufficient.
• If you have recently graduated high school or received your GED, including additional high school-related achievements may be beneficial (such as leadership positions, honor roll awards, athletics, etc.)

2) Adding Associate’s and Bachelor’s Degrees on Resume

• When listing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree on a resume, always include the name and location of the institution, as well as the date or expected date of graduation.
• While the education section should still be kept short, inclusion of any collegiate level academic achievements, such as honor societies or dean’s lists, can be useful to include.
• Don’t go too crazy including coursework of extracurricular information – stick to including the most relevant information. 

3) Adding Graduate School or Doctoral Programs on Resume

• Graduate and doctoral students may feel inclined to always include this information; however, it is important to be wary of including too much academic information in scenarios where it may render you overqualified for the position.
• Graduate and doctoral information is more likely to come into play for candidates seeking higher level positions at the management level. 
• For candidates seeking jobs in academic or scientific fields, a CV-style resume and longer-form education section providing higher level of details regarding graduate or doctoral programs may be necessary.

4) Adding Certifications on Resume

• In some cases, a candidate may not have attended college but may have completed a trade school or other program that resulted in various certifications. These certifications should be included when relevant.
• Certifications such as CPR or First Aid can be useful to include in most resumes, although they should perhaps be saved for a separate certifications section .

5) Listing Incomplete Education on Resume

Incomplete education can be tricky to include in a way that sounds positive — as such, if you have incomplete education, be wary of your wording and avoid words such as “incomplete” or “unfinished.” Instead try to do the following:

• Include relevant coursework or credits earned during your duration of education before the point of departure from the institution.
• Omit any wordy or lengthy explanations of why the education is incomplete. 

However, we've seen this be a common problem that many candidates have. Continue reading below to see how to effectively list education that is left incomplete. ‍

In some cases, a job applicant may have a partially-complete or incomplete educational credential they want to list on their resume.

Incomplete education can result from a variety of circumstances, including:

• A person who is still in the process of earning their diploma, GED, or degree, but has not yet earned the credential or graduated.
• A person who started a degree and completed relevant coursework, but ultimately did not finish the degree program.
• A person who chose a different career path than what they studied for, but still has relevant coursework for the new career path.

When listing incomplete education on a resume, it is important to stay highly mindful of how you are wording your limited educational credentials — as words such as “ unfinished ” or “ incomplete ” are not ideal to include within a resume. 

Here are some quick examples on how to properly list incomplete education in the education section of a resume:

For applicants who are in the process of completing a degree, it is important to note the expected timeframe of completion.

Incorrect: ‍ B.S. in Communications University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC Not yet complete

Correct: B.S. in Communications University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC Expected graduation May 2021

For applicants who began a degree, but ultimately did not complete the degree, it is key to be mindful of how you frame the education you did receive. 

Incorrect: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC

Why is this incorrect? Sure, this example indicates you, at some point, attended a university.

However, it provides no insight as to what relevant coursework or studies you may have completed.

Here's the correct way to describe your educational experience instead:

Correct: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC Completed 20 credits towards a BS in Communications

Alternatively: This could be a good opportunity to include a bulleted list of relevant coursework.

For applicants who did not complete high school, it is important to note if you either earned a GED or are in the process of earning a GED.

Incorrect: ‍ Watauga County High School Boone, NC Incomplete

Correct: General Educational Development Diploma Earned May 2021 — OR — Expected to earn May 2021

Generally speaking, the majority of jobs will require applicants to have earned at minimum a GED certification in order to qualify.

In some cases, an applicant may lack a degree but may be certified by a trade school.

For instance, a beautician would want to include any beauty and health related certifications or licenses earned under the education section. 

Take a look at this resume example of a college student below to see how to do this.

Where to Include Education on a Resume

When it comes to placing your educational credentials on a resume, there are many considerations to make.

Resumes can serve a variety of purposes and, as a general rule of thumb, should be tailored for specific jobs . 

It is also important to take into consideration the level of education you have completed, as this will impact how it should be presented as well.

For instance, a job applicant seeking a position in academia would have a much heavier emphasis on education and academic-related achievements — than someone seeking a job in a corporate environment.

Ultimately, not all resumes are the same, so the placement of the education section will differ depending on the type of resume being used and the intention behind its structuring. 

Choosing the right resume format

There are several different types of resume formats to choose from, but the main ones that are used are as follows:

1) Reverse-Chronological

‍ Emphasis is placed on the most relevant work experience, listing jobs from most recent to oldest. Education can be placed before or after the work experience section. However higher degrees that qualify a candidate for the position may be beneficial to mention sooner rather than later. 

2) Functional

‍ Functional resumes place a much heavier emphasis on skillsets and areas of expertise. This format of resume is typically used by job applicants lacking the relevant work experience or educational credentials. In this format, the education section may lead if the applicant has educational credentials but limited work experience but should follow after the skills section if education is limited. 

‍ Hybrid resumes combine the reverse-chronological work experience ordering with the emphasizing of skills. This can help to supplement resumes of applicants who may have some relevant work experience but still need to beef up their resumes with a skills section . The placement of the education section will depend on how applicable or high level the credentials are and should generally be kept brief. 

4) Curriculum Vitae (CV)

‍ CVs are a type of long-form and multi-page resume used most commonly by applicants seeking positions in either academic or scientific fields. In a CV, the education section will be a prominent component and should appear early in the document. This type of education section should include all credentials, published works, projects, awards, or other academic achievements — no details should be spared. 

The below example of a Physician Assistant's resume is listing education in the bottom-right corner as it's using a reverse-chronological resume format to shine on it's work history.

Employers can gather a variety of information about a job candidate from an education section, including:

• A job applicant’s work ethic, reflected through GPAs or other grade-related information
• Relevant skills or training an applicant has received through their schooling
• Name recognition of specific universities, such as ivy leagues, that may give a candidate a leg up on the competition
• Insight into a candidate’s interests or talents based on academic-related extracurricular activities included 

Understanding what employers are looking for in an education section included on a resume is key to understand how much or how little information to include.

What an employer is looking for will vary depending on the nature of the job being offered. 

For instance, an entry-level communications job at a corporation is likely to require a bachelor’s degree in communications or a related field.

Comparatively, a job in the welding industry may require the completion of a trade school program but not require a four-year degree. 

It is of the utmost importance when you are applying to various jobs that you read the job descriptions provided carefully, as this is where you will find the necessary information regarding what educational credentials are required of eligible candidates.

This will also help you to tailor your education section according to what credentials or qualifications you have that meet the requirements of the job. 

In general, what an employer is mostly looking for is simply that an education section exists on a resume.

