The Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting we offer at Learn Q is the ideal entry-level qualification for anyone who wishes to enter the interpreting profession and looking to become a paid interpreter (oral translator) in the UK.
You can take this completely online level 3 community interpreting course if you are fluent in English and one or more other language(s) to start on the path towards your career goal and learn at your own pace. The Level 3 Certificate has 60-80 hours of study time and the average completion time for the course and the exam is 10-12 weeks.
You can complete the course in a matter of weeks or spread it over a longer period to suit your schedule or available free time. Learn at your own pace and in your own time.
The Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting course is for people who speak English and at least one other language fluently and wishes to become a professional interpreting career. The course is suitable for candidates who wish to acquire an interpreting qualification(s), which will allow them to work towards becoming an effective Community Interpreter.
Successfully completing the Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting is the minimum requirement for anyone who wishes to take a role in the community as an interpreter and accept paid assignment(s) here in the UK.
Interpreter(s) Working or wish to Work in the following Sectors;
It is suitable for people who are brand new to the profession, and also those who already have some interpreting experience.
YOU DO NOT NEED ANY EXISTING INTERPRETING QUALIFICATIONS TO TAKE THE LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE IN COMMUNITY INTERPRETING.
All that is required to start the Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting is to be fluent in two or more languages, including English.
The Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting is an entry-level course, meaning you do not need any other qualifications, in interpreting or any other subject, and you do not need to prove your language ability prior to starting this course.
The Learn Q Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting is the entry-level qualification for paid interpreting in the UK. It is required to register with the majority of Language Service Providers (Interpreting Agencies) and public services for interpreting assignments.
The assessment for the Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting is a practical examination of your interpreting ability, which takes place remotely, using videoconferencing software (Zoom).
It is a role-play assessment where you have to act as a professional interpreter, demonstrating your language skills and knowledge of relevant terminology and requirements.
You do not need to write long essays, write anything down in either language, or answer any questions.
The exam is made up of two parts:
Part 1 (25 mins): a two-way (consecutive) health interpreting role play (where you interpret a conversation between a doctor and a patient, using both English and your other language)
Part 2 (10 mins): a health site translation (you are provided a text in English of around 250 words, you read through it first and then you read it out loud in your other language – as though you were reading it for someone who couldn’t read the English version)
The Learn Q Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting is Accredited by Gatehouse Awards, and Regulated by Ofqual, the independent qualifications regulator for England who ensure qualifications are sufficiently valid and trusted.
You can find out more about Gatehouse Awards and Ofqual, plus find links to our qualifications on Ofqual’s register on the About Us page.
The Learn Q Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting takes an average of 10 – 12 weeks to complete, with a combined study time of 60-80 hours, including the exam.
After working as an interpreter for a recommended minimum of 2 years, some interpreters choose to move on to taking a Diploma in Public Service Interpreting. The DPSI is a degree equivalent qualification that is seen as the ‘gold’ standard for interpreters and can be used to find legal interpreting work.
The DPSI has a very low pass rate even for experienced interpreters so at Learn Q we don’t recommend attempting it without a minimum of a Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting and 2 years professional interpreting experience.
Please note we only support the most popular interpreting languages as below:
Arabic (MSA), Bengali Sylethi, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Czech, Dari, Farsi, French, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Kurdish Sorani, Latvian, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Mirpuri, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Portuguese Brazilian, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu
If your language is not listed, there may be a surcharge of £100 per exam or we may not be able to provide an exam at all. Please email admin@learnq.co.uk if you are unsure.
We offer a money-back guarantee for certain purchases made on our website. If you are not satisfied with the product that you have purchased from us, and you have paid in full, you can get your money back. You are eligible for a full reimbursement, less a £25 admin fee, within 14 calendar days of your purchase, provided you have not completed the course in full, taken an exam or received a certificate.
If you wish to cancel a subscription, you MUST inform the LearnQual team by emailing admin@learnq.co.uk. You are not able to manually cancel a subscription.
After the 14-day period you will no longer be eligible and won’t be able to receive a refund. We encourage our customers to try the product (or service) in the first two weeks after their purchase to ensure it fits your needs. If you are on an instalment plan cancelling outside of the 14 day period does not mean you do not have to pay in full – you are still eligible for the full price of the course that you have purchased.
If you have completed the course or courses in full or received a certificate, you will not be eligible for a refund.
If you have purchased an exam, and you have already sat the exam before the 14-day refund period and before requesting a refund, you will be eligible for a full refund minus costs incurred by LearnQual Ltd. This will include assessor costs, admin costs and centre registration fees.
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