Interested in Becoming a Certified Interpreter?
In many of my ASL classes and workshops, I have students (and professionals) ask me about the requirements for becoming an interpreter. I have listed some colleges and universities here where students can study to become an interpreter or deaf educator. Below, I highlight various certifying agencies and explain the process for becoming certified.
Certifying Agencies
There are several different ways to become an interpreter. There is a national interpreter certification and several states have their own licensure requirements or certifications. There is also a healthcare interpreting certification that is applicable for many languages, including ASL. Another common certification is the Educational Interpreting Performance Assessment (EIPA), which is recommended for educational interpreters, and in some states/regions, is required for employment to interpret in a school district.
The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) has a national certification for interpreters, which certifies ASL/English Interpreters to work in generally any setting. The National Interpreter Certification (NIC) as the test was called, was recently sunset and has been replaced with the CASLI Generalist. Follow the link I have provided to see information about eligibility to test.
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An interpreter seeking national certification should have a bachelor's degree in any field (recommended to be in Interpreting or ASL). If a candidate has less than a bachelor's degree, there is an alternative pathway program they can undergo to become eligible to take the national test.
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Once you are eligible for the test, you must take and pass the knowledge exam, then the performance exam to become nationally certified.
The Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI) was developed in Texas by the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS), but is accepted in several other states, including Michigan, Illinois, and Missouri, with other states recognizing it as a valid certification to receive licensure. More states are in the process of accepting the BEI, as it is one of the only testing processes that can be upheld in court as valid and reliable.
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An interpreter wishing to become BEI certified must first have an associate's degree or 90 hours of college credit to become eligible to test.
After eligibility has been verified, one must take and pass the Test of English Proficiency (TEP) before taking the BEI Basic Performance exam.
Interpreters with BEI certification have the opportunity to increase their level. The BEI certification levels are Basic, Advanced, and Master.
Once an interpreter has reached the Advanced level, they are eligible to apply for the Medical and Court interpreter certifications (if they desire). Currently, the BEI is the only court certification that is actively being given, as the national legal interpreter specialization certificate is no longer accepting applications.
The Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) is currently the only assessment that tests and analyzes interpreters for skills in educational interpreting. Here is a document that outlines the content standard an educational interpreter should have and what the creators and raters of the test want to see in interpreters' skills.
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The EIPA has different segments- the Written and Performance Exam. The EIPA Written Test evaluates one's understanding of critical information for the educational interpreting environment. It is offered online as a multiple-choice exam. The test questions are related to these topics:
1. Child Language Development
2. Culture
3. Education
4. English
5. Interpreting
6. Linguistics
7. Literacy and Tutoring
8. Professionalism
9. Technology
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The Performance Test evaluates interpreters' abilities to interpret classroom instruction, content, and discourse. Raters give a score from 0 to 5, with 5 meaning near-native skills, with the level (secondary grade or primary grade), and the communication mode (Pidgin Signed English or ASL).
The CoreCHI certification is for interpreters wishing to work in healthcare settings. I have only recently learned about this certification, so I have linked the eligibility page here. As I learn more about this certification and the process, I will upload that information. Stay tuned for updates!