The majority of employers will want candidates who have shown a commitment to their education, reflected through the inclusion of an education section.

For candidates lacking a completed education, it is still considered best practice to include some information regarding what level of education was reached before the point of incompletion, as well as the inclusion of any relevant coursework and knowledge gained from the time the candidate spent pursuing further education. 

Here is a quick rundown of a few key factors to consider for applicants who may be unsure how much information to provide in an education section for a specific employer or position:

• The education section should prove that you have the credentials necessary to complete the job at hand.
• Oversharing of education can be detrimental in some situations, as overqualified candidates may not be considered by employers.
• Job descriptions will always be the best place to look for indicators regarding how much educational background information an employer is looking for.
• Never lie or over-exaggerate — while not all employers double-check applicants’ educational histories, many still do, and dishonesty can cost you the position in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Unless you are crafting a longer-form resume, such as a CV, the education section will generally be a fairly short summary of your academic credentials and achievements.

Education sections can be longer in some cases where job applicants may have hefty academic backgrounds but limited work experience.

Ultimately, the key to making a strong education section is to include only the most relevant information.

Always avoid deceptive wording, as employers can fairly easily run academic background checks if need be. 

Check out our resume templates to get your creativity flowing and get started on your ideal resume today. 

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Talking About Your Educational Background in a Job Interview

In job interviews, your educational background is a crucial part of your personal and professional experience that employers want to know about. It is an indicator of your knowledge, skills, and ability to learn and excel in a professional environment. Therefore, it’s important to be able to effectively communicate your educational background in a job interview to showcase your qualifications and increase your chances of getting the job.

We will also touch on specific examples and strategies to help you highlight your educational achievements and stand out as a qualified candidate. With this information, you will be better equipped to showcase the value of your education and impress potential employers.

Importance of Educational Background in Job Interviews

When it comes to job interviews, being well-prepared can make a significant difference. One of the most critical aspects of preparing for a job interview is being able to articulate your educational background effectively. Employers tend to ask about your educational background because it offers insight into your skills, knowledge, and potential as a candidate.

Why Employers Ask About Educational Background

The reason employers ask about educational background is to evaluate if the candidate has the necessary skills and qualifications essential for the job. Employers want to ensure that a person’s educational achievements align with the role they are being considered for. Asking about educational background allows employers to narrow down the candidate pool and select individuals who have a greater chance of succeeding in the position.

In addition to that, educational background provides a brief idea of a candidate’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas of expertise. This information can be used by employers to customize their questions, assessments, and even job offers, based on the candidate’s background.

How Employers Use Educational Background to Make Hiring Decisions

Employers use a candidate’s educational background to make informed decisions during the recruitment and selection process. A candidate’s educational achievements can reflect their work ethic, discipline, and ability to learn new things. Employers look for candidates who have diverse experiences and education, as they add value to the company.

Educational background is used by employers to verify that candidates have the necessary education and credentials to meet the job requirements. In some cases, employers may also use a candidate’s educational background to determine compensation, promotions, and opportunities for career advancement.

Employers ask about educational background because it is a critical part of the hiring process. A candidate’s educational achievements can provide valuable insights into their skills, knowledge, and potential as a candidate. Therefore, job candidates should be able to highlight their educational background effectively to make a lasting impression on the hiring team.

What to Expect: Common Interview Questions About Educational Background

In any job interview, the subject of educational background is almost always going to be addressed to some extent. Employers are interested in candidates’ academic qualifications, because they want to hire people who possess the knowledge and skills that are necessary for the job. This section will provide you with insights into some common interview questions related to educational background, and tips for answering them.

Common Interview Questions Related to Educational Background

Below are some common interview questions related to educational background:

• What is your highest level of education?
• What degree(s) do you have, and from which school(s)?
• What courses or majors did you take, and how do they relate to the job?
• Did you participate in any extracurricular activities or clubs, and how did they prepare you for the job?
• Are you planning to pursue any further education or training in the future?

Tips for Answering Interview Questions About Education

Here are some tips for answering interview questions about your education:

Be Honest and Confident: Answer the questions truthfully, but don’t be afraid to highlight your strengths and accomplishments. Employers want to know what you’re good at and what you can bring to the table.

Make Connections: Try to relate your education to the job position you’re applying for. If you took courses or majored in subjects that relate to the job, emphasize that. Highlight how your extracurricular activities or clubs developed skills that are relevant to the job.

Show Your Passion: Show enthusiasm for your education and how it has prepared you for the job. Employers love candidates who are passionate about their careers.

Be concise: While it’s important to provide detail, you want to avoid oversharing. Provide only relevant information to the question.

Prepare Early: Review your educational background details beforehand to ensure that you are confident in your responses.

Your educational background is an essential topic in any job interview. Be prepared to answer related questions, communicate your qualifications confidently, and make clear connections to show your fit for the job.

Preparing to Discuss Educational Background in Job Interviews

When it comes to discussing your educational background in a job interview, preparation is key. Taking the time to research the company and job requirements, reviewing your educational background and experiences, and determining what skills and knowledge you gained from your education can make all the difference in how you present yourself as a candidate.

Researching the Company and Job Requirements

The first step in preparing to discuss your educational background in a job interview is to research the company and job requirements. This can help you not only tailor your responses to fit the company’s needs, but also demonstrate that you have a genuine interest in the role and the organization. Some key areas to research include the company’s mission statement, values, and any recent news or industry trends. Additionally, carefully review the job description and note any specific skills or qualifications that are required or preferred.

Reviewing Your Educational Background and Experiences

Once you’ve researched the company and job requirements, it’s time to review your own educational background and experiences. Make a list of all of your relevant degrees, certifications, and other educational achievements, as well as any relevant work or volunteer experiences. Consider how each of these experiences has prepared you for the job and think about specific examples of how you have applied the knowledge and skills you gained in these roles.

Determining What Skills and Knowledge You Gained from Your Education

Finally, when preparing to discuss your educational background in a job interview, it’s important to determine what skills and knowledge you gained from your education. This can be a tricky area to navigate, as you want to showcase your strengths without going overboard or sounding arrogant. Try to focus on specific examples of how your education has prepared you for the job, such as relevant coursework or projects, and relate them back to the job requirements. Additionally, consider any extracurricular activities or leadership roles you may have held in college, as these can demonstrate valuable soft skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.

Preparing to discuss your educational background in a job interview takes some time and effort, but it can pay off in a big way. By researching the company and job requirements, reviewing your own educational background and experiences, and determining what skills and knowledge you gained from your education, you can present yourself as a strong and qualified candidate who is genuinely interested in the job and organization.

