Qualified translator assessment
The ITI assessment is a compulsory entry test for professional translators wishing to gain Qualified Membership of ITI.
This is the second stage of the application process and is offered to applicants who have already satisfied the rest of the requirements for membership as a Qualified translator.
MITI is a post-experience category of membership and therefore all translator assessment applicants must have demonstrated a minimum of three years of experience working within this field (or six years without a degree) via professional references.
There are two routes to completing the assessment process. Read the experiences of two of our members with the different types of assessment in our article, Destination MITI.
Route 1 - Translation Assessment
Applicants are required to demonstrate their translation ability by translating a piece of text to a professional standard of accuracy in their working language combination. Applicants should view the assessment as a professional commission from an employer and produce a translation of a suitably professional standard.
Texts used for assessment purposes will be a level of difficulty that allows applicants the opportunity to demonstrate that they are able to translate to a high professional standard. The translation produced must be of a professional quality and technically correct, and must accurately convey the meaning of the source text.
ITI is assessing the standard of the applicant's ability as a professional translator within their relevant language combination and not their knowledge of all of their working areas of specialism.
Where ITI is unable to provide a translation assessment due to a lack of qualified assessor members in a particular language pair, an alternative assessment route may be offered, or Associate membership (AITI) will be offered instead.
The MITI assessment Applicant Handbook provides a detailed guide to the translation assessment process.
We have created a short video guide about the ITI assessment for translators.
Route 2 - Qualification Supported Assessment (QSA)
Translation assessment, as detailed above, is not required if an applicant holds either the DipTrans qualification in the language pair of their application, or has a Translation Masters that meets specific requirements.
If you have a Translation Masters, the Extended Translation Project must include a commentary and be valued at a minimum of 60 credits from a UK University or equivalent ECTS credits from an EU University. The Masters must have been awarded a Distinction overall, although a Merit is acceptable if the Extended Translation Project and commentary were awarded a Distinction (70 marks+), and must have been in the language pair for which you are applying.
The MITI assessment QSA Applicant Handbook provides a detailed guide to the QSA process.
Summary of the differences between the two assessment routes
| Standard Translation Assessment | Qualification Supported Assessment (QSA) | |
|---|---|---|
| References | Minimum 2 professional references | Minimum 2 professional references |
| Experience | Minimum 3 years of translation experience | Minimum 3 years of translation experience |
| Qualifications | Degree or equivalent qualification, or 6 years of translation experience |
One of these options in the language pair of the application:
|
| ITI Assessment | 1000-word translation assessment | N/A |
| Code of Conduct | Completion of online questions to demonstrate understanding of the Code | Completion of online questions to demonstrate understanding of the Code |
| Portfolio of evidence | N/A | 3 additional pieces of evidence from a choice of 6 |
How do I apply?
If you need further advice on becoming a Qualified Member (MITI), or to request an application pack, then please get in touch with us at [email protected].
Please include your language combinations in your email.