What to write in a graduation card

Graduation is definitely a major life milestone. It’s the culmination of years of hard work – suffering through early morning lectures with a hangover, surviving off beans on toast, spending hours in the library surrounded by stacks of books just so you feel like you’re doing something. Student clichés aside, it’s a massive achievement, so before they don the funny four-pointed hat and gown, it’s time to say a hearty well done.

Remember, the graduate has already done all the smart stuff. So, don’t rack your brains wondering what to write in a graduation card – use our handy guide to graduation wishes instead. Whether you’d rather keep it classic or make them laugh, we’ve got plenty of ideas for graduate card messages. Have a read and start putting your pen to paper…

But before we begin, you’ll need to source the perfect card. Fortunately, our talented community of illustrators have created an amazing collection of graduation cards for you to choose from! Below are a few of our favourites:

Simple graduation wishes

Just looking for some heartfelt, honest words to say congrats? Keep it sweet and short with these simple wishes for graduation.

1. Well done, you did it! We’re so proud of you!
2. All of your hard work has paid off, well done.
3. Congratulations on your graduation – you should be so proud of what you’ve achieved.
4. Well done on graduating! Can’t wait to see what you do next.
5. The working world won’t know what hit it! Well done and congratulations.
6. Congratulations on your graduation day, and on your well-deserved success.
7. You made it! Well done on making it through three years of university. Enjoy your graduation, you’ve earned this!
8. Wishing you all the best for the bright future that’s ahead of you.

A nice selection of chocolates would make a great graduation gift for you to hand over alongside your card. So, take a look at our selection to really celebrate this massive win for them.

Funny graduation messages

Graduation is a big moment and one that’s full of joy – the perfect time to crack a little joke at a graduate’s expense with these funny graduation messages. After all, it’s a lot easier to take a joke when you’ve got a degree certificate in one hand and champagne in the other!

1. Alright, you’ve graduated – time to go get a job now, slacker.
2. When they hand you the degree certificate, keep moving before they realise and try to take it back.
3. I can’t wait to hear them pronounce your name horribly, horribly wrong at your graduation ceremony.
4. You’re now one degree hotter than you were before.
5. Congratulations! I now pronounce you officially unemployed.
6. Hope you don’t fall on your face when you’re collecting your degree. Congrats though!
7. She believed she could, and then she went and bloody did it. Well done!
8. Congratulations! You’re now a clever dickhead instead of just a dickhead.

As humorous as you’d like to be in your card, you need to remember that they’ve achieved something pretty special… and their graduation day is one that needs celebrating. So, as funny as you want to be in your card, make sure you take a look at our selection of gin graduation gifts to show them you’re only mucking around – and that you’re immensely proud!

Proud graduation messages

If ever there was a day to tell someone that you’re proud of them, it

’s their graduation day. Whether you’re the proud parent of a graduate, a partner, sibling or a friend, tell them just how well they’ve done with one of these proud graduation card messages.

1. We couldn’t be prouder of you than we are today. Well done for all you’ve achieved.
2. This is just the first of many successes for you – there’s so much more still to come.
3. You have made us so, so proud, and we can’t wait to see what you’re going to do next. You can do anything you put your mind to, and we’ll support you all the way.
4. You’ve come through some hard times to get here, but you’re here, and I could not be prouder of you.
5. This is the first day of the rest of your life, and I’m so touched to be here and to watch you graduate. I’m so proud of you, and I knew you could do it.
6. You’ve done so well to get here, and I know that you’re going to go out into the world and keep doing some amazing things.
7. No matter what you do, know that we will always be proud, but watching you graduate is really, really special. We knew you could do it.
8. I watched you take your first steps. I walked you to school every day. And now I’ll watch you walk in your graduation towards your bright, bright future. There aren’t words for how proud I am of you – I love you so much.

Since you’re super proud, you’ll also want to shower them with gifts. Treating them to a great bottle of fizz comes to mind.

Graduation wishes for your sister 

Ready to make your sister laugh and feel loved on her graduation day? Check out these fun and sweet graduation card messages that are sure to make an impact.

1. Congratulations, sis! No doubt you’ll get an amazing job soon with your degree – then you will finally have enough money to buy your own clothes rather than borrowing mine! Only kidding, so proud of you. 
2. Huge congrats, sis! I’m super proud of how far you’ve come in your degree – knew you would smash it.
3. Massive congratulations on graduating, sis! Whatever you do next I know you’ll be amazing at – the world is your oyster.  Look up to you always. 
4. Well done, sis! It only seems like yesterday that we were fighting over god knows what, now you’re an actual graduate! So immensely proud of you. 
5. Congratulations on graduating, sis! You only went and bloody smashed it! Proud of you. 
6. Woohoo, you did it, sis– conGRADulations! Now you can finally show the world what you’re made of!
7. To my amazing sis, I’m so incredibly proud of you for tackling your degree with the same determination you have when raiding my wardrobe! Celebratory night out, pending! 
8. Congrats on graduating, sis and welcome to adulting – it’s a whole new world out there!

And while we’re on the subject of graduation celebrations, if you’re planning on throwing your sister a graduation party, we’ve got some great graduation party ideas to help get the ball rolling.

Graduation wishes for your brother

Now’s about time you finally gave your brother a big pat on the back for his hard work at uni. If you’re looking for a message that will make him lol while also showing you’re proud of him, we’ve collated some of the best right here.

