How to List an Unfinished College Degree on Your Resume Examples
Adding an unfinished college degree to your resume can help show a hiring manager your ambition and academic passion. Learn how to put an unfinished degree on your resume; see examples below.
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Benefits of adding an unfinished degree to your resume
If you have yet to complete your studies, it can still benefit you to call attention to your effort on your resume. That way, a hiring manager gets a sense of your relevant coursework, knowledge and skills.
Pursuing any degree in higher education shows that you have vision, motivation and work ethic. These are talents employers value. So, listing your unfinished degree in your resume can increase your job chances!
When you write a resume, mention your unfinished degree, especially when it’s related to the role!
Next, we’ll show you the professional way to include an incomplete degree on your resume.
However, try our Resume Builder if you want a surefire way to nail your education section.
Professional resume writers created the Builder to walk you through each section of your resume step-by-step. It will automatically format your unfinished degree the proper way!
How to list unfinished degree on a resume
You list all unfinished degrees in your resume’s education section.
Include the basic information needed to list a degree:
- The school or academic institution’s name
- Its city/state location
Here are examples of how to put unfinished college degree on resumes:
When your degree is in progress:
Walborg College –– Duluth, MN
Expected graduation: May 2026
When you’ve taken a break from college:
Everly University –– Wright, AK
Years attended: 2022-2024
You must be clear about whether or not you’ve finished a degree in case the employer contacts your school! It’s misleading to mention the name of the degree you’re pursuing or the major without indicating you have yet to graduate.
So, next, we’ll cover how to list an unfinished college degree in progress on your resume. Then, we’ll explain what to do if you’ve taken a break from college.
How to list a degree in progress on your resume
If you’re currently earning a degree, add an “expected graduation” year.
Include “expected graduation” after your academic institution’s name and city/state location. That way, it’s clear to employers that you’ve yet to finish but are actively working on the degree.
Here’s a basic example of how to list an expected graduation date on a resume:
Weymouth College –– Denton, TX
Expected graduation: December 2025
You can make this section more potent by including details about your education that may impress employers.
Optional add-ons to your education section:
- Majors: List your major/minor if either is related to the job’s field or industry. For example, a business major is a perfect prep for a marketing internship.
- Relevant coursework: You may highlight the education you’ve completed if it supports skills needed for the role. List a few classes if they’re fitting to the job.
- Your GPA: Only include a flattering grade point average of 3.5 or higher.
- Academic awards: Distinctions like Student of the Month, Honor Roll or Dean’s List can showcase your excellence to employers.
- Scholarships: Sharing any scholarships you won with employers will give a sense of your talent and dedication.
Here’s an example of how to list achievements in a resume education section:
Weymouth College –– Denton, TX
B.A. in Economics
Expected graduation: May 2025
GPA: 3.6
Four-time Dean’s List honors, Recipient of the Founder’s scholarship.
Relevant coursework: Market forecasting, data modeling and trend analysis.
How to list unfinished education when you’ve taken a break from school.
If your break has been less than a year, treat it as if you’re still a student. You can still list an expected graduation date, factoring in when you plan on returning to your studies.
Be prepared to answer the employer’s questions about your plans to return to school. A hiring manager may ask you about this in the interview. While you may want a full-time job in the summer, you should be straightforward if you intend to reduce your hours to part-time when school starts again.
You can also tell employers about your academic plans in your cover letter. This is a great place to explain why you’ve taken a break from school, like family reasons, soul searching or saving money for your education.
How to list unfinished college degree on resume
To add an unfinished college degree on your resume, instead of an “expected graduation” date, consider two options:
- Include the years you attended the school, e.g. Attended: 2021-2023.
- Cite the number of credit hours you completed, e.g., “Completed 57 credit hours towards Sociology major.”
Here’s an example of how to list an unfinished degree on your resume by including the years you attended:
Cornish College –– Scranton, PA
Attended: 2022-2023
Here’s an example of how to list an unfinished degree on your resume by citing the credit hours you completed:
Aberdeen College –– Aberdeen, WA
Completed 84 credits toward a B.A. in Mechanical Engineering.
If your unfinished degree is in a field unrelated to the job you’re applying for, you shouldn’t include too many details about this academic experience.
However, when you have classes or coursework that give you an excellent background for the job, you should mention it. For instance, someone applying for a job as a paralegal might want to bring up the types of law they studied during their time in law school.
Here’s how to add coursework relevant to a job:
Trenton College Law School –– Trenton, NJ
Attended: 2021-2023
Relevant coursework: Maritime law, contract law and international business law
When you should skip adding an unfinished degree to your resume
Some people are nervous about listing unfinished college degrees on their resumes, fearing it may show a lack of focus or follow-through.
Indeed, sometimes it’s better not to list an unfinished degree on your resume.
Skip adding your incomplete degree if:
- The unfinished degree is unrelated to the work you’re applying for.
- You didn’t finish your degree for reasons like poor grades, expulsion or lack of sustained interest in your studies.
- You have tons of work experience. In this case, it’ll help you focus more on your jobs and less on your education.
Unfinished degree on resume examples
Looking at some examples of an unfinished degree on a resume will clarify how you should handle your own.
Here’s an example where to put an unfinished college degree on resumes:
Here are three examples of how to list an unfinished degree on a resume:
Example #1
Galesburg University
Galesburg, VA
Attended 2021-2023
Benefits of listing your unfinished degree like this example:
This is a bare-bones option showing where you attended school and when. It’s best suited for people who lack a chosen major or academic focus.
Example #2
Galesburg University
Galesburg, VA
Completed 33 credits towards a B.A. in Finance
Benefits of listing your unfinished degree like this example:
This option shows where you went to school, what you studied and how far you advanced towards a degree. It skips listing the years you attended. This is a good strategy if your college experience was over five years ago or you don’t want to indicate your age by listing the years you attended.
Example #3
Galesburg University (2021-2023)
Galesburg, VA
GPA: 3.8
Benefits of listing your unfinished degree like this example:
This example doesn’t specify your major but allows you to mention any classes you took that may benefit the role you’re applying to. It also includes a flattering GPA to show your hard work and achievement.
Here are three more examples that specify the type of unfinished college degree sought:
1. Unfinished degree on resume example (incomplete bachelor’s):
Westgate College Sun Prairie, ID
45 credit hours to a bachelor’s degree Sociology
GPA: 3.8
2. Unfinished degree on resume example (incomplete master’s degree):
Portola University Crimson, KY
Attended 2022
Comleted first year of Environmental Science Master’s
3. Unfinished degree on resume example (incomplete Ph.D.)
Probart University Lafayette, LA
Attended 2020-2024
Completed four years. working on a Ph.D. in Biology
PRO TIP
Feeling slightly insecure about your unfinished college degree? Consider going back to school; it’s never too late! We can help you get started with our guide on how to write a college resume.
Key takeaways
To recap, here are the main points about listing an unfinished college degree on a resume:
- It can benefit you to list unfinished degrees because it shows your background and interests.
- Mention the school name, city/state location, and expected graduation date if you’re pursuing the degree.
- If you’re taking a break from your degree and it’s been over a year, mention the years you attended or the number of credit hours you completed.
- It would help if you note any coursework you’ve taken that is relevant to the job.
- You can also note your GPA if it’s flattering.
- List any awards, academic honors or scholarships you earned while attending.
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