Listing GCSEs, A Levels and Degrees on a CV

General layout

For each qualification, include the institution name, the qualification and subject, your grade, and the dates you studied. Keep the formatting consistent across every entry so the section is easy to scan.

As with work experience, list your education in reverse chronological order, with the most recent or highest qualification appearing first, working backwards through earlier qualifications below it.

This section usually sits either directly below your personal statement, for candidates with limited work experience, or below your work history, once you have several years of relevant employment to lead with instead.

Listing GCSEs

If GCSEs are your highest qualification, list the subjects and grades individually, or group them, for example '9 GCSEs including English and Maths, grades 9–4'. Once you have A levels or a degree, GCSEs can usually be summarised in a single line, such as '8 GCSEs, grades 9–5, including English and Maths'.

Some employers still expect to see English and Maths results specifically, since these are commonly checked requirements, so it is worth naming them explicitly even within a summarised line.

If your GCSE results used an older lettered grading system rather than the current numbered one, it is fine to list them as they were awarded, since this simply reflects when you sat the exams.

Listing A levels or equivalent

List each subject and grade individually, for example 'A Levels: Biology (B), Chemistry (B), Maths (C)'. If you are still studying, you can list predicted or current grades, clearly marked as such.

For BTECs, T Levels or other equivalent qualifications, use the exact qualification name so a reader understands what it involved and how it compares to other qualifications listed.

If you took a mix of qualification types, such as one A level alongside a BTEC, list each clearly under its correct name rather than grouping them together, so a reader can see exactly what you achieved.

Listing a degree

Include the degree title, classification if awarded, institution and dates, for example 'BA (Hons) Business Management, 2:1, University of Leeds, 2021–2024'. You can add a short note on relevant modules or a dissertation topic if it is directly useful to the role.

If you completed a placement year or study abroad as part of your degree, this is worth a brief mention here too, either as part of the same entry or as its own short line, since it often reflects real, relevant experience.

Handling unfinished or in-progress qualifications

If a qualification is still in progress, say so clearly, for example 'Expected 2027' or 'Currently studying'. Do not present an incomplete qualification as finished, since this can cause problems if it is checked later.

This is particularly relevant for students applying for graduate roles before finishing their final year, where clearly labelling the qualification as in progress, with an expected completion date, is standard and expected practice.

Older qualifications and vocational or professional qualifications

As your career progresses, older or less relevant qualifications can be summarised more briefly, or in some cases left off entirely if space is tight and they add little to a specific application.

Vocational qualifications, apprenticeships and professional certificates should follow the same general layout: the awarding body or institution, the exact qualification title, and the date achieved. Use the qualification's proper name rather than an informal shorthand, so a reader can recognise it accurately.

If a professional qualification is directly relevant to the job, it can be worth placing it near the top of your education section, even above an earlier degree, so it is seen first.

This flexibility within the education section allows you to keep the most relevant qualification visible near the top, even where it was not the most recent one you completed.

Common mistakes when listing education

A common mistake is inconsistent formatting between entries, such as listing the institution first for one qualification and the subject first for another. Keep the same order and style for every entry so the section is easy to follow.

Another common mistake is including too much unnecessary detail for lower-relevance qualifications, which can crowd out more important, recent achievements further up the CV. Keep the level of detail proportional to how relevant and recent each qualification is.

It is also worth double-checking dates and grades carefully in this section, since errors here are easy to make when copying information across from certificates or transcripts, and a mismatch can raise unnecessary questions later.