How to Become a Certified Translator

Last Updated: February 21, 2024 Fact Checked

Professional translators and interpreters work with the written and spoken word in courts, hospitals, schools and universities and businesses. For some jobs, certification is not 100% necessary, but proving your professional competency can open doors to career advancement and higher compensation. The United States has no universal translation certification body and so each field of work has their own certifying organizations and eligibility requirements. Whether you choose to pursue a general certification or a specialist legal or medical one, you'll need to meet their education and experience prerequisites and pass an examination. For the best chance of success, choose the accrediting body which is the best fit for your situation, skills, and professional development goals.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting Certified by the American Translators Association (ATA)

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1
Check the languages on offer. The American Translators Association offers generalized certification programs for translators and is widely recognized, both nationally and internationally. You can obtain a qualification for translating into English and for translating from English into your target language. ^{[1]
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- Certification is available for translating into English from Arabic, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish.
- Certification is also available in translating from English into Chinese, Croatian, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Ukrainian.
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Check that you meet their preliminary requirements. The ATA has strict eligibility requirements which must be met. The ATA website explains the system and requirements in more detail but there are two core criteria which must be met prior to making your application. ^{[2]
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- You must be a member of the ATA to apply for certification but you can become a member at the same time as making your test application. ^{[3]
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- You must provide a reading proficiency test in both your source and target languages from the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.)
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Fulfill the conditions for accreditation. Eligibility requirements for becoming certified by the ATA are a combination of education, experience, and assessed proficiency. To be eligible to apply you must meet one of the following criteria:
- To be currently certified by the Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs. ^{[4]
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- To hold a bachelor's degree from an approved translation and interpretation institute which is on the approved list of the ATA Education and Pedagogy Committee.
- To hold a bachelor's degree and two years proven work experience as a translator.
- To have at least five years proven work experience as a translator.
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Take the Test. This is a challenging three-hour exam that will cover: comprehension of the source-language, translation techniques, and writing in your target language. You will be graded on your grammar and choice of words as well as the overall quality and accuracy of your translation. ^{[5]
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- To give yourself the best chance of success on the ATA test, make sure you have hit the level of at least 'Advanced-Low' on the ACTFL scale before attempting the ATA certification examination.
- Take advantage of the practice tests which are available from the ATA website. ^{[6]
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  www.atanet.org} Candidates are provided with three passages. Passage A might be a newspaper editorial, an essay, a non-fiction book. Passage B may be technical, scientific or medical in content. Passage C may be a financial, business or legal document. Candidates must translate two written passages. A is compulsory and candidates can choose either B or C.
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Use your accredited status to progress your career. Once you receive your certification you will also receive an ATA-certified translator seal, and a professional services listing in the ATA Directory of Translation and Interpreting Services. This will enable you to market yourself to employers as a professional who is approved to industry standards.
- The ATA seal will document your certification number which you can use on your documents.
- Once your name is listed on the ATA Directory of Translators and Interpreters any individual or company seeking a professional translator will be able to find you and see your contact details.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Getting Certified by the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators

