young woman holding her cornell frame and lehigh frame

Whether you’re shopping for yourself or looking for a gift for the graduate in your life, finding the right diploma frame can present quite a challenge. Although there was a time when many schools had diplomas and certificates printed on stock-size vellum, those days are long gone.

Today, diplomas are printed on different types of paper, in different colors, and yes, even in different sizes. Then you must also consider the difference between a college diploma size and a master’s degree diploma size. So, there is no simple answer when it comes to a “standard” diploma size. While you may be asking, “what size diploma frame do I need?”, we already know the size of your degree and the framing dimensions.

Standard Diploma Frame Sizes

As we said, unfortunately, there’s no universal diploma size, and there’s no one-size-fits-all frame size for a college diploma. However, some average diploma sizes depend on your degree type. The most common diploma size is 8.5”x11”, but always double-check the size your respective institution uses before purchasing a frame. 

You can choose a size that works best for you, depending on your personal preferences. Or you can opt for a standard certificate frame size that correlates to the type of your degree. For your quick reference, here are some standard sizes based on the diploma type:

  • Doctoral degrees (except MD): 11″ x 14″
  • Medical School (MD): 15 3/4″ x 22″
  • Bachelor’s, associate’s, and other types of diplomas: 8.5″ x 11″
  • High school diploma: 8.5″ x 11″

What Size Are Diplomas? 

Diploma sizes can vary significantly depending on your educational institution, so it’s important to know the dimensions of your degree before purchasing a frame. How big is a diploma? Here are a few diploma sizes from top universities for reference: 

Search for your school on our College and University Frames page to find your institution’s officially licensed frame collection. Regardless of your degree type or school of study, we have thousands of options available, so you’re sure to find the perfect frame!

Local Hobby Shops Aren’t the Answer

Unless you’re prepared to measure your diploma with painstaking precision, there isn’t much going to your local hobby or craft store can accomplish. Yes, some of them do custom framing, but the amount of effort involved can be taxing. While you could drop off your diploma to be measured by their workers, do you really want to leave something so valuable at a craft store? And what are the chances that a hobby shop has a certified picture framer on staff? Not very likely. 

After the thousands of dollars and years of hard work you put into completing your education, you want to guard and protect your degree for all it’s worth. That’s why you’re going the extra mile to find just the right college diploma frame size.

Sizing a Frame the Easy Way

As we’ve discussed, diploma dimensions vary widely by school, degree type, and even graduation year. That’s why at Church Hill Classics, we take the guesswork out of framing. With our extensive database of diploma sizes for thousands of institutions, we already know your degree size and can provide a perfect fit with no complicated measuring required!

Measuring Your Diploma

If you’re purchasing a Church Hill Classics frame, there’s no need to go through the work of measuring your diploma. But if you find yourself needing to measure your degree for another reason, here’s a list of steps to follow:

  • Lay your diploma or certificate on a clean, dry, flat surface. 
  • Using a ruler or flexible measuring tape, measure the width (horizontal length) and the height (vertical length) of your document. 
  • Record your measurements by width, then height (w x h) in inches. This is the standard format companies use when calculating frame sizes.
couple hanging a kansas state diploma frame on wall

Custom Frames by University

Church Hill Frames has a user-friendly search engine to help you quickly find your school’s diploma frames or certificate frames. Our licensed frames feature exclusive college insignias like mascots, logos, and school seals. It’s amazing what a difference a custom frame can make when it offers official emblems to highlight the pride you take in your university, something you can’t find at your local hobby shop!

Whether you’re looking for a double diploma frame, a diploma frame with a tassel, or a modern diploma frame, we have an assortment of carefully handcrafted degree frames to choose from for each school. And, if you have different-sized degrees you want to display, you can easily coordinate frame styles from different schools for a unified look. Whether it’s an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or even a Doctoral degree, we can help you display your accomplishments to perfection. 

