Online Interpreting Courses for Interpreters
Award-winning distance learning courses - from entry-level (for when work demands a 'Diploma'), through to preparing you for the CIOL DPSI, the Degree-level benchmark qualification for public service interpreting. Fully online, all language pairs, start any time. We provide the course and the exam preparation; CIOL sets and awards the qualification.
Not sure of your language level?
Our free quiz tells you which course fits your language level and your goal, and links to free CEFR tests if you need them. No email needed.
The Interpreter's route
Interpreting is a verbal skill: you convert spoken language in real time. You don't have to start at the beginning - start where your language level and workplace knowledge put you.
FDTI
Start here if new- Qualification: our Completion Diploma Certificate
- Language level required: CEFR B1
- Exam: none, assessed online
CCI
Coming soon- Qualification: Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting, awarded by Gatehouse Awards
- Language level required: CEFR B2
- Exam: Final Assessment included in the course fee
DPSI Law
Courts, police, tribunals- Qualification: CIOL Level 6, Degree-level recognised
- Language level required: CEFR C1
- Exam: June and November
DPSI Health
NHS and private care- Qualification: CIOL Level 6, Degree-level recognised
- Language level required: CEFR C1
- Exam: June only
The DPSI involves translation as well as interpreting
Four of the five exam units are translation: sight translation into and from English, and written translation into and from English. You also choose a single language pair direction for the exam, even if you're bilingual.
Preparing for a CIOL exam
Available on their own, or bundled with the course.
CPD for Interpreters
Common questions
It depends on your language level and what you want the qualification for. If you're new, or a UK public sector body has told you they need to see a Diploma, start with the FDTI. The CCI is the entry-level standard for paid public service interpreting work. The DPSI is the Degree-level benchmark for legal and healthcare settings.
Our free quiz at linguisttraining.com/whichcourse works this out for you in a couple of minutes.
The full route is the FDTI, then the CCI at Level 3, then the DPSI at Level 6 - though you can start at the DPSI if your language level and workplace knowledge are already strong. The FDTI is the place to start if you're new, or if you've been told you need a Diploma to work for a UK public sector organisation.
The DPSI has been the benchmark qualification for public service interpreting for over 30 years, and the Law pathway is fully accepted by the UK Police for the PAIT Police Scheme.
Yes. Every course is delivered entirely online as distance learning, with no classes to attend and no fixed timetable. You study at your own pace, from anywhere in the world, with 24/7 access for 12 months from the date of enrolment.
The live elements are your LanguagePartner™ Mentor Session, a one-to-one video call booked at a time that suits you, and any Mock Exams you take, which are sat under exam conditions at a scheduled time.
Both are at Level 6 and follow the same structure; the difference is the specialist setting. DPSI Law covers courts, police interviews and tribunals, with the terminology and procedure that go with them. DPSI Health covers hospitals, GP surgeries and mental health consultations.
Choose the one you want to work in. If you're drawn to both, the exam calendar is worth noting when you plan: DPSI Law is examined in June and November, and DPSI Health in June only.
No. What public service bodies and agencies look for is a recognised qualification, and the DPSI is a Degree-level Ofqual-recognised qualification at Level 6 in its own right. You don't need a University Degree to take it or to work professionally once you hold it.
At around 10 hours a week, the FDTI takes most students 1 to 2 months, and the DPSI 4 to 6 months. The average completion time for the DPSI courses, calculated in July 2025, was 5.1 months.
If you're preparing for the CIOL DPSI exam, allow around six months for the course before you sit.
All language pairs, into and out of English. If you don't see yours, contact us; we almost certainly have a LanguagePartner™ who can support you.
The languages CIOL offers for the DPSI exam are set separately by CIOL and change from session to session, so check the current list at ciol.org.uk before you register.
No. The course fee is paid to linguisttraining.com and covers your online course. The CIOL exam fee is paid separately and directly to CIOL, and you register for the exam with them rather than with us. Check current exam fees and dates at ciol.org.uk.
The CCI works differently: course material and the Final Assessment are both included in the course fee.
Still unsure?
Tell us your language pair and where you are now, and we'll tell you which course fits. We're a team of real people in Sheffield, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.