Education and certifications

Put education first if you are a student, a recent graduate or your degree is the main requirement for the job. Put work experience first once you have relevant professional experience.

Common situations:

• Fresh graduate or student: education first, because it is your strongest qualification.
• One to three years of experience: experience first, unless your degree is very recent and highly relevant.
• Experienced professional: experience first; education becomes a short section near the end.
• Career changer with a new qualification: consider putting the new qualification near the top, perhaps in your summary.
• Academic, medical or research roles: education is often near the top regardless of experience, as it is a key requirement.

There is no strict rule. Ask which section gives the reader the best evidence that you fit the job, and put that first.

Include the qualification name, the institution, its location and your graduation date or expected date. Add grades, honours or relevant details only when they help.

Basic format:
"Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates | 2024"

Optional extras:

• Grade or classification, if strong or requested: "First Class Honours" or "GPA 3.7/4.0".
• Relevant modules or a final project, for graduates.
• Scholarships, awards or exchange programmes.
• Thesis title, for research roles.

Experienced professionals usually need only the basic line. Students and graduates can add one or two extra details to strengthen a thin resume. Keep the formatting the same for every entry.

Make sure every detail matches your certificate or transcript exactly, including the degree title and the year. Employers and background-check companies often compare them, and small differences can cause delays.

List them in reverse chronological order, with your most recent or highest qualification first.

Example:
"MSc Data Science, University of Manchester, 2025
BEng Electrical Engineering, Anna University, India, 2022"

Reverse order matches how most readers expect resumes to work and puts your most advanced qualification where it is seen first.

An exception is when an older qualification is more relevant to the job than a newer one. For example, if you have a recent short business course but are applying for an engineering role, you might still list the engineering degree first. Whatever order you choose, keep it consistent and easy to follow.

Include it if it is your highest qualification, if you are a student or very recent graduate, or if the employer asks for it. Otherwise, leave it out once you have a degree or diploma.

When to keep it:

• School leavers and current university students.
• Jobs that ask for specific school results, such as some graduate schemes or government roles.
• Countries or employers where a full education history is commonly expected.

How to write it:
"Higher Secondary Certificate (Science), Delhi Public School, India, 2020"
or
"A Levels: Mathematics (A), Physics (B), Chemistry (B), Dubai British School, 2021"

For most experienced professionals, the degree is enough and school details take up space better used elsewhere.

Usually yes, especially for recent qualifications. Experienced candidates who worry about age bias can choose to leave old graduation dates off, as many employers do not need them.

Points to consider:

• Recent graduates: include the date, since it explains your experience level.
• Ongoing studies: show the expected completion date.
• Older qualifications: dates are optional on many resumes.
• Some employers or application forms ask for dates; follow their instructions.

If you remove dates, do it consistently across your education section. Be aware that background checks will verify dates, so any dates you show must be accurate.

List it like a completed degree but with "Expected" and the month and year you expect to finish.

Example:
"Bachelor of Business Administration (Expected June 2027)
American University in Dubai"

Other acceptable wording: "In progress", "Currently studying" or "2023 – present". You can add your current grade if it is strong, and relevant modules or projects completed so far.

Be honest about the timeline. If you are studying part time while working, you can say so: "Part-time, alongside full-time work". This shows commitment and explains any slower progress.

List the institution, the subject and the dates you studied, and describe what you completed, without implying you graduated.

Examples:

• "Coursework towards BSc Computer Science, University of Kerala, 2019–2021"
• "Completed two years of a BA in Economics, University of Cairo"
• "Studied Mechanical Engineering (90 credits completed), 2020–2022"

You can add relevant modules or projects if they help. Never write the degree title in a way that suggests you hold it. If asked in an interview, give a short, honest reason for leaving, such as work, family or a change of direction, and focus on what you learned.

If the unfinished degree is not relevant and you have other qualifications, you can also leave it out.

Credits or modules you completed still count as learning, so describe them plainly and let them support the skills section.

Write the degree name as awarded, then add a short explanation or equivalent if it is not widely known in the country where you are applying.

