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Winner Certificates

Certificates cost $0 to make and $0.15/page to print. They're the most memorable takeaway most participants will get — especially for students who've never won anything before.

Canva is free and has dozens of certificate templates you can customize in 10 minutes.

Step-by-Step

  1. Go to canva.com and create a free account
  2. Search for "certificate" in the template search bar
  3. Filter by Landscape (standard certificate orientation)
  4. Pick a template — look for ones with a clean, minimal design (avoid the overly decorative ones; they don't scan/print well)
  5. Click Customize this template

Fields to update: - Replace placeholder text with your hackathon name - Replace the date - Add your school/club name - Replace "Presented to:" with the award name (e.g., "First Place — Best Overall") - Add your signature line (your name + "Hackathon Organizer" or faculty advisor's name)

  1. Download as PDF (Print) — this gives the best quality
  2. Print on cardstock if possible (regular printer paper works fine too)

Good Canva search terms: - "certificate of achievement" - "award certificate" - "diploma certificate" - "modern certificate"

Option 2: Google Slides / Docs

If you want full control or don't want to use Canva:

  1. Open Google Slides, set page size to 10" × 7.5" (File → Page Setup → Custom)
  2. Use a clean font pairing: Playfair Display (title) + Lato (body)
  3. Add a thin border using Insert → Shape → Rectangle (no fill, dark stroke)
  4. Export as PDF

What to Put on Each Certificate

[HACKATHON NAME]
[DATE] | [LOCATION]

Certificate of Achievement

Presented to:
[PARTICIPANT NAME]

For:
[AWARD CATEGORY]
e.g., "First Place — Best Use of AI"
     "Most Creative Solution"
     "Best Beginner Project"

[ORGANIZER SIGNATURE LINE]          [FACULTY ADVISOR SIGNATURE LINE]
[Name], Organizer                   [Name], Faculty Advisor

Award Categories to Consider

Don't limit it to 1st/2nd/3rd. More certificates = more people leave feeling valued.

Category Notes
First Place — Best Overall Main award
Second Place
Third Place
Best Use of [Sponsor Technology] Sponsor loves this; use for track prizes
Most Creative Solution Good for non-technical teams
Best Beginner Project Explicitly rewards first-timers
Best Social Impact Reinforces your civic framing
Best Pitch / Presentation For strong communicators
People's Choice Crowd vote; everyone is eligible
Best UI/Design

You can also give Participation Certificates to all teams that submit a project — many students have never received one and it means a lot.

Printing Tips

  • Cardstock (65–80 lb) makes a huge difference in how professional it feels. A pack costs ~$8 at Staples or Target.
  • Print a test page first to verify margins and alignment before printing all copies.
  • If your school's printer doesn't handle cardstock, print on regular paper and insert into a certificate folder (Amazon, ~$0.50 each).
  • Sign in pen after printing — printed signatures look less personal.

Canva Free vs. Pro

You do not need Canva Pro for certificates. The free tier has more than enough templates. If a template shows a crown icon (Pro-only), just pick a different one — there are hundreds of free options.

Digital Certificates (Optional)

If participants are remote or you want to email certificates:

  • Export from Canva as PNG (high quality) instead of PDF
  • Email individually or use Certifier (free tier: 50 certificates/month) which sends personalized certificates automatically

Digital certificates are also shareable on LinkedIn — participants can add them as "Licenses & certifications," which is a nice bonus for their profiles.