Graduation Wishes: From Parents, Teachers, Kindergarten to University

Graduation is the day when adults want to tell children the most important things and graduates want to thank those who brought them to this moment. Here are graduation wishes from parents, the first teacher and the homeroom teacher, messages for graduates of 4th, 9th and 11th grade, kindergarten and university, plus a few short poems and tips on writing your own.

For words of thanks to teachers, see Teachers' Day wishes, and for tips on signing a card, see what to write on a flower card.

Graduation wishes from parents

• Our dear graduates! Today you close an important chapter of your life. We are proud of every step you have taken and believe even more discoveries lie ahead. Happy graduation!
• Just yesterday you went to first grade with a bouquet bigger than you, and today you are a graduate. Be brave and remember: we are always here.
• We wish you to find work you love, people you feel at ease with, and never lose your curiosity about the world. Congratulations!
• Thank you to the teachers who became a second family to our children. And to you, graduates, a happy road into adult life!
• May the knowledge you gained at school be a solid foundation and your dreams be your wings. Happy graduation!
• Remember: mistakes are not defeats but experience. We believe in you and will always support you.

From the first teacher

• My dears! I remember you small, with hair bows and huge backpacks. Today I see grown-ups, and my heart is full of pride. Good luck!
• Once I taught you to write your first letters. Now you will write your own story. May it be a happy one.
• You are my first and dearest class. Wherever life takes you, remember: the school will always welcome you back.
• I wish you to keep your childhood sincerity, curiosity and ability to enjoy little things. Happy graduation, my little ones!
• Today I let you go into the big world with sadness and joy at the same time. Be kind and brave.
• Thank you for being my students. You taught me as much as I taught you.

From the homeroom teacher

• My dear class! We went through tests, trips, arguments and victories together. Today you are grown-ups, and I am proud of each of you. Happy graduation!
• I wish you to get into the university of your dreams and never be afraid to change course if your heart points elsewhere.
• You were a challenging but amazing class. Thank you for every day together and good luck in adult life!
• May the doors opening before you today lead to happiness, not just success.
• Remember: grades will be forgotten, but the friendships you made here will stay. Take care of each other.
• Now I am not your homeroom teacher, just someone who will always cheer for you. Come and visit!

For 4th grade graduates

• Congratulations on finishing primary school! New subjects, new teachers and new friends are ahead. You can handle it all!
• You are not little ones any more but real fifth-graders. May your lessons be interesting and your breaks fun.
• Thanks to your first teacher for her patience, and to you for your hard work. Step forward boldly!
• Happy graduation, our clever ones! May summer be full of sunshine and September bring the wish to learn.

For 9th and 11th grade graduates

• You are on the threshold of adult life. May your choice of profession be well thought out and the road to your dream exciting. Happy graduation!
• We wish you success in your exams, a place at the university of your dreams and school friendships that last for years.
• School gave you knowledge, and life will give you experience. Don't be afraid to try new things and learn from mistakes.
• May your prom night be remembered for its best moments and the future bring only pleasant surprises.
• Happy graduation! The most important exams are still ahead, but you have already proved you can pass them.

For kindergarten graduates

• Our little graduates! School, new friends and exciting discoveries are ahead. May learning bring you joy!
• Thanks to the teachers for their care and kindness. And to you, little ones, a happy road to first grade!
• You have grown up and learned to be friends, share and dream. Now it is time for new adventures. Happy graduation!
• May your backpack be light, your marks good and your teacher kind. Have a happy start at school!
• Congratulations on your very first graduation! You make us proud.

For university graduates

• Congratulations on your degree! May your knowledge become a tool and your profession something that inspires you.
• The years of study are behind you; ahead are a career and new heights. We wish you bold decisions and great colleagues.
• Congratulations, graduate! May your first job be interesting and your first salary a pleasant surprise.
• You have proved you can reach your goals. Now it is time to set new ones. Good luck, bachelors and masters!
• May your diploma open doors and your persistence keep you where you want to be.

Funny wishes from parents

• Happy graduation! Finally we can sleep peacefully without checking your homework diary.
• Congratulations! We hope your school knowledge will come in handy more often than physics problems do for us.
• Happy graduation! You are an adult now, so you take out the rubbish yourself. Without reminders.
• Dear graduates, congratulations! Your parents have also just finished school, for the second time.

How to write your own graduation message

The most sincere wishes are short and specific. Recall a shared moment (the first day of school, a trip, a performance), say what you are proud of and add one wish for the future. Sign your own name rather than "from the parents' committee" if the message is personal.

Graduation poems

The final school bell rings today,
Goodbye to desks and books, hooray!
New roads and dreams are calling you,
And all the things you'll go on to do.

May dreams call you to the sky,
May friends be near when times are tough,
May every road help you fly high
And may your luck be strong enough.

Today is graduation day,
Our school years now have flown away.
May every day ahead be bright
And every step you take be right.

Flowers for graduation

At graduation, people give flowers to teachers, the homeroom teacher and kindergarten staff, and increasingly to the graduates themselves. Classic bouquets of roses, hydrangeas or eustoma suit teachers, gentle pastel arrangements suit girls, and restrained bouquets or flowers in a box suit boys. For tips on choosing flowers for a teacher, see first day of school flowers.

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Ready-made bouquets are in flowers for a teacher, thank-you bouquets and flowers in a box. Bouquets sell out quickly before graduations, so order in advance.

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FAQ

How do I write a short graduation message?

One sentence with a wish: "Happy graduation! Bold dreams and confident steps towards them."

What should I write to the first teacher at graduation?

Thank her for her patience and the first lessons, recall a shared moment and wish her good health. More messages for teachers are in Teachers' Day wishes.

Do people give flowers to graduates themselves?

Yes, parents and relatives often give graduates small bouquets or arrangements as a sign of pride and support.

When are school graduations in Ukraine?

Usually at the end of May or in June, after the school year and exams are over.

For those just starting school, see our first day of school wishes.

For your teacher's birthday, see our birthday wishes for a teacher.

For those who have already enrolled, see our Students Day wishes.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.