How to include GCSEs/equivalents on CV while avoiding age discrimination?

Hi there. I think it is perfectly acceptable to format your qualifications as per the second option, with no dates displayed. I don't think adding the educational institution is important, unless you feel that the institution is highly respected and may help your application. It still doesn't take too much effort to work out an estimated age, but I'd hope that this wouldn't be an issue in most sectors.

I am a university student rewriting my CV, and I was wondering what's the best way to showcase my GCSEs/GCSE equivalents with the least amount of space since I completed them at different institutions? I don’t want to get screened out by ATS as some job descriptions still ask for, “5 GCSEs including English and Maths.” Below are my qualifications for more context:

University Name | xx/xx - Present

Degree Name BSc (Hons) - Predicted 2:1

College Name | xx/×× - xx/xx

BTEC National Diploma in X - D*D*D
BTEC First Extended Certificate in X - D*D* (Equivalent to 2 GCSEs at Grade 9)
GCSE English - Grade 5
GCSE Maths - Grade 4

Secondary School Name – xx/xx – xx/xx

GCSE R.E. Short Course - Grade 5

(I also did Functional Skills in I.C.T, English and Maths at Level 2, but I decided to leave them out at employers don't consider them to be equivalent)

Could I format the education section like this with no dates to avoid the possibility of age discrimination?

Degree: Degree Name BSc (Hons) - Predicted 2:1 | University Name | Expected graduation date 2026

BTEC: BTEC National Diploma in X - D*D*D

GCSEs: 5 GCSE equivalents grade 9-4, including English (5) and Maths (4)


My work experience and volunteering sections have the dates formatted like:

06/22 - 02/23
02/23 - Present

I was wondering if this would be weird, and if I should do anything else to save space?

You've got the order the wrong way around. The natural order is Date, Institution, Degree, Subject, Grade

You should also be tailoring your CV to individual applications, so dropping your school grades where GCSEs are not clearly stated as a requirements.

Most employers do not use scanning software to read CVs, it is only cost effective for the very largest that get enormous loads of recruitment. Even then, most will also have a human check decisions.

Second, check what you are paranoid about. You are far more likely to meet judgements about BTECS that your age, while in fact you aren't that likely to find employers have an issue with either.