Student CV template for attachment, internships and part-time jobs

What to include in a student CV

• Contact details: name, phone, a professional email (your student email is fine) and your town.
• Objective or summary: what you are studying, which year you are in, the type of placement you want and when you are available.
• Education: your current course, institution, expected completion year and 4–6 relevant units or modules. Add secondary school results (KCSE, WASSCE, NSC/Matric) as well.
• Projects and practical work: lab work, final-year or group projects, workshops and competitions.
• Experience: part-time jobs, volunteering, church or community roles, family business work.
• Skills: technical skills from your course plus computer skills and two or three soft skills with proof.
• Referees: a lecturer or head of department and one other person who knows you well.

How to write a student CV objective

Your objective is the first thing a supervisor reads, so make it specific. Mention your course and year, the type of placement and dates, and two strengths. Avoid generic lines such as “seeking a challenging position in a reputable organisation”.

Turning student activities into CV experience

You probably have more experience than you think. Write student activities exactly like jobs: role, organisation, dates and what you achieved.

• Class representative → “Represented 80 students in faculty meetings and organised revision sessions before exams.”
• Group project → “Led a team of 4 to design a solar irrigation controller; presented the prototype at the department exhibition.”
• Church treasurer → “Managed a monthly budget of KES 50,000 and presented quarterly reports.”
• Family shop → “Handled cash and M-Pesa payments, restocked shelves and served 60+ customers a day.”

Student CV format and length

Keep it to one page. Use a simple single-column design such as Graduate, Minimal or Classic so it is easy to read and works with online application systems. Put Education right after your objective, because it is your strongest section. Use a font size of 10 pt or more and do not shrink margins to fit more content. Cut weaker lines instead.

How to apply for attachment with your CV

1. 1

   Prepare your documents

   Most organisations ask for a CV, an application or cover letter, an introduction letter from your institution and copies of your student ID and insurance cover.

2. 2

   Tailor your CV to each organisation

   Change your objective and highlight the units that matter for that organisation. A hospital, a bank and a construction firm care about different skills.

3. 3

   Apply early

   Popular organisations fill attachment slots months in advance. Apply three to four months before your start date.

4. 4

   Follow up politely

   Call or email after one to two weeks to confirm your application was received, and ask whether they need anything else.

Walkthrough: the sample student CV

The engineering student CV above shows how much a one-page student CV can say without any formal job. The objective names the year of study, the attachment period and three concrete skills. Education lists the relevant units, so a supervisor at a power company can see the student has already studied electrical machines and control engineering.

Instead of employment, the experience section uses a final-year project (with a working prototype and an exhibition) and a volunteer wiring job under a licensed electrician. Both prove practical ability and safety awareness. The referees are a lecturer and a community leader, the right mix for a student: one confirms academic ability, the other confirms character.

Student CV phrases that impress supervisors

• “Completed practicals in [lab/workshop], including [specific tasks], following safety procedures.”
• “Led a team of [number] on [project], delivering [output] by [deadline].”
• “Elected [role] by [number] students; organised [event/activity] attended by [number].”
• “Balanced part-time work at [place] with full-time studies, maintaining a [grade/average].”
• “Self-taught [tool/skill] through [course/platform]; used it to [result].”

Attachment application email you can adapt

Subject: Industrial Attachment Application: [Your Name], [Course], [Institution]. “Dear Sir/Madam, I am a third-year [course] student at [institution] seeking a [duration] industrial attachment from [start date]. I have practical experience in [two skills] through [project/practicals]. Please find attached my CV, introduction letter and student ID. I would be grateful for the opportunity to learn from your team. Yours faithfully, [Name], [Phone].”

Make your student CV in minutes

Our builder lets you fill in a student CV on your phone with a live preview. Designing and previewing is free, and a clean PDF download costs about the price of a soda. If you want help with the wording, AI Pro can write your objective and turn projects into strong bullet points, and it can also write the cover letter for your attachment application.

Frequently asked questions