Design Your Frame Online

Nothing is in stock, every frame is made-to-order, which means we don’t start building your frame until your order is placed. This is why we’re able to offer customization options to make your frame uniquely your own. Our online custom framing tools let you mix and match moulding styles and mat colors and textures and visualize the final product before you buy. Every frame is created by our team of highly skilled artisans, and each frame is a labor of love. You design it; we’ll handcraft it, no matter what college degree frame size you require. A custom diploma frame is the perfect personal yet practical gift that your graduate will cherish (and use) for years to come.

girl smiling and holding custom diploma frame

Because there’s no need to measure your degree at home or send your degree in the mail, regardless of the college diploma frame size that you need, safety is never in question! We understand the value of that original document, it’s something we take very seriously. And that’s why, unlike other places, there’s nothing to mail.

What if you lost your diploma, or if your degree were to get damaged? Its ultimate protection and longevity are our #1 concern. That’s why we adhere to the stringent Library of Congress standards for document preservation.

smiling iowa state university grad next to diploma frame banner

If you’d prefer customizing a graduation frame with no school name or logo, check out our Create-A-Frame page. Select a single certificate frame, double diploma frame, diploma frame with tassel holder, or even a diploma picture frame and choose your wood moulding, mat colors, and embossing options. It’s amazing all the combinations you can choose between with just a few clicks of the mouse.

One of the custom Create-A-Frame features we offer is the inclusion of an engraved nameplate to add a classy finishing touch to any frame. Engraved nameplates are customizable, so you can add your name, your university, class year, school motto, or even a special sentiment.

You can truly create high-quality certificate frames for any occasion and any field. For example, looking for special gifts for medical students? Honor their healthcare profession by framing their medical school application, their medical education degree, or internal medicine license. Personalize it with their graduation year of medical school, the name of their school of medicine, and patient care expertise.

woman hanging baylor diploma frame on wall

Mounting & Hanging Is an Easy Process

Another question we’re frequently asked is whether mounting the document will present any issues. We provide a list of complete step-by-step instructions for easily inserting and displaying your degree with precision. Best of all, each frame contains a Level-Lock® Hanging System to prevent crooked results and unnecessary holes in your wall. You’ll have your custom diploma frame hung on the wall in your home or office in no time! 

Shipping Made Safe and Easy!

Wondering about Church Hill Classics shipping methods and how safe they are? We make every special effort and take great precautions to ensure the safe delivery of your frame. All frames are insured and will be shipped via standard FedEx ground shipping unless other shipping methods are required. We ship each frame in our state-of-the-art SMARTbox, which is designed to protect your handcrafted frame in transit. This added safety measure gives you peace of mind that your frame will arrive intact and ready to be displayed upon opening.

Like you and your loved ones, we take great pride in your academic accomplishments. You’ve worked long and hard to obtain that diploma, and we want to help you proudly display your achievements. For this reason, we go above and beyond to make sure you’re 100% happy with the custom frame you’ve chosen. If you’re unhappy with your frame, simply call us toll-free at 800-477-9005, and we’ll go above and beyond to exceed your expectations. Your complete satisfaction is our goal, so we guarantee you’ll love your frame.

Shop the Best Frames for Your Diploma Size

At Church Hill Classics, we pride ourselves on inspiring people to showcase life’s milestone achievements. Keep in mind that we build each frame by hand to ensure the best quality. From cutting, joining, and embossing to cleaning, packing, and shipping, our team of highly skilled artisans takes great care to deliver fine craftsmanship.

There is no need to measure your document and certainly no reason for it ever to leave your hands. That precious piece of paper says a lot about your dedication to your field of study, and our care in creating your frame speaks of our dedication to our customers. Whether it’s a frame for you or a special graduation gift for someone you know or love, we make sure to give special care to each and every order that passes through our doors. This is why you will always be proud to display your accomplishments in a Church Hill Classics diploma frame.

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