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How Do I Give Students a Certificate When They Finish My Course?

Quick answer: Open your course, go to the Delivery tab and tick Award a certificate of completion. Add a certificate title (usually the course name), choose a design, and save. When a student finishes every lesson, Sellzw automatically creates a personalised certificate PDF with their name, a unique code and a QR code, emails it to them, and anyone can verify it online.

Key points

  • Certificates are automatic. You don't have to send anything by hand.
  • Each one is personalised and verifiable with a QR code and unique code.
  • Five built-in designs, or upload your own background.
  • Refunded orders have their certificates revoked.

Why add a certificate to your course?

Certificates give students a reason to finish and a reason to buy.

  • Motivation: students who are working towards a certificate are more likely to complete every lesson.
  • Perceived value: "Includes a certificate of completion" is a strong selling point on your product page.
  • Word of mouth: students share their certificates on WhatsApp status and LinkedIn, which promotes your course for free.

How do I turn on certificates?

  1. Open your course product and go to the Delivery tab.
  2. Tick Award a certificate of completion.
  3. Fill in the Certificate title (required). This is printed as the course name, usually your course title, for example "Excel for Small Shop Owners".
  4. Optionally change the Label on the document. The default is "Certificate of Completion", and you could use "Certificate of Achievement" instead.
  5. Choose a Design, or upload a Custom background (see below).
  6. Tap Save.

That's it. Every student who finishes from now on gets a certificate automatically.

What does the certificate look like?

Each certificate is a PDF that reads:

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION This certifies that [Student's name] has successfully completed [Your certificate title] [Date] Issued by [Your store name] [QR code] · Verify at [link] · Code [unique code]

Choosing a design

  • Emerald and Midnight: clean, modern looks.
  • Silver, Gold and Platinum: premium looks that add a tier badge. They're a nice way to mark advanced or premium courses.
  • Custom background: upload your own design as a PDF, PNG or JPG, and Sellzw draws the student's name and details on top. Leave space in the centre for the text. Custom backgrounds count toward your storage.

When and how do students receive it?

The moment a student completes every lesson, the certificate is created and emailed to them. The email says "Your certificate is ready" and includes a View My Certificate button to open and download the PDF.

Tip: the certificate uses the name the student entered at checkout. Remind buyers in your course welcome notes to use their full, correctly spelled name when buying.

How does verification work?

Every certificate has a unique code and a QR code that link to a public Sellzw verification page. Anyone, such as an employer, a client or a school, can scan the QR code or open the link and see:

  • Status: Valid or Revoked
  • Holder: the student's name
  • Credential: the course name
  • Date and Issued by (your store name)
  • Code

If the order behind a certificate is refunded, the certificate is revoked and the verification page says so.

What should I say about certificates on my sales page?

Be clear and honest about what the certificate is. It confirms the student completed your course. Good wording:

"Finish every lesson and receive a personalised, verifiable Certificate of Completion you can share with employers and on LinkedIn."

Don't call it a diploma, degree or accredited qualification unless your course really is accredited by the relevant body. Misrepresenting a certificate breaks Sellzw's rules on fake credentials.

Frequently asked questions

How do students get their certificate?

Automatically. As soon as a student finishes every lesson in the course, Sellzw creates a personalised certificate PDF and emails them a "Your certificate is ready" message with a link to view and download it.

How can an employer check that a certificate is real?

They scan the QR code on the certificate or visit the verification link printed on it. The Sellzw verification page shows whether it's valid, the holder's name, the course and who issued it.

Can I use my own certificate design?

Yes. Choose one of five built-in designs (Emerald, Midnight, Silver, Gold or Platinum) or upload your own background as a PDF, PNG or JPG. Sellzw prints the student's name and details on top.

What happens to a certificate if the order is refunded?

It's revoked. Anyone who checks it will see that it's no longer valid.

Is a Sellzw course certificate an accredited qualification?

No. It confirms the student completed your course. It isn't an accredited qualification unless your course is separately accredited, and you shouldn't present it as one.

Reward your students for finishing

Turning on certificates takes two minutes and gives every student a finish line worth reaching.

Create your free Sellzw store →

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