Expected graduation on a resume: how to show a degree you are still finishing.
Employers hiring students and graduates need to know one thing about a degree in progress: when you will finish. Saying it clearly removes the question entirely.
Write the degree and school, then the word 'Expected' (or 'Anticipated') with the month and year where the graduation year would go. Use the date you realistically expect to finish, keep the entry in your Education section and, if you are applying for full-time roles, make sure the date fits the job's start date. Update it immediately if your plans change.
How to show a degree in progress
- Use the word 'Expected'. Write 'Expected' with the month and year after the school name, where the graduation year normally sits.
- Be realistic. Use the term you are on track to finish, not a hopeful one.
- Match it to the job. For internships, any date works. For full-time roles, note your availability if the date is close.
- Add supporting detail. Relevant coursework, honours so far or a thesis topic can sit under the entry.
- Keep education near the top. While you are studying, education is usually your strongest section.
- Update the date when it changes. A wrong date can look like a misrepresentation later.
Illustrative examples to adapt
Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.
Degree in progress
When to use: Students applying for internships or first jobs.
[Your name] EDUCATION [Degree], [Major], [University] | Expected [Month Year] Honors so far: [honour, if any]
Graduate degree in progress while working
When to use: Working professionals studying part time.
[Master's degree], [University] | Expected [Month Year] (part time, while working full time)
Availability line
When to use: Applying for a full-time role before you graduate.
Available to start full time from [Month Year], after completing [degree].
Disclosure: TryHired makes HIRED, a paid job-search program, so we have a conflict of interest when we mention it. Every sample on this page is free to use without buying anything.
Wording choices
| Wording | Use it when | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Expected, with month and year | You are on track to finish | The standard choice. |
| Anticipated, with month and year | Same as expected | Equally common; pick one. |
| Start year to present | You want to show how long you have studied | Add the expected date too. |
| Candidate, with the degree | Graduate programmes that use the term | For example a doctoral candidate. |
| Coursework completed | You paused or stopped studying | Do not write 'Expected'. |
The same line, rewritten
Illustrative example with placeholders.
| Version | Example |
|---|---|
| Weak | [Degree], [University], [Year] (not finished yet, hopefully soon). |
| Strong | [Degree], [Major], [University] | Expected [Month Year] |
Why it matters: Hedged wording makes the reader wonder whether you will finish. A clear expected date answers the question and moves attention to your evidence.
Before you send it
- The entry says 'Expected' or 'Anticipated' with a month and year.
- The date is realistic.
- Education sits near the top while you study.
- Your availability is clear for full-time roles.
- The date will be updated if plans change.
Mistakes to avoid
- Leaving out the date, so it looks like you already graduated.
- Using an unrealistic finish date.
- Writing 'Expected' for a degree you have paused.
- Hiding the degree because it is not finished.
- Forgetting to update the date after it changes.
Build yours
Questions people ask
How do I write an expected graduation date on a resume?
Is it 'expected' or 'anticipated'?
Can I apply for full-time jobs before I graduate?
What if I am not sure when I will finish?
How this page is built
Written by Maid Dizdarevic, a career coach and 8x LinkedIn Top Voice. Advice is labelled as advice. Every sample uses a fictional person marked '(illustrative)' or a 'Your name' placeholder, and every employer, school, date and result is a bracketed placeholder for your own true details.
- What a specific employer screens for: always read the posting.
- Your results: we never invent numbers, and you should never copy a result you did not achieve.
- Outcomes: no resume, letter, profile or program can promise an interview or a job.
- TryHired editorial guidance by Maid Dizdarevic, career coach, Nov 4, 2026.