Here’s a challenge for my readers. I’m making the challenge because I seem unable to manage this myself and I wonder if anyone else can. The challenge is to find free college degree templates — in particular Harvard or Oxford or some such high-end sheepskin.

This came to mind as I was researching various scandals over “diploma mills.” In the process I went to the net to find sources for fake diplomas and there are plenty, but all at a sometimes high fee, even for templates. This makes no sense to me because someone must have scanned in some diplomas and put them on ftp sites or whatever.

This triggered a thought. Why not a contest? Some people are quite adept at doing odd searches. I think I’m pretty good, but this one is too buried. At TechTV the best show ever produced there was called Internet Tonight, and, of course, it was the first show ever cancelled. On that show they used to do a real time search competititon with guests and hosts. It had potential.

I just need to come up with a prize for the best result and see if I can turn this into a regular feature. I’ll leave the competition open for a week. There may be more than one winner. The rule is that you post the URL in the comments section and at the end of the competition when I officially close it you have to detail the search — how you did it.

I’ll announce a prize in the next few days.

Afterwards we can all print out bogus degrees for our friends.

That said, there are interesting “gag” sites.



  1. George Brown says:

    I am actually doing my PhD on the problem of replica testamurs from bona fide institutions. I have over 49 websites documented where one can purchase a fake sheepskin. A template is an interesting proposition!

    Cheers,

    George

  2. James Rusten says:

    When you issued your “diploma challenge” I went right to it. Like you, I consider myself pretty good at finding things on the internet. I only found copies of other people’s Harvard, and similar high-end university diplomas. Since I know I could use one of these copies to create my own template, using Adobe Photoshop (or similar program), I sort of expected to find one on the internet that someone else had done, but had no success. A recent news story may be of interest. An operator of a diploma mill is under federal investigation on suspicion of selling phony university diplomas to terrorists who are using them to get visas to our country. The URL: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002443181_webdiplomamill17.html

    PS: I’ve been reading and enjoying your work since … gosh, could it be the early 80’s?

  3. Calum Barnes says:

    Ok John you said you wanted an Oxford PhD in Nuclear Physics, well here it is. It is quite large so it is for download here: http://0x1d3.shackspace.com/Photos/oxfordjohnnp%20copy.bmp I am big fan of twit and hopefully this will help you with your “self love”. Also due to that article posted above I am uneasy about posting the template. But ok. You can download the PSD file form here: http://0x1d3.shackspace.com/Photos/oxfordcompleteblank.psd and for entering the info. Just make text boxes. As for font the info is as follows:
    For the name box:
    Font- Times New Roman
    Size- 30pt
    BOLD
    Opacity- 95
    Fill Opacity- 62

    For the degree box:
    Font- TImes New Roman
    Size- 75
    Regular (not bold) (also known as roman in ps)
    Opacity- 95
    Fill Opacity- 75

    Big thanks to the guys that originaly found the Oxford Diploma. And is it too latefro an entry, when is the winner announced or when was it announced, did i miss it?

  4. User Z says:

    Yea John, who did win? Calum’s 0x1d3 links no longer work? Maybe this one will be announced on TWiT.?

  5. Claum Barnes says:

    I might be out of bandwidth I will check and repost tonight. If not I will host them somewhere else.

  6. Calum Barnes says:

    For you John… http://0x1d3.shackspace.com/Photos/oxfordjohnnp%20copy.bmp

    and the blank version http://0x1d3.shackspace.com/Photos/oxfordcompleteblank.psd

    Let me knwo if these work for you.

  7. Calum Barnes says:

    http://0x1d3.shackspace.com/Photos/oxfordjohnnp%20copy.bmp there is the one for John with the nuclear physics degree.

    and the blank one is here:
    http://0x1d3.shackspace.com/Photos/oxfordcompleteblank.psd

  8. Hilarious says:

    I’ve met a lot of stupid people with higher level degrees, which makes me wonder if they’ve done this already, but aren’t so stupid as to admit it. With the way the US economy is creating no net jobs other than service sector jobs since Bush stole office, who will need these in a few years???

  9. 0x1d3 says:

    So who won?

  10. site admin says:

    I’ll make the who won announcement shortly

  11. Alert C. says:

    Here is a MIT diploma I found on Google

    http://hebb.mit.edu/people/jkwerfel/diploma-jedi.gif

    and a diploma mill guaranteed to fake any certificate you want

    http://backalleypress.com/

  12. MARYBETH says:

    Hi,

    Did you come to a conclusion in your quest?? I am also curious if you know of ,or heard anything else about ALMEDA UNIVERSITY.

