A certificate is a small document that people keep and frame. It should look important without being hard to read.
What to include
- The organisation name and logo
- The word "Certificate" and its type (Achievement, Participation, Completion)
- The recipient's name, large and centred
- A line about what it is for
- Date and place
- Signatures with names and designations
Layout
Centre everything on a landscape page. The recipient's name should be the largest text after the title. A simple border adds formality, but avoid heavy decoration that competes with the text.
Fonts
A classic serif or an elegant script for the name, and a clean font for the details. Use no more than two fonts.
Paper
Use thicker paper, around 250 to 300 GSM, so the certificate feels worth keeping. Printing in a standard size such as A4 makes it easy to frame.
Many names, one design
If you issue many certificates, ask for a template where only the name and date change, so you can fill them in quickly and avoid layout errors. Check each name's spelling carefully, since a misspelt name is the main complaint.
Frame it
Certificates look their best in a frame. We also offer A4 frames that suit them.
See our Certificate Design service.
