In today’s competitive world, a strong high school resume can set students apart, whether they’re applying for college, internships, or part-time jobs. But for many students and parents, building a resume from scratch is overwhelming. With little to no formal experience, how do you make your achievements stand out? The good news? There are free high school resume templates ready to download and edit. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create a high school resume, offer high school resume examples, and share templates you can edit in minutes.
Part 1. What Should Be Included in a High School Resume?
Whether applying to college, scholarships, or your first job, your resume should clearly showcase who you are and what you can offer. Here’s what to include:
Contact Information (Name, phone number, email address, city/state)
Resume Objective (A short statement about your goals and strengths)
Education (High school name, expected graduation date, GPA if strong)
Relevant Coursework (AP classes, honors, or electives)
Extracurricular Activities (Clubs, sports, student government)
Volunteer Experience (Community work, nonprofit involvement)
Awards and Honors (Dean’s List, academic or athletic awards)
Work Experience (If applicable; part-time or freelance jobs)
Skills (Languages, tech skills, leadership qualities)
Tip: Keep it to one page. Be honest and concise.
Part 2. 10 Eye-Catching High School Resume Templates [Free Download]
Here are 10 polished, ready-to-edit templates that cater to different student situations. Click to download and customize in Word or PDF format.
1. High School Resume for a First Job
If you're applying for your first part-time or entry-level job, this Word template is a strong starting point. It’s designed to emphasize your strength even without formal work experience—through sections like a compelling objective statement, clear education layout, and dedicated skills and activities areas. The streamlined format helps guide employers’ eyes to what matters most: your initiative, reliability, and eagerness to learn.
From helping students craft their first resumes, I've seen this template work exceptionally well. It encourages thoughtful organization and helps highlight qualities like communication, teamwork, and responsibility. Download Now.
Recommendation for:
Those applying for their first job
Students who want to make a polished first impression
Teens with leadership roles, projects, or volunteer experience to showcase
2. High School Resume with No Work Experience
No job experience yet? That’s completely okay, this Word template is tailored just for you. It strategically highlights your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and transferable skills like communication, leadership, and initiative. The clean layout makes it simple to tailor your resume so that your strengths are clear and compelling.
From my experience working with students preparing resumes, this template consistently helps even those with minimal formal experience shine. It puts emphasis on what you can bring to the table, not what you haven’t done yet, making it an excellent choice for applications to internships, school programs, or your first part-time role. Highly recommended for first-time resume builders looking to showcase their potential with polish and confidence. Download Now.
3. Resume Examples for Teens
This versatile Word template is designed specifically for teens, whether you're applying for a varsity position, summer job, or your first internship. It combines a modern layout with sections that emphasize your academic strengths, volunteer activities, and unique extracurricular achievements.
From my own experience recommending this template to students in my network, I’ve seen it help highlight standout qualities, such as leadership in clubs, project-based initiatives, or community involvement, making you memorable to reviewers.
Why I suggest using this: It’s flexible, easy to customize, and strikes the right balance between personality and professionalism, ideal for teen applicants wanting to project confidence and clarity. Download Now.
4. High School Student Resume
Ideal for students preparing to apply to colleges, scholarships, or academic programs, this Word template offers a structured, professional design that emphasizes your academic achievements and extracurricular involvement. The section-education, relevant coursework, activities, and awards, are thoughtfully organized to guide admissions officers or reviewers quickly through your accomplishments.
From working with many high school students, I’ve found this template especially effective for those with strong academic records or leadership in clubs and projects. It helps bring clarity and polish to your story, and ensures that key achievements don’t get overlooked.Download Now.
Recommendation for:
Students targeting college or honors programs
Academically focused applicants
Those with notable coursework, clubs, or award achievements
5. High School Graduate Resume
Perfect for recent graduates stepping into the next phase, whether it’s entering the workforce, applying for vocational programs, or securing a gap‑year position—this PDF resume template is polished and professional. It highlights your completed education, skills, volunteer involvement, and any ongoing certifications or coursework.
Based on working with recent grades, this format is incredibly effective at giving a clean, well‑structured snapshot of who you are. It’s especially useful if you're juggling completing high school with continuing education or looking to transition smoothly into jobs or training programs.Download Now.
Recommendation for:
Recent high school graduates applying to jobs or further training
Applicants needing a clean, final-ready resume
Those balancing academic records with extracurricular or volunteer contributions.
6. High School Diploma Resume
This elegant PDF template is tailored for students who have earned their high school diploma and are ready to pursue opportunities like part-time employment, internships, or entry into vocational training.
From helping diploma holders refine their resumes, I’ve found this format especially effective: it's polished and straightforward, making key details easy to read for employers or program reviewers. Download Now.
