Digital Credentials
What is a digital credential?
A digital credential is a web-based verification of course or program completion. We offer a digital certificate for a completed non-degree program. Your digital credential will allow you to:
- Share your accomplishments with your network. Your credential can be easily displayed on your LinkedIn profile or other social platforms, as well as career sites and your online resume.
- Verify your credentials to employers. Yale non-degree credentials are 100% authenticated and secure, so they provide immediate verification of your credentials, speeding up employer verification processes. The program’s home professional school will also be visible on the credential.
View a sample digital credential
Where do I find my digital credential?
After completing your course or program, you will receive an email from program staff that includes a unique URL. Click that link to view your credential.
How can I share my digital credential?
Your credential can be shared an unlimited number of times, whether as a link, PDF or QR code. You can share your credential on social and professional networks, including LinkedIn, X (formerly) Twitter, Facebook, or other social platforms. You can also send your unique link through email, or embed it on your resume, website or in your email signature. If you download your PDF, you’ll find a QR code that is linked to your credential and can also be shared.
The easiest way to share your credential on LinkedIn is to:
Click the “Add to LinkedIn” button in the email you received with your unique URL. This will direct you to LinkedIn’s ‘Licenses and Certifications” section. Your name, Issuing organization, and course or program name will be auto-populated. It’s not necessary to fill in any other field. Simply hit “Save.”
If you choose to add your credential to LinkedIn manually, we recommend these steps:
- Select ‘Add Profile Section’
- Select ‘Recommended’
- Select ‘licenses and certifications’
- Enter your credential name as it appears on your digital credential in the ‘Name’ field
- Enter the professional school name in the ‘Issuing organization’ field*
- Ensure that ‘This credential does not expire’ is checked
- Leave ‘Credential ID’ field blank
- Enter the month and year indicated on your credential in the ‘Issue date’ field
- Add your unique URL in the ‘Credential URL’ field
- Select ‘Save’ and your credential will appear in the ‘licenses and certifications’ section
*Most of the credentials issued by Yale Online do not have an expiration date.
Need More Help? Visit LinkedIn Help
How can I get a hard copy of my digital credential?
We will not be issuing paper documents. However, you can print your credential yourself by either:
- Opening your credential, clicking on the right-hand-side ‘Share’ icon, then selecting ‘Print’, or
- Opening your credential and selecting the ‘Print’ icon
In both cases, this will create a PDF file that you can download and print.
How does my digital credential validate my completed coursework?
Your credential is uniquely linked to verified data that makes them more reliable and secure than traditional paper credentials, proving they were issued by Yale Online. Digital credentials can be verified in real-time, online, allowing you to quickly validate your accomplishment. Our credentials are implemented on the blockchain to provide optimum levels of security and accessibility.
How can my credential be used to verify course completion?
Employers can verify the authenticity of your course completion with a single click on your digital credential. By clicking on your credential, or scanning the QR code, employers can verify your identity and the authenticity of the digital credential.
