Free Graduation Certificate Templates

A Graduation Certificate is a formal document designed to confirm the completion of an educational study.

Alternate Name:

• Graduate Certificate.

What Is a Graduate Certificate?

Usually given to a student that has just finished a non-degree course in order to add extra skills to their arsenal, upgrade their qualifications, or be able to qualify for a particular job, a Graduation Certificate serves as proof of the fact the person named in it actually attended classes and complied with the requirements necessary to earn the credentials listed in writing. Graduate Certificate programs all over the country offer instruction and training that target certain skills within a short amount of hours - in six or twelve months of studying you will prove the presence of in-demand qualifications obligatory for multiple industries.

You can find a full list of Graduation Certificate templates by checking out our library below.

What Is a Graduate Certificate vs Degree?

Unlike a Graduation Certificate that focuses on one subject or course, a degree verifies more comprehensive skill development in a particular field. There are more industries open and more advanced job opportunities available for the person that obtains a degree - whether it is a master's degree or a doctorate degree. Yet, both documents will be valuable depending on your current career goals or the skillset you are determined to gain. Moreover, a degree will cost more and take more than one year to complete - if you are looking for an immediate promotion, raise, or career change or you are unable to invest a lot of money in your education at the moment, a Graduate Certificate is the correct choice for you.

What Can You Do With a Graduate Certificate?

Whether you are planning to obtain a master's degree after you receive a Certificate of Graduation or this non-degree program is the only one you are completing, you will be able to provide proof of gaining necessary knowledge and skills on a basic level. There are multiple benefits of getting a Graduation Certificate:

1. It will be easier to adapt to the job market. Not only you will not have to waste years earning a degree that makes it harder to find the job you want, but also the skills and qualifications verified by a Graduate Certificate are obtained and polished within months - if you are planning to work in a competitive industry, you must value your time.
2. You can develop your skills even if you are older and already have a job. In case you are looking for a promotion and need to upgrade your knowledge or you have been thinking about a career change, a certificate of this kind will be the stepping stone for you to start from and build upon.
3. There are many jobs available for people that have a Graduation Certificate - you will always be a desired professional in the legal and medical fields. You can get this document and later pursue a more serious degree while working and gaining invaluable experience your peers will not have.

How to Make a Graduation Certificate?

Follow these steps to prepare a Graduate Certificate:

1. Start with the details describing the academic institution that issued the certificate. At a minimum, indicate the name of the school, college, or university and insert its logo.
2. Write down the title of the document in big letters.
3. Enter the full name of the certificate recipient. You may include their nickname only if you are preparing a certificate for kindergarten - otherwise, remember to keep the wording formal. Note that the words "Graduation Certificate" and the name of the student should be easily visible so opt for a bigger font size and colors that can be read from a distance.
4. Include the words "has successfully completed the course/training" or "for successful completion of the course" and state the name of the course.
5. Record the name of the person that awards the certificate - alternatively, it can be the name of the dean or college principal who also signs the document. Even if you choose to print all the details, it is recommended to leave free space for the signature and ask the individual responsible for the presentation or the dean to sign it with their own hand to add a personalized touch.
6. State the date when the certificate is presented to the recipient. If you are not sure about the date of the graduation ceremony, you can leave this space blank as well and fill it out later.
7. When it comes to the decoration of the certificate, keep it simple: use subdued color scheme (black, white, gold, grey), add patterns and ornaments that make sense for your particular case (for instance, a simple golden border would do just fine for any traditional educational course), and consider purchasing frames if it does not hurt the budget of your institution - a Graduation Certificate frame should correspond visually to a certificate so make sure you find a black, white, or golden frame depending on the color design.

Still looking for a particular template? Take a look at the related templates below:

• Scholarship Certificate Template;
• Diploma Certificate Template;
• Kindergarten Diploma Template.