How to Talk About Your Education in a Job Interview

When discussing your educational background in a job interview, it is essential to showcase your academic achievements and highlight your relevant coursework and projects. You need to convince the interviewer that your education has prepared you for the job and demonstrate how it has equipped you with the necessary skills that can add value to the company. Here are some tips to help you talk about your education effectively in a job interview.

Discussing your educational background

When asked about your educational background, try to keep your answer concise and straightforward. Mention where you attended school, your degree or certification, and the year you graduated. Talk about your academic achievements, such as your GPA and any honors or awards you received. However, be careful not to come off as arrogant or boastful. Remember, you’re just trying to give them a sense of your educational background.

Highlighting relevant coursework and projects

If you’re applying for a job that is related to your field of study, you should highlight any relevant coursework and projects that you completed during your academic career. These can demonstrate your skills and knowledge related to the job. For instance, if you’re applying for a job in marketing, you may want to discuss your practical experience in creating and executing a marketing plan during your coursework. Additionally, if you collaborated on any group projects, you could talk about how you worked with others to achieve a common goal.

Explaining how your education has prepared you for the job

Here is where you can shine by explaining how your education has prepared you for the job you’re applying for. Draw parallels between the skills and knowledge you acquired in school and how you can apply them to this job. Use the job description as a guide and discuss how your education aligns with the requirements of the role. It’s essential to communicate your critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills that you have honed through your education. Be specific and give examples.

Discussing your educational background in a job interview could be a make-or-break factor in getting the position you want. By highlighting your academic achievements, relevant coursework, and projects, and explaining how your education has prepared you for the job, you increase your chances of impressing the interviewer and landing the role. Remember, you want to come across as confident and knowledgeable, but not arrogant or boastful. Good luck!

Examples of How to Talk About Your Education In a Job Interview

During a job interview, the interviewer will almost certainly ask you at least one question about your education. As such, it is essential to prepare your answers beforehand to impress the interviewer and show your qualifications. Here are some samples of answers to common interview questions about education, along with tips on how to tailor your responses to specific job requirements.

Sample answers to common interview questions about education

Question 1: what is the highest level of education you have completed.

Answer: “I have completed a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from XYZ University.”

Explanation: Giving a straightforward answer is crucial to this question. Remember to mention the degree and the university’s name to show the quality of your education.

Question 2: What was your favorite course in college?

Answer: “I really enjoyed my Advertising and Promotions course. It gave me an excellent foundation for effectively and creatively marketing products to various audiences.”

Explanation: Your answer should highlight a specific course that is related to the job position you are applying for. Explain why you enjoyed the course, and how it has helped you develop critical skills.

Question 3: How has your education prepared you for this job?

Answer: “My education focused extensively on digital marketing, analytics, and communication skills. These skills are crucial to the job position I am applying for as a Digital Marketing Specialist.”

Explanation: Always relate your knowledge and skills learned from your education to the job position’s requirements.

Tips for tailoring your responses to specific job requirements

It is essential to tailor your responses to the job position’s specific requirements to demonstrate your capability and qualifications.

Research the job position’s requirements and company culture before your interview. This can help you better understand what the interviewer is looking for.

Use specific examples from your education that are related to the company’s job position. This helps to highlight how you can be a valuable asset to the company.

Be concise and personable in your responses. Stick to the point and refrain from going off-topic. Maintaining an engaging conversation with the interviewer is crucial.

Finally, practice, practice, practice! Practice with a friend or family member beforehand to increase your confidence and ease during the interview.

Talking about your education during a job interview can be a great opportunity to show your qualifications and experience. Remember to prepare your answers in advance and tailor them to the specific job position’s requirements. Practice your responses to help ensure that you present yourself positively and confidently during the interview.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Talking About Your Education in a Job Interview

When it comes to discussing your educational background in a job interview, there are several common pitfalls you should aim to avoid. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Don’t overemphasize your GPA:  While your grades are important, they shouldn’t be the sole focus of your discussion. Instead, talk about how your coursework and academic experiences prepared you for the role you’re applying for.
• Avoid being too general:  Simply stating where you went to school and what you studied isn’t enough. Try to be specific about what you learned and how it could be applied in a professional setting.
• Don’t make irrelevant or lengthy tangents:  While it’s good to have a clear understanding of your educational history, going off on tangents unrelated to the job can make you come across as unfocused or unprepared.

Now that we’ve identified some common mistakes to avoid, let’s move on to overcoming nervousness or uncertainty about discussing your education.

• Practice your talking points:  Before the interview, make sure you’re comfortable discussing key points related to your educational background. This can help you feel more confident and prepared.
• Think about how your education is relevant to the job:  Consider what skills and knowledge you gained in school that could help you excel in the role you’re applying for. Focusing on these areas can help you stay on topic and emphasize your qualifications.
• Prepare for potential questions:  Think about questions the interviewer may ask related to your education, such as how it relates to the role, what you enjoyed most, or what challenges you faced. Preparation can help you feel more confident and better able to answer these questions.

It’s important to approach talking about your educational background in a job interview with confidence and focus. By avoiding common mistakes and taking steps to feel more comfortable, you can increase your chances of impressing the interviewer and securing the job.

Using Your Education to Stand Out in Your Job Search

As a job seeker, having a strong educational background can give you an advantage in the job market. However, simply having a degree or certification isn’t always enough to stand out from other candidates. It’s important to know how to leverage your educational background to differentiate yourself from other job seekers. Here are some tips:

How to use your educational background to differentiate yourself from other candidates

Identify your unique skills: Take some time to reflect on the knowledge, skills, and experiences you gained through your educational background. Think about how they can be applied to the job you’re applying for, and how they differentiate you from other candidates.

Highlight relevant coursework: Include relevant coursework in your resume or cover letter that showcases your expertise in a particular area. This can provide hiring managers with a better understanding of your educational background and how it relates to the position you’re applying for.

Showcase projects or research: If you completed any impressive projects or research during your education, highlight them in your resume or cover letter. This can demonstrate your ability to apply your knowledge to real-world situations.

Certifications: If you have any relevant certifications, make sure to mention them in your resume or cover letter. This can show that you have not only completed formal education but also continued your learning in your field.

Highlighting your educational accomplishments on your resume and cover letter

When it comes to highlighting your educational background on your resume and cover letter, keep in mind the following tips:

Keep it concise: Make sure to only include the most relevant and impressive accomplishments. Don’t overload your resume or cover letter with too many details.

Use action verbs: When describing your educational background, use strong action verbs that showcase your accomplishments. For example, “Graduated with honors” or “Developed and completed a research project.”

