15 PhD Certificate Templates: Ready-Made Designs

Formatting dissertation titles, lining up seals, and chasing down missing signatures takes time. Multiply that by hundreds of graduates and you’re spending hours on something that should take minutes.

That’s why we’ve put together 15 editable PhD certificate template designs, so you can skip the layout work. 

With Certifier, a tool for creating and managing certificates, the credentialing process is straightforward and takes only a few steps, regardless of how many graduates are on the list.

15 PhD certificate templates to use for free

Each PhD certificate template is available in multiple formats, can be edited and used to issue PhD certificates in bulk. 

Choose a blank PhD certificate template that you like and adjust it using Certifier’s credential editing tool. Click the blue button under a template or access the design via our PhD certificate template gallery.

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01 Honorary doctorate certificate template with a red seal

Built for programs that take scholarship seriously, this PhD degree certificate template helps universities deliver academic credibility and protect against forgery—especially in digital-first workflows. 

Every element is editable, including:

Recipient’s full name

Degree title and field of study

Dissertation or research mention

Conferral date

Signature areas and certificate ID

Seal or crest

Use it to streamline graduation season or bring consistency across departments. Great for digital or print. 

02 PhD certificate example with a literature focus

This doctorate degree template uses a minimalist layout and serif typography, making it a great pick for graduate schools that value both clarity and legacy. 

There’s enough room for detailed degree fields like literature, history or philosophy. Works across digital or print formats and fits easily into any graduation certificate system. 

03 Doctorate degree certificate template with a green frame

Our doctorate degree certificate template is great for schools issuing PhDs at scale. It will work for multi-campus institutions that want to maintain brand consistency without extra formatting work. 

04 Honorary PhD certificate template with QR code

Issue a certificate using a blank PhD certificate template confidently at international events or board ceremonies without worrying about forgery—each certificate template comes with a certificate ID unique number and a QR code for certificates that leads to a verification page. 

Add your university crest, recipient name, and an honorary degree title like L.H.D. to personalize this PhD certificate template. 

Worried about certificate fraud or verification issues? Learn how to check certificate original or fake online and make sure every credential your institution issues holds up to scrutiny.

05 Digital PhD certificate template for a leadership program

For fully remote or hybrid doctoral programs, this PhD certificate template offers bulk issuance at scale. Customize it with field of study, signature, and conferral date, recipients' names and issue instantly using the bulk certificate generator. 

Our PhD certificate format is made for programs in organizational leadership, business or education that want credibility and efficiency in one place. 

06 Dark-colored PhD degree certificate template

This doctorate certificate template gives your institution a professional format. All design elements and text fields are easily customizable, so you can adjust: 

Honoree’s name

Exact degree wording

Seal

Issue date

Certificate number

You can add the digital signature to all the certificates. Upload it once and the signature will appear automatically in all the certificates. 

07 Duplicate doctoral certificate template

Use this PhD certificate template to reissue lost or archived credentials without redoing layouts. The layout is simple and professional. The green frame adds character to the design. 

08 PhD certificate sample PDF with a red frame

If you look for a toned, elegant layout, this PhD diploma template is your best bet. The red seal and thin frame make it clear enough for formal recognition and refined enough to be noticed in honorary ceremonies.

Our doctorate diploma template fits use cases tied to awards, board appointments or honorary faculty recognition. You can also upload a custom certificate background for any honorary degree template.

09 Reissued PhD diploma template in beige

This PhD certificate template is built for registrar offices replacing lost credentials. The beige background keeps the focus on the academic content. Use digital signatures for security. 

You can use it as a PDF or a Word document. However, we recommend keeping it in a digital, Certifier’s format to ensure each certificate stays verifiable, easy to share, unlike static files.

10 Digital PhD certificate template with bold border

Our PhD certificate template features a violet border, program name, issue date, certificate ID and QR code. 

During the ceremonies, the PhD certificate will be presented elegantly if printed. All the PhD certificate templates are high quality and print-ready.

11 Digital doctorate degree template for policy programs

This PhD certificate template keeps it simple: beige background, readable serif text and full control over field names, issue dates and credentials. Works well for policy, education and online research degrees. 

The template is ready to be shared online via email—a modern and eco-friendly solution.

12 Doctorate diploma template with light blue accent

This PhD diploma template is useful for schools standardizing branding across multiple faculties. There’s enough space for your institution or department logo. The background, font styles and colors can be customized easily in our certificate design builder.

13 Certified reissue PhD certificate template with red corners

The red accent corners and serif typography make this PhD certificate format feel ceremonial without getting too ornate. 

Editable fields of this PhD diploma example include: 

Graduate name

Original conferral date

Degree title

Reissue label

Use this format to replace lost diplomas while maintaining digital traceability.

14 PhD certificate template with a tan background

This PhD certificate template comes with a tan layout, central crest, and room for research-based titles. 

Edit fields for recipient, academic focus, issue date and two signatures. Our PhD degree certificate template works well for medical, tech or engineering disciplines. 

15 PhD diploma template in charcoal and silver

This PhD diploma example has a dark finish and engraved emblem for high-level doctoral programs. 

Customize for biomedical sciences or institutional research fields. Add date of conferral, degree language, and digital certificate ID. 

Why to use a doctorate degree certificate template?

Templates remove the pressure of starting from zero. You don’t need a design team or manual formatting to create a credible certificate. 

They save time: Choose a PhD degree certificate template then fill in names, fields of study, conferral dates or citations.

They make your organization branding consistent across departments: Templates lock in your visual identity—seals, fonts, signature placement, logo and more.

They support bulk issuance: A PhD certificate template allows you to generate hundreds of diplomas with personalized details—without redoing layouts.

They work for every program: Use the same workflow for classic degrees, reissues, and honorary degree templates across multiple graduation cycles

Recommended elements on a certificate template

PhD certificates confirm years of research, exams and institutional approval. So the template you use should cover every detail—academic, legal and verifiable elements.

Double-check if you have these sections on your PhD certificate template:

Full name of graduate: Use the name as listed in official records.

Degree title: Include the exact title, like Doctor of Philosophy or Philosophiæ Doctor.

Field of study: Clarifies the academic focus. Useful across departments offering joint or interdisciplinary programs.

Conferral date: The date the degree was officially awarded. Not the ceremony.

University name and crest: Essential for academic branding. Use a high-resolution crest that fits your certificate layout.

Official signatures: Add signature lines for the dean, president or other authorized signatories.

Certificate ID: A unique code that ties the credential to the graduate and issuance record.

QR code: Enables real-time verification. Anyone—employer, board, academic reviewer—can scan and confirm authenticity.

Language and honorifics: Some programs include Latin formatting or bilingual layouts. Others include honors or dissertation titles, especially for research-intensive degrees or honorary doctorate certificate templates.

Every PhD diploma example you create should be ready for both print and digital formats. Certifier’s editor supports all of these fields.

Issue certificates using a PhD certificate template

Using a PhD certificate template saves time and keeps every credential consistent. You can issue in bulk, share online and verify each certificate instantly with a QR code or unique link.

Certifier gives you full control—real-time revocation, lifetime access and flexible updates for any issued certificate with an Issuer’s Portal.

Sign up for Certifier for free and start issuing secure, verifiable PhD certificates.