Translator Certifications Explained: What Are They, and Do You Need One?

This article was written in consultation with professional translators Ester Vidal and Olga Marin

The process of getting a translator certification can seem bewildering at first. Maybe you’ve decided that you want to become a translator but aren't sure whether you need a certification, or what getting one will provide. In this post, we’ll walk you through the process and discuss some of the benefits that come with a certification so you can decide if it’s the right next step on your translation journey.

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What is a certified translator?

A certified translator is someone who has gained a qualification from a recognized body that verifies their translation expertise. Earning a translator certification will thus, in theory, demonstrate your mastery of your source and target languages and let potential clients know that you can adhere to established professional and ethical standards. With that said, not all certifications are made equal, as some are more widely recognized in the industry than others, and thus exactly what a certified translator is guaranteed to be able to do will vary depending on the awarding body. 

There are a number of different certifications out there that will assure potential clients you can perform a specific kind of work to a high standard. We'll take a closer look at this soon. But first, let's look at what some of the benefits of getting certified might be. 

What are the benefits of a translator certification?

Obtaining a translator certification can sometimes open up a whole new world of opportunities to translators, so let’s explore some of the benefits you might receive from getting certified.

1. More job opportunities

The most obvious benefit of getting a translator certification is access to greater job opportunities as certain positions will only be available to certified translators. To work at the United Nations (UN) Secretariat as a translator, editor, or verbatim reporter, for instance, you need to take part in one of their competitive examinations to prove your proficiency in your main language (as well as two additional languages), so getting one of these certificates is a direct requirement to be deemed employable. The same can be true if you're hoping to translate legal and medical documents.

More generally, some certifications, such as the European Master's in Translation (EMT), are recognized internationally, allowing you to expand your client base and work opportunities beyond your home country. You’ll also be able to charge higher rates for your freelance work with a widely recognized certificate in your resume, as potential clients will recognize the quality of your translations.

Having a formal qualification on your resume is always going to look good. However, if you’re interested in becoming a literary translator, a strong portfolio that demonstrates your expertise is more important than a certification, which we’ll discuss later on.

2. Access to professional networks

You gain more than a qualification once you become a certified translator — you’ll also be joining a community of other industry professionals. And while many professional societies will be open to laypeople and hobbyists as well as professionals, some societies, such as the ATA (American Translators Association) offer special membership tiers benefits for those who have passed their certification exam or can show proof of an equivalent proficiency. This can offer the opportunity to form connections with fellow translators who can provide support, guidance, and informed insight into industry trends. You may even be invited to collaborate on projects, which will diversify your portfolio and make you more attractive to future employers. Professional networks also provide a wealth of resources, such as industry publications, research papers, and best practice guidelines to help you with your day-to-day work.

With that said, you don’t need a formal qualification to start building your network, and connections in the wider publishing industry will be just as valuable to your literary translation career as the relationships you make with other translators. You don’t need a certification to work as a translator here at Reedsy, for instance, and our online community is home to professionals from every corner of the publishing industry, so it’s a great place to expand your network once you’ve got some experience under your belt.

3. A sense of accomplishment

Beyond all the professional benefits, gaining a certificate can also provide a great sense of personal satisfaction; the journey to getting certified is long and difficult, and passing represents the culmination of your efforts and a huge milestone in your career. You’ll feel more confident in your skills and asking for higher rates as you’ll have the bonafides to back it up.

At the end of the day, ceteris paribus, it's likely that potential clients will go for the certified translator. So, let’s go over how you can go about getting a certification.

What is the process for getting a translator certification?

To get certified as a translator, you’ll need a lot of dedication — the American Translators Association (ATA) exam has a pass rate of just 20%! That figure may be daunting, but don’t let it scare you — we’ll walk you through each step in the process so you can decide what the right path is for you.

1. Decide on a niche and determine whether you need a certification

The world of professional translation is vast. As such, pro translators select a niche they want to specialize in, from literary translation to medical translation, and each field will bring its own unique set of challenges. If you're not sure which one to go for, try translating a range of different texts and figure out what works best for you before deciding on your speciality. 

🌍 For a more detailed rundown on the differences between translation industries, check out this post.

Once you’ve figured out your niche, you’ll need to determine whether or not you need a certification to succeed in your chosen career. For a lot of translation work, you don’t need to be certified, but it will be required for certain roles — translating intellectual property, medical or legal documents, or working for the UN will all require you to get certified, so do some research to determine how you’ll need to prepare.

