List of awards and honors received by Joe Biden

Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States, has received numerous honors in recognition of his career in politics.

These include:

National honors

Country	Date	Decoration	Ribbon bar	Post-nominal letters
United States	12 January 2017	Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction [1] [2]
United States	16 January 2025	Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service [3]

Foreign honors

Country	Date	Decoration	Ribbon bar	Post-nominal letters
Estonia	5 February 2004	Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (1st Class) [4]
Pakistan	28 October 2008	Crescent of Pakistan [5] [6]
Kosovo	21 May 2009	Golden Medal of Freedom [7]
Georgia	22 July 2009	St. George's Order of Victory [8]
Latvia	1 April 2011	Order of the Three Stars (1st Class) [9]
Colombia	17 November 2016	Order of Boyaca (Extraordinary Grand Cross) [10]		ODB
Ukraine	17 January 2017	Member of the Order of Liberty [11]		MOL
Montenegro	22 March 2018	National Order of the Montenegrin Great Star, First Class [12]
Israel	14 July 2022	President's Medal [13]
Ukraine	22 December 2022	Cross of Military Merit [14]
Lithuania	11 July 2023	Order of Vytautas the Great with the Golden Chain [15]
Federal Republic of Germany	18 October 2024	Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Grand Cross Special Class) [16] [17]

Scholastic

Chancellor, visitor, governor, rector and fellowships

Location	Date	School	Position
Connecticut	1975 –1976	Timothy Dwight College at Yale University	Chubb Fellow [18]
Delaware	1991 –2008	Widener University Delaware Law School	Adjunct Professor [19]
Pennsylvania	7 February 2017 –present	University of Pennsylvania	Benjamin Franklin Presidential Practice Professor [20] [21] On leave as of 25 April 2019
Pennsylvania	7 February 2017 –present	Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy at the University of Pennsylvania	Senior Fellow [22] On leave as of 25 April 2019

Honorary degrees

Location	Date	School	Degree	Gave commencement address
Pennsylvania	1976	University of Scranton	Doctorate [23]	Yes [24] [25]
Pennsylvania	1981	Saint Joseph's University	Doctor of Laws (LLD) [26]	No
Delaware	May 2000	Widener University Delaware Law School	Doctorate
Delaware	7 May 2003	Delaware State University	Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) [27]	Yes [28]
Massachusetts	19 May 2003	Emerson College	Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) [29]	Yes [30]
Delaware	29 May 2004	University of Delaware	Doctor of Laws (LLD) [31]	Yes [32] [33] [34]
Massachusetts	23 May 2005	Suffolk University Law School	Doctorate [35]	Yes
New York	10 May 2009	Syracuse University	Doctor of Laws (LLD) [36]	Yes [37] [38] [39]
North Carolina	18 May 2009	Wake Forest University	Doctor of Laws (LLD) [40] [41]	Yes [42]
Pennsylvania	13 May 2013	University of Pennsylvania	Doctor of Laws (LLD) [43] [44]	Yes [45]
Florida	3 May 2014	Miami Dade College	Doctorate [46]	Yes [47] [48] [49]
South Carolina	9 May 2014	University of South Carolina	Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) [50]	Yes [51]
Ireland	24 June 2016	Trinity College Dublin	Doctor of Laws (LLD) [52]	Yes [53]
Maryland	20 May 2017	Morgan State University	Doctor of Public Service (DPS) [54] [55]	Yes [56] [57]
Maine	21 May 2017	Colby College	Doctor of Laws (LLD) [58]	Yes [59]
South Carolina	17 December 2021	South Carolina State University	Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) [60]	Yes [61]
District of Columbia	13 May 2023	Howard University	Doctor of Letters (DLitt) [62]	Yes [63]
Georgia (U.S. state)	19 May 2024	Morehouse College	Doctor of Laws (LLD) [64]	Yes [65]

