Just finished university or college and worried you have "no experience" to put on your CV? You're not alone. In 2026, employers still hire fresh graduates—they look for potential, skills, and attitude. The right CV template and structure can help you present your education, projects, and transferable skills so you stand out even without years of work history.

The best CVs for fresh graduates follow a clear formula: they lead with education, highlight relevant projects and extracurriculars, showcase skills that match the job, and pass Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that many companies use to screen applications.

This guide gives you a free, ATS-friendly CV template for fresh graduates in 2026, with examples and tips tailored to applicants with no or limited experience. Use it to build a strong first CV and increase your chances of landing interviews.

When you have little or no full-time experience, recruiters look for different signals:

• •Education: Degree, institution, relevant coursework, grades (if strong), and graduation date
• •Projects: Academic, personal, or volunteer projects that show skills and initiative
• •Internships & Placements: Short-term roles, even if unpaid or part-time
• •Skills: Technical and soft skills that match the job description
• •Extracurriculars: Societies, sports, volunteering, leadership roles
• •ATS Compatibility: Simple, standard formatting so your CV passes automated screening

1. Header

Include: full name, professional email, phone, location (city/country), LinkedIn URL. Optional: personal website or portfolio if relevant.

2. Professional Summary (2-4 sentences)

Even without experience, write a short summary that includes:

• •Your degree and field of study
• •Relevant skills and interests (aligned with the job)
• •What you're looking for (e.g. "Seeking an entry-level role in…")

3. Education (Put This First)

For fresh graduates, education is often your strongest section. Include:

• •Degree name and class (e.g. First Class, 2:1)
• •Subject and institution
• •Graduation year (or expected)
• •Relevant modules or coursework (2-4 that match the job)
• •GPA or equivalent (if strong, e.g. 3.5+ or top 10%)
• •Dissertation or thesis title (if relevant)

4. Experience (Internships, Placements, Part-Time)

Include any internships, placements, part-time jobs, or volunteering. Use the same format as work experience: role, organisation, dates, and 2-4 bullet points with outcomes or responsibilities.

If you have no paid experience: Use a section like "Relevant Experience" or "Projects & Experience" and list academic projects, volunteer work, or society roles with clear descriptions of what you did and what you achieved.

5. Projects

Academic or personal projects show initiative and skills. For each: project name, tools used, your role, and 1-2 lines on outcome or what you learned. Link to GitHub, portfolio, or report if available.

6. Skills

List skills that match the job description. Group by type if helpful (e.g. Technical: Excel, Python, SQL; Languages: English, Spanish; Soft: teamwork, communication). Use keywords from the job ad.

7. Additional Sections (Optional)

Certifications, languages, extracurriculars, awards, or interests—only if they add value and are relevant to the role.

Focus on what you did and what changed, even in projects or voluntary roles:

• •Use action verbs: "Analysed," "Developed," "Organised," "Presented," "Supported"
• •Add numbers where possible: "Supported a team of 5," "Analysed 200+ survey responses," "Increased society membership by 30%"
• •Connect to skills: "Used Excel to build a budget model" shows analytical skill
• •Keep each bullet to one clear idea

To pass ATS in 2026:

• •Use standard headings: "Education," "Experience" or "Projects & Experience," "Skills"
• •Include keywords from the job description (skills, degree, tools)
• •Use simple formatting: standard fonts, clear sections, no graphics or complex tables
• •Save as PDF and name clearly: FirstName_LastName_CV.pdf

• •Leaving the CV empty or too short: Use education, projects, and extracurriculars to show capability
• •Generic objective: Replace with a short, targeted professional summary
• •Listing everything: Only include relevant coursework, projects, and skills for the role
• •No numbers: Add scale or outcomes where you can (e.g. "Analysed 50+ cases," "Led a team of 4")
• •Fancy design over clarity: ATS and recruiters prefer clean, readable layouts

Our free CV template for fresh graduates in 2026 is:

• •✅ ATS-optimized and tested
• •✅ Designed for no or limited experience
• •✅ Education-first structure
• •✅ Space for projects, placements, and skills
• •✅ Professional and easy to customize
• •✅ Suited to 2026 hiring standards

How long should a fresh graduate CV be?

One page is ideal. Only use two pages if you have multiple internships, significant projects, or additional relevant experience. Prioritise quality and relevance.

Should I include a photo?

In most English-speaking countries (US, UK, Canada), photos are not expected and can be stripped by ATS. Omit unless the job ad or country norm explicitly asks for one.

What if I have no work experience at all?

Lead with education, then use "Projects & Experience" (or similar) for academic projects, volunteering, society roles, and placements. Describe what you did and what you achieved in bullet points.

Should I include my GPA?

Include it if it's strong (e.g. 3.5+ or equivalent) or if the employer asks. Otherwise you can omit it and let your degree and projects speak for you.

How do I tailor my CV for different jobs?

Adjust your summary, reorder or reframe projects and skills to match the job description, and use the same keywords the employer uses. Our CV Tailoring Tool does this automatically for each application.

Continue building your graduate CV with these guides:

• •No Experience? No Problem: The Ultimate CV Guide for Recent Grads (2026) - Deeper guide for candidates with no experience
• •CV Professional Summary Guide 2026 - How to write a strong summary
• •Best Resume Format in 2026 (ATS-Friendly) - Choose the right format for ATS
• •How to Tailor Your CV to a Job Description - Customize your CV for each application
• •Resume Checker: Will Your CV Pass ATS? - Check your CV before applying

You don't need years of experience to have a strong CV. With the right structure and a template built for 2026, you can present your education, projects, and skills in a way that gets past ATS and catches recruiters' attention.

Our AI-powered CV Tailoring Tool helps you build and tailor your graduate CV in under 60 seconds. Upload a draft or start from scratch, and our AI will align your CV with each job description while keeping it ATS-friendly.

Use our Free Resume Checker to see how your CV scores for ATS, content, and design before you send it.