Emphasize transferable skills: When highlighting your educational background, don’t just focus on the degree or certification itself. Instead, emphasize the skills and experiences you gained that can be applied to the job you’re applying for.

Your educational background can be a powerful tool in your job search. By identifying your unique skills, highlighting relevant coursework and projects, showcasing certifications, and emphasizing transferable skills, you can differentiate yourself from other candidates and stand out to hiring managers.

How to Address Gaps in Your Education in a Job Interview

When it comes to job interviews, discussing gaps in education or work experience can be a challenging topic. However, with the right approach and preparation, you can turn any perceived weaknesses into strengths. Here are some tips for addressing gaps in your education or work experience during a job interview:

Be honest and transparent: The worst thing you can do is try to cover up or lie about any gaps in your education or work experience. Instead, be honest and transparent about why there may have been a lapse in your record. Perhaps you took time off to care for a family member or overcome a personal challenge. Employers will appreciate your candor.

Spin it positively: Rather than dwelling on the gap itself, focus on the positive steps you took during that time. For example, did you volunteer or take additional courses to further your skills and knowledge? Use this as an opportunity to showcase your work ethic and motivation.

Tie in relevant experiences: If you’ve had work or life experiences that are relevant to the job you’re applying for, be sure to highlight them. This can include internships, volunteer work, or even personal projects that demonstrate your skills and aptitude for the position.

Show willingness to learn: If your gaps in education or work experience mean you lack certain skills that would be beneficial for the job, express your willingness to learn and grow. Employers appreciate candidates who are coachable and adaptable.

By taking these steps, you can confidently address any gaps in your education or work experience and demonstrate to potential employers that you are the best candidate for the job. Remember, it’s not about avoiding the issue but rather addressing it head-on and showing how you’ve taken steps to overcome any challenges that may have arisen in your career path.

The Role of Continuing Education in Career Development

Continuous learning and self-development are crucial for career growth and advancement in any industry. As a professional, it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies and continuously improve your skills to open up new opportunities and advance your career.

The Importance of Continuing Education in Career Advancement

Continuing education not only helps you stay competitive in the job market but also adds value to your current role within an organization. By learning new skills and techniques, you can become more efficient and effective at your job, and bring new ideas and perspectives to the workplace. Additionally, demonstrating a commitment to learning and growth can set you apart from other candidates when applying for promotions and new job opportunities.

How to Highlight Ongoing Learning and Development in Job Interviews

During a job interview, it is important to showcase your ongoing learning and development to make yourself a more attractive candidate. Here are some tips to help you do that:

Highlight professional development courses or certifications: Mention any relevant courses or certifications you have taken, especially those that relate to the skills required for the job you are interviewing for.

Describe how you have applied your learning: Be specific about how you have applied what you have learned and how it has helped you improve your work. You can give examples of how you have used your new skills to tackle certain tasks or projects.

Discuss your future learning goals: Show your interviewer that you have a plan in place for ongoing learning and development. Talk about what courses or certifications you plan to pursue next and why they are relevant to your career goals.

Emphasize your passion for learning: Show your enthusiasm for continuing education by discussing any personal projects or hobbies you have that require you to learn new skills. This can demonstrate that you are someone who is constantly seeking to improve and grow.

Continuing education plays a vital role in career development and advancement. By staying current with the latest trends and technologies, and continuously improving your skills, you can remain competitive in the job market, add value to your current role, and open up new opportunities for career growth. Remember to showcase your ongoing learning and development during job interviews to make yourself a more attractive candidate.

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How to write your CV education section + examples

Your education section of your CV is crucial part of the document.

But it can be tough to know to write, where to put it, and what you should include.

This guide will show you exactly how to write an impressive education section for your own CV, whether you are a school leaver, experienced professional, or anything in between.

Where to put your education on your CV?

Where you position your education section on your CV will largely depend on your level of experience and how long ago you left full-time education.

• Little/no experience – If you’re just leaving education and therefore don’t have a lot of experience behind you, place your education section nearer the top of your CV, under your personal profile . Be sure to go into plenty of detail because, at this point in your career, your academic record will receive more attention, and employers will need lots of info to be persuaded to hire you.
• Experienced candidate – If you’re a more experienced candidate who has gained skills and knowledge through past positions, your employment history takes precedence. In this case, your education section should go under your employment section because employers are likely to be more interested in your real-world experience – although they will still value your education.

CV templates 

What to include in your education section?

This section should outline your formal education, qualifications and certificates in reverse chronological order. Here’s an overview of what this might include:

• Degree – As a university graduate, you need to include your degree , and if you’ve got post-graduate qualifications, your most recent degree must come first. To do this, include the name of the university, the title of your degree, the dates you studied there and the grade you received. You might also wish to include details of any relevant modules you studied
• A-levels – If you took A-levels at college, you probably completed three to four subjects. Be sure to include the name of your college, the dates you studied there and the subjects you completed.
• Vocational qualifications – School or college aren’t the end of the road for your education but if you chose not to study a degree, you may have obtained other vocational qualifications. If so, you need to include these too. Follow the same formatting rules by including the name of the institution, the qualification and the date you achieved it
• GCSEs – Listing your GCSEs can be trickier as there are often more of these. So if you have lots of GCSEs, include your school name, the years you were there and then abbreviate your list of subjects. For example, ‘10 GCSEs including maths and English’
• Mandatory certificates – There might be mandatory training you need to undertake to get a job, for example, health and safety certificates. In this case, you should include these in your education section, listing the level of certification, name of the course and date you received it. You might also wish to include the name of the accrediting body if they are well-known in the industry.

Education section examples

Now you have a better understanding of what could be included in your education section, let’s take a closer look at how these should be written with some examples.

School leaver

As a school leaver hoping to land a job, it’s likely that your GCSEs are going to be your highest level of qualification.

When adding these to your CV, you should include the full name of your school and the dates you attended. Underneath this, you can begin to outline your GCSEs.

Baxton Hill High School – 2014 to 2019 10 GCSEs

• English (A) | Language & Literature
• Maths (A) | Achieved best coursework award
• Biology (B)
• Physics (B)
• Chemistry (B)
• Information Technology (A) | Specialised in Microsoft Office
• Geography (C)

Extracurricular activities and achievements:

• Grade 5 piano
• Grade 3 flute
• Captain of the school hockey team
• Voted ‘Most Spectacular Sportsperson of the Year’ in Year 10 and 11

Because this makes up the basis of your educational background, you can afford to outline all of your subjects and grades in more detail.

You could also include any awards or clubs in which you participated, it might look a little something like the above.

College leaver

As a college leaver, you will still need to include your GCSEs, particularly if they are relevant to the role you’re applying for, but your main focus should be on your more recent A-Levels.