Awards

Location	Date	Institution	Award
New York	26 April 1992	Ellis Island Honors Society	Ellis Island Medal of Honor [66]
Georgia (U.S. state)	2005	Men Stopping Violence	True Ally Award [67]
District of Columbia	26 October 2009	National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund	National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund's Distinguished Service Award [68]
Maryland	23 November 2009	American Speech–Language–Hearing Association	Annie Glenn Award [69] [70]
District of Columbia	3 May 2011	Atlantic Council	Distinguished International Leadership Award [71] [72] [73]
New York	21 March 2013	Irish America magazine	Irish America Hall of Fame Inductee [74]
Maryland	2015	Patient Safety Movement Foundation	Humanitarian Award Awarded with Barack Obama [75] [76]
New York	17 October 2015	Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate	Patriarch Athenagoras Humanitarian Award [77] [78]
Indiana	15 May 2016	University of Notre Dame	Laetare Medal Awarded with John Boehner [79] [80] [81]
Pennsylvania	7 June 2016	Allegheny College	Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life Awarded with John S. McCain III [82] [83]
Ireland	24 June 2016	Philosophical Society of Trinity College Dublin	Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage [84]
District of Columbia	6 December 2016	Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights	Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award Awarded with Howard Schultz and Scott Minerd [85] [86] [87]
District of Columbia	1 March 2017	Bipartisan Policy Center	Congressional Patriot Award [88] [89]
New York	16 March 2017	HELP USA	HELP HERO Humanitarian Award [90]
District of Columbia	5 October 2017	Center for Strategic and International Studies	Zbigniew Brzezinski Annual Prize [91] [92]
New York	11 October 2017	New York City Anti-Violence Project	Courage Award [93]
New York	3 November 2017	United Nations Association of New York	United Nations Day Humanitarian of the Year Award [94]
District of Columbia	10 December 2017	American Society of Hematology	ASH Public Service Award [95]
Delaware	8 January 2018	Delaware State Chamber of Commerce	Josiah Marvel Cup Award Awarded with Jill Biden [96] [97]
Delaware	14 April 2018	PNC Bank	Common Wealth Award of Distinguished Service Awarded with Ronald Chernow and Henry Louis Gates Jr. [98] [99]
District of Columbia	23 May 2018	Freedom House	Freedom House Human Rights Award Awarded with Robert Corker, Elena Milashina and Igor Kochetkov [100]
Ohio	11 July 2018	John Glenn College of Public Affairs at Ohio State University	Excellence in Public Service Award [101] [102]
Tennessee	17 October 2018	National Civil Rights Museum	Hyde Family Foundation Award [103] [104] [105]
District of Columbia	29 November 2018	Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University	Luminary Leadership Award [106] [107]
District of Columbia	9 April 2019	National Minority Quality Forum	Lifetime Achievement Award [108]
New York	10 December 2020	TIME magazine	Time Person of the Year Awarded with Kamala Harris [109]
Michigan	19 May 2024	NAACP	Lifetime Achievement Award [110]
Massachusetts	26 October 2025	Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate	Lifetime Achievement Award [111]

