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Graduation Certificate Template

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Graduation is the act of completing a degree or a course of study. It is one of the most important parts of a student’s life because it indicates the achievement of knowledge and expertise and is a way to move forward in life. For most people, high school and college graduations are milestones in life, but you also graduate from short courses, middle school, and even preschool. At the point of graduation, there is usually a ceremony in which the graduation certificate (degree or diploma) is awarded to the graduates, and there are speeches and awards to commemorate their achievements.

The graduation certificate, usually awarded at the graduation ceremony, is an important piece of documentation. It primarily serves to certify that the individual has completed the declared course of study. Since it is an official document that is used as a reference in the future, it needs to have authenticity and formality.

Here is a preview of a Free Sample Graduation Certificate Template created using MS Word,

Graduation Certificate Template

Here is the download link for this Graduation Certificate Template,

download word template

The following tips may be helpful while designing a graduation certificate:

  • Keep the certificate’s orientation in landscape mode. Landscape orientation is the norm for most certificates.
  • Insert the institution’s name and logo in large fonts at the top center of the page. Keep all of this text aligned to the center. Many institutions prefer to emboss print the title of the certificate, provided that the printing paper is of compatible quality.
  • Since this is an official document, the language used has to be formal, and should preferably adhere to the norms of certificate wording currently used.
  • Use phrases like ‘This is to certify that’ or ‘This certificate recognizes that’. Enter the full name of the certificate receiver, along with the program or the degree that he or she has completed. It is preferred not to use degree abbreviations (like B Sc for Bachelor of Science) but to use the full name of the program or the degree. If the individual has graduated with honors or with awards, they should be mentioned right after the name of the degree.
  • It is important to include some proof of authenticity in the certificate. For this purpose, stamps and seals that officially belong to the institution’s stationery should be included on the certificate. Many institutions have also started using advanced authenticity measures such as watermarks, to prevent fraud and counterfeit documents.
  • In the text body, remember to include the certificate giver, that is, the name of the institution that is awarding the certificate.
  • At the end of the document, enter the date on which the certificate is to be awarded to the recipient. The certificate is usually signed (by hand or in print) by some institution authority. This person may be the chancellor, dean, or Head of the Department. The name of the person who is signing the certificate should also be printed directly underneath his or her signature, along with their title.
  • Finally, it is important to choose a paper of good quality on which to print the certificate. It is an important document and should be printed on durable material so that it can be kept and stored for a long time. Using cheap paper is inappropriate for a certificate of any kind.