A student's resume has a condition no other resume has: the main education is not finished yet, and the person is looking for a job that fits around classes. That changes the order of the document, the kind of material shown, and adds a data point other profiles never include: hourly availability.
This guide covers both the high school student looking for a first part-time job and the college student who wants a junior position in their field. It explains how to present education in progress with an expected graduation date, which class projects count as experience, how to describe part-time jobs and how to state availability, with a complete example at the end.
In this guide
Education goes first, with an expected graduation date
When education is the strongest part of the profile, it goes first. A college student lists the degree, the school, the start year and the expected graduation date ("Expected May 2027"). That date is useful to the recruiter because it says how long the person will keep studying and when they could move to full time. Without it, "in progress" leaves the question open.
Add one line with what the program contributes to the role: relevant completed coursework, GPA if it is 3.5 or above, credit hours completed. "B.S. in Accounting, junior, 3.8 GPA" says more than "Accounting (in progress)". A high school student lists the school, the expected graduation year and any relevant track or dual-enrollment credits.
The expected graduation date is a reasonable commitment, not a promise. If it slips, update it; what does not work is leaving it out.
Class projects that count as experience
Most programs generate material that can be shown: a capstone, a research paper for a course, a lab prototype, a business simulation, a case solved as a team. All of it goes in a section called "Academic projects", written in the same format as a job: project name, course, date and two bullets on what was done and what came of it.
The difference between a project that helps and one that does not lies in the description, not the project:
| Avoid | Better |
|---|---|
| Marketing class project. | Designed the launch plan for a mock product in Marketing 301; the 4-person team earned the highest grade in the section. |
| Programming project. | Built a booking API in Node.js as a team for Software Engineering, with 40 automated tests and deployment on Render. |
| Research for a class. | Collected 120 surveys on campus transportation and analyzed the data in SPSS for Research Methods. |
Personal projects and volunteer work go in the same section or a separate one, depending on how much material there is. What else counts as experience when there have been no jobs is covered in the guide on a resume with no experience.
Part-time jobs and activities outside the classroom
A part-time job at a clothing store, a campus coffee shop or a delivery app has no direct connection to the major, and it still belongs on the resume. It shows something the recruiter for a junior role values: the ability to keep a schedule, deal with people and answer to a manager while studying. Describe it precisely, with dates and a concrete result.
- Part-time sales associate, clothing retailer, weekends, 2024-2025: served 60 to 80 customers per shift, register and restocking.
- Peer tutor, Calculus I, 2025: weekly help sessions for 35 students.
Student government, a varsity or club team, or a role in a student organization count when there was a concrete responsibility (treasurer, event organizer, group coordinator). They are written the same way: role, organization, dates and a measurable fact.
Hourly availability: how to state it without closing doors
Availability is the data point that decides whether a student enters a hiring process, which is why it goes explicitly in one line in the contact section or at the end of the summary. The right form is concrete: "available Monday to Friday, 2 to 8 p.m." or "mornings, up to 25 hours a week". Writing "flexible" hands the recruiter a question they would rather see answered.
When the class schedule changes each semester, state the current window and add a short note ("schedule subject to change in January"). What does not work is offering more hours than can be sustained: the problem shows up within three weeks and ends in a resignation that later needs explaining.
Structure and length
A student resume follows the standard structure with the order adjusted: contact and title, short summary, education, academic projects, experience (part-time jobs), skills and languages. One page, no exceptions.
The professional title names the major and the goal: Computer science student, focused on technical support; Communications student with social media experience. The summary takes two or three lines: major and progress, the most notable thing done, what is being sought and during which hours. Single-column resume templates settle the formatting and pass applicant tracking systems without friction.
When the goal is an internship program, there are specific requirements (enrollment status, credit hours, school agreements) covered in the guide on an internship resume.
Sample student resume
A college profile with one part-time job and two class projects, on one page.
Header
Jordan Alvarez. Computer science student, focused on support and junior development. Austin, TX. (512) 555-0163. jordan.alvarez@email.com. github.com/jalvarez
Summary
Junior computer science major at the University of Texas at Austin, 3.8 GPA. Built a booking API with 40 automated tests and support 35 students as a peer tutor for Calculus I. Seeking a part-time junior role, available Monday to Friday, 2 to 8 p.m.
Education
B.S. in Computer Science, The University of Texas at Austin. Started August 2023. Expected May 2027. GPA 3.8.
Academic projects
Gym booking API, Software Engineering, 2025. Built a Node.js API with a team of three, 40 automated tests and deployment on Render; the project is used as an example in the course.
Campus transportation data analysis, Applied Statistics, 2024. Processed 120 surveys in Python (pandas) and presented the results in a Power BI dashboard.
Experience
Peer tutor, Calculus I, UT Austin. February 2025 to present. Weekly help sessions for 35 students and grading of problem sets.
Part-time bookseller, Barton Creek Books, Austin, TX. Weekends, March to December 2024. Served 60 to 80 customers per shift, register and inventory.
Skills and languages
JavaScript, Node.js, Python (pandas), SQL, Git, Power BI. Spanish (fluent).
Frequently asked questions
How is a degree in progress listed on a resume?
With the degree name, the school, the start year and the expected graduation date. Add credit hours or class year and the GPA if it is high. "In progress" alone, with no date, leaves the recruiter guessing how long is left.
Do part-time jobs unrelated to the major belong on the resume?
Yes. They show the ability to keep a schedule, deal with people and answer to a manager while studying, which is what a junior role evaluates. Describe them with dates, hours and a concrete detail (customers per shift, tasks handled).
How should hourly availability be stated?
In one concrete line: days and hours ("Monday to Friday, 2 to 8 p.m.") or hours per week. "Flexible" does not help, and offering more hours than the class schedule allows creates a problem within a few weeks.
Can a high school student have a resume?
Yes, with the same structure: school and expected graduation year, school projects, sports or community activities with a concrete responsibility, informal work and availability. One page, no unnecessary personal details.