Certification
Eligibility Requirements
The candidate must meet the following criteria to take the exam:
- Be at least 18 years of age;
- Have completed, at a minimum, a GED/high school program in the U.S. or equivalent program outside of the U.S;
- Have demonstrated proficiency in both English and the Language Other Than English (LOTE) for which the candidate is seeking certification; and
- Have completed 60 hours of professional interpreter training (or a 3-credit-hour university course), with at least 20 hours specifically focused on educational interpreting.
The candidate will show that they meet these four criteria in the following ways:
Age Requirements
Candidates will provide documentation showing they are at least 18 years of age (e.g., a driver’s license or passport).
Education Requirements
Candidates will provide their official GED/high school diploma, college diploma, or a complete set of transcripts. The degree may be from the U.S. or another country. Documents that are not in English must be accompanied by an official translation that includes a notarized certificate of accuracy (click on this sample).
Language Proficiency Requirements
Candidates will document their language proficiency in English AND the LOTE in one or more of the following ways:
- A high school degree documented by a diploma, certificate, or complete transcript from the U.S. to show proficiency in English, or from another country to show proficiency in the LOTE.
- A high school diploma or complete transcript from the U.S. showing attainment of the Seal of Biliteracy and the LOTE.
- A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, or a complete transcript from an institution of higher education where the primary language of instruction was English or the LOTE.
- A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree where the primary language of instruction was English with a major in the LOTE, or where the primary language was the LOTE with a major in English.
- Transcripts showing completion of at least 24 credit hours with an average grade of B at an institution of higher education where instruction was in English or in the LOTE.
- A teaching credential as a world language or bilingual teacher awarded by one of the states in the US based on a program of study from an institution of higher education.
- Testing results indicating at least mid-advanced proficiency on a reputable test of language proficiency in English or the LOTE that consists of or includes listening and speaking, e.g., Advanced-Mid on the ACTFL or 2+ on the ILR. The results of the test and an explanation of the meaning of the score(s) by the test company must be submitted.
- Certification in interpretation/translation from agencies that include language testing as part of their certification exam. Examples include FCICE, CCHI, NCSC, and other national or state certification exams such as ATA, NAJIT, or NBCMI.
The candidate may contact NAETISL at naetislcertification@gmail.com to discuss other acceptable options to document language proficiency when there are special circumstances. Examples include cases involving languages where testing in the LOTE is not readily available or when documentation of degrees or coursework cannot be readily obtained.
Training Requirements
Candidates will document 60 hours of interpreter training or 3-credit-hour university course with a focus on community and educational interpreting. These hours include courses taken at an academic institution or a reputable agency/organization, time spent developing or teaching community or educational-related interpreter training, on-the-job training, and conference attendance. The training may have taken place in-person and/or online. Hours may be combined to show 60 hours of training. See Table 1. Candidates should select training experiences that show their breadth of preparation, including preparation in community and educational interpreting.
Work experience (e.g., performing interpreter duties in a school) CANNOT be counted as training or substituted for training to qualify for eligibility purposes.
Table 1. Sources of Credit for 60-hour Training Requirement
| Training Source/Type | Applicable Hours | Documentation Needed | Notes/Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interpreter preparation courses taken at academic or other reputable agencies in community or educational interpreting. | Count actual hours of the course. No limit. | Certificate of completion or a letter stating the title of the course and total hours. | A 40-hour community interpreter course counts for 40 of the 60 required hours. |
| Interpreter preparation courses taken at academic or other reputable agencies in interpreting areas other than community or educational, e.g., medical, court, business. | Count actual hours of the course if focused on community and/or education. Limit of 40 hours. Otherwise, count hours in the course focused on general aspects of interpreting, e.g., theory, modes, and strategies. Limit of 40 hours. | Certificate of completion or a letter stating the title of the course and total hours. Letter or other document showing hours and topics. | Certificate of completion or a letter stating the title of the course and total hours. Letter or other document showing hours and topics. A 30-hour medical interpreting in community settings course counts for 30 hours. A 60-hour court interpreting course containing 30 hours of instruction on general interpreter topics/skills counts for 30 hours. |
| Continuing education courses on or related to interpreting practice. | Count actual hours of the course. | Certificate of completion or a letter stating the title of the course and total hours. | A 20-hour course on Translation in Educational Settings counts for 20 hours. A 10-hour course on interpreting at IEP meetings counts for 10 hours. |
| Developing or teaching community/educational interpreter training. | Count contact hours of training. Do not include development hours. | Proof of curriculum development or course delivery that states the title and number of training hours. | Co-teaching a 10-hour training where the applicant is responsible for 5 hours of instruction counts for 5 hours. Developing a 10-hour training that others teach counts for 10 hours. |
| Conferences and professional development sessions on or related to interpreting practice in any setting. | Up to 10 hours. | Certificate or letter of attendance from the organizer or an administrator. | Attendance at five one-hour sessions during a multi-day conference. Attendance at a full-day workshop. |
| Training related to the education profession. | Up to 10 hours. | Certificate or letter of attendance from the organizer or an administrator. | Attendance at a full-day workshop on being a paraprofessional in special education. Attendance at five one-hour sessions during a multi-day conference on serving multilingual students. |
| On-the-job training with training in community or educational settings preferred. | Hours cannot fulfill all 60 required hours. Hours requested must be submitted along with documentation of training from other sources. | Detailed description of training (dates, hours, topics), evaluation measures, and a performance review, in addition to verification by an administrator that training was done under the supervision of a qualified professional interpreter. Job “shadowing” must be listed separately with hours listed. | Participation in 5 one-hour small group practices where simulated special education encounters were practiced under the supervision of the district’s trained interpreter lead. Shadowing the district interpreter at parent-teacher conferences for 4 hours. |