How to issue digital badges in tiers

Even within one program, someone who attended once and someone who finished everything should get different badges. Tiered badges let recipients show their growth and help you keep your criteria clear.

Key takeaways

Around three tiers are easiest to read. Participation, completion, and distinction are the usual set
Write separate criteria for each tier so the difference is clear
Keep one design and change only the color so they read as a set

Why split badges into tiers?

With a single badge, someone who attended once gets the same badge as someone who completed everything. With tiers, recipients can show how far they got, and they have a reason to aim for the next level.

How do you set the tiers?

Most programs use three tiers: participation, completion, and distinction.

Tier	Example criteria	Who it's for
Participation	Attended at least one session	First-time participants
Completion	80%+ attendance and a submitted final piece	Those who finished the course
Distinction	Met completion criteria and ranked in the top 10%	Those with outstanding results

Split too finely and neither recipients nor viewers can explain the difference. Around three tiers is about right.

Write criteria for each tier

Every badge carries its criteria. For a distinction badge, include both the completion requirements and the distinction criteria, so anyone can see the difference between the two badges right away.

What does this look like in practice?

Gachon University’s Semiconductor Specialized University Program gives three badges, GSE, ISE, and ASE, to students with top academic records. The program’s information page lists the eligible majors and selection criteria for each badge separately.

Badge	Eligible majors	Selection criteria
GSE	Semiconductor Convergence Major	GPA 3.0+, 21+ major credits, Semiconductor Industry Seminar completed, TOEIC 700+
ISE	Semiconductor Specialized Major, Advanced Semiconductor Major	GPA 3.5+, 30+ major credits, Semiconductor Industry Seminar completed, TOEIC 700+, IAB review
ASE	Advanced Semiconductor Major	GPA 4.0+, 66+ major credits, Semiconductor Industry Seminar completed, TOEIC 750+, P-practical project score of 80+, IAB review

Each step up raises the bar on the same items and adds conditions that only the higher tiers have (IAB review, P-practical project). Written out like this, anyone can tell the three badges apart at a glance. For more on the program, see the Gachon University case study.

Design them to read as one set

Tiered badges read as a set when they share one design and change only the color or finish. Use an order everyone knows, like bronze, silver, and gold, and the tiers explain themselves.