Do you require Student ID Card Design services this academic year?

If you work as an administrator for a school, college, or university here in the UK, and it’s your responsibility to organise the printing, distribution and design of student ID cards, please read on as this piece may be helpful to you.

There are virtually limitless options when it comes to student ID card design, but there are certainly some guidelines and principles which are helpful to adhere to. Custom options for you to choose for your plastic ID card order include;

• Size and format of the plastic card – CR80 landscape format is a very popular size for ID cards which measures 86mm x 54mm (that’s the same size as a standard bank card).
• Material choice and finish – The standard here for the design of student ID cards is to opt for white plastic that has a thickness of 30 mils./li>
• Photos and images – Portrait photos and images that are to be printed on student ID cards will need to be in CMYK format and a minimum of 300dpi. Your ID card printer will be able to help with technical issues and can convert to CMYK if you only have a screen-based RGB jpeg to work with, for example. Any logos will also need to follow these submission guidelines.
• Accessories options – When designing student ID cards it’s worth thinking about how they will be displayed. Many educational facilities require staff and students to wear ID cards on lanyards. Other institutions prefer to display ID cards in plastic wallets that are then clipped to clothing.

Organising data submission

Once you’ve established the format and design of student ID cards, the next task is to collate and supply all relevant data and images to your ID card printer of choice. This can be a complex task which may involve many different data sets.

It’s important to remember that General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) dictates how personal information must be handled and stored. In basic terms, any data held must be done so safely, with adequate protection in place. Your chosen ID card printer will also need to adhere to GDPR too, and you should check with them before submitting any personal data their level of compliance and which safeguards they have in place to mitigate against data theft, or loss.

All photos will need to be appropriately labeled to the matching student and checked to make sure that they meet printing guidelines. This process may be automated via software such as Photoshop. Your ID card printer will be able to automate a process which inserts data and images into the correct area of the card layout.

Advanced Card Bureau Ltd are a leading printer of custom printed plastic ID cards in the UK. Their comprehensive range of services can be fully tailored to your needs. Contact ACB now for expert help and advice regarding all aspects of student ID card design.