Last updated: December 2025

The best UK graduate scheme CV format is a one-page, clean, ATS-friendly layout that highlights education, experience, and key achievements in a way recruiters can understand in seconds. A strong CV for UK graduate schemes uses simple fonts, clear headings, generous white space, and consistent formatting so that both humans and applicant tracking systems can read it without friction. This guide explains exactly how to structure your CV for UK graduate jobs, what to leave out, and how to avoid common formatting mistakes that cost students interviews.

What is the best UK graduate scheme CV format for students?

The best UK graduate scheme CV format for students is a one-page document that follows a simple structure of education, work experience, and additional information with clear headings and consistent design.

For most UK graduate schemes, recruiters expect a familiar, logical layout rather than a creative design. A predictable structure signals that you understand corporate norms and that you respect the recruiter’s time. As of 2025, many UK graduate jobs still receive large volumes of applications, so a CV that is easy to scan has a clear advantage.

A strong UK graduate scheme CV format usually includes:

• One page only for students and recent graduates.
• Standard font such as Arial or Calibri, in a readable size.
• Clear section headings for education, work experience, and additional information.
• Bullet points that start slightly to the right so section headers and dates stand out.
• Consistent spacing and alignment across the entire page.

This UK graduate scheme CV format focuses on comprehension at speed rather than visual decoration. Your CV is a pitch deck about you, not a design portfolio, and the layout should guide the recruiter's eyes straight to what matters: your degree, your experience, and your results.

Why do recruiters decide on your CV in about 7 seconds?

Recruiters decide on your CV in about 7 seconds because they scan quickly for key signals of fit, clarity, and effort before choosing who deserves a closer read.

An eye-tracking study widely shared in recruitment circles in 2018 showed that recruiters often form a first impression of a CV in roughly seven seconds. Many recruiters read in an “E” or “F” shaped pattern, scanning the top of the page and then down the left-hand side. This means that your name, section headings, dates, job titles, and degree details matter more in those first seconds than individual bullet points.

In practice, this means your CV needs to answer three questions almost instantly:

• What is this student studying and where?
• What relevant experience do they have?
• Have they achieved anything that suggests high potential?

A cluttered layout with dense text and no white space creates friction and makes these questions harder to answer. A clean layout with clear headings and good spacing makes the recruiter feel that reading your CV will be easy. Even before they read your content properly, the format nudges them towards seeing you as organised, prepared, and credible.

Think of it like exam essays. If an examiner reads a strong essay first, they are more inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt on the second one. If your CV layout sends a strong first impression, recruiters are more likely to read the rest of your content with a positive bias.

How should you structure your CV for UK graduate jobs?

You should structure your CV for UK graduate jobs in three main sections: education, work experience, and additional information.

A simple structure helps recruiters find what they need without hunting through the page. Many UK employers follow similar mental checklists when reviewing CVs for graduate jobs, so matching their expectations can only help you. As of 2025, this classic structure still dominates successful graduate CVs in corporate roles.

A clear structure for graduate job applications might look like this:

• Education
  University name, degree, dates, key modules or grades if strong.
• Work experience
  Internships, part-time roles, volunteering, and significant responsibilities, with bullet points focused on what you did and what impact you had.
• Additional information
  Key achievements, skills, languages, and relevant extracurricular activities.

A useful way to think about the structure is to give most of the space to sections that prove your transferable skills. That usually means work experience and meaningful activities take more room than long descriptions of your course. Your education shows you meet the academic baseline, but your experience shows how you behave in real situations.

Example: CV section priorities for a UK graduate scheme

A UK CV format that supports UK graduate jobs will also pay attention to where the eye lands first. Clear dates, job titles, and organisation names on the left side help a recruiter quickly trace your journey.

How do applicant tracking systems (ATS) read your CV?

Applicant tracking systems read your CV by scanning and parsing the text into a structured database, so simple formatting helps the software interpret your information correctly.

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software used by employers to store, scan, filter, and search CVs. Many large UK employers use ATS tools to manage the volume of graduate applications. As of 2025, ATS tools are common in competitive UK graduate schemes, especially in finance, consulting, and large corporate employers.

ATS tools typically:

• Scan and parse your CV into standard fields such as name, education, and work history.
• Filter candidates based on criteria such as right to work, degree subject, or grade.
• Rank CVs according to how closely they match the job description keywords.
• Allow recruiters to search CVs by skill, experience, or other terms.