Examples:

• "Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Civil Engineering, four-year degree, VIT University, India"
• "Licenciatura en Administración de Empresas (Bachelor's degree in Business Administration), Universidad de Chile"

Tips:

• Do not rename your degree to match another country's titles.
• Add the length of study if it helps.
• Mention a formal equivalence or attestation only if you have it, for example from an official recognition body.

Some countries and professions require official recognition of foreign degrees. Check with the relevant authority or employer, and only state recognition you have actually received.

In a separate Certifications section, usually after education or after skills. If a certification is essential for the job, mention it in your summary too.

Format each entry with:

• Certification name
• Issuing organisation
• Date earned, and expiry date if it has one

Example:
"Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Management Institute, 2024
Certified Management Accountant (CMA), IMA, 2023"

For roles where a certification is a main requirement, such as nursing (BLS) or project management (PMP), you can move the Certifications section higher up. Use the full name at least once, then the short form, so readers and searches recognise it.

Generally no, unless the knowledge is still useful and you label it clearly. An expired certification can confuse readers or look like an attempt to claim something current.

Options:

• Leave it out if it has no value now.
• Show it with dates if it still supports your experience: "Cisco CCNA, 2018–2021".
• Renew it before applying if the job requires it.

For roles where a current certification or licence is required, such as some healthcare or safety jobs, listing an expired one without clear dates may cause problems at the checking stage. Always be accurate about whether a certification is valid.

Yes, if you are actively studying for it. Label it clearly as in progress with an expected date.

Examples:

• "ACCA, 9 of 13 exams passed (expected completion 2027)"
• "AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (exam scheduled March 2027)"
• "CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma (in progress)"

This shows initiative and tells the employer you are building relevant skills. It is especially useful when the certification is mentioned in the job advert.

Do not list a certification you have only thought about doing, and never present an in-progress certification as complete.

Yes, if they are relevant to the job and show real skills. List them in a section such as "Professional Training" or "Courses", not mixed with formal degrees.

Good examples:

• Courses that teach a tool or method the job uses.
• Courses with a project, assessment or certificate.
• Recent learning that fills a gap in your experience.

Format:
"Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate, Coursera, 2025"

Avoid listing many short, unrelated courses. Five relevant courses are better than twenty random ones. If a course included a project, mention it in a projects section or in one line, because it shows you can apply what you learned.

Use the course's exact title and the provider's name, so the reader can look it up. If the course gave you a verifiable certificate, keep the link handy in case an employer asks to see it.

A certification usually comes from a professional or industry body after an exam and may need renewal; a certificate usually shows you completed a course or training.

Examples:

• Certifications: PMP, CPA, CISSP, AWS Certified Solutions Architect.
• Certificates: a university short course, a LinkedIn Learning course, a workshop.

On a resume, you can list both, but it helps to keep them separate so readers see which ones are professional credentials. For example, use a "Certifications" section for exams and a "Professional Training" or "Courses" section for course completions. Use the exact name the issuer gives, so it can be checked.

List the licence name, issuing body, licence number if the role normally expects it, and the expiry date. Put it in a Licences and Certifications section near the top if the licence is required for the job.

Example:
"Registered Nurse Licence, [Regulator name], Licence No. [number], valid until 2027"

Check what your regulator or the employer asks for. Some prefer the number on the resume so they can verify it quickly; others ask for it later in the application. If your role or country requires a licence, list it with its number and expiry date as required by the regulator.

Do not include a licence you have applied for but not yet received without saying so, for example "Application submitted, expected 2027".

Yes, if you are a student or recent graduate and the modules match the job. Remove it once you have relevant work experience.

How to list it:
"Relevant coursework: Financial Accounting, Corporate Finance, Econometrics, Business Law"

Tips:

• Choose four to six modules that match the job advert.
• Use the module names a non-specialist would understand.
• Skip general first-year modules unless they are relevant.

Coursework helps show what you studied when you have little work experience. It is more convincing when paired with a project or assignment that shows what you did with the knowledge.

List the title, a one-line description of what you did and the result, either under your degree or in a Projects section.

Example under education:
"Final-year project: Designed a solar-powered irrigation controller using Arduino; prototype tested on a university farm plot."

