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How to build a strong student LinkedIn profile

Scholarship reviewers, recruiters, and admissions staff often look you up online. A clear, honest LinkedIn profile backs up your application and makes it easy for people to see what you can do.

Last reviewed September 26, 2026

1. Start with a clear photo and headline

Use a well-lit photo where your face is clearly visible, with a plain background. Your headline is the line under your name. Instead of just "Student," say what you study and where you're heading:

2. Write a short "About" section

Three to five sentences is enough. Cover what you're studying, what you've done, and what you want to do next. If you study online while working, say so. It shows discipline and time management.

3. List your education accurately

Name the institution that awards your degree or certificate, the program, and your expected completion date. Add each certificate you've earned under Licenses & certifications so it stands out as its own achievement.

4. Treat real work as experience

Part-time jobs, family businesses, volunteering, church or community service, and leading a study group all count. For each one, write one or two lines on what you did and what changed because of it:

• Weak: "Helped at the shop."
• Strong: "Set up a simple inventory spreadsheet for my family's shop that cut weekly stock-counting time in half."

5. Add skills you can prove

List skills that match your certificates and experience, such as Excel, customer service, or project planning. Skills that connect to something elsewhere on your profile are more convincing than a long, generic list.

6. Show your work

Use the Featured section for a project, presentation, or short article you've written. One solid example is worth more than many empty sections.

7. Connect with purpose

Connect with classmates, mentors, people you've worked with, and alumni of programmes you're interested in. When you send a request to someone you don't know, add a short, specific note about why you'd like to connect.