An undergraduate CV is judged on potential, not tenure, so a short record is normal and expected. The task is not to fill space but to organize the evidence you do have into a clear case: you are capable, you have taken initiative, and you belong in the room you are applying to. Relevance and structure win here, not length.
Start with education and make it count
Education is your strongest section as an undergraduate, so it leads. List your degree, institution, and expected graduation date, and add detail that signals ability: a strong grade point average, honors, relevant advanced coursework, or a thesis in progress. This is the one section where naming specific classes helps, because it shows the reader you have the background a program or lab needs.
Build sections from what you already have
You have more to list than a blank work history suggests. Pull evidence from every part of your student life.
- Research or projects: any lab work, independent study, or major assignment.
- Awards and scholarships: competitive recognition of any size.
- Leadership: clubs, societies, or teams you helped run.
- Skills: languages, software, lab methods, or certifications.
- Volunteering and work: roles that show reliability and initiative.
Describe each with an action and a result rather than a job title alone, so a class project becomes evidence that you can plan and finish work.
Keep it clean and honest
One page is usually right for an undergraduate, and a tight page beats a padded two. Use a single column, standard headings, and reverse chronological order. Skip the photo and graphics, proofread every line, and never invent experience, because a short honest CV is far stronger than an inflated one.
Start yours with a student-friendly layout on the students page, build it in the CV maker, and follow the full structure in our CV guide.