On most diplomas the seal sits in the lower half of the page, in the same band as the signatures, and the usual positions are lower center, lower left, and lower right. Brown University states that its diploma bears the Seal of the Corporation of Brown University in the lower center, along with the signatures of the university president and the secretary of the corporation.
Seals that a graduate earns work differently. A state seal of biliteracy or an honors seal is awarded for meeting published criteria, and the school adds it to the diploma and records it on the transcript. If a seal arrived loose in an envelope, the school’s own instructions come first, because the diploma is the school’s document.
Where do diploma seals go?
Two different marks get called a diploma seal, and different people place them. One is the institution’s own seal, pressed or printed into the page before the diploma is handed over. The other is an honor or merit seal that a graduate earns, which may arrive already applied or as a separate foil sticker.
Where the school’s own seal sits
The position is set by the institution, so there is no national standard. Common positions are the following.
- Lower center, below or between the signature lines
- Lower left corner
- Lower right corner
Brown places the seal in the lower center and issues diplomas measuring 12.25 by 9.75 inches. Temple University prints diplomas on card stock with the university seal embossed in gold foil. The University of Iowa issues diplomas at 8.5 by 11 inches. Whatever the layout, the school applies that seal, so it is already in place when the diploma reaches the graduate.
If you are comparing layouts, the pictures in this guide to diploma examples show where the seal falls on several different designs.
Where to put seals that arrive separately
State and district guidance says the seal is affixed to the diploma and the achievement is noted on the transcript. It does not name a spot on the page. Scottsdale Unified School District in Arizona describes an official seal being affixed to a student’s diploma, with the accomplishment also noted on the high school transcript. Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction tells districts to place a notation on the student’s high school diploma and transcript. In California, local educational agencies affix the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma insignia to the diplomas of qualifying graduates.
Ask the school office or the registrar before anything is stuck to an original. Many districts apply the seal themselves, and a school that has already recorded the award can reissue a diploma when a graduate cannot.
When the seals are yours to apply, this approach keeps the page readable.
- Work in blank space in the lower band, clear of the printed text and the signatures
- Line several seals along the bottom in an even row instead of scattering them
- Keep them about an inch inside the trimmed edge so a frame mat does not cover them
- Press each seal down once, because foil tears when it is lifted again
The transcript is the record a college or employer can request from the district, so a seal set slightly off center does not change what the graduate earned.
What is a diploma seal?
A diploma seal is the emblem of the institution that issued the document, reproduced on the page as a raised impression, a foil impression, a printed mark, or a foil sticker. Schools buy the applied kind in small sizes. Jones School Supply sells a 1.5 inch gold foil seal that is deeply embossed and backed with pressure-sensitive adhesive, in multiples of 10. PaperDirect lists embossed foil certificate seals from 1 inch to 2.5 inches with self-adhesive backing.
The seal names the issuer. It carries nothing about the graduate, which is why a school’s own records settle questions about a degree and the paper does not. A diploma and a transcript answer different questions.
What does the seal on a diploma mean?
The institution’s seal is part of the document design and is not something a graduate earns. Schools control its use closely. At the University of Kansas, only the offices of the chancellor, the executive vice chancellor at the medical center, the university registrar and the medical center registrar may own or use a device that embosses the university seal, and the seal is reserved for material of an official or ceremonial nature, including diplomas and commencement documents.
An honor or merit seal means the opposite. A state or district awards it for meeting criteria it publishes, and the diploma is where that award is displayed.
What seals can you get on a high school diploma?
The list is set by the state, and in some states the seals are part of the graduation rules.
| State | Seals | How the school records them |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | State Seals of Arts Proficiency, Biliteracy, Civics Literacy and Personal Finance | Affixed to the diploma and noted on the transcript |
| California | State Seal of Biliteracy, Golden State Seal Merit Diploma | The local educational agency affixes the insignia to the diploma |
| Ohio | At least two diploma seals, one of them state-defined | Earned as part of the graduation requirements |
| Washington | State Seal of Biliteracy | A notation on the diploma and the transcript |
Ohio ties the count to graduation itself. As Dublin City Schools puts it, students demonstrate readiness by earning at least two diploma seals, one of which must be state-defined. Arizona’s four state seals are endorsements added to the diploma, as Arcadia High School lists them. The counseling office is the place to ask which seals a school offers.
What does a diploma seal look like?
Most diploma seals fall into a few families.
Common diploma seal types
| Seal type | What it looks like | Where it shows up |
|---|---|---|
| Dry embossed seal | Raised impression pressed into the paper, no color | Diplomas, certified copies, notarized copies |
| Foil embossed seal | Raised impression in metallic foil, usually gold | Diplomas printed on card stock, as at Temple University |
| Printed seal | Part of the printed design, flat to the touch | Digital diplomas and many modern templates |
| Applied foil seal | Self-adhesive foil sticker, roughly 1 to 2.5 inches across | Honor and merit seals, award certificates |
| Registrar’s seal on a copy | Raised impression added to a copy on security paper | Notarized diploma copies, as at the University of Iowa |
Not every diploma uses foil. A dry embossed seal stays subtle until the page is tilted under a light. Iowa’s notarized diploma copies are printed on security paper, notarized and embossed with the university seal, so a copy can carry a raised seal of its own.