2. Gain professional experience

Gaining professional experience before you get certified may seem like putting the cart before the horse, but it’s actually a requirement for most certification processes; to qualify for the American Translators Association (ATA) exam, for example, you’d need a bachelor’s degree in translation and two years of work experience.

If you don't have anything on your resume yet, it may be a while before you get your first big break. To get a head start, make a portfolio of sample translations to showcase your skills. Create a lot of samples, then tailor the ones you include to any job you apply for. You should primarily stick to your chosen niche, though including samples from a variety of genres might help demonstrate your versatility when that is called for.

You could also offer to translate for nonprofits, community organizations, open source projects, or even people in your network. Volunteering your services for free in the short term will help you fill out your portfolio and get accustomed with the translation process. It’s also a great way to make connections early on in your career; your passion for translation will be on full display, which future employers and clients will appreciate.

Of course, you should only work for free on short-term projects with the aim of building your portfolio — translation is a difficult process that requires a very specialized skill set, so don’t let anyone take advantage of your abilities!

3. Choose the right certification for your career goals

If you’ve decided that getting a certification is something you want to pursue, the next step is to narrow down which certificate you should go after. There are plenty to choose from that vary in difficulty and prestige, and all of them have slightly different processes to prepare for and complete. If you’re just starting your translation journey, then getting a certification to showcase your proficiency in your target language could be a good idea. 

General language proficiency certificates

There are plenty of internationally recognized exams you can take to establish your proficiency in a language, like the DELE (Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera) for Spanish, the DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française) for French, or the Goethe-Zertifikat for German. While these certifications aren’t specifically for translation, they will demonstrate your mastery over your target language and may give you a competitive edge in the job market when you're starting out.

Most language certifications have similar processes, so let’s look at the DELE as an example.

Aspiring translators should aim to take the C2 DELE, which consists of a reading, writing, and speaking component designed to assess the highest level of Spanish proficiency. Instituto Cervantes provides a wealth of online resources, including sample tests, exam tips, and exercises, to help you prepare. Once you feel ready, find a test center near you and register for an upcoming exam in a test center near you.

Cost: Typically between $220 and $300, depending on the country and language.

Recognized translation certificates

As is befitting for the level of mastery it aims to demonstrate, the process for getting certified with a recognized translation association is much more intense; we touched on the ATA exam earlier, which requires either two years of professional experience if you have a bachelor’s degree in translation, or five years without one, and has a pass rate of just 20%. These exams are generally more expensive as well. However, a certification from a body such as the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) or ATA will open up a lot of doors, so they may still be worthwhile.

Let's take a look.

ATA Certification

To get certified with the ATA, you’ll need to apply for a membership ($300) and submit an exam application online. Once you’ve uploaded proof of your eligibility, you’ll need to pay the exam fee ($525).

Now all that’s left is to take the exam. The ATA typically holds around twenty to thirty certification exams per year, which can be taken at test centers in most major cities, or online. Check the ATA certification exam page to figure out what works best for you.

The exam lasts three hours and consists of three passages of approximately 250 words each. The first is a general passage that every candidate will need to translate. The other two passages are more specialized, designed to resemble specific types of translation work that you’re likely to encounter in your career. You’ll only have to translate one of these — typically, one passage will focus on a technical, medical, or legal subject, while the other will focus on business, finance, or a social science. 

The ATA exam is graded based on “error categories.” Different kinds of errors, such as mistranslation, grammar, terminology, and punctuation, are assigned different point values. For every mistake you make, you’ll have points deducted — translating the passage perfectly will net you 16 points, and you need a minimum score of 12 points per passage to pass. 

The DipTrans

Another alternative is the Diploma in Translation (DipTrans) from the CIOL. Unlike the ATA, there are no specific experience requirements to qualify, but it’s recommended that candidates have a degree-level education or equivalent experience in translation.

To take the DipTrans you’ll need to submit an application and pay a registration fee (£895). The exam is held over two days every July, and is around 7 hours in total. 

The DipTrans is broken up into three units, the first of which is a general translation passage of around 600 words. For Unit 2, you’ll select one of three 450-word passages on technology, business, or literature to translate. Unit 3 is largely the same, with passages on science, social science, and law. Expert translators will grade your exam based on accuracy, fluency, adherence to the source text, and overall quality. 

