Student poster guide 2026: size, photo and text

What size should the student poster be?

The size decides how well the poster stands out when the student runs out of school. You will mainly come across three formats, and the choice is about the balance between visibility and how easy the poster is to carry through a long, warm graduation day.

The most common and most recommended format is 50x70 cm. It is large enough to stand out clearly in a sea of people, yet still easy to hold up and carry around. At robertsfoto we print the student poster in exactly 50x70 cm in premium quality, so the photo stays sharp and the colors hold.

• 35x50 cm – the smallest format. Easy to carry, but can be a little too small to stand out well in the crowd.
• 50x70 cm – the most common and recommended. Large enough to stand out clearly, yet easy to hold up. Robertsfoto prints this format in premium quality.
• 70x100 cm – the largest format. Visible from far away, but heavy and unwieldy to carry for a whole day.

How to choose the right photo for the student poster

The photo is the first thing everyone sees, so it is worth a little extra care. For a great result at 50x70 cm the image needs to be high resolution – aim for at least 300 dpi at the printed size. A photo that looks sharp on your phone screen can turn blurry and pixelated when enlarged onto a big poster.

Use the original file straight from the camera or phone whenever possible. Avoid downloading the photo from social media such as Instagram or Snapchat – those platforms compress images heavily, which lowers quality and makes the print blurry. Email or transfer the original instead.

Choose a photo where the student's face is clearly visible and well lit. Close-ups and portraits work better than photos taken from far away, because the face needs to be recognizable even when the poster is held up at a distance. A clean background and good light really make the student stand out.

Text and layout – short, clear and readable

The text on the student poster is read at a distance and on the move, so keep it short and to the point. The student's name and class go a long way, perhaps with a short greeting or a nickname. No one has time to read long sentences as the student rushes past.

Choose a thick, clear typeface over thin and fussy styles. Make sure there is good contrast between the text and the background – dark text on a light base or vice versa – so the words are readable from several meters away. Give the text room to breathe and avoid cramming in too much; a clean, tidy layout always beats a cluttered one.

Material and weather – is the student poster rain-resistant?

Swedish early-summer weather is fickle, and graduation is celebrated whether the sun shines or it pours down. That is why the student poster is printed on a rain-resistant material that handles both sun and a downpour without the colors running or the paper dissolving.

That means you do not need any extra rain protection or plastic over the poster – it is built to be held up outdoors all graduation day. A wooden stick and tape are included, so the poster arrives ready to assemble and carry.

When should you order the student poster?

Timing matters more than many think. Demand for student posters peaks in April–June as graduation approaches, and that is when every supplier is busiest. Order too late and you risk not getting the poster home in time.

Our recommendation is to order a few weeks before graduation day. Then you have room to change something in the design, swap the photo, or adjust the text – and you avoid the stress of chasing the delivery at the last minute. If you order in good time you can also pick the poster up in the store in Södertälje if you prefer.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most of the slip-ups that keep a poster from being as good as it could be are easy to avoid once you know about them. Here are the most common pitfalls:

• Too small a poster – a small format stands out less in the crowd. Go with 50x70 cm as your default.
• Low-resolution photo – an image under 300 dpi or downloaded from social media turns blurry in print.
• Too much text – no one has time to read long sentences. Stick to name, class and a short greeting.
• Poor contrast – text that blends into the background becomes unreadable at a distance.
• Ordering too late – be in good time so you get the poster home and can adjust the design.

Once you have the size, photo and text sorted, it is time to design and order your student poster online – with your own photo, name and class in the ready 50x70 format.