Freedom of the City

• 25 June 2016: County Louth ^{[112] [113]}

References

1. Taylor, Jessica (January 12, 2017). "In A Surprise Send-Off, Obama Awards Biden Presidential Medal Of Freedom". NPR. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
2. Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden Chat About The Medal Of Freedom from President Barack Obama. Joe Biden. October 4, 2020. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
3. Lopez, C. Todd (January 16, 2025). "Defense Department Bids Farewell to Outgoing Commander in Chief". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
4. President
5. "Pakistan gives awards to Biden, Lugar for support". Reuters. October 28, 2008 – via www.reuters.com.
6. Pakistan conferred one of its highest awards on visiting Vice President-elect Joe Biden as he arrive. AP Archive. July 31, 2015. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
7. Novinite
8. Foreign Policy
9. Embassy of Latvia newsletter
10. "Presidencia de la republica". es.presidencia.gov.co. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
11. Obama White House
12. Biden receives Montenegrin honour
13. Harkov, Lahav (July 7, 2022). "Joe Biden to receive Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
14. "Zelenskiy gives Biden military medal from HIMARS unit captain". Reuters. December 21, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
15. McAteer, Ksenija Pavlovic (July 11, 2023). "NATO Summit: President Biden Receives Order Of Vytautas The Great From Lithuania". The Pavlovic Today. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
16. "Official visit by the President of the United States of America". The Federal President of Germany. October 18, 2024. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
17. Bundespräsident Steinmeier (October 18, 2024). "Award of the Order of Merit of Germany to the President of the USA, Joe Biden" – via YouTube.
18. "The Chubb Fellowship Joseph Biden". Yale University. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
19. "Joseph Robinette BIDEN, Jr". Who's Who Online. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
20. Winick, Sydney Schaedel, Jacob. "Joe Biden is going to be a Penn professor". www.thedp.com.
21. "Joseph R. Biden, Jr. | Annenberg School for Communication". www.asc.upenn.edu. Archived from the original on February 17, 2018.
22. "The Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy Joe Biden". University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
23. "Honorary Degree Recipients". University of Scranton. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
24. "Honorary Degree Recipients". University of Scranton. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
25. "Biden Urges Students to Be Engaged Citizens at 1976 Commencement". University of Scranton. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
26. "Honorary Degree Recipients" (PDF). Saint Joseph's University. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
27. Archivists, Dsu (May 9, 2018). "Delaware State University Archives and Special Collections: Honorary Degrees". Delaware State University Archives and Special Collections. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
28. "VP Joe Biden to Give May 7 Commencement Address".
29. "Senator Biden to Address 123rd Commencement Rites On May 19". Emerson College. May 2003. Archived from the original on September 18, 2006. Retrieved November 26, 2008.
30. "Watch: President-Elect Joe Biden's 2003 Commencement Speech". November 8, 2020.
31. "Honorary Degree Citation for Joseph R. Biden Jr". University of Delaware. May 29, 2004. Retrieved November 6, 2008.
32. "Honorary Degree Citation for Joseph R. Biden Jr". University of Delaware. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
33. "Past Commencements". University of Delaware. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
34. "Joseph R. Biden Jr. – United States Senator, State of Delaware Commencement Speaker 2004". University of Delaware. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
35. "Commencements". Boston Globe. May 23, 2005. Archived from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2008.
36. "SU Archives: Awards and Honors—Recipient of Honorary Degrees". archives.syr.edu. Archived from the original on July 30, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
37. "Past Commencement Speakers". Syracuse University. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
38. "Emcpreview".
39. "Vice President Joe Biden's Syracuse University Commencement Address 2009". C-SPAN. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
40. "Honorary Degrees". Commencement News Archive.
41. "2009: Honorary degrees". Commencement News Archive.
42. "2009: Speaker Joe Biden". Wake Forest University. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
43. "Documents & Publications | University Archives and Records Center". archives.upenn.edu.
44. "Penn Secretary". secretary.upenn.edu.
45. Joseph R. Biden Gives the Commencement Address at Penn 2013. University of Pennsylvania. May 13, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
46. Riley, Patrick (May 3, 2014). "Vice President Joe Biden hails need for immigration reform at Miami Dade College graduation". The Miami Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
47. "Biden to give commencement speech at Fla. college". The Gainesville Sun. May 3, 2014. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
48. D'Oench, Peter (May 3, 2014). "Vice President Biden Delivers Speech At Miami-Dade College". CBS Miami. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
49. Miami Dade College (September 23, 2021). "Joe Biden Commencement Address - Miami Dade College" – via YouTube.
50. "Vice President Joe Biden to deliver UofSC commencement address | University of South Carolina". www.sc.edu.
51. VP Joe Biden delivers commencement address. University of South Carolina. May 12, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
52. "US Vice President Joe Biden Receives Honorary Doctorate from Trinity College". Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
53. Trinity College Dublin (September 23, 2021). "US Vice President Joe Biden receives honorary degree from Trinity College Dublin" – via YouTube.
54. Lucas, Tramon (April 15, 2017). "Former Vice President Joe Biden is MSU's Spring 2017 Commencement Speaker".
55. "Honorary Degrees Awarded". Morgan State University. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
56. "Former VP Joe Biden Energized Morgan State's Spring Commencement". Morgan State University. June 21, 2017. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