1. Congratulations bro. You might have graduated but I’m still the favourite child – only kidding! Super proud sibling right here. 
2. Hi bro, this is the first and only time I will be congratulating you on being smarter than me! (I’m still better looking though)
3. Dear brother, now that you’re a graduate, can you finally explain what exactly you’ve been studying for the past few years? Just kidding, proud of you!
4. You did it, bro! I always knew you were clever… but I’m still not lending you my car.
5. Well done on graduating bro! You’ve really shown what you can achieve with dedication and hard work. If only you put as much effort into cleaning up as you did your degree!
6. To my brother, you did it! Time to put all that ‘education’ to good use and start explaining what you learnt to mum and dad!
7. Congrats on graduating, bro! Now you can add ‘master of procrastination’ to your CV.
8. To my dearest brother, graduation means you’re officially too old to blame your problems on “just being a student.” Welcome to the real world!

If you’re looking for a gift to accompany with your brother’s graduation card, but stuck on what to get, our guide on the best graduation gift ideas might come in handy.

Graduation wishes for your daughter

Graduation is such a big achievement  – especially when it’s your amazing daughter graduating from her studies. Below are some messages that will show her you’re beaming with pride, as well as a few light-hearted ones.

1. Congratulations on graduating my darling daughter! It only seems like yesterday that I held you in my arms, and just like that you’re a graduate, stepping into the big wide world. Super proud of you.
2. Watching you grow and achieve everything you set out to do has been the greatest pleasure. Like we always said, your hard work and dedication will pay off – and it has. Congratulations on your graduation!
3. To our amazing daughter, it’s an end of an era, but new beginnings await. We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see where your journey takes you next. Congratulations and lots of love.
4. To our lovely daughter, what a brain box you’ve turned out to be – you can thank your amazing genes for that, courtesy of two very proud parents!
5. Congratulations on graduating! I hope you don’t forget how much it cost me to send you to university when it’s time to put me in a care home! Only joking. Love you lots.
6. Congratulations on your fantastic degree results! I always said you got the brains from me!
7. A huge well done on graduating! Just when I thought you couldn’t impress us anymore, you do this. Super proud.
8. To our darling daughter, what a clever clogs you turned out to be, we really are amazing parents. You must be so proud!

If it’s a simple graduation card you’re after, we have a great collection of traditional graduation cards. That solves your problems on what to write in a graduation card and what to buy them – result.

Graduation wishes for your son

Your son’s graduation is a huge deal, and what better way to show him you’re proud of him than with graduation card messages that make him laugh.

1. Wow! Congratulations on your amazing degree results. I wonder where you got your brains from?
2. Congratulations, son! Turns out you’re way smarter than you let on! Only joking. Lots of love.
3. Congratulations on graduating! As sons go, you are pretty damn great!
4. Congratulations! Now you’ve graduated and become a real adult, there is no excuse for floordrobes. Your clothes will thank you, and so will whoever lives with you next!
5. Congrats on your graduation, son! Just remember, adulting is like putting a flat sheet on a bed—no one really knows how to do it right.
6. Amazing results on your graduation, son! Now that you’re a real adult, you’re fully capable of handling all of life’s challenges… like doing your own washing.
7. Congrats, son! You’ve graduated! Now the only exams you’ll have are on Netflix—multiple choice: what to watch next
8. Congratulations on graduation and your official unemployment status! Only joking. Super proud parents right here.

Graduating during a tough time

Sometimes, sending wishes for graduation can be a little tricky to master because the graduate you’re sending the card to is having a difficult time. Whether they’re unsure about their future, their graduation ceremony has been postponed or something major has happened in their life that’s made them almost overlook this exciting time, we’ve got sympathetic yet uplifting graduation card messages to send their way.

1. Remember that this too shall pass, and we can celebrate this occasion together when you’re up to it. But remember, you’ve absolutely aced it!
2. Congratulations on making us all proud, now take some time to feel proud of yourself, because you really need to recognise how amazing you are. Love you!
3. Even though your graduation has been postponed, the celebration starts now. Well done for smashing it (as always).
4. So proud of you! The next chapter of your life will be full of excitement, even if it doesn’t feel like that right now.
5. As Jay Z sang, you came, you saw and you conquered! Now take the time to relax and look after yourself. Love you mate!
6. Don’t beat yourself up for not being the cheeriest you could be, you’ve got a lot on your plate…but you also have a degree, which is pretty incredible!
7. Well done you – you’re amazing (just remember that). Now, take things one day at a time – it’s about time you had a well-deserved rest!
8. What a great achievement, just remember that you’ve got this degree for life. Things might feel a little uncertain, but no one can take that shiny 2:1 away from you!

For this type of well-thought-out graduation message, you’ll need a loving graduation card to match. We’d also highly recommend sending a cute little graduation gift to brighten their spirits. 

Proud graduation quotes

Graduation is a day to celebrate wisdom, which gives you a brilliant excuse to quote some great minds. If you’re stuck for what to write in a graduation card, then use one of these proud graduation quotes – you’re guaranteed to sound smart (and inspirational).

1. “Don’t be afraid. Be focused. Be determined. Be hopeful. Be empowered.” – Michelle Obama
2. “Be wise, because the world needs wisdom. If you cannot be wise, pretend to be someone who is wise, and then just behave like they would.” – Neil Gaiman
3. “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” – Nora Ephron
4. “For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Eric Roth
5. “I’ve learned it’s important not to limit yourself. You can do whatever you really love to do, no matter what it is.” – Ryan Gosling
6. “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” – E. E. Cummings
7. So, what’s it like in the real world? Well, the food is better, but beyond that, I don’t recommend it.” – Bill Watterson
8. “Life is my college. May I graduate well, and earn some honors!” – Louisa May Alcott

Still struggling for ideas on what to write in a graduation card? Check out our complete range of graduation cards for some more inspiration! And if you’re a recent graduate who received lots of lovely wishes and gifts, be sure to thank you with one of of our thank you cards (and of course, we’ve also come up with some inspiration on what to write in a graduation thank you card too!).