London Central College – 2019 to 2021 3 A-Levels

• Photography (A) | Including wildlife photography project and paper
• English Language (A) | Studying “Of Mice and Men”
• Graphic Design (B) | Completed a complete product design of a toy package

Achievements

• Practical experience in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign
• Proficient using DLSR camera, as well as experience developing film in the darkroom
• Achieved A grade and finished in top 10% of my class for print media and photography project

Baxton Hill High School – 2014 to 2019

10 GCSEs grade A to C including English, Maths, IT and Art

As you study fewer subjects at A-Level (typically three to four), you can give a bit more detail about each subject, your grades and anything else that could boost your application.

For example , you could outline particular projects that you were proud of or some of your key achievements. In this case, your education section might look a little something like the above.

Experienced professional

After college, or perhaps even during your time at college, you may have chosen to undertake a vocational qualification as a way of boosting your skills and gaining some real-world experience. This could be in the form of an NVQ , BTEC or a diploma.

City & Guilds NVQ (L1) in Hospitality Skills – 2020 – 2021

• Learning to maintain a safe, hygienic and secure working environment
• Working with the team to prepare, cook and safely store food
• Industry-standard training in kitchens and restaurants around London

London Central College – 2018 to 2020

A-Levels including English Language (A), Business Studies (A) and Food Science (B)

Baxton Hill High School – 2013 to 2018

10 GCSEs grade A to C including English, Maths and Food Technology

So although your experience in the workplace will likely take precedent on your CV, your education section is still important, and you need to give a little more detail about your vocational qualifications.

You can still include any A-Levels you have as well as GCSEs, but these should be kept to brief summaries like the above.

Recent Graduate

As a recent graduate , your degree is going to be one of your key selling points, particularly if you don’t have a great deal of work experience behind you.

BSc (Hons) Computer Science – Queen Mary University – 2018 – 2021 Final grade: 1st Class

• Modules including: Big data processing, data mining, Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) and algorithms and data structures
• Achieved a 1st (96%) for my dissertation on ‘issues with privacy and security when dealing with big data’, coming top of my class
• Gained practical experience in software engineering, procedural programming and data mining

A-Levels including Information Technology (A), Business Studies (A) and Graphic Design (B)

10 GCSEs grade A to C including English, Maths and IT 

You will still need to include your A-Levels and GCEs, but these sections don’t need to contain as much detail. Your focus should be on showcasing your degree, the key skills you gained and any achievements during your studies. You might also include any modules you studied that are relevant to the role.

The format should include the type of degree, as well as the full title, and you should include any honours along with your final grade.

Experienced Graduate

If you are a graduate with experience, whether that is because you left university a few years back or because you undertook a work placement as part of your course, this section can be less detailed.

BA (Hons) Digital Marketing – Queen Mary University – 2018 – 2021 Final grade: 2:1

• Modules including: Interactive media technologies, media streaming and the Cloud, programming for data analysis and personalising the digital experience

A-Levels including English Language (A), Media Studies(A) and History (B)

10 GCSEs grade A to C including English, Maths and Media Studies 

You should still include your degree, A-Levels and GCSEs as shown above, but you can give fewer details, as the focus will lie with your real-world experience.

That said, this section should follow a similar format, including the type of degree and the full title, the university you attended and your final grade. In this case, your education section might look something like the above.

How to write your education on your CV

No matter what stage you’re at in your career, knowing how to structure , format and effectively showcase your education on your CV is critical. To help you get it right, we have pulled together some of our top tips for nailing your education section.

Adapt for your experience level

As we mentioned earlier, you should always include your educational experience in reverse chronological order, listing your most recent qualifications first. You also need to adapt this section depending on your level of experience.

You can see in the examples we’ve given above, if you’ve got work experience behind you, then you can afford to be more sparing on the details. However, if you don’t have a lot of relevant experience to speak of, you should go more in-depth about your key subjects, skills and achievements in your education section.

Only include relevant qualifications

As with every section on your CV, you need to make sure that you’re only providing information that is relevant to the role and employer. Otherwise, you could be wasting valuable space.

The more experience you have behind you, the less detail you need to give in terms of your education. Therefore, you can leave out any qualifications that aren’t relevant to the role. This is the reason you don’t need to list all 10 of your GCSEs unless this is the only educational background you have.

The same applies when you include your modules, achievements or extra-curricular activities. If they aren’t relevant to your career path, you are better off saving that space for something that is.

Use bullet points and break information up

Finally, it can be helpful to use bullet points throughout your education section, particularly when going into more detail about your experience. This is because bullet points can improve the format, make your CV more readable and help draw the recruiter’s attention to the details that matter the most.

Remember, you only have a few seconds to grab their attention and impress them, so you need to make it as easy as possible for the reader to find the key information quickly and effortlessly.

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Resume Writing  - Education Information

Resume writing  -, education information, resume writing education information.

Resume Writing: Education Information

Lesson 7: education information.

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Education information

After your work experience, the next most important factor hiring managers look at on your resume is your educational background . Very often, there will be an education requirement for the job you want. To make sure a hiring manager knows that you meet this requirement, you should always include an education section on your resume.

In this lesson, you'll learn how to craft your educational background , as well as what information you should include .

Common ways to list education information

The Education section tells an employer if you meet the educational requirements for a particular position. Your resume should always include this section, regardless of the level of education you have achieved.

To highlight your education, put this section directly below your career objective or summary of qualifications. To de-emphasize it, put this section last. To see examples of different ways to present your educational background on your resume, see the profiles below.

Ashley is a recent graduate with work experience that is not in her career field, so she has placed her education toward the top of her resume before her work experience . Her education includes the name of the college , location , date of graduation and degree awarded . She has also listed her high grade point average (GPA) of 3.75. However, you do not have to list your GPA on your resume, especially if it is low. Recent graduates may also want to describe their program of study along with a list of relevant coursework , as Ashley has done.

Zachary listed his education at the bottom of his resume because he has extensive work experience and it has been some time since he graduated. Notice that Zachary does not include the dates he earned his degrees . Some hiring managers use your date of graduation to determine your approximate age and may discriminate against you based on this information . You may choose to not include your graduation dates if you think it will be a disadvantage.

Jordan's education includes not only her degree but also her more recent certifications . She has listed her education chronologically , but you can also choose to list certifications under a separate heading. Make sure to include the school/organization name , location , and certification awarded for any non-degree educational program .

Download our Chronological Resume Template if you haven't already. If you've already started your resume template from a previous lesson, you can open that document.