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1
Check your eligibility. Court and legal translating are set apart from general translating duties due to the high ethical standards required to deal with defendants, litigants, victims, and witnesses in civil and criminal cases. You can become a certified Federal Interpreter in Spanish - or a State Interpreter in any of 20 languages. ^{[7]
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- Eligibility requirements for state interpreters vary from state to state so check with your own court interpreting program.
- Eligibility requirements for federal interpreters are to have native-like mastery of English and Spanish as well as to be able to perform three modes of interpretation at speed: consecutive interpreting, simultaneous interpreting, and sight translation of documents. The sensitivity and complexity of interpretation in court settings means you must work rapidly and precisely.
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Sit the federal interpreter test. To be a federally certified interpreter, you must pass a two-part (English and Spanish) written and oral exam. The FCICE handbook tells you how to prepare for the written and oral examinations with specific advice on error detection and the ability to use synonyms.
- A good tip for success is to take the online FCICE self-assessment test. Be honest with yourself about your true skill levels. This will arm you with knowledge about the areas you need to work on to make sure you ace the test.
- The FCICE website offers candidates full-length practice examinations. Take advantage of them to give you insight into the questions you will need to answer on the test.
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Sit the state interpreter test. You must pass a two-part test which can be taken in your area. Test requirements and fees vary from state to state so it is vital to consult the specific requirements for your area.
- Take advantage of the practice tests on the NCSC website to help you prepare, identify your specific skill gaps and take steps to remedy them.
- A great tool are the self-study resources and toolkits on the NCSC website. These outline study materials, reference materials, consecutive and simultaneous dictionaries for your target language. ^{[8]
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  National Center for State Courts
  Non-profit organization dedicated to improving judicial administration in the United States and around the world through education and advocacy.
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Use your accredited status to progress your career. Once you have qualified you will be nationally recognized as a professional interpreter in a legal setting. These skills are transferable to different geographic areas and areas of expertise. It will show your commitment and ethics and will ensure that anyone you deal with will be assured of your competence and ethical standards.
- Federal court interpreter certification is recognized at the national level by both state and federal courts.
- State court interpreter certification is subject to reciprocity requirements that vary by state.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Getting Certified by National Board of Certified Medical Interpreters (CMI)

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Check your eligibility. If your interest is in working in the scientific or medical field, then the International Medical Interpreters Association offer certification through their Certified Medical Interpreter program (CMI). ^{[9]
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- You must prove you have completed an approved medical interpreter educational program. A registry of approved training programs is posted on the IMIA website. ^{[11]
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- You must prove your source and target language skills via a Bachelor, Masters, Ph.D., or any other degree from an institution of higher education or ACTFL qualification (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages).
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Sit the test. The knowledge areas that will be tested in the oral and written examinations will cover professional training, experience, and conduct. You will be tested on medical terminology, your role and responsibilities, ethics, competence, knowledge of legal issues and regulations.
- You can take the exam in the method that best suits you. Either online via your home computer or at one of the many accredited test sites across the country. ^{[12]
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- Use the help and tools included in the CMI Candidate Handbook to focus on improving your weak spots to get you through the test – do you need to learn more about regulations, or legal issues? ^{[13]
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Use your accredited status. Obtaining this certification provides you with a professional credential that crosses state lines and can be used to obtain work in specialist medical agencies. It demonstrates that you are professionally competent to provide both in-person and remote (virtual) translation and interpretation in medical settings.
- You will receive your CMI credential in the specific languages for which the oral exam is passed (for example CMI-Spanish, or CMI-Korean).
- Now you are certified you will not have to have your skills tested by each medical facility that you are contracted to.

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How can I be a certified translator and interpreter?

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Just follow the steps in this article.

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How do I become certified in English and Italian?

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Do the above steps and substitute for the language you want to learn. Instead of being certified in the above language just become certified in English and Italian.

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Can I be a certified translator without holding a Bachelor's degree?

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Yes, as of January 1, 2017, the ATA no longer holds any requirements to take the exam.

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Be aware of cultural subtleties and nuances. If you study French for instance, look beyond just France and also consider the French dialects and cultures of Québec, New Brunswick, Belgium, Switzerland, Louisiana, Algeria, etc.

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Many universities offer programs in translation or interpretation. Canada's University of Ottawa and New York University offer qualifications in an extensive list of languages.

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A degree in translation is not always needed. See yourself translating at a bank? Get a degree in finance. See yourself working at a hospital? Get a biology degree

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Warnings

Getting certified requires a considerable investment of your time and money. The examinations are not easy and require you to spend time and effort preparing to sit them in order to succeed.

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How to Become a Certified Translator

Steps

Getting Certified by the American Translators Association (ATA)

Getting Certified by the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators

Getting Certified by National Board of Certified Medical Interpreters (CMI)

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