CIOL Qualifications, Accreditation & Your Exam
Everything you need to understand how your linguisttraining.com course, your Diploma, and the CIOL exam fit together.
Your course may only be part of what you're trying to achieve
As with most universities and educational organisations, the course you study is often only part of the picture.
1 Getting your Diploma Certificate
When you successfully complete a linguisttraining.com course, you'll receive a course completion Diploma certificate. In the UK, a lot of public sector organisations have requested that linguists hold a "diploma".
Successful completion usually involves some or all of the following:
- Completing all Modules and Lessons
- Completing all Exercises
- Carrying out Translation Practices and / or LanguagePartner™ Mentoring sessions
- Passing an Online Final Assessment
For many people, this Diploma is enough to meet their career objectives.
View Diploma Courses2 Becoming 'qualified'
If you want or need an officially accredited qualification, you'll need to sit and pass an exam. These qualifications are awarded by the CIOL (the UK's Royal Charter professional body for languages) and are regulated by Ofqual. Our courses are specifically designed to prepare you for these exams:
Not sure which level is right for you? Read What Course Should You Take?
View CIOL Exam InfoStudents who studied with us and passed
I would like to thank you and all the team for your work. I received the results of my DPSI exam yesterday and was very pleased - 3 Merits, 1 Pass and 1 Distinction. I studied hard, of course, but I had all the necessary materials provided (very well written and structured), your help and advice throughout, and my Language Partner was professional, knowledgeable and supportive.
Elena, DPSI
I passed all three papers first time - two Distinctions and a Merit. Thank you for your support, and please thank my tutor for the useful comments.
JesĂşs, DipTrans
Taking your exam
You 'attend' the CIOL Online Virtual Centre
When you take an exam at the CIOL Online Virtual Centre, you sit at home and are invigilated via a camera on your computer. All parts of the exam are administered virtually, and where an oral submission is required, the CIOL uses Microsoft Teams. The exams are available in the UK and internationally, across all time zones.
You can read more about the CIOL Online Virtual Centre at ciol.org.uk/benefits/exam-resources.
What if I don't have the right facilities?
If you can't sit on your own in silence with reliable internet for the whole exam, we can help. We're happy to offer our enrolled students the use of our meeting room at our Sheffield office, free of charge. You'll be in a professional building with the right environment for your exam.
This provides
- A quiet space to take the exam in silence
- Internet connection
- Toilet and refreshment facilities
- Free parking, close to rail and bus stations
To be clear, we are not
- Acting as an exam centre
- Providing the examination (only the CIOL can do that)
- Acting as invigilators (you're simply borrowing a quiet room for the period of your exam)
You'd need to bring your own computer (ideally a laptop) and your reference materials.
We're delighted to lend you a space at our offices. The atmosphere is calm, cool and collected, ideal to set you at ease. Refreshments and free parking are available, and we're only a short bus ride (or walk) from the railway and bus stations. If you need that extra pick-me-up, there's a Costa just a few minutes away.
Eileen, linguisttraining.com Founder
My sincere thanks to all the team at linguisttraining.com. The exam was well organised and carried out in a very relaxed atmosphere. We were well looked after and everything was done to make us feel comfortable. Thank you again.
Agnieszka
Approx. Exam Dates
Exam fees
You pay separately for the preparatory course and the exam.
The preparatory course
This prepares you for the exam. Any reputable provider charges a fee for a quality course. See all our courses ›
The exam fee
Paid directly to the CIOL and varying by qualification and unit. Please check the current fees on the CIOL website.
Preparation for the exam
The CIOL is the awarding organisation that creates and runs the exams, but it does not run taught preparation courses. The CIOL itself says: "It is good practice to prepare for a professional qualification by following a course of study."
The CIOL lists linguisttraining.com on its website as an officially recognised preparation course provider. In our experience, it's almost impossible to pass these exams without studying first, which is exactly what our courses are built for.
Not quite ready for a degree or master's level course? Take a look at our Foundation courses.