Translate Your CV or Resume from Dutch to English
Need to translate your CV from Dutch to English? Upload the CV you already have, from the Netherlands or Flanders, choose English, and MyEasyCV writes the whole CV in English in a clean template you can edit line by line. Below: how a Dutch CV differs from a US resume or a UK CV, how to explain mbo, hbo and wo, and the false friends that give away a word-for-word translation.
Free account · First CV free to create and preview · PDF, DOC, DOCX or TXT
· MyEasyCV
How to translate your CV from Dutch to English in 3 steps
- 1
Upload your Dutch CV
PDF, DOC, DOCX or TXT, up to 10 MB and 5 pages. Images and scans are not read; if you made your CV in Canva, download it as a PDF. The original layout does not matter.
- 2
Choose English and a design
Coming from this page, English is already selected as the CV language. Pick one of 25+ templates. The photo is optional: leave it out and the CV has none. In the optional note you can ask for “British English” or “American English”.
- 3
Review, edit and download
Read the English version, change any line in the editor and delete personal details an English CV does not need. Then download the PDF.
What gets translated and what stays the same
- Translated
- Your profile, job titles, duties and results, skills, degree titles and fields, courses, projects, volunteering and any custom section.
- Kept as is
- Your name, the names of employers, schools and universities, your email, phone, links, software (Excel, SAP, Python) and certification acronyms.
- Not summarised
- The tool is set up to keep every job, bullet point and date of the original. Still, compare the result with your CV before you download it.
- Checked by you
- Date of birth, nationality or marital status are translated, not removed automatically: delete them in the editor before applying in the US or the UK. Never put a BSN (Netherlands) or rijksregisternummer (Belgium) on a CV.
Dutch CV vs. US resume vs. UK CV
An English CV is not only a different language: the personal details and the structure change too.
| Netherlands and Flanders | United States (resume) | United Kingdom (CV) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 1–2 pages | 1 page; 2 for long careers | Up to 2 pages |
| Photo | Common but optional | No | No |
| Personal details | Often date of birth, sometimes nationality | City, phone, email, LinkedIn | City, phone, email, LinkedIn |
| Phone | 06 12345678 / 0470 12 34 56 | +31 6 12345678 / +32 470 12 34 56 | +31 6 12345678 / +32 470 12 34 56 |
| Dates | sept. 2021 – heden | Sep 2021 – Present | Sep 2021 – Present |
| Profile | Short profile (optional) | 2–3 line summary | 3–4 line personal statement |
| Hobbies | Often a short section | Usually left out | One line, if it adds something |
| References | “Referenties op aanvraag” | Left out | Left out or on request |
General conventions, not rules: if the job ad asks for something else, follow the ad. Write months as words: 03-04-2025 is 3 April in the Netherlands and Belgium but March 4 in the US.
How to write Dutch and Flemish qualifications in English
Qualification names are what gets mistranslated most. Keep the institution's name and explain the level in English.
- vmbo, havo, vwo
- “Secondary school diploma (havo, senior general secondary education)” or “(vwo, pre-university education)”. In the US, “high school diploma” is understood too.
- mbo (niveau 1–4)
- “MBO diploma, level 4 (secondary vocational education), Nursing”.
- Propedeuse
- “First-year certificate (propedeuse)”. Once you have the full bachelor's degree, it can usually go.
- hbo-bachelor
- “Bachelor's degree, university of applied sciences”, usually 4 years and 240 EC (“240 ECTS credits”). A hogeschool is not a “high school”.
- wo-bachelor and wo-master
- Bachelor's degree (usually 180 EC) and Master's degree (usually 60 or 120 EC) from a research university, for example “MSc in Economics, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam”.
- Professionele or academische bachelor (Flanders)
- “Professional bachelor's degree” (hogeschool, career-oriented) or “Academic bachelor's degree” (university).
- Cijfers
- Do not convert grades to a GPA yourself; give the scale: “Average grade: 7.8/10”, or “15/20” in Flanders. “Cum laude” can stay. For official recognition, use a service such as WES (US and Canada) or UK ENIC (UK).
Dutch false friends on an English CV
These literal translations most often give away a machine-translated Dutch CV.
| Dutch | Literal mistake | On an English CV |
|---|---|---|
| Solliciteren | To solicit | To apply for |
| Stage | Stage | Internship / Work placement |
| Functie | Function | Position / Job title |
| Medewerker klantenservice | Employee customer service | Customer service representative |
| Eventueel | Eventually | If needed / Possibly |
| Actueel | Actual | Current / Up to date |
| Controleren | To control | To check / To verify |
| Per direct beschikbaar | Per direct available | Available immediately |
| Moedertaal | Mother language | Dutch: Native |
Why translate your Dutch CV with MyEasyCV
Your whole CV, not a summary
Set up to keep every job, bullet point and date; only the language and the layout change. Always review the result.
A fresh, ATS-readable design
Standard headings and real text that applicant tracking systems (ATS) can read.
You edit every line
Change a word, delete your date of birth or reorder sections in the editor before you download.
Tailored to one job ad
With “Tailor CV to Vacancy” you upload your CV and an English job ad, and the CV is written around what that employer asks for.
Translate an English CV into Dutch
Moving to the Netherlands or Flanders, or applying to an employer that wants a CV in Dutch? Upload your English CV and choose Dutch as the CV language.
- Photo and personal details
- A photo is common but optional. Name, town, phone and email are enough; never add a BSN or rijksregisternummer.
- Sections and dates
- Werkervaring, Opleiding, Vaardigheden, Talen; dates such as “sept. 2021 – heden”.
Plans
Free Start: 1 CV generation with full preview, no card required. One-Time Package: $2.99–$7.99, pay once — 2 CV generations, AI edits, unlimited PDF downloads. Pro Plan: monthly subscription — 20 CVs per month. Prices are shown in your local currency on the pricing section.
Dutch to English CV translation: FAQ
How do I translate my CV from Dutch to English?
Upload your Dutch CV, choose English as the CV language and a design, and the English version is ready in about a minute. Review it, remove personal details US and UK employers do not expect, and download the PDF.
Is it free?
Creating your first CV and seeing the full English result is free with an account, no card needed. The clean PDF without watermark is part of the One-Time Package (one payment; the price depends on your country) or the Pro Plan.
Dutch or English CV for an international company in the Netherlands?
Follow the language of the job ad: an English ad calls for an English CV, a Dutch ad usually for a Dutch CV, unless the employer says otherwise.
Is this a certified translation?
No. MyEasyCV writes your CV in English for job applications. Diplomas and documents for visas, recognition or public bodies need a sworn translator (beëdigd vertaler).
Should an English CV have a photo?
For the US and the UK, usually not. In MyEasyCV the photo is an optional field: without one, your English CV has none.
How do I explain hbo and wo?
Hbo is higher professional education at a university of applied sciences; wo is academic education at a research university. Write “Bachelor's degree” or “Master's degree”, then the field and the institution.
What does a Dutch 7.5 mean to an English reader?
Dutch grades run from 1 to 10 and high marks are given sparingly, so a 7 or 8 is a good result that a foreign reader may underestimate. Give the scale (“7.5/10”) instead of converting it.
British or American English?
Use the one of the country you apply in: American for the US (organize, center), British for the UK and often for the rest of Europe (organise, centre). Ask for it in the optional note.
Can I translate my CV from English to Dutch?
Yes. Upload your English CV, choose Dutch as the CV language and a design. The same rule applies: the first CV is free to create and preview with an account; the clean PDF without watermark is paid.
Same experience, now clear in English too.
Upload your Dutch CV: the first English version is free to create and preview.