The education section on a resume: what to write and where to put it

Introduction

The education section on a resume looks like the easy part: a few dates, a school, a degree. Then the questions start. Do your GCSEs still belong there at 30? What about the degree you left after second year, the qualification you earned in Lisbon, the A-levels you don't have results for yet? Get these wrong and the section that should reassure a recruiter ends up raising doubts.

Below, you'll find what each line should say, what to cut as your career moves on, how to word an unfinished or overseas qualification, and where the section belongs for your profile. The examples follow British conventions first (in the UK, the document itself is usually called a CV), with the American differences that actually matter.

What each line of your resume education section should say

Each entry answers four questions: what you studied, where, when and how well. Give the qualification its full name and subject, such as "BSc (Hons) Economics" or "BA (Hons) History", never just "degree". Add the university or college, the town if it helps, and either your graduation year or your start and end years. Then list everything in reverse chronological order, most recent first, the same way you list your jobs:

• BSc (Hons) Economics, 2:1 – University of Sheffield, 2021–2024
• A-levels: Maths (A*), Economics (A), Geography (B) – St Mary's Sixth Form College, Leeds, 2021
• 9 GCSEs at grades 9–4, including English Language (7) and Maths (8)

Your degree classification

UK honours degrees are classified as a First, an upper second (2:1), a lower second (2:2) or a Third. Put yours straight after the degree. A First or a 2:1 is worth showing, especially early on, and if a posting sets a minimum classification, make sure the reader can find yours in a second. With a 2:2 or a Third, you can leave the classification off once you have experience to talk about, but if an application form asks for it, answer accurately. Never inflate a classification or a degree: it's one of the few lines on a resume an employer can check.

A-levels, GCSEs and predicted grades

A-levels are graded from A* down to E. While they're your highest qualification, list each subject with its grade. GCSEs, on the other hand, rarely deserve more than one line. In England, they have been graded 9 to 1 since 2017, with 9 the highest, and the bottom of a grade 4 lines up with the bottom of the old grade C. A line like "9 GCSEs at grades 9–4, including English and Maths" tells a recruiter all they need. If yours were awarded as letters, keep the letters rather than converting them.

Still at school or college? List your A-levels with your predicted grades and label them clearly: "A-levels (predicted): Biology A, Chemistry B, Maths B". UCAS describes a predicted grade as the one your school or college believes you're likely to achieve, so a recruiter will read it as exactly that.

When to drop school results

Your education section should shrink as your experience grows. Once you have a degree, GCSE detail can go and a one-line summary is plenty. After a few years in work, A-level grades usually go too, and many people keep only the degree.

The exception is a posting that asks for something specific, such as GCSE English and Maths at grade 4 or above. Keep that line, worded so the recruiter can tick the requirement off without hunting for it.

Unfinished degrees, courses in progress and overseas qualifications

Still studying? Show the dates and when you expect to finish: "BSc (Hons) Nursing, University of Leicester, 2023–present (expected graduation: July 2026)".

Left before the end? Say what you completed rather than implying a degree you don't hold: "BSc Physics, University of Bristol, 2019–2021 (two years completed)". Then check your transcript. Some universities let students who leave a course early exit with a recognised award, such as a Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE, level 4) or a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE, level 5). If you were given one, list it: it's a qualification in its own right.

Studied abroad? Keep the original title and add the country, rather than translating it into a British degree: "Licence de droit, Université de Bordeaux, France, 2018". For jobs in the UK, a Statement of Comparability from UK ENIC shows how an international qualification compares to the UK education system. It doesn't comment on grades, so keep your original grades as they are, and mention the statement on the line or have it ready to send.

Applying in the US: GPA and Latin honours

American resumes don't use degree classifications. Recent graduates often add their GPA instead, along with Latin honours such as cum laude if their college awarded them. There's no universal cut-off for including a GPA, so judge it against the role, include it whenever a posting asks for it, and drop it once you have a few years of experience.

Where the education section goes on your resume

If you're a student, a recent graduate or an apprentice, education goes first, straight under your name and headline, because it's your strongest evidence. Add a project, a dissertation or a few relevant modules if they match the job. Our guide to a resume with no experience shows how to fill the rest of the page.

A few years into your career, experience leads and education moves to the bottom: one line per qualification, no detail. Recruiters read it to check, not to discover who you are.

If you're changing careers and a new qualification is what makes you credible for the role, move it above your experience, even after fifteen years in another field. Our career change resume guide covers the rest of the rewrite.

Jolicv's little nudge

On Jolicv, each entry in the Education block has its own fields: degree, institution (add the town there if you want it), field of study, dates, and a description for your classification, grades or modules, plus a "Current" switch that leaves the end date open while you're still studying. You drag entries into the order you want, and "Arrange blocks" lets you move the whole Education section above or below your Experience. Pick a resume template, fill it in and check the result in the live preview.

Conclusion

A strong education section on a resume is short and precise: full qualification names, the right order, and grades only where they help. Trim school results as your career grows, be straightforward about anything unfinished, and give recruiters the reference points they need for an overseas qualification. Then put the section where it best supports the job you want. Ten minutes of tidying now will serve every application that follows.