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List education with the qualification, the institution, its location and your graduation year, starting with the most recent. Students and recent graduates usually put education near the top of the resume; experienced candidates put it after their work history. Add grades, honours or relevant modules only when they strengthen your application.
Where Education Goes on a Resume
| Situation | Where it goes | What to include |
|---|---|---|
| Student or recent graduate | Near the top, after your summary | Degree, grade if strong, relevant modules, projects, awards |
| A few years of experience | After work experience | Degree, institution, year; grade optional |
| Experienced or senior | Near the end | Degree and institution; year optional |
| Career changer with new training | Near the top if the training is the main qualification | Recent course or certificate first, then earlier degrees |
| Role that requires a qualification | Where the employer will see it quickly | Licence or degree name exactly as the job ad states it |
How to List Education: Format and Examples
Use one consistent format for every entry. A reliable order is: qualification, subject, institution, location, and graduation year (or expected year). These are examples with fictional details:
BSc Computer Science, University of Example, Leeds, 2025
First-class honours · Relevant modules: Databases, Distributed Systems, Machine Learning
BA Business Administration, Example State University, Austin, TX, 2021
GPA 3.7/4.0 · Dean's List
MSc Data Science (expected June 2027), Example University, Manchester
For experienced candidates, keep it short: one line per qualification is enough.
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Set up Auto Apply →Should You Put Your GPA or Grades on a Resume?
A common rule of thumb in the US is to include your GPA if you graduated recently and it is strong, often 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale, or if the employer asks for it. In the UK, graduates often list their degree classification, such as a First or a 2:1, especially early in their career.
After a few years of work, most people remove grades because experience matters more. If an application form asks for your GPA or classification directly, always answer it honestly, even if you have left it off the resume itself.
How to List an Unfinished Degree
You can include study you did not finish, as long as it is clear that the qualification was not completed. Show what you studied and when:
- Still studying: "BSc Psychology (expected 2027), University of Example".
- Stopped studying: "Studied BSc Psychology, University of Example, 2022 to 2024" or "Completed 90 credits towards BSc Psychology".
- Relevant coursework: add one line of modules if they relate to the job.
Never imply you hold a degree you have not completed. It is easy for employers to check, and it can lead to an offer being withdrawn.
Ready to put this into practice?
Set up Auto Apply →Should You Put High School on Your Resume?
Include your high school, or GCSEs and A levels in the UK, if it is your highest level of education, if you are a student or school leaver, or if the job ad asks for it. Once you have a degree or a few years of work, you can usually remove it to save space.
UK school leavers often summarise results in one line, for example "A levels: Maths (A), Economics (B), English (B); 9 GCSEs including Maths and English" (example).
Certifications, Courses and Licences
Professional certifications, licences and short courses can sit in their own "Certifications" section or under education. Put them near the top if the job requires them, and use the exact name the job ad uses so both people and applicant tracking systems find them. Include the issuing body and the year, and the expiry date for licences that expire.
Online courses are worth listing when they are relevant and recent. If you have many, keep only the ones that support the role. For skills you gained from courses, see skills to put on a resume.
Ready to put this into practice?
Set up Auto Apply →Common Mistakes
Putting education first when experience is stronger
After a few years of work, lead with experience and move education towards the end.
Listing every school and course
Keep the qualifications that matter for the role. Old or unrelated short courses add length without value.
Unclear status
Say "expected" for degrees in progress and "studied" for unfinished ones, so nobody is misled.
Inconsistent formatting
Use the same order and date format for every entry, which also helps applicant tracking systems read it.
How MockIF Helps
The free ATS resume checker scores your resume and suggests fixes, including whether your sections are complete and readable, with no signup needed (there is a daily limit on free checks). The Resume-JD match tool shows whether your qualifications line up with a specific job description.
When you are ready to apply, Auto Apply finds jobs that fit and applies on each employer's own form with the answers you gave. On Plus and Pro, it tailors your CV to each job using only what is already in it. It is free to start with 5 credits, then monthly or 3-monthly plans, or one-off credit packs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should education go on a resume?
How do I list education on a resume?
Should I put my GPA on my resume?
How do I put an unfinished degree on my resume?
Should I include high school on my resume?
Do I need dates on my education?
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