How Do I Write My University Degree On My CV?

What’s the deal with education sections?

Your CV’s education section gives hiring teams the essentials: where you studied and what you studied. The trick is making it crystal clear and well-organized. Reverse-chronological order puts your most recent and relevant credential front and center. (Honestly, this is the part recruiters look at first.) Now, as of 2026, two-page resumes are pretty standard for mid-career candidates, but keep it tight—conciseness still matters according to career experts at Monster.

How do I actually structure this section?

Here’s the thing: you’ll want to follow a simple, repeatable process. Start by opening your resume file and finding the “Education” section. No section? No problem—just create one. Place it right below your summary if you’ve got one, or above “Work Experience” if you’re still early in your career.

1. Lead with your highest degree. That PhD? Put it before your master’s. Your master’s? Put it before your bachelor’s. You get the idea.
2. Pack these six details into a single line or bullet point:
   • Degree name
   • Major or field of study
   • University name
   • University location (city, state, or country)
   • Graduation year
   • GPA (only if it’s 3.4 or higher)
3. Style your degree names right:
   • Use full caps for complete degree titles: Bachelor of Arts, Master of Business Administration
   • Lowercase general mentions: bachelor’s degree, master’s degree
   • Skip apostrophes and periods for associate degrees and doctoral degrees
4. List the rest of your degrees in reverse-chronological order. Once you’ve got a college degree, your high school diploma can go—no need to clutter things up.

What if I’m still not sure where education belongs on my CV?

Here’s a quick rule of thumb: If you’ve got more than five years of relevant experience, slide education below your work history. Less than five years? Keep it near the top where it’ll catch the recruiter’s eye first.

Need to abbreviate? Stick to the standards: B.A., M.S., Ph.D. But if your industry skips the periods (like BA, MS), go for it—just stay consistent.

Short on space? Try combining city and state like “Boston, MA.” And if your GPA’s below 3.4 or you’ve been out of school for five-plus years, leave it off entirely.

How can I keep my education section from causing problems later?

Consistency is key. Use the same formatting for degree names and locations across every application. Double-check those graduation years and majors—typos here are sneaky but easy to fix. Also, ditch any degrees that no longer matter to your career path. According to LinkedIn career advisors, recruiters often scan just the first third of a CV, so make sure your top credential stands out.