How to tell if a diploma seal is embossed
These checks separate a pressed seal from a printed one.
Quick checks you can do in seconds
- Run a fingertip over the seal. Embossing feels raised or pressed into the paper.
- Tilt the diploma under a light. Embossing casts shadows and highlights that printed ink will not.
- Look at the back of the page. A deep emboss often shows a matching indentation on the reverse.
- Check a shiny seal for texture. Foil seals can be flat prints or embossed foil, and only the embossed kind has a pressed edge.
A printed seal can photograph well and still feel flat.
What to do if your diploma seal is missing or damaged
A missing seal does not mean the diploma is fake. Foil peels, adhesive dries out, and a seal stored in heat or damp can crack. Anyone who needs the award confirmed goes to the issuing school, so the condition of the paper is not the deciding factor.
Step 1: Decide what you actually need
Two situations pull in different directions.
- Official records for a job, a licensing board or another school
- A complete-looking document to frame and hang
Step 2: For official records, go through the school
When an employer or a school needs confirmation that you graduated, the request goes to the institution that issued the document. Districts record honor seals on the transcript as well as the diploma, so an official transcript answers most requests on its own. This guide on finding your high school diploma online covers the usual ways to reach a records office, and this one on requesting official transcripts covers the transcript side.
Step 3: For display, consider a replica with a seal
When the original is worn or stored away, a replica from the diploma maker can hold the wall space while the original stays flat in a drawer. A replica is a novelty item for display. It is not evidence of a credential and must never be used to answer a verification request, as the terms set out.
How to protect a diploma seal over time
A seal can fail while the rest of the paper still looks fine.
- Store diplomas flat, away from humidity
- Avoid rolling or folding the document
- Use a frame with a mat so the seal is not pressed tight against glass
- Keep it out of direct sunlight to slow fading and discoloration
Guides on framing a college diploma and displaying certificates on a wall go further into mats and glazing.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you put seals on a high school diploma?
Ask the school first, because most districts affix the seal before the diploma is handed over. When seals arrive loose, graduates place them in blank space in the lower band of the page, clear of the printed text and the signatures.
How many seals do you need to graduate?
That depends on the state. Ohio students demonstrate readiness by earning at least two diploma seals, one of which must be state-defined. In states such as Arizona and Washington the seals are endorsements added to the diploma for meeting published criteria.
Do all high school diplomas have a seal?
The design belongs to the issuing school or district, and some diplomas carry a printed seal instead of a raised one. A seal is not what makes a diploma valid. The school’s record of the award does that, as this piece on high school diploma verification explains.
Does a missing seal mean a diploma is fake?
No. Seals peel, crack and wear down, and missing seals are common on older diplomas that were stored badly or handled a lot. When someone needs the award confirmed, an official transcript or a replacement from the institution settles it.
What does a gold seal on a diploma mean?
Gold is the usual foil color, so a gold seal on its own says little. Read the wording around the rim. An institution’s seal carries the school name, while an award seal names the honor, such as a state seal of biliteracy.
Where does the seal go on a certificate?
Certificates follow the same pattern as diplomas. The issuer’s seal sits in the lower band near the signature line, and applied seals go in blank space so they cover no printed text.
Sources
- Brown University, Office of the Registrar. Seal in the lower center, signatures and diploma size. Checked September 14, 2026.
- Temple University, Office of the University Registrar. Card stock diplomas with the university seal embossed in gold foil. Checked September 14, 2026.
- University of Iowa, Office of the Registrar. Diploma size and the embossed seal on notarized copies. Checked September 14, 2026.
- University of Kansas, Office of the University Registrar. Which offices may emboss the university seal and on what documents. Checked September 14, 2026.
- Scottsdale Unified School District, Arizona. An official seal affixed to the diploma and noted on the transcript. Checked September 14, 2026.
- Arcadia High School, Arizona. The four Arizona state diploma seals. Checked September 14, 2026.
- Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Districts place a notation on the diploma and the transcript. Checked September 14, 2026.
- Sacramento County Office of Education. Local educational agencies affix the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma insignia. Checked September 14, 2026.
- Dublin City Schools, Ohio. At least two diploma seals, one of them state-defined. Checked September 14, 2026.
- Jones School Supply. A 1.5 inch deeply embossed gold foil seal with pressure-sensitive backing. Checked September 14, 2026.
- PaperDirect. Embossed foil certificate seals from 1 inch to 2.5 inches with self-adhesive backing. Checked September 14, 2026.