UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Beginning June 2020, Penn State is offering new graduates the opportunity to purchase a Certified Electronic Diploma (CeDiploma), in addition to receiving the traditional paper diploma issued after degree conferral. A CeDiploma is available to graduates of the spring 2020 class and forward.

The CeDiploma is an official, highly-secure electronic version of a student’s Penn State diploma. The PDF document can be shared electronically with potential employers, state government licensing agencies, graduate schools, and anyone else who needs to verify a student’s degree information. Graduates also can share their CeDiploma with family, friends, and social media. Once a CeDiploma is shared with someone, the recipient can validate its authenticity on the Office of the University Registrar’s website using the unique 12-digit code (CeDiD) that appears in the upper left-hand corner of the CeDiploma.

“We are very excited to be able to offer certified electronic diplomas to our graduating students,” said Paula Hamaty, associate registrar for degree audit, LionPATH projects, and athletics in the Office of the University Registrar. “The portability of the CeDiploma, along with its accurate real-time credential validation process, makes it an ideal service to provide to Penn State students so they can securely and easily share their Penn State accomplishment with whomever they need across multiple devices.”

At the end of each semester, after degree conferral is complete, an email will be sent to graduates’ Penn State email accounts when their CeDiplomas are available for purchase. The email includes instructions on how to order a CeDiploma through LionPATH. There is a one-time $10.95 charge to order a CeDiploma, paid directly to the diploma vendor, Paradigm.

Traditional paper diplomas will continue to be mailed to all graduates approximately four weeks after commencement.

“One of the added benefits of the CeDiploma is that it will be available to students sooner than the paper diplomas,” Hamaty explained. “This will be particularly helpful for our international student community, who frequently face longer mail delivery times, as well as graduates who need that document as soon as possible for job or university applications.”

For more information about the new CeDiploma, please visit the Office of the University Registrar website.