Recommendation for:
Students who have recently graduated with a diploma
Job or internship applicants seeking a crisp, finalized resume
Those who want to present completed education confidently alongside extracurricular and skill highlights
7. Recent High School Graduate Resume
Designed for those who’ve just finished high school and are ready to take the next step, whether that’s employment, higher education, internship programs, or vocational training, this clean and modern PDF template offers a well-organized layout to showcase your education, skills, activities, and volunteer experience.
From working with many recent graduates, I’ve observed that this format helps bring clarity and professionalism to your profile. With its balanced structure, it ensures key details like your GPA, community work, or extracurricular leadership don’t get overlooked by employers or admissions teams. Download Now.
Recommendation for:
Graduates launching their job or internship search
Students applying to colleges or training programs
Anyone wanting a polished, resume-ready PDF with minimal effort
8. High School Internship Resume
For students looking to land their first internship, this clean and polished PDF template is a smart choice. It emphasizes relevant coursework, volunteer and extracurricular experience, and important soft skills like time management and collaboration, perfect for situations where full-time work history may be limited.
From advising students on internship applications, I've seen this template make a strong impression on recruiters. Its concise, targeted format ensures your relevant activities shine and that your resume feels purpose-built rather than generic. Download Now.
Recommendation for:
High school students applying for internships or program placements
Applicants with strong coursework, club involvement, or community service
Teens seeking professionalism alongside academic and extracurricular efforts
9. High School Student Athlete Resume
If you're balancing academics with competitive sports, this PDF template is built for you. It highlights not only your athletic accomplishments, like team leadership, sports status, and competitions, but also your academic record, volunteer service, and team-oriented soft skills.
Based on mentoring many student-athletes, I’ve seen this style of resume help convey both discipline and well-rounded achievement. It projects both athletic dedication and academic responsibility, making it particularly effective for college athletics applications, coaching programs, or community leadership roles. Download Now.
Recommendation for:
High school athletes applying to college sports or leadership programs
Students wanting to demonstrate teamwork, commitment, and strong academics
Those seeking to craft a resume that balances sports and studies in equal measure
10. High School Student Internship Resume
If you're aiming for internships, this PDF template is a standout choice. Its clean and modern layout emphasizes internship-relevant coursework, volunteer or school projects, and soft skills like initiative, problem-solving, and collaboration. This structure ensures recruiters see your potential, even without formal work history.
From my experience guiding high school students toward internship opportunities, this format helps them make meaningful connections. It presents a focused and professional profile that feels purpose-built, not generic, and showcases real efforts in projects, clubs, or community service. Download Now.
Recommendation for:
Students applying for internships or early program placements
Teens with academic projects, leadership roles, or volunteer experience
Those seeking to make a polished first impression in PDF format
Want more templates?
Creating a high school resume may feel overwhelming at first—but with the right template, it's much easier to present your skills, experience, and potential with confidence. Whether you're applying for your first job, an internship, or preparing a college application, the templates we've shared offer tailored, ready-to-use designs that make the process quick and stress-free.
If you're looking for even more variety, be sure to explore the WPS Template Store. It offers hundreds of free resume templates in Word and PDF formats—each easy to download, edit, and personalize directly within WPS Office. No matter your background or goal, there's always a template that fits your needs perfectly.
Part 3. How to Edit and Print High School Resume Templates?
Editing with WPS Writer (Word Templates)
Open WPS Office > Writer
Import the word file
Edit text fields (name, skills, experience)
Save as PDF: File > Export to PDF
Share online link: File > Share > Generate Link
Editing PDF Resume Templates in WPS PDF
Open WPS PDF
Upload your downloaded PDF resume
Click ‘Edit Text’ to modify name, education, etc.
Use Highlight or Text tools for emphasis
Save or Export
Share via online link or email
Part 4. Free Office Suite with Abundant Resume Templates
Why Choose WPS Office?
WPS Office is a free, powerful alternative to Microsoft Office, perfect for students creating resumes.
Here's why:
Feature | Description |
|---|---|
AI Writing Assistance | Built-in tools to improve your resume |
Free Templates | Access hundreds of resume styles |
All-in-One Editor | Word, PDF, Excel, and PPT |
Easy Sharing | Generate shareable links |
Cloud Integration | Work online or offline |
Stable & Secure | Trusted by students and professionals |
FAQs
1. How long should a resume for high school be?
Just one page, keep it concise and relevant.
2. How do I make my resume stand out?
Focus on achievements, use strong action words, and customize for each application.
3. Can I make a resume with no job experience?
Yes! Highlight extracurriculars, volunteering, and school projects.
4. Should I include a GPA on my resume?
Include your GPA only if it’s above 3.0 or required by the application.
5. What file format should I use?
Always save and submit your resume in PDF format to preserve formatting.
