Free printable certificate templates
24 designs and 17 templates you edit online, grouped by occasion, plus three certificate of appreciation templates for Word. Each online template opens the certificate maker with its wording and design filled in, plus a guide to what to write; every template works with every design, on A4 or US Letter, landscape or portrait, for one name or a list of up to 100.
All 24 designs
Six styles in four colourways each. Every design works with every template below, on A4 or US Letter, landscape or portrait, for one name or a list of up to 100. Choose one to open it in the maker.
Classic
A double gold frame, corner ornaments, a script name and a seal between the signatures. The traditional award certificate.
Laurel
A laurel wreath above the title and a heavy coloured border. Suits graduation, honours and formal recognition.
Modern
A colour band down the left side and left-aligned type. Suits workplaces, courses and clubs.
Minimal
One fine line and no artwork: the lowest-ink option, and the one that suits a logo best.
Playful
A rounded dotted border, confetti, a star and a rosette. Two of the four are for Christmas and Halloween.
Sport
Coloured bands, diagonal stripes, a trophy and condensed capitals. For sports days, teams and tournaments.
School and classroom certificates
Classroom certificates are handed out often and read aloud, so they work best when they are quick to make and say something specific about each child. Star of the week and attendance awards are usually printed for a few children at a time; achievement certificates tend to come in a batch for the whole class at the end of a term or a year.
Wording: name what the child did – “for counting to 100”, “for reading 40 books” – rather than “for good work”, and use the name the child is called, not the register name. Printing: ordinary 80 gsm paper is fine for weekly awards; for the end of the year, use 160–200 gsm card and one of the Playful or Classic designs. For a whole class, see the end-of-year awards list.
Star of the week certificate Edit online
A weekly classroom award with a personal reason.
13 wording ideasStudent of the month certificate Edit online
A monthly award for one student per class or grade, with the reason spelled out.
12 wording ideasHonor roll certificate Edit online
For students on the honor roll, high honor roll or principal's list in a grading period.
11 wording ideasPerfect attendance certificate Edit online
For being there every day of a term or year.
12 wording ideasCertificate of achievement Edit online
For a goal reached, a test passed or a skill learned.
14 wording ideas
Workplace and volunteer certificates
Workplace certificates are presented at a team meeting or an annual event and often end up in a frame or a personnel file, so they read more formally. Employee of the month names one result in one month; recognition covers years of service, leadership or conduct; appreciation thanks volunteers, guest speakers, sponsors and helpers.
Wording: one concrete reason linked to something your organisation values, the period it covers, and the presenting manager's name and role. Printing: 200–250 gsm card in a Classic or Laurel design (or a Minimal one to save ink), your logo, and two signatures. Tick Number each certificate if you keep a register of awards.
Employee of the month certificate Edit online
A monthly staff award with the reason spelled out.
12 wording ideasCertificate of recognition Edit online
For service, dedication or a contribution over time.
12 wording ideasCertificate of appreciation Edit online
To thank volunteers, staff, speakers or helpers.
13 wording ideasVolunteer certificate Edit online
For volunteers' service and hours, or to thank a whole volunteer team at once.
12 wording ideasRetirement certificate Edit online
For a colleague, teacher or volunteer who is retiring, with their years of service.
11 wording ideas
Sports and event certificates
Sports days, tournaments, science fairs and competitions produce long lists with different results on one day. A common pattern is a participation certificate for everyone and a winner's line for a few – both from one list, in one design, in one print run.
Wording: the event name and date, then the place or award: “2nd place – 100 m”, “Most Improved Player”, “for taking part in the Spring Science Fair”. Printing: results usually arrive late, so keep the list in a spreadsheet and paste or import it the evening before. The Playful designs suit children's events; the Sport and Modern designs suit clubs and leagues.
Sports award certificate Edit online
For sports day, a season or a tournament.
13 wording ideasCertificate of participation Edit online
For everyone who took part in an event, competition or club.
13 wording ideas
Graduation and course certificates
Completion and graduation certificates are proof that something was finished, so people keep them and sometimes show them to an employer or a new school. Completion fits training sessions, workshops and courses; graduation fits the end of a programme or a stage, from preschool to an apprenticeship.
Wording: the full course or programme name, its length or hours, and who ran it. Formal training keeps to “This is to certify that … has completed”; for a preschool or kindergarten graduation, add the class year and a line about what comes next. Printing: 200–250 gsm card, portrait for formal programmes, and certificate numbers if anyone may need to check a certificate later.
Graduation certificate Edit online
For preschool, kindergarten, leavers or a course.
12 wording ideasKindergarten graduation certificate Edit online
For kindergarten, pre-K and preschool graduation, one for every child in the class.
11 wording ideasScholarship certificate Edit online
For scholarship recipients at an awards night, with the scholarship's name.
11 wording ideasCertificate of completion Edit online
For a course, training session or workshop.
13 wording ideasCertificate of attendance Edit online
Confirms that someone attended a course, workshop, training or conference.
11 wording ideas
Certificate of appreciation templates for Word
Three designs to download and edit in Word, for when one certificate needs its own layout or you would rather work in a document. Each comes in A4 and US Letter, every line is editable text, and the logo box takes your own logo. How to edit, print and save them as PDF.
Formal business certificate of appreciation Word
Staff, partners, guest speakers, sponsors and board members.
Or fill it in onlineWarm volunteer certificate of appreciation Word
Volunteers, helpers, coaches, parent helpers and event crew.
Or fill it in onlineSimple, low ink certificate of appreciation Word
Any thank-you you print in quantity on an office printer.
Or fill it in online
Which certificate to choose
- Someone reached a result (a grade, a target, a new skill): achievement.
- Someone finished a course or training: completion; at the end of a whole programme or school stage, graduation.
- Everyone who took part, whatever the result: participation.
- A thank-you for time or help: appreciation. A sustained contribution such as years of service: recognition.
- A regular award for one person: star of the week or student of the month in class, employee of the month at work.
- Grades: honor roll; an award with money attached: scholarship.
- Service: volunteer certificate for hours given, retirement certificate at the end of a career.
- Someone was there at a course or event, with no assessment: certificate of attendance; the youngest graduates: kindergarten and preschool graduation.
The maker also has wording for Reading Champion, Years of Service, Kindness Award, Most Valuable Player, a Christmas Star Award and a Halloween Best Costume Award: choose them under Occasion on the certificate maker.
Guides
- Certificate wording examples206 lines for all 17 templates, ready to copy or fill in.
- Certificates in bulk from Excel or Google SheetsColumns, import, long names, printing, sample files.
- End-of-year awards for students52 award ideas with wording, by age and type.
- How to print certificatesA4 or Letter, card weights, print settings, print shops.
- Certificate of appreciation templates for WordThree free designs to download, edit, print or save as PDF.