Certificate in Translation (English/Spanish)

Preparatory course for the CIOLQ CertTrans examination.

KEY FACTS

QUALIFICATION LEVEL:
Degree‑level (Level 6), CertTrans qualification upon passing the CIOLQ exam.

Structure:

Three units: General Translation, Business and Commercial, Government and Public Service.

Focus Area:

Accuracy, clarity, register control, terminology management, exam technique, and professional quality assurance.

Key Distinction:

Entry‑level, focused on building foundational translation skills and workplace communication support.

STUDY MODE:

The course is taught entirely in distance learning mode with consultations and exam revision once a week.

Duration:

9–12 months (can be tailored to candidate needs)

Course Code:

CTrans 001

Sample Schedule, Private, One-on-One Training: The following schedules are provided as examples only. Actual class times will be arranged based on each student’s availability and preferred learning pace.

  • Days: Monday – Saturday
  • Times: 7:10AM – 8:10AM | 11:30AM – 12:30PM | 7:30pm – 8:30pm

Language of instruction:

English
Spanish

Recognition:

Awarded by CIOL Qualifications, respected internationally as proof of professional translation skill.

This online 1-to-1 private course prepares you to take the three units/papers of the CIOL Qualifications Level 6 Certificate in Translation (CertTrans) exam. 

 

  • Unit 01: General Translation Skills;
  • Unit 02: Business and Commercial Translation Skills;
  • Unit 03: Government and Public Service Translation Skills

 

Designed with early career translators in mind, CertTrans focuses on developing the necessary skills for those aspiring to work in translation companies or forge a successful freelance career. The CIOL Certificate in Translation (CertTrans) focuses on developing the core skills needed to handle everyday translation tasks with confidence. While it is not intended to place candidates at the same level as seasoned translators with advanced qualifications and years of experience, it provides a valuable entry‑level certification that can enhance your professional profile. By obtaining this prestigious qualification, you not only demonstrate your language proficiency but also enhance your prospects in international organizations worldwide. The course is suited for students with a superior proficiency at level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in both the foreign language and the mother tongue (English/Spanish). 

Overview

The CIOL Qualifications Level 6 Certificate in Translation (CertTrans) is aligned to the UK Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) at Level 6 and shares equivalencies to degrees and other UK qualifications at this level. The qualification is also a step towards the CIOL Qualifications Level 7 Diploma in Translation (DipTrans) programme which is at Masters level and the widely recognised “gold standard” for professional translators worldwide. The CIOL Qualifications Level 6 Certificate in Translation (CertTrans) provides benchmark evidence of professional and practical translation skills and knowledge.

Qualification Purpose

This qualification is aimed at career development for the following reasons:

  • It equips students with translation skills necessary to respond to career and work opportunities in the global business, professional, government, cultural, NGO and not-for-profit environment
  • It provides opportunities for students to enter or progress in employment involving translation and languages
  • It provides students with a UK regulated internationally recognised qualification
  • It assists students in developing a global outlook to aspire and to pursue international career pathways
  • It supports a route into the CIOL Qualifications Level 7 Diploma in Translation
  • It supports and extends skills that are developed during the study of language degrees or through practical experience.

Additional Information

Private, One-on-One Training

  • Registration Fee: US$70 | TT$400 (nonrefundable)
  • Late Registration Fee: US$35 | TT$200 (nonrefundable)
  • Administrative Fee: US$15 | TT$60 (nonrefundable)
  • CIOL Exam Fees: TBA (per test unit)
  • Tuition Fee per month:
    • TT$ 4,357 T&T Students |
    • US$ 657 CARICOM Students |
    • US$ 760 International Students  

NOTE: Tuition fees do not include course materials, the external examinations, fees for supplementary exams and repeats, equipment, printing, trips, professional body fees, etc. / Disclaimer: CSL reserves the right to modify fees as may be necessary.

