Certificates: 10 designs, QR verification and a permanent record

Before you start

• Certificates are included in the Professional and Institutional plans. Make sure the Certificates module is on in My academy → General → Modules.
• Each certificate belongs to a subject: one criterion per subject.

1. Choose how the certificate is earned

Open the subject (Courses → Subjects → (your subject)) and go to the Certificate section. In Certificate criteria choose:

In the same section, set Duration (hours) (e.g. 40) and, optionally, your own Certificate text (optional) (up to 500 characters). You can use the variables :student, :subject and :hours, e.g. "This certifies that :student has completed :hours hours of :subject with distinction."

2. Pick a template and your colors

Templates and colors are set on the assignment that issues the certificate. Open the final assignment in Courses → Assignments (visual mode) or the subject's Assignments tab (vertical mode) and turn on Issue a certificate when this assignment is passed:

1. Choose a design

   Each card shows a thumbnail with your colors. You can see them all full size in Grading & gradebook → Certificates → Designs.

   • Classic: Classic (thin double frame, serif title), Modern (side color band), Minimalist (no frame, one accent line) and Elegant (thick frame and a filled seal).
   • Fresh and youthful: Blocks (geometric mosaic), Tech (dark background with neon circuit traces), Bold (bright colors and a sticker with the year), Gradient (diagonal gradient between your two colors), Badge (digital credential with a hexagonal badge) and Swiss (editorial grid with a huge name).

2. Set the main and accent colors

   Pick a Main colour and an Accent color, e.g. navy #1E3A8A and gold #B8860B. Leave them empty to use your academy's brand colors.

3. Check the preview

   Click Preview to see the certificate with sample data before any student gets it. The real one carries the student's name, the subject and a verification code.

   

4. Set the minimum grade

   Minimum grade to obtain it uses the assignment's own scale; leave it empty to accept any passing grade. For Pass/Fail assignments, a Pass is enough.

3. How students get it

As soon as the student meets the criterion, a download button appears in the subject. The certificate is a landscape PDF (US Letter for academies in the USA, A4 elsewhere; you can change it in Certificates → Settings) with your academy name, the student's name, the subject, the hours, the issue date, a unique 12-character code such as 7KQM-4XHT-9WPA and a QR code.

4. Verification, revoking and a permanent record

• Anyone can verify it: the QR code opens acatudy.com/verify/<code>, a public page (no sign-in) that says whether the certificate is valid, revoked or not found, with the student, subject, academy and date. In Certificates → Settings you can show only the student's initials.
• Only the academy admin revokes: in Grading & gradebook → Certificates, click Revoke and enter the reason (it appears on the verification page). Reactivate brings it back with the same code. Teachers can issue certificates but not revoke or reactivate them.
• If your academy closes, certificates are kept: before an academy is deleted, every valid certificate is copied to Acatudy's central archive. Its code and QR code keep working as a verifiable historical record, and each student can download their PDF from the verification page by entering the email it was issued to.

Frequently asked questions

Can I show my logo instead of Acatudy's?

The certificate is issued in your academy's name and colors. A small "Powered by Acatudy" mark appears at the bottom.

What happens to my students' certificates if I close my academy?

They stay verifiable. Acatudy keeps a minimal record of each valid certificate (code, student, subject, academy and dates) and the PDF, so students and employers can still check it years later.

Can I re-issue a certificate with new colors?

Colors and template apply to certificates generated from then on. Check the preview before your first students finish.