You will be working only in the Education portion of this document for this activity. Please refer to the following picture:

Replace the template text with your own information. Be sure to remove the brackets as you are replacing text.

• If you want, you can change the name of this section to reflect what you are including. Some possible titles include Educational Background , Education and Training , or Education and Professional Development .
• Enter the name of the school you attended in the [Name of School or Institution] placeholder. Use full names of the schools, like Eastern College instead of the abbreviation E.C.
• Include the city and state where you attended the program in place of the [City, ST] placeholder. Use state abbreviations.
• Replace the [Years attended] with the name of the month and year you completed (or expect to complete) your education.
• Enter the name of your degree or program in the [Degree, Award, and/or Honor] placeholder. This can include those earned at traditional two- and four-year universities, community colleges, educational institutions (such as GCFLearnFree.org) and vocational training, Armed Forces training, certifications, workshops, and high school diplomas or GEDs (if you are new to the job market or don't have any additional training). For example, you could write B.A, Communications ; A.A., Marketing ; or Certificate, Construction Management . If you are including high school on your resume, you can simply use the word Graduated or include a specialty area or honors you received.
• Include any additional schooling or professional development you may have completed.
• Save and close the file. You will be adding to it as you progress through the lessons in this unit.

For workshops or training programs, include the workshop and provider name, location, and dates attended.

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How to Put Your Education on a Resume? [+Examples]

The education section on your resume can be the most important part of your resume , but in some cases, it can also be almost irrelevant. It all depends on your degree and where you're in your career. That’s why it’s important to know where and how to put your education on a resume. 

To put it simply, the education section is the section on your resume where you list your degrees and relevant academic accomplishments. It’s one of the key resume sections that you can find on almost every resume ever written. 

So keep reading to know what mistakes to avoid and what to include in order to impress a potential employer. 

This guide will also explain:

Why include an education section on your resume?

• What information to include in your education section?
• Where should you place it on your resume?
• How to write your education section?
• ...as a high school graduate?
• ...as a student/ fresh graduate?
• ...as an experienced professional?
• ...when you're changing careers?

Too long, don't want to read? Here's a video guide.

There’s a good chance that every resume you’ve ever seen had an education section. But why is it so? If in some cases education isn't relevant at all, why does everyone include it in their resumes? 🤔

• Employers expect to see it. While this reasoning may sound silly, conventions are conventions. If you want to get hired, it’s crucial to meet your future employer’s expectations. And not including an education section on your resume can raise many suspicions about your background, or willingness to follow rules. 
• Your job requires a specific degree. For example, you can't become a medical doctor without a medical degree. We all know that. The same goes for being a lawyer and many other professions, or people who aim at better-paid positions in corporates. 
• Your educational background can help you stand out. This is especially true if you’re a fresh graduate or a student. Sure, adding a prestigious degree to your name can increase your chances, but that’s not all. Try to inflate your education section by mentioning your GPA, scholarships, awards, being on student committees, etc. Anything to help your future boss see your full potential.

What information to include in your education section? 

For each entry about your education, there's a set of information that recruiters expect to see. 

Information that's a must: 

• The name of educational institution/s
• Location of the schools/s
• Starting and graduation year (if applicable) 
• Level of study
• Field of your studies
• Obtained degree

Optional information: 

• Your grade (you want to include this if your grade was good — if not, it's better to ignore it)
• Any extra academic awards or recognition
• Extra educational courses, classes, or training 
• Study exchange programs (such as Erasmus or a year abroad) 
• Final thesis
• Scholarships
• Other academic achievements

How to write your resume education section?

So how do you put that information in your education section? Follow these basic steps:

• Write about your education in a reversed chronological order. Place your most recent education first and then continue with the previous ones (if applicable).
• Always include the name of your school and its location. In most cases, list the name of your school first. This is the best thing to do especially if your degree has nothing to do with your desired role. The recruiter's attention will be drawn to the name of the institution instead of the study subject. 
• Specify your degree and field of study. You can either spell out the full title, e.g. “ Master of Arts” , or use the initials “ MA” . If you have more than one degree from the same school, list your most recent degree first. Also, list your minors or concentrations after your major.
• Don’t forget the dates. Include the year you began your studies and the year you graduated. Remember, you don’t have to include any specific dates if you seek to avoid discrimination based on your age.
• Add other optional information. This applies to you if you’re a student or fresh out of school. Consider adding information such as good grades, awards, Dean's list, being a part of a committee, related school projects, etc. 

What does this look like in practice? Take a look at the sample below! 

Or to write your own education section, use the following template. Of course, include only the information that pertains to the job you want:

Education Section Template

Name of your school, location — dates of duration or year of graduation.

Degree, the field of study

(+ additional info that students and graduates can include):

• Relevant coursework or student activities
• Study abroad
• Extracurricular activities
• Grade point average (if it’s above 3)
• Academic honors
• The topic of your final thesis together with the outcome (if it’s related to the job)

Where to place your education section?

So now that you know what to include in your education section, you must know WHERE to place it within your resume. 

Generally speaking, you should position it either before or after your work experience section . So, which placement is better for YOUR resume? 

Well, as with the rest of your resume, the rule of thumb is: always put the most important information first. Ask yourself — what's my best asset? What makes me stand out from the crowd of applicants? Is it years of experience in the field? Or the fact that I've just finished a really good school?

In other words, the location of the education on your resume is determined by the stage of your career. 

Are you a student or a fresh graduate? 

If this is your case, then remember: your education is still probably your main strength. So play into it! 

Place the education near the top of your resume ; just below your resume objective/profile section. This way, your education will be the first thing that recruiters will see. 

But what if you worked during your studies? 

Even if the work experience wasn't in the field of your studies, you must have learned valuable skills. So make sure you include them in your resume. Place them right underneath your education. 

And if you've managed to land a cool internship related to your studies, even better! In this case, you may even consider placing it ABOVE the education section. However, make sure you do this only if the internship experience outshines your education. 

Are you an experienced professional?  

In this case, place your education section anywhere on the page, as long as you place the work experience section first. 

Just remember: you should always put the most important information first. At this point in your career, your education isn’t nearly as important as it used to be. Because of that, it should probably find its place near the bottom of your resume.

How to list your high school education on a resume?

So far, we mostly talked about how to list your college education. That’s because once you’ve already got your university degree, you can leave your high school degree out of your resume.

But what if you've never attended university? 

Well, it means that your resume’s education section is going to be pretty straightforward and it will focus on your high-school experience . 

All you have to do is list the name of your high school, its location, and the dates. There’s no reason to complicate it any further.

