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Certificates of completion, one for every learner

Every learner gets a certificate with their own name on it. The name, course, date and signature come from your data, inside a landscape design with a border and a seal.

Making them from your own data? Read the certificate generator guide.

  • A4, landscape
  • 1 page
  • Free to start
Use this templateSee the data it needs
The certificate template filled with sample data. A landscape certificate of completion with an elegant border, the recipient, the course, the date and a signature.

What this certificate template is for

Use it to reward people who finish a course, a workshop or a training programme. It suits online course platforms, trainers, schools, event organisers and teams that run required training.

Each certificate shows the person’s name, the course title, the hours of study, the date and a signature. A certificate number and your checking address sit at the bottom.

CastPDF prints the number and the address you send. Checking a certificate later is up to your own website.

What a good certificate of completion includes

  • The person’s name, spelled the way they want it.
  • The course or programme title.
  • The date it was completed.
  • Who issued it: your organisation’s name, and a logo if you have one.
  • A signature, with the signer’s name and role.
  • A certificate number, so it can be checked later.
  • Extra detail where it helps, such as hours of study or a grade.
The data

The fields it fills

Each field fills one part of your certificate. Send new details and your certificate keeps its design, or change both.

Fields of the certificate template and what each one fills
FieldWhat it fills
General
certificate_idA unique certificate number.
completed_onThe date the course was completed.
Issuer
issuer.nameYour organisation’s name.
issuer.shortA short name for the seal.
issuer.verify_urlWhere people can check a certificate.
Recipient
recipient.nameThe person’s name.
Course
course.titleThe course title.
course.hoursHours of study.
course.formatHow it was taught.
course.gradeA grade or distinction line.
Signatory
signatory.nameWho signs the certificate.
signatory.titleTheir role.
How to use it

How to make your certificate PDF

Two ways to get your certificate. Make one by hand in the dashboard today. Connect your app when you want every certificate made automatically.

No code: make it in the dashboard

  1. 1Sign up free. You don’t need a card.
  2. 2Pick the certificate template.
  3. 3Put your own details into the certificate’s sample data, and change the words and colours.
  4. 4Watch the free preview as you type. Every page carries a small “Preview” label.
  5. 5Verify your email and press Generate PDF for a clean copy. It counts as one PDF on your plan.

To make each certificate from your own app instead, send your data with a live key, as shown here.

Automatic: one request from your app

Copy the template ID from the editor. Save your certificate data in a file with that ID, then send it in one request. The reply is the finished PDF.

curl
curl https://api.castpdf.com/v1/pdf \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CASTPDF_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d @request.json \
  --output certificate.pdf
request.json (the sample data)
{
  "template_id": "YOUR_TEMPLATE_ID",
  "data": {
    "certificate_id": "HA-2026-04817",
    "completed_on": "2026-09-18",
    "issuer": {
      "name": "Harbourline Academy",
      "short": "Harbourline",
      "verify_url": "harbourline.example/verify"
    },
    "recipient": {
      "name": "Amara Okafor"
    },
    "course": {
      "title": "Advanced Data Visualisation",
      "hours": 24,
      "format": "Instructor-led, online",
      "grade": "Awarded with distinction"
    },
    "signatory": {
      "name": "Elena Varga",
      "title": "Director of Studies"
    }
  }
}

Read the quickstart

Make it yours

  • Add your logo, and put your short name on the seal.
  • Use a scanned signature as an image in place of the typed name.
  • Change the border colour and the fonts.
  • It is designed for A4 landscape. To change the size, change the page format in the template settings.
  • Try a very long name in the sample data to see how it fits.
  • Every save is a new version, and your last 50 versions are kept.

Making certificates for a whole class

The dashboard has no spreadsheet upload yet. Through the API, one batch request makes a certificate for each person in a list or a CSV file, and returns a ZIP; you can also send one request per person.

If your list is in a spreadsheet, save it as a CSV file. A short script can then read each row and send it to CastPDF.

Your plan sets how many you can make per minute: 30 a minute on the Free plan, and more on paid plans.

FAQ

Questions about certificate PDFs

How do I generate certificates from a spreadsheet?

The dashboard has no spreadsheet upload yet. Through the API, save your sheet as a CSV or XLSX file and send it in one batch request (POST /v1/batches): each row becomes one certificate, collected in a ZIP. Or send one request per row with a short script.

How do I make certificates in bulk?

Send one request for each person. Each one returns that person’s certificate as a PDF. Your plan sets the pace: 30 requests a minute on the Free plan, and more on paid plans.

What should a certificate of completion include?

The person’s name, the course title, the completion date, who issued it and a signature. A certificate number helps people check it later. Hours of study or a grade are useful extras.

How do I send certificates automatically when someone finishes a course?

Hook it to the moment a learner completes the course: your platform sends their name and course, and the finished certificate comes straight back. Email it, or offer it as a download on their account page.

Can I add a signature image and a logo?

Yes. Both are images in the template. Link to them on your website, or put them in the template itself so nothing needs to load. The typed name of the signer can stay underneath.

What size is a certificate?

Most certificates are A4 or US Letter, in landscape. This template is designed for A4 landscape. To change the size, change the page format in the template settings.
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Make your first certificate PDF

Sign up free and this template is ready for you. Add your logo and details, and download your first certificate in minutes. You get 100 free PDFs every month, and you don’t need a card.

Use this templateRead the docs