How to put an expected graduation date on your resume

There are various reasons you may work as a student, such as relieving financial pressure, networking with professionals and gaining knowledge. If you combine work with school, it's important to learn how to write an excellent student CV. Knowing how to enter your anticipated graduation date on your resume can help employers understand how they may accommodate classes. In this article, we discuss how to put an expected graduation date on a resume, show examples, explain when you may place a graduation date and give some useful tips for the process.

How to put an expected graduation date on your resume

The steps below show how you can put an expected graduation date on your resume:

1. Write your degree name

Confirm the title of your expected degree. For example, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is separate from a Bachelor of Arts (BA), and a Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil) differs from a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Philosophy. If you have a dual degree, list both separately while first putting the most relevant. You may also add honours if you have any attached to your degree.

2. List your final grade mark

Your final grade mark is an average of module marks that demonstrates overall how well you performed during university. Putting an average grade mark on your CV is not compulsory, though some employers prefer it because it shows how committed you're to your studies. Your commitment level with your studies usually translates to your commitment level in the workplace. If you include your final grade mark, ensure it's a score within the upper honours range. If it's on the verge of that average, you may decide to wait until you receive a new report.

3. Write the name and city of your university

Enter the name and city of your university. Depending on the approach, you may include these details in a single line or two lines. If you're writing it in two lines, write the university name in a line, then the city below it.

4. Enter the expected graduation date

You may include your graduation date after entering your education details. Open a parenthesis, and with a short phrase, explain your expected graduation date. If you're not entering all your education information on one line, you may ignore the parenthesis.

Examples of listing expected graduation dates on CV

The examples below show how you can put an expected graduation date on your CV:

Example 1

Below is a sample CV with education entries and expected graduation in one line:

Dan Tyler
Bloomsbury, London
tylerdan@email.com

Profile

A hard-working Business Analytics and Data Analytics undergraduate with experience in tutoring and consulting. Specialised in Big Data Analytics and Project Management. Seeking to utilise my excellent analysis skill and learn more at a reputable international organisation.

Education

Bachelor of Science: Business Analytics
University of London, Greater London (Anticipated graduation July 2024)

Honours and Awards

• Business Analytics Scholarship

• Dean's List, Spring 2021-Autumn 2021

Work experience

Junior Analyst

Deep Data Limited, Bloomsbury, London, June 2022-October 2022

• Assisting with the creation of business analysis

• Reported business analysis to stakeholders

• Conducted market analysis to analyse product lines

• Assisting with the gathering and documentation of business requirements

Skills

• Spreadsheet software

• Computer programming languages

• Data analysis tools

• Statistical techniques

• Office tools

• Teleconferencing

• Critical thinking

• Communication

Hobbies and Interests

• Travelling

• Volunteering

• Designing

Read more: How to write a school leaver CV (with template and example)

Example 2

The CV sample below shows how you may split your education details:

Susan Potter
Hilton, Aberdeen
susanpotter@email.com

Profile

An ambitious language undergraduate with experience in television and radio communication. Specialised in English, public speaking and mass communication. Excited to learn more about media communication and develop my skills at a reputable media company.

Education

Bachelor of Art: English
University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen
Expected graduation July 2022

Honours and Awards

• Language Scholarship

• Dean's List, Spring 2021-Autumn 2021

• Winner, University of Aberdeen competition, May 2020

Work History

Journalist Intern

University of Aberdeen Press, June 2019-October 2019

• Wrote articles, news stories and reports

• Investigated and interviewed students and staff

• Researched public records and databases to find information

Skills

• Social media

• Image and audio editing tools

• Communication

• Public speaking

Hobbies and Interests

• Travelling

• Debating

• Politics

Related: Resume vs. CV: what are the differences?

When to include an expected graduation date on your CV

Consider including an expected graduation date on your CV if you're applying for entry-level jobs. Gaining some work experience before you graduate from a university may increase your employment chances after you graduate. Employers may need your expected graduation date to understand the amount of flexibility you may need with your work schedule. Including this date also tells them how long you have left in the university. Some employers may consider a placement for you in their company if your graduation date is near and your work performance is impressive.

Tips to remember when putting an expected graduation date on your CV are:

• Identify the exact graduation date: While many events may occur that may prolong or shorten the date you're supposed to graduate, knowing the exact date is still helpful in writing your CV. If you're unsure of the month or date, be sure to include the graduation year.

• Avoid entering the education start year: Different schools have different programmes, so you may ignore your education start year. Omitting it's helpful if it may appear as though you've been in school for an unusual amount of time.

• Include relevant coursework: If you completed some courses that relate to your position of interest, you might briefly highlight them.

• Proofread your details: Check the information you've entered to ensure it's accurate. Employers typically conduct background checks on your details, so entering accurate information increases your employment chances.

Related: CV format guide: examples and tips

Tips for writing a student CV

These best practices may help you write a better student CV:

Use clear fonts

Using a clean and straightforward font makes your words clear to the employer and makes your CV easier to read. It can also create an excellent first impression, which may boost your chances of selection. Your chosen font size also matters because it can determine the number of pages your CV covers and it affects the overall layout.

Be consistent in formatting

Maintaining consistency ensures that every section of your CV matches. For example, if you choose a 10-point font for the body of the first heading, use 10-point font bodies throughout the document. If you separate the first two sections with a single line, separate other sections with a single line. Doing this makes it easy for employers to switch between different sections.

Being consistent in formatting also includes adhering to one way of listing degree information. For example, you may abbreviate the Bachelor of Philosophy as BPhil, BPh or PhB. Whichever you decide to use, keep it consistent with all education entries.

Place education above experience

While you're still a student or even a recent graduate, place your education above your experience. Education holds more relevance, as you're only gaining work experience. After some years, usually two to three, your experience may have superseded your education. You can then update your CV by placing experience above education.

Omit secondary school if you have a higher degree

Your senior school certificate is the most relevant when you're a student or fresh graduate with no work experience. Once you earn a higher degree, you may remove your senior school certificate. You may feel your grade school is still relevant because you attended a high calibre school, in which case you may leave it. Else, your earliest university education takes precedence.

Related: What is a bachelor's degree?

Add achievements and certifications

List any achievement or distinction you earned while in school, such as winning a competition. You may also include any certifications you earned. Consider creating a different section for this and describe them in reverse chronological order.

Related: 6 universal rules for writing your CV

Include extracurricular activities

Highlighting the extracurricular activities you engaged in is a helpful way to show your skills. It helps prove to employers that you have more capability than your inexperience shows. These activities can also help strengthen your CV if you apply for the job. For example, suppose you joined a foreign language club such as French. In that case, you may have a higher chance of getting an internship placement at the French embassy.

You can include your extracurricular activities in your education or achievement section depending on where you think they best fit. You may also create a separate work experience section for them.

Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.