Diploma Wording & Style Made Easy

How to Design Certificates

Graduation ceremonies are not just any celebration. Graduation day is a moment that students will cherish for the rest of their lives and only happens once in a lifetime. Whether the graduation is from middle school, high school, or college, you want to make sure the diploma wording is correct and professional.

Finding the proper college graduation diploma wording, style, and layout can be challenging. You want to convey the thoughts and emotions of the day in the right way with the right tone and proper message.

Use the 7 ideas below and the diploma shown at right to refer when creating your custom diplomas for your middle school, high school, or college graduation.

1.  Your school name can be arched across the top of the diploma in a Gothic-style font

2.  The next several lines can be used for the city and state of your school, or for a school motto

3.  The student’s name on the sample above is shown in hand calligraphy. Or you can use the same font as the school name.

4.  Choose the wording for the center line of the diploma. You may select “College Preparatory Course,” “Honors Course of Study,” or whatever fits the particular student.

5.  Include a saying something like this, “He is thereby granted this high school diploma and is entitled to all the rights and privileges which pertain thereto. Dated fifth day of June two thousand twenty-three.

6.  Include signatures and titles beneath the signatures. Leave space between the signatures to accommodate a center seal.

7.  Add an engraved seal toward the bottom of the diploma. Many schools position it in the middle, but you can leave space by either corner for it.

No matter which of these diploma wording ideas you use, make sure you keep one thing in mind. Customize all of your diplomas to fit your school and traditions. If something seems “off” about the overall presentation, change it. Create diplomas that are true to your school!