To help an ATS read your CV properly:

• Use a standard font and avoid text boxes, graphics, and columns.
• Avoid tables and unusual layouts that may confuse the parser.
• Keep headings simple, such as “Education” and “Work experience”.
• Align your wording with the language used in the job description.

ATS software is not the decision-maker, but a low ranking can mean a recruiter never sees your CV. A straightforward, text-based layout makes it easier for the system to interpret your CV so that your profile is fairly compared to others.

What formatting mistakes should students avoid on a UK CV?

Students should avoid cluttered layouts, inconsistent formatting, creative designs, and unnecessary phrases on a UK CV.

Many CV templates from generic websites or career services look tidy at first glance but cause problems in practice. Some cram in too much text, some use inconsistent fonts, and others hide key information in side columns or coloured boxes. For UK graduate schemes, clarity beats style.

Common formatting mistakes to avoid include:

• Using more than one page as a student or recent graduate.
• Changing fonts, sizes, or styles across sections without reason.
• Overusing bold, italics, or underlining, which makes the CV visually noisy.
• Using multiple colours instead of a simple black-on-white layout.
• Adding profile pictures, charts, or graphics that distract from content.
• Repeating the phrase “references available on request”, which is already assumed.

A strong UK CV format uses white space as a tool rather than a waste. White space gives the recruiter’s eyes a moment to rest and helps important details stand out. Indenting bullet points slightly to the right also makes section headers and dates easier to scan.

You can also safely remove generic personal summaries that just repeat information you already show in your CV. Sentences like “I am a motivated, hard-working team player” do not add value without evidence, and they use space that could hold specific achievements.

What personal details should you include or remove from a UK student CV?

You should include basic contact details and your location on a UK student CV, and you should remove personal data such as age, ethnicity, marital status, and full home address.

Personal identifiable information (PII) is any data that can be used to identify you beyond what is necessary for the application. Many UK employers prefer to avoid unnecessary PII on CVs to reduce bias and focus on your skills and experience. As of 2025, it is standard practice in the UK to omit details such as date of birth and marital status.

On a UK student CV for graduate schemes, you should typically include:

• Full name.
• Professional email address.
• Phone number.
• General location, such as city or postcode area.
• LinkedIn profile, if it is up to date.

You should usually remove:

• Date of birth or age.
• Ethnicity, nationality, or religion, unless explicitly requested for visa-related reasons by an employer in a compliant way.
• Marital status.
• Full home address, unless an application form specifically asks for it.

A cleaner header with only essential contact details supports the overall UK CV format you want: simple, modern, and focused on what you can do, not who you are in your private life. This also leaves more room on the page for education, experience, and achievements, which are what matter most for UK graduate schemes.

FAQ: UK graduate scheme CV format

Should a UK graduate scheme CV be one page or two pages?
A UK graduate scheme CV should be one page for students and recent graduates. One page forces you to prioritise your strongest evidence and makes it easier for recruiters to scan quickly.

Do I need a different CV format for UK graduate schemes and other graduate jobs?
You can use the same basic format for UK graduate schemes and other graduate jobs. The key is to tailor the content and keywords to each role while keeping the layout clean and consistent.

Is it acceptable to use a creative CV design for UK graduate schemes?
Creative CV designs are risky for most corporate UK graduate schemes. Standard, text-based formats are more likely to work with ATS software and match recruiter expectations in finance, consulting, and similar sectors.

How important is ATS-friendly formatting for UK graduate jobs?
ATS-friendly formatting is very important for large employers that receive many applications. Simple headings, standard fonts, and no complex graphics help ensure that your CV is parsed correctly and given a fair ranking.

Should international students use the same UK graduate scheme CV format?
International students should use the same UK graduate scheme CV format as home students. Using the standard UK layout helps international students show that they understand local expectations and can compete on equal terms.

Do I need to include a personal profile at the top of my UK CV?
A personal profile at the top of your CV is optional, not required. If the profile just repeats information from the rest of the CV in vague language, it is better to remove it and use the space for strong bullet points.

Can I mention that references are available on request?
You do not need to mention that references are available on request on a UK graduate CV. Employers will assume this, and the phrase uses space that could be better used for achievements or skills.