A UK graduate CV helps employers see how your degree, placement year, part-time work and university responsibilities prepare you for a graduate scheme or entry-level role. Because many finalists apply with similar degree titles, concrete evidence from a dissertation, laboratory investigation, placement project or customer-facing job carries far more weight than generic adjectives.
| Evidence type | What to state on your CV | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Degree in progress | Exact degree title, university, expected graduation date and 'Predicted' classification | Writing a predicted grade as an awarded classification |
| Final-year dissertation or team project | Problem investigated, your individual role, tools used and test results | Listing a university module assignment as commercial employment |
| Part-time or society work | Concrete tasks, rota or budget responsibility and reliable attendance | Inventing senior corporate job titles for student committee roles |
Present degree classifications and school grades clearly
Place your university education above work history when your degree and academic projects are your strongest evidence for the vacancy. State your degree title, university, start and completion dates, and your awarded or predicted classification (such as 'Predicted 2:1' or 'First-Class Honours'). Never state a predicted grade as already awarded.
Under your degree, list only the modules, dissertation or final-year project that relate to the target role. Summarise A-levels (or Scottish Highers, BTEC or IB equivalents) and GCSEs concisely underneath unless the graduate scheme requests every subject grade.
Distinguish industrial placements, coursework and part-time jobs
Label an industrial year in industry, summer internship, clinical placement or part-time retail/hospitality job accurately with the employer name and dates. For a university group project or dissertation, make clear that it was academic work and state your individual responsibility, the methods you used and how you tested the outcome.
Transferable evidence from part-time work or student society roles—such as managing a society budget, training new shift staff or resolving customer issues—belongs in concise, factual bullets rather than inflated corporate titles.
Check graduate portal forms alongside your exported A4 PDF
Many UK graduate recruiters use online forms alongside a CV upload. Check that your dates, grade predictions and module names match across your A4 PDF and every portal field, and inspect the extracted text of your PDF before submitting.