The exception is if you graduated less than three years ago. In this case, when you don’t have years of professional experience to lean on, add anything to your education section that shows off your skills and talents, such as: 

• awards and unique achievements
• competitions that you've attended
• extracurricular activities
• clubs and organizations you were a part of
• good academic results

Feel free to include details about any projects or clubs you joined while at school. Focus on including specific examples to demonstrate your motivation and initiative.

Did you write for high school newspapers and published 16 articles? Then it deserves a mention in your education section!

The bottom line is simple: Look for anything that helps you show your enthusiasm and work ethic.

Think of clubs, organizations, extracurricular activities, or even volunteer work (even though volunteering may deserve its own separate section). All of these can count as major achievements if you don’t have work experience yet.

Pro tip: Make the education section relevant. Only include information that's related to the specific job opening that you’re interested in. Keep an open mind and remember that transferable skills can make a huge difference, too. In other words, tailor your resume .

How to write an education section if you're a fresh graduate or student

If you’re a student or you’ve just graduated, you probably don’t have much work experience to put on a resume yet. That’s normal. On the other hand, what you do have is academic experience. 

That means the education section should dominate your resume . Make it more elaborate in comparison to other sections and place it at the top of your resume.

During your studies, you must have learned and achieved more things than you probably realize. So — don’t make your education section only about the degrees obtained. Use this space to present all of your most notable academic accomplishments.

Consider including the following:

• Academic awards: e.g. AP scholar, Duke of Edinburgh award, National Merit Award, President’s Award, school subject-based awards, etc.
• Scholarships: e.g. athletic scholarships, scholarships for women, creative scholarships, etc.
• Academic conferences and symposia: Don’t forget to mention the scope and name of the paper you presented at a conference.
• Relevant student societies: e.g. debating societies or programming clubs. If you were on the committee of any kind of student society, make sure you include it as well. 
• Dean’s list.
• GPA: Only include if it was higher than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. If your overall GPA was lower than that, mention your major GPA. Alternatively, mention your summa cum laude or magna cum laude. But if it wasn’t great, you can simply leave it out. And if you're out of school for a couple of years, you should take your GPA out of your resume no matter what.
• Academic publications: This may not apply to you but if you have a Ph.D. (or working towards it), you’re expected to include at least one publication.
• Extracurricular activities: Show that you're active and care! Doesn't matter if it's football, book club, or volunteering. All of these activities show that you are able to work with people and are interested in the world around you.
• Relevant coursework: Demonstrate that you know plenty about the work that youre applying for. Academic knowledge matters, especially if you dont have hands-on experience yet. 
• Projects that you've worked on: Are they related to the job you're applying for? Make sure you include it!
• Final thesis: This matters especially if you've earned a good grade, it got published, or you've researched something related to your potential new position. 
• Study abroad: It demonstrates flexibility and the fact that you can adapt easily to new environments. 

However, if you've acquired solid work experience already, you can also place your education section after it. Keep in mind — what ’ s more important comes first.

This can be, for example, a standout internship.

Internships

Having an internship on your student resume will automatically make you stand out from the crowd of student applicants. But you already know that. 

Whether the internship is paid or unpaid, doesn’t matter. The most important thing is that you can show you’re motivated and willing to work.

Once you’ve got an internship under your belt, make sure to place it in a separate resume section , as it deserves this special treatment. 

Now you may ask, where to place this internship section. Before, or after your education? 

Well, the most impressive information on your resume should be placed first. So, judge the importance of your internship: 

• If it was a longer internship in a prestigious company, feel free to put the internship section before the education section. 
• On the other hand, if you’re a student at an Ivy League school with an excellent grade average, a month-long internship experience in a local company should come second after your academic achievements. 

How to write an education section if you’ve never graduated (dropped out)?

Many people feel ashamed if they haven't finished their studies. Consequently, they make the mistake of not mentioning their studies at all. And as a result, they leave out years of valuable academic experience.  

Don't make this mistake. Dropping off of a university or taking a leave of absence is now a part of your story. And if you can sell it well, it doesn't even have to harm your chances of getting the job. 

So, always include unfinished education on your resume . It's better than leaving that period of time unaddressed. That's because gaps in your resume always make hiring managers a bit suspicious.

And if you’re just taking a break in studies ( so you don’t have a degree yet), also just put it on your resume. In this scenario, all you have to do is emphasize that you’re still working towards finishing your studies.

How to write an education section if you’re an experienced professional?

Once you become an experienced professional, your education section takes a back seat to your professional experience. Your interviews will revolve around your work experience and professional achievements rather than your academic career.

This means that you can get away with simply listing your degrees in reverse-chronological order with basic info like university name, location, degree, and field of study — and leave it at that.

Feel free to remove more specific details about your education such as GPA, or extracurricular activities related to coursework, or even attendance dates.

How to write an education section if you’re changing careers?

Even if you’re completely changing careers and are moving away from your field of expertise, your education remains important. However, it’s also not as big of a selling point as the skills you possess. Because of that, you should position your skills and relevant experience above your education section.

The easiest way of doing this is to write a functional resume , as opposed to the more traditional chronological resume. This resume format allows you to place transferable skills first, and work experience and education second. 

You may be asking — what if my education isn’t related to the job I ’ m applying for at all? Should I still include it? And the answer is yes! 

Just make sure that you write the name of the institution first. By doing so, you can first draw attention to the fact that you attended a (prestigious) university. It's only then that recruiters notice your somewhat unrelated degree.

But you can impress the hiring manager with your education section anyway. Besides listing key information such as the name of the institution, degree, and dates, you should also consider including accomplishments that are related to the position that you're applying for. 

Think of any coursework, or student clubs and organizations involvement, where you gained transferable skills. You can also mention academic awards, even those that aren’t related to your new job, as they can help you impress the hiring manager.

Final tips on how to make your education section stand out

• Consider adding subsections. If you have a lot of information to include in the education section, consider dividing it into subsections. You can divide it into Basic information (schools and degrees), Awards and Honours, Certifications, School Organizations, or Volunteer Work.
• Keep ATS in mind. ATS normally uses school rankings to assess candidates. If you’re still at school and have your university email address, use it to associate yourself with the school’s reputation. Make sure to include the full name of the school together with its abbreviation, e.g. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) .
• Get certificates. If your academic background isn't something you can be really proud of, get an online certificate from one of the top universities like Harvard or Yale. Then you’ll be able to use the school’s name to your advantage.
• Tell the truth. It’s very easy for hiring managers to confirm whether your education is true or not. Also, be honest about your grades. If you’re not happy with your GPA, instead of making it up, rather leave it completely out of your resume.
• Tailor it to the position: Just like with the rest of your resume, tailor your education section to the job description. If certain courses or projects you completed align with the job requirements, make sure to highlight them. This shows the employer that you already possess relevant knowledge and skills for the job.

