If you’re sitting the DPSI, it helps to know what the day looks like before you get there. The exam is set by CIOL Qualifications and taken online, with the oral and written units on separate days.
Before you start
Each unit begins with an identity check. You’ll show photo ID with your signature (passport, national ID card or full driving licence), and the Invigilator may ask you to show the whole room on camera. Your phone needs to be switched off and out of reach. Our DPSI exam-day checklist covers everything to have ready.
Unit 01: interpreting
Unit 01 is taken over Microsoft Teams and has two parts.
In Part A, you interpret consecutively between an English speaker and a speaker of your other language, both on the call with you. It lasts about 20 minutes and isn’t recorded.
In Part B, you interpret two audio recordings simultaneously through headphones. Each is about 4 minutes long: one goes from your other language into English, the other from English into your other language. The recordings aren’t slowed down or repeated, and Part B takes 10 minutes in total.
An Interlocutor supports you in both parts. The role play topics are published on the CIOL website before each session, so you’ll know the subject areas in advance.
Units 02 and 03: sight translation
You’re given a formal written text and translate it aloud, into English in Unit 02 and from English in Unit 03.
Units 04 and 05: written translation
The written units are taken on the CIOLQ Online Exam Delivery Platform. You translate a semi-formal text, such as official correspondence, instructions or a regulatory piece, into English in Unit 04 and from English in Unit 05.
These are the only units where you can use reference materials: paper dictionaries, glossaries and your own word bank, but nothing electronic. If you need a comfort break, tell the Invigilator first, and bear in mind the time isn’t added back.
If something goes wrong
If a technical problem can’t be fixed within 15 minutes of your start time, CIOL Qualifications may cancel the session. If you’re ill or something affects you on the day, you can apply to CIOL Qualifications for special consideration.
Try it before the day
CIOL Qualifications has an online demo test and two short videos showing how to join the oral unit and the written units. Try them on the computer and headset you’ll use on the day.
For Unit 01, you’ll need a camera, a headset with a microphone, Windows 10 or 11 or macOS 12.0 or higher, and an internet connection of at least 10 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload. CIOL Qualifications strongly recommends a wired connection.
After the exam
Each unit is marked separately, so if you pass some units and not others, you only resit the ones you need.
You’ll find the demo test, the joining videos, special consideration deadlines and results dates on the CIOL DPSI page.
Preparing for the DPSI exam
Our DPSI Law and DPSI Health courses take you through every unit of the exam. The course usually takes students around 6 months, so now is the best time to start. Even better, our Big Bundles (details on each course page) include the course, exam support and the DPSI Comprehensive Examination Guide. The guide covers an introduction to the DPSI exam, the exam format, fatal errors, the assessment marking criteria, example role play topics, and advice from students who have taken the exam.
Mock Exams for Units 02 to 05 let you sit each unit under exam conditions, marked against the CIOL assessment criteria.
Translation Practices for Units 04 and 05 are proofread and returned with detailed feedback.