57. "Former Vice President Joe Biden to Keynote Morgan State University's 141st Spring Commencement". Morgan State University. April 18, 2017. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
58. Staff Report (April 17, 2017). "Joe Biden to speak at Colby College commencement".
59. "2017 Speakers and Honorands Commencement speaker, Doctor of Laws: Joseph R. Biden Jr". Colby College. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
60. News 19 WLTX (December 17, 2021). "President Joe Biden presented with honorary degree at South Carolina State University" – via YouTube.
61. HBCU Pulse (December 17, 2021). "President Joe Biden Speaks At South Carolina State University 2021 Commencement" – via YouTube.
62. Freeman, Sholnn Z. (May 6, 2023). "President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to Deliver 2023 Commencement Address". Howard University. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
63. NBC News (May 13, 2023). "LIVE: Biden gives commencement speech at Howard University" – via YouTube.
64. Washington Post (May 19, 2024). "Live: President Biden delivers Morehouse College commencement address" – via YouTube.
65. Morehouse College (May 19, 2024). "2024 Commencement Speaker The President of the United States Joseph R. Biden" – via YouTube.
66. Medalist
67. U.S. Sen. Joe Biden Accepts True Ally Award. Men Stopping Violence. November 5, 2008. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
68. "Distinguished Service Award Recipient 2009 – Former President Joe Biden". National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. 2009.
69. "ASHA Presents Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr with the Annie Glenn Award - the Hearing Review – a MEDQOR brand". November 23, 2009.
70. "Flight of the Annie".
71. "2011 Atlantic Council Annual Awards Dinner: Biden, Stavridis, Kent, Domingo". May 3, 2011.
72. "Previous Distinguished Leadership Awards Honorees".
73. 2011 Atlantic Council Awards Dinner - Vice President Joe Biden. AtlanticCouncil. May 4, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
74. Vice President Joe Biden is inducted into the Irish America Hall of Fame. Irish America. March 22, 2013. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
75. "Humanitarian Awards • Patient Safety Movement". Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
76. Vice President Joe Biden is Awarded for His Work Towards Zero at the 2016 Patient Safety Summit. Patient Safety Movement. January 25, 2016. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
77. "Archons Honor Vice President Biden with Rights Award - What's New on Goarch - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America".
78. Vice President Joe Biden receives Athenagoras Human Rights Award. Order St Andrew. October 23, 2015. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
79. "Recipients".
80. "Biden and Boehner jointly receive Laetare Medal". May 16, 2016.
81. Notre Dame Commencement 2016: Vice President Joseph Biden's Laetare Speech. University of Notre Dame. May 15, 2016. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
82. "2016 Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life | Prize for Civility in Public Life | Allegheny College".
83. Biden, McCain Receive Prize for Civility. AP Archive. November 16, 2016. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
84. "US Vice President Joe Biden Receives Honorary Doctorate from Trinity College". Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
85. "Joseph R. Biden, Jr".
86. "Our Past Laureates".
87. "Vice President Joe Biden accepts an award from Ethel Kennedy at RFK". December 7, 2016.
88. "Joe Biden keeps racking up accolades". February 27, 2017. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
89. Vice President Joe Biden Patriot Award Acceptance Speech. BipartisanPolicyCenter. March 6, 2017. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
90. "Former Vice President Joe Biden Receive Humanitarian Award in NYC". March 16, 2017.
91. The Zbigniew Brzezinski Annual Prize and Lecture. Center for Strategic & International Studies. October 5, 2017. Archived from the original on May 31, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
92. "Biden receives Brzezinski prize, tells Putin story". MSNBC .
93. "Join Vice President Joseph R. Biden at the 21st Annual Courage Awards!". September 15, 2017.
94. "UNA-NY announces 2017 Honorees for UN Day Humanitarian of the Year Award: Mr. Joseph R. Biden Jr., 47th Vice President of the U.S., and Mr. Youngsuk Chi, Chairman of Elsevier".
95. "ASH to honor Joe Biden, Tom Brokaw for hematology research advocacy".
96. "Joseph R. Biden, Jr. And Dr. Jill Biden Named Marvel Cup Recipients".
97. "Joseph R. Biden Jr. And Dr. Jill Biden named Marvel Cup recipients".
98. "Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Ron Chernow, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. To Receive 39th Annual Common Wealth Awards" (Press release).
99. "The 2018 Common Wealth Awards".
100. "Biden, Corker honored with Freedom House human rights awards". The Hill . May 24, 2018. Archived from the original on July 22, 2023.
101. "Excellence in Public Service Award / John Glenn College of Public Affairs".
102. 2018 Excellence in Public Service Award Joe Biden. John Glenn College of Public Affairs. July 13, 2018. Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
103. "National Civil Rights Museum's Freedom Awards".
104. Joe Biden delivers passionate speech at Civil Rights awards. Global News. October 18, 2018. Archived from the original on July 8, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
105. Joe Biden, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Pitt Hyde honored at Freedom Awards. WREG News Channel 3. October 17, 2018. Archived from the original on December 17, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2021– via YouTube.
106. "Ruesch Center and OncLive Recognize Former VP Biden at the Luminary Awards". December 9, 2018.
107. "President-elect Joe Biden's history with Georgetown". November 10, 2020.
108. "Joe Biden Will Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Summit".
109. "Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Are TIME's 2020 Person of the Year".
110. "President Biden at NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner in Detroit". C-SPAN. May 19, 2024.
111. Hornung, Lisa (July 18, 2025). "Kennedy Institute to give lifetime achievement award to Joe Biden". United Press International. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
112. "Biden awarded the honorary freedom of Louth". The Irish Independent. July 1, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
113. "Biden receives Freedom of County Louth on visit to Cooley Peninsula | Talk of the Town". talkofthetown.ie. Retrieved January 11, 2017.