Resume Templates for Students: Free Examples and Guides
Published July 7, 2026 · 15 min read
Having a professional, well-structured resume template is essential for any student applying to internships, scholarships, or graduate programmes. A good template ensures your resume is properly formatted, ATS-friendly, and presents your qualifications in the best possible light. This guide provides resume templates and structural examples for every common application scenario.
Why Templates Matter
A resume template is not about filling in blanks — it is about understanding the structure that works. The best templates are clean, professional, and designed to communicate your qualifications quickly. Selection committees spend an average of six to eight seconds scanning a resume before deciding whether to read further. Your template must make it easy for them to find what matters.
Template 1: The Internship Resume
For students with limited work experience applying for internships. Focus on education, coursework, projects, and extracurricular activities.
Structure:
- Contact Information (name, email, phone, LinkedIn, city/country)
- Objective (2 sentences: what you are seeking and what you bring)
- Education (degree, institution, expected graduation, GPA, relevant coursework)
- Projects (2-3 academic or personal projects with outcomes)
- Experience (part-time jobs, volunteer work, leadership roles)
- Skills (technical and language skills)
- Activities (clubs, organisations, competitions)
Key tip: When you lack professional experience, your projects become your experience. Describe academic projects with the same rigour you would use for a job: what was the problem, what did you do, what was the outcome?
Template 2: The Scholarship CV
For students applying for scholarships and fellowships. Focus on academic achievements, research, leadership, and community impact.
Structure:
- Contact Information
- Personal Statement (3-4 sentences about your goals and qualifications)
- Education (detailed: thesis, research interests, academic honours)
- Research Experience (projects, methodologies, outcomes)
- Publications and Presentations (if any)
- Work Experience (focus on impact and leadership)
- Awards and Honours (scholarships, prizes, recognitions)
- Community Service and Volunteer Work
- Skills (languages with proficiency levels, technical skills)
- References (2-3 academic referees)
Key tip: Scholarship CVs should be longer and more detailed than job resumes. Include your GPA, class rank (if strong), thesis title, and specific academic achievements. See our CV writing guide for more detail.
Template 3: The Graduate School CV
For students applying for master's or PhD programmes. Focus on research experience, academic fit, and scholarly potential.
Structure:
- Contact Information
- Research Interests (2-3 sentences)
- Education (detailed, with thesis and relevant coursework)
- Research Experience (detailed: projects, methods, findings, presentations)
- Publications
- Teaching Experience (if any)
- Work Experience (relevant only)
- Conference Presentations and Talks
- Awards, Grants, and Fellowships
- Professional Memberships
- Skills (lab techniques, software, languages)
- References (3 academic referees)
Key tip: For PhD applications, your research experience section is the most important part of your CV. Detail every project, your specific contribution, the methodology, and the outcome. Mention any papers in preparation or under review.
Template 4: The ATS-Optimised Resume
For students applying through online portals where an ATS will screen the resume. See our full ATS resume guide for detailed advice.
Structure:
- Contact Information (simple, no graphics)
- Professional Summary (keyword-rich, 2-3 sentences)
- Skills (8-12 keywords matching the job description)
- Work Experience (reverse chronological, bullet points with keywords)
- Education
- Certifications
Key tip: No columns, no tables, no graphics. Single-column layout with standard headings. Keywords from the job description placed naturally throughout.
How to Customise Any Template
- Read the requirements. Before customising, read the job description, scholarship criteria, or programme requirements carefully.
- Prioritise relevance. Move the most relevant sections to the top. If applying for a research position, research experience comes before work experience.
- Quantify achievements. Replace vague descriptions with specific numbers: "Managed social media" becomes "Grew Instagram following by 140% over six months."
- Use action verbs. Start every bullet point with a strong verb: Developed, Managed, Led, Designed, Implemented, Analysed, Created.
- Remove irrelevant information. If it does not strengthen your application for this specific opportunity, remove it.
- Match keywords. Include the exact terms used in the job description or scholarship criteria.
Resume Formatting Rules
- Font: Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman, 10-12pt body, 14-16pt headings
- Margins: 0.5 to 1 inch on all sides
- Line spacing: 1.0 to 1.15
- Bullet style: Standard circles or squares
- Date format: "Month Year" or "MM/YYYY" — be consistent
- File format: PDF for email submissions, .docx for ATS portals
- File name: "FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf"
Common Resume Template Mistakes
- Using a creative or infographic resume for a corporate application
- Including a photo when applying in the US, UK, or Canada (unless requested)
- Using an objective statement that focuses on what you want rather than what you offer
- Listing "References available upon request" when you should list them directly
- Using more than two pages for a non-academic resume
- Including personal information like age, marital status, or religion (unless culturally expected)