    Jim, who left a comment in this thread ,was not linked so i can write to him.

    I was led here via my search on this University.

    Any knowledge you can share is greatly appreciated.
    Namaste,
    MB

  13. Metropolitan says:

    Almeda University degree worked for this guy (degree was a minimum requirement) See paragraph 3 – these are real people

    From: Man,Debra C
    Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 3:44 PM
    Subject: Team Manager Announcement for Corporate Resources Group

    METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

    Date:
    September 15, 2005

    To:
    All District Employees, Agency Temporary Workers, and Consultants

    From:
    Roy L. Wolfe, Manager, Corporate Resources

    Subject:
    Team Manager Announcement for Corporate Resources Group

    I am pleased to announce that Peter Wiseman has been selected as the new Right-of-Way Engineering Team Manager of the Infrastructure Unit of the Engineering Services Section within the Corporate Resources Group, effective immediately.

    Peter has over 24 years experience in right-of-way engineering and land surveying, including

    16 years as a professional land surveyor in California. He joined Metropolitan in 1991 as a Engineering Technician III and progressed through the ranks to his previous position of Principal Land Surveyor. Over his 14-year career at Metropolitan, Peter has been responsible for the Right-of-Way Engineering for the Eastside Pipeline, Inland Feeder, San Diego Pipeline No. 6 and numerous other capital and O&M projects. Recently, Peter has also led the Engineering Services Section’s Geographic Information System mapping efforts.

    Prior to joining Metropolitan, Peter had over ten years experience in the private sector performing land surveying, civil engineering design and land planning services for residential and commercial developments. Peter graduated from Almeda University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.

    Please join me in congratulating Peter. We look forward to utilizing Peter’s talents and past experience in achieving our corporate goals.

    Roy L. Wolfe

  14. Craig says:

    The best bet is just searching google images. However, there are several novelty sites such as

  15. Craig says:

    Sorry, the link got cut off on my novelty sites ref: http://www.nextdaydiplomas.com

  16. alanzi says:

    thanks for the great post ..

    alanzi.info

  17. real dude says:

    i’ve reported all of you pieces of shit,get a college education the real way you cockroaches

  18. eddie says:

    Hey money talks.

    If a college diploma is costs $100,000 and is going to land you a job making $75,000 per year, you bet there is going to be an underground market. Most employers never check, so YES, these documents are worth their weight in gold.

    To all the nay sayers saying get a real degree. I cant afford one, so I will just continue to bullshit my way through life. Do I feel bad? NO! I’m pretty happy with my current job which I faked and I will be happy with my next job I fake.

    I’m just making a live just like everyone else. No one said life was fair.

  19. Brian says:

    All employers check on degrees and buying a diploma fake is a great waste of your money and will loose you your credibility. This information is passed from company to company to prevent this type of scam. My sincere advice is to not waste your money and search for “real” opportunities for education.

    One other note you should be aware of. Employers can and will sue you for the money they invest in you for benefits, salary and much more and you may even go to jail for being employed in some areas of work with fake credentials.
    I hope this helps

  20. herve2171 says:

    can you make the swiss CFC diploma?

  21. Ayman says:

    It is a nice design, but can anyone give a resource to download a certificate of degree templates in (_.psd) format.
    Best regards.

  22. Dave says:

    The Oxford diploma is FAKE it looks nothing like a real one

  23. Ivy League Grad says:

    Get a real education–

    A false proclamation of education will catch up with you one day and you’ll be sorry.

    Don’t be the scum of society. Go to school. Trust me, it’s worth it.

  24. SuSie says:

    I believe the original idea was for GAG degrees….I don’t see anywhere that the author wants to use it to get a job. Seems he already has a good one here…

    …and who says you NEED a degree for your dream job? Yeah – it CAN get you a good paying job but I’m happy in life and don’t have a degree and make enough to be content and then some. Just because people spend thousands on a piece of paper (which half cheat/sleep/fake their way to anyway) doesn’t mean they have to demean anyone else who chooses not to.

    So….anyway! I came across this looking for a Harvard Law degree to put up on my wall at home because someone got mad at me and called me Miss Harvard Law. It will be hilarious to have one on my wall in a frame because it’s funny to me. I ain’t tryen to uuse it fer a good job er nuffin. I kin git a grate job on mines own. <—That was pretty hard, too much effort to keep goin….. Wish there was a free degree site purely for fake gag degrees.

  25. thatGUY says:

    GET a life!


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