Student CV Template: Write a CV With No Experience

Writing your first CV with little or no work experience feels daunting, but it is very doable with the right structure. This student CV template and guide shows you exactly what to include, what to leave out, and how to make limited experience look strong. Download the template, follow the steps, and you will have a professional CV ready to send. Build and edit yours with our CV templates.

How to write a student CV in 5 steps

1. Add your contact details at the top.
2. Write a short personal profile focused on attitude and potential.
3. Lead with education, including grades and relevant projects.
4. Highlight transferable experience — part-time work, volunteering, clubs.
5. List your skills and keep the whole CV to one page.

With no career history, your education and transferable skills do the heavy lifting. Below, each section is broken down.

What to include in a student CV

A good student cv example follows this order:

1. Contact details

Name, phone number, professional email and city. Add a LinkedIn URL if you have one. No photo or date of birth.

2. Personal profile

Three to four lines on who you are and what you offer. Lead with enthusiasm and transferable strengths.

Reliable and motivated A-level student (predicted ABB) with part-time retail experience. Confident communicator and quick learner, seeking a Saturday role to build on my customer service skills.

For more, see our CV personal statement examples.

3. Education

This is your strongest section, so place it high.

• School/college name and dates.
• Qualifications and grades (or predicted grades).
• Relevant modules, coursework or projects.

A-levels (predicted): Maths (A), Economics (B), Geography (B). Completed an independent project analysing local business data using Excel.

4. Work experience and transferable activities

Even without formal jobs, you have relevant experience. Include:

• Part-time or holiday jobs.
• Volunteering.
• Clubs, sports teams and societies — especially leadership roles.
• School responsibilities like prefect or class representative.

Frame each with an achievement, not just a title:

Captain, school netball team — organised weekly training for 12 players and led the team to a regional semi-final.

5. Skills

List relevant hard and soft skills. Our guide to skills to put on a CV helps you choose.

The student CV template

Use this as your first cv template and replace the bracketed text:

[Full Name]
[Phone] · [Professional email] · [City] · [LinkedIn]

PERSONAL PROFILE
[3–4 lines: who you are, key strengths, what you're looking for]

EDUCATION
[School/college], [dates]
[Qualifications and grades / predicted grades]
[Relevant modules, coursework or projects]

EXPERIENCE & ACTIVITIES
[Role/activity], [organisation], [dates]
- [Achievement-focused bullet]
- [Achievement-focused bullet]

SKILLS
[Skill] · [Skill] · [Skill] · [Skill]

INTERESTS
[1–2 relevant interests that show useful qualities]

How to make no experience look strong

You have more to offer than you think. The trick is framing.

• Turn activities into evidence. Captaining a team shows leadership; running a stall shows initiative.
• Quantify where you can. "Raised £400 for charity" beats "did fundraising".
• Highlight transferable skills. Teamwork, communication and reliability matter in any job.
• Show willingness to learn. Employers hiring students expect to train you; enthusiasm counts.

For the underlying method that applies to any CV, see our full guide on how to write a CV.

What to leave out

• A photo, date of birth or marital status.
• Irrelevant detail or padding to fill space.
• An unprofessional email address.
• References (just note "available on request" if you wish, or omit entirely).
• Anything longer than one page — for a student CV, one page is the right length.

If you want a few clean layouts to start from, our free CV template UK guide has options that suit students.

Build your first CV with confidence

A clear student CV template turns "I have no experience" into "here is what I can offer". Lead with your education, frame your activities as achievements, and keep it to one page. Download and edit your CV with our CV templates — ApplicantGrid guides you through every section and checks it is ATS-ready, so your first CV looks the part.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a student CV be?

One page. With limited work history, a single, well-edited page is ideal. Resist padding it out — recruiters prefer a focused CV that highlights your strongest points clearly.

What do I put on a CV with no work experience?

Lead with your education, then include transferable experience from part-time jobs, volunteering, clubs, sports and school responsibilities. Frame each as an achievement and finish with a relevant skills section.

Should a student CV include hobbies and interests?

Yes, briefly, if they add value. Interests that show teamwork, leadership, discipline or creativity can strengthen a student CV where work experience is limited. Keep it to one or two relevant lines.

Do I need references on a student CV?

No. You can omit references entirely or add "available on request". Save the space for your education, activities and skills, which carry far more weight on a first CV.

Can I use the same student CV for every application?

Tailor it for each role. Keep a master version, then adjust the personal profile and reorder your activities and skills to match what each job advert is looking for.