For English Speakers:

  1. DELE Diploma at C1 not more than a year old
  2. IELTS (Academic) certificate band 8.5 overall not more than a year old
  3. Secondary school diploma OR university/college degree
  4. Curriculum Vitae and cover letter in Spanish and in English

________________

For Speakers of other languages (including Spanish):

  1. Certificate in Cambridge English qualifications at level C1 Proficiency, OR IELTS (Academic) band 8.5 overall, OR TOEFL score 100 not more than a year old
  2. Pass the CSL internal DELE entrance test at level C1
  3. Secondary school diploma OR university/college degree
  4. Curriculum Vitae and cover letter in Spanish and in English

________________

If you do not possess the recommended level prior to undertaking this qualification, you may risk your ability to access and pass the required assessment. It must be stressed that students, even those holding a degree in languages, will generally require additional experience, practice or training in translation to achieve the CertTrans. If you need assistance with your language skills, we offer Spanish Programmes (for English Speakers) and English Courses (for Spanish Speakers and Other Languages) to build your confidence and reach the level of English or Spanish you require.
The course structure follows the format of the CertTrans examinationThe course is structured as weekly sessions, allowing you to ask questions and work through any translation challenges that may come up as you progress through each unit. Unit 01 is the mandatory core unit and must be selected. After that, you may choose one additional mandatory option unit; either Unit 02 or Unit 03. 
 
  • Unit 01 – General Translation Skills (MANDATORY)
    • This unit focuses on written translation of a text of about 500 words and will be appropriate for the educated general reader. It will contain a variety of difficulties likely to require resourcefulness and flexibility as well as level6 conversion skills to achieve a successful rendering. Candidates will translate the text into their target language, to a high standard of accuracy, demonstrating necessary translation skills with the aim of producing a target language text that is accurate, grammatically sound and well organised. The exam text may include: cultural references, idioms, similes metaphors, colloquialisms, neologisms, humour and figures of speech… Subjects will be neutral in religious and political terms…

  • Unit 02 – Business and Commercial Translation Skills (option)
    • This unit focuses on written translation of a text of about 300 words. In this unit candidates will demonstrate an awareness of business and commercial contexts, using their translation skills to produce a text in their target language with clear evidence of comprehension and accuracy as well as being grammatically sound and well suited to the business or commercial context. Some subjects may include: accounting, banking, business development, commerce (including e-commerce), consumer protection, economics, export and import trade, finance, insurance, marketing, management… 

  • Unit 03 – Government and Public Service Translation Skills (option)
    • This unit focuses on written translation of a text of about 300 words. In addition to accuracy, translation of government, public service texts and public affairs documents such as official statements, policy documents, discussion papers, reports and announcements require the translator to consider the social, political and cultural context of the text. In this unit candidates will demonstrate an awareness of government and public service contexts to produce a translation with clear evidence of comprehension and accuracy as well as being grammatically sound and well organised within context. Some subjects may include: civil protection, defence, security and justice, digital government, education, environmental protection, global affairs, healthcare, immigrations and customs, information services, infrastructure, intergovernmental organisations, international development, local government, national government, public finance, public services, reginal government, social services, transport…
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Students must take two units to achieve the CertTrans qualification. 

Students will cover different areas of study, e.g. Examination Guide, Translation Techniques, Research Skills & Pre-Translation Analysis, Decoding and Encoding, Internet Research Guide. They will also complete three practice translations and submit them for assessment and receive feedback on each piece of translation from a lecturer of your language. Students will also have three one-hour one-to-one online tutorials with the lecturer of your translations to discuss your questions about their feedback. Students can also arrange tutorials with the course leader at any time during the course.

The source texts for all three practice translations are taken from past CertTrans papers or created by CSL and all marking and feedback will use the CertTrans marking criteria. The third piece of assessment will be undertaken under timed conditions to simulate actual CertTrans exam conditions.

Assessment Grading
Each unit attracts pass, merit or distinction but the qualification grade overall will be a Pass. The pass mark for each unit is 70%.

Payment Options

Students can pay fees using one (1) of the following methods:  

  1. Direct Bank deposit
  2. Wire Transfer
  3. Certified Managers Cheques
  4. Electronic Bank transfer 
  5. Debit/Credit Card via Paypal or Payoneer

Note: The School will not be responsible for transfer of money in wrong account. Please double check the details before sending.

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