Top student with papers (3)
I believe the answer is:
lid
'top' is the definition.
(lid is a kind of top)
'student with papers' is the wordplay.
'student' becomes 'l' (as in L-plates for learner drivers).
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'papers' becomes 'ID' (identifying documents are one's 'papers').
'l'+'id'='LID'
(Other definitions for lid that I've seen before include "Kind of cover, may be hinged" , "Top or cover" , "Removable top" , "Pie crust; cover" , "Hinged or removable cover as for bottle" .)