Oh, and if you have a LinkedIn profile filled with all the important details, including your academic background, skills, experience, and qualifications, you can easily  turn it into a polished resume with just one click.

How long should the education section be?

The education section should be among the shortest ones on your resume (unless you're a student, a fresh graduate, or are applying for an academic position)

In most cases, it’s ideal if you keep the education section to 15-30 words max. Naturally, this varies depending on the level of education achieved. 

How do I list a double major on my resume?

Feel free to list it under one entry, just make sure you make it clear that it's a double major (either state the fact openly or include & between the names of the two degrees, e.g. Biology & Psychology ) followed by the name of your school.

Is it ever ok to leave out your education section completely?

Not really. Even if the position you're applying for doesn't require any formal education, recruiters will still expect to see at least the most basic education section entry. So don’t make them suspicious of you and write down what you’ve got instead.

What can I include in the education section if I did not finish my degree?

You can still list the degree and the school name, but instead of the graduation date, include the range of years you attended. However, it's crucial to indicate that the degree is not yet completed. For instance, "Bachelor of Arts: English Literature (In Progress) 2017 - Present."

How should I list relevant coursework on my resume?

Include this under your degree in the education section. You can either list courses directly related to the position you’re applying for. For example, “Relevant Coursework: Microeconomics, Business Law, Financial Accounting, Data Analysis."

Kaja Jurčišinová

Kaja Jurcisinova is a fresh graduate and a junior copywriter at Kickresume. Kaja completed her undergraduate degree in Art History at the University of St Andrews in 2018 and graduated with a Master’s in Arts and Culture from the University of Groningen in 2021. She was an intern at multiple cultural institutions across Europe, including the Dutch Museum Association in Amsterdam, the Matter of Art Biennale in Prague, and the European Cultural Centre in Venice. At the moment, she resides in Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland.

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How to List Educational Background on a Resume in 2023

We will share education resume examples that you can use to structure your own resume section to make it more appealing to the hiring manager.

Table of Contents

What to include in your resume education section?

In most cases, the information you include in the education section on your resume is quite standard. It includes the following:

• Name of the college you attended
• Location of your college
• Your highest degree
• Graduation year
• And any relevant academic achievements

Depending on the job you are applying for, you will need to apply different levels of detail to the educational background section. However, in most cases, this is one of the shortest sections of a resume, typically totaling around 30 words.

Though varying levels of detail are required for different jobs. For example, if you are a recent graduate, you may want to add more detail to your education section to illustrate your capabilities — as you don’t yet have enough work experience to showcase your abilities.

The most important thing to pay attention to in your education section is that it should match (as much as possible) the position you are applying for. Make sure to look through the job description again and try to emphasize the relevant qualities that you have obtained during your studies.

What do employers look for in the educational background section of your resume?

Each employer may look for a different thing in your education section. This depends on what the job is and what position they are looking to fill. Someone seeking a top manager or director may be interested in seeing a high-level business degree on your resume such as an MBA. You can check approximate MBA employment statistics on the Foster School of Business website.

If you are applying for an entry-level position, the recruiter will probably just be looking for a high school or college degree. In some occupations such as finance or healthcare, the HR manager may be looking for a specific certification that is necessary for the job.

While it’s important to tweak your educational background section to the position you are applying for, the most important thing here is that you remain honest. Never lie on your resume, including the education section, as this will work against you in almost all cases and will affect your chances of getting hired in the future.

Don’t omit the education section either. According to Zety, 97.25% of all resumes list education — so your potential employer will be expecting to see this on your resume. Even if your education is incomplete, simply mention where you are in the education process.

How to list education on your resume?

There are several ways in which you can list education on your resume. How you do it depends on the job you are applying for, what education you have and the resume format you’ve chosen.

Top Resume Formats. Tips and Examples.

Let’s look at a few scenarios here.

You are a recent graduate

If you’ve recently graduated, your education section may be the only prominent part of your resume as you don’t yet have any work experience. This is why you can place your education ahead of your work experience. You can also include more details in your education section that showcase your good qualities. For instance, you can mention the honors you’ve received, your GPA, extra-curricular courses and more. Here’s an example of how your education section may look:

U niversity of Hawaii, 2011–2016 Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Business Essentials Certificate Terry Scholar

You will find more useful information in Writing a Resume With No Experience .

You are an experienced professional

If you have substantial work experience, you should focus on that part of your resume and list your education below work experience. You should also keep this part of your resume relatively short and only mention your highest and most relevant degrees. In this case, the hiring manager reviewing your resume will be more interested in what you’ve achieved in the workplace rather than your academic achievement. However, if you have advanced degrees such as a Master’s Degree or a PH.D, these are absolutely worth mentioning. Here’s an example of what this might look like.

New York Graduate School of Business Management Master of Business Administration (MBA) Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) University of Georgia Bachelor of Accounting

Should I put high school education on a resume?

When listing education on your resume you might start to wonder: how far back should I go? For instance, should I put high school education on my resume? The answer to that question depends on where you are professionally.

If you are currently in high school or are a recent graduate (high school or college) with little or no work experience, you can add your high school education to your resume and it will fit in quite organically.

However, once you’ve gained work experience or received higher education degrees such as a Master’s or a Ph.D., you should take your high school off your resume.

How to list incomplete education?

If you’re still enrolled in an education program, you can still include it on your resume. You will simply need to mention the work you’ve already done and when you plan to graduate.

You may include information like the name of the institution, the degree you will receive upon graduation, honors and academic achievements, extracurricular activities and more. Here’s an example:

Rogers High School Expected Diploma, 2025 (GPA 3.9) National Honor Society, Vice President

If you haven’t completed your degree, you can list the coursework that you’ve completed. You can also add an extra section to your resume to showcase your professional development for the relevant job that you’ve done since. On-the-job experience is often more valuable than academic qualifications (especially for some jobs). And your employer will definitely appreciate it if you have experience directly related to the job. Here is an example:

• You have quite a few options about that to include in the education section of your resume and where to place this section. It all depends on what job you are applying for and how much education you have compared to work experience.
• When it comes to the placement of your education section, consider where you are in your career and what you want to emphasize. If your academic achievements are the most outstanding part of your experience, then it makes perfect sense to put the focus on them and place them before your work experience. If, on the other hand, you already have a few years of work experience, place your work experience section before education as it will showcase your more hands-on knowledge.
• When deciding how to organize and structure your resume content, stay honest but also be strategic.
• Try to include information that is specifically relevant to the position you are applying for and highlight your strongest points first.