The UN Translators Exam

To become a translator for the UN, you’ll need a degree and native-level proficiency in an official UN language, excellent command over at least two others, and pass one of their own exams. Relevant professional experience is also highly desirable. 

Unlike the previous two examples, taking the UN translators exam is completely free! It may only officially qualify you to work as a translator for the UN, but this certification will look great on any resume regardless of the path you take. However, exams are only held based on the needs of the UN — there’s no guarantee when the next one will take place, though they are generally held once every two to three years.

The exam itself is made up of three parts, the first two of which are taken online. For the first part, you’ll have full access to any available resources to complete two or three translation exercises, and possibly an editing or summary-writing exercise. Part 2 consists of two further translation passages, this time without the use of any outside materials. If you are successful in the first two parts, you’ll be invited to attend a competency-based panel interview at one of the UN’s regional commissions around the world. 

4. Prepare for the exam

Now that you have a better idea of the different certifications available and the processes of getting certified, it’s time to prepare. It goes without saying that mastery of both your main and target languages is a must, but on top of that, professional translators are expected to maintain the tone, style, and cultural nuances of the original text to ensure that readers get an authentic experience, so you’ll need to go beyond conversational proficiency.

Beyond linguistic proficiency, how you go about preparing will vary depending on the certification you’re going for. Most exams will have a handbook that you can consult for help, which will contain essential information about the format, policies, procedures, and preparation tips you should get familiar with to ensure that you’re fully prepared once you start the exam.

For the ATA and DipTrans, the bulk of your preparation will be for the specialized passages, so you’ll need a strong understanding of the specific terminology used in the different subjects that may come up in order to do well. Familiarize yourself with what the different types of documents in these fields look like by translating real-world texts from each. This could include academic journals, legal documents, and financial analyses. Once you’re in the exam, assess the difficulty of each passage and choose the one that you feel most confident about translating accurately. 

You should also look into the resources you are allowed to use during the examination, where applicable. For the ATA exam, for instance, you don’t need to go in empty-handed — you can bring in dictionaries, glossaries, reference books, personal notes, and sample translations.

Even if there are no specific limit on the amount of resources you can take in, be careful not to go overboard. Your time is limited, so quality beats quantity here — you’ll want quick access to your materials, so bringing in a fine-tuned set of resources will be much more beneficial than a mountain of papers you’ll have to sift through. Be sure to read the guidelines carefully.

After you’ve done all your preparation, all that’s left is to take the exam. There’s no need to feel nervous — if you’ve put in the work, you’ll pass with flying colors!

Do you need a translator certification?

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room — if professional experience is required to qualify for most certification exams and the point of getting certified is to get jobs, do you really need a certification to become an active translator? We reached out to top Reedsy translators and asked them to share some of their wisdom on the topic. 

Ester Vidal has been translating professionally since 2017, and she isn’t convinced that a certification is necessary. Instead, Vidal emphasizes the importance of understanding the author’s style — you’re aiming to elicit the same emotions felt in the original work to a whole new audience of readers, and there’s no certification that will assure an author that their writing will be in good hands. 

As such, Vidal encourages aspiring literary translators to put the time and money that you would invest into a certification into courses on creative writing, editing, and translating within your niche. If you’re unsure of your abilities, she recommends joining a professional association to network with more experienced colleagues. If possible, try to collaborate with a senior translator who will edit your work so you can get a deeper understanding of the translation process. 

Likewise, Olga Marin has been in the translation game for over thirty years, working as the official Spanish translator for blockbuster comic strips Garfield and Peanuts, and she has similar thoughts. While a certification will certainly add to your perceived status as a translator, Olga is confident that focusing your energy on acquiring experience will be much more valuable to your career in the long run. 

So, do you actually need a translator certification? The short answer is no. Having more qualifications is never going to close any doors, but, in most cases, you don’t need a certification to become a translator. In fact, a lot of translators aren’t certified and still get plenty of work coming their way. If you're planning to pursue a career in translating long-term, it might be worthwhile to get certified, but your average client will be more interested in a strong portfolio, and certificates can cost a pretty penny. So, unless your chosen field explicitly requires a certificate, focus on gaining experience and making connections, and carefully weigh the pros and cons for your case.

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