diploma
nounCEFR B1
What does “diploma” mean in English?
diploma
diploma (formal document awarding a qualification on completion of an extended programme)
Example sentences
Al finalizar el máster, cada estudiante recibe un diploma firmado por el rector y una copia del expediente académico para adjuntar al currículum.
On completing the master's, each student receives a diploma signed by the rector and a copy of their academic transcript to attach to their CV.
Aunque el diploma no garantiza un trabajo, abre muchas puertas que de otra manera permanecerían cerradas en sectores altamente cualificados.
Although the diploma does not guarantee a job, it opens many doors that would otherwise remain closed in highly qualified sectors.
Mi tutor me dijo que el diploma que obtendría al final del programa tendría la misma validez que un título universitario oficial en todos los países de la Unión Europea.
My tutor told me that the diploma I would receive at the end of the programme would have the same validity as an official university degree in all European Union countries.
How to use it
Diploma (masculine) means 'diploma' — a formal document awarding a qualification at the end of a course or programme of study. It is slightly broader than certificado: a diploma typically attests to the completion of an extended academic programme (a postgraduate course, a higher diploma, a conservatoire qualification), while a certificado often attests to a single exam or competence level. Both are official documents but differ in scope. Common phrases: obtener/recibir un diploma, diploma de máster, diploma de honor. Note: diploma is masculine despite ending in -a (like programa, problema, mapa).
Common mistake
Diploma is masculine despite ending in -a: el diploma, un diploma. Don't say *la diploma. Distinguish from título (degree, the most formal academic qualification conferred by a university) and certificado (certificate of competence for a single skill/exam). In everyday speech, diploma and título overlap in register, but título is the stronger, more official term for a university degree.