Example for research:
"Thesis: 'Consumer trust in mobile banking in the UAE' (survey of 200 users; grade: Distinction)."

For technical or research roles, a strong project can be one of your most valuable resume items. Mention tools and methods you used, and link to the work if it is published online and you have permission to share it.

Yes, if they are meaningful and recent. Add them under your degree or in an Awards section.

Examples:

• "Dean's List, four semesters"
• "Merit scholarship for academic performance, 2021–2024"
• "Best Final-Year Project, Department of Civil Engineering, 2024"

Keep the most competitive awards and leave out minor certificates of participation. As your career grows, academic awards matter less; after several years of work, keep only the most notable ones. Always use the exact name of the award so it can be verified.

List it the same way as a degree: the qualification name, the institution and the date. Add the level or subject if it helps the reader.

Examples:

• "Diploma in Hospitality Management, Gulf Hospitality Institute, 2022"
• "NVQ Level 3 in Electrical Installation, City College, 2021"
• "ITI Certificate in Welding, Government ITI, Chennai, 2019"

Vocational qualifications are often exactly what employers in skilled trades want, so give them a clear place. If the qualification includes practical training or an apprenticeship, mention it, because it shows hands-on experience.

List each degree separately with its own date, under the university name, or as two separate entries in reverse order.

Option 1, grouped:
"University of Jordan
MSc Civil Engineering, 2024
BSc Civil Engineering, 2021"

Option 2, separate:
"MSc Civil Engineering, University of Jordan, 2024
BSc Civil Engineering, University of Jordan, 2021"

Grouping saves space and looks tidy. Separate entries work better if you want to add details, such as a thesis or grade, to one of them. Use the same style for all entries in the section.

Yes. Include both majors in the degree line, and add a minor if it is relevant to the job.

Examples:

• "Bachelor of Arts, Double Major in Economics and Political Science"
• "BSc Computer Science, Minor in Business Administration"

A minor or second major can show useful breadth, for example a computer science graduate with a business minor applying for product roles. If the minor has nothing to do with your target jobs, you can still include it on one line; it does no harm and shows your full education.

Use the full name, optionally followed by the abbreviation, so both people and searches recognise it.

Examples:

• "Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Nursing"
• "Master of Business Administration (MBA)"
• "Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Mechanical Engineering"

Very common abbreviations such as MBA are well understood worldwide, but local abbreviations, such as B.Com or HSC, may confuse readers in other countries. Writing the full name at least once removes any doubt.

List it normally and let the degree, your grades and your projects speak for you. You can add the city and country so the reader knows where it is.

Helpful additions:

• The full name of the degree and your specialisation.
• Strong grades or honours.
• A relevant final-year project or internship.
• Any accreditation of the programme, if it is official and relevant, such as an engineering accreditation.

Never change your university's name or suggest a link to a better-known institution. Most employers care more about what you can do than where you studied, especially after your first job.

Yes. List your highest qualification, such as secondary school, a diploma or vocational training, plus any courses or certifications.

Example:
"Education and Training
Forklift Operator Certificate, 2024
First Aid at Work, 2023
Secondary School Certificate, Al Noor School, 2018"

Many jobs value practical skills and experience more than degrees. Put your experience section first and keep education short. Adding recent training shows that you keep learning, which employers in skilled and service roles often value.

List it the same way as any other degree, with the university's name. You do not need to say it was online unless you want to or the employer asks.

Example:
"Master of Business Administration, University of London, 2025"

You can add "distance learning, completed while working full time" if you want to show commitment and time management. What matters is that the degree comes from a recognised institution and that you describe it accurately.

Some employers or regulators have rules about recognising online or foreign degrees. Check those requirements if they apply to your profession or country.

Yes, especially if it is relevant to the job. Put it in your education or training section with the provider, the date and what you built.

Example:
"Full-Stack Web Development Bootcamp, CodeStart Academy, 2025
Built and deployed a booking app using React and Node.js as the final project."

Bootcamps are common for career changers into tech, design and data. Their value depends on what you can show, so link to your projects or portfolio if you can. Keep the bootcamp separate from university degrees so readers understand what kind of qualification it is.