Reminder for candidates
Equipment & system requirements
Please read the specifications carefully below.
Equipment & system requirements
You will need the following to sit this test:
| Laptop or computer with the following: |
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| Internet connection: |
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| Other items: |
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It is your responsibility to make sure your equipment is suitable and will function for the entire test. Failure to do so may result in your test being invalidated or cancelled with no refund. We recommend that your electronic devices be connected to a power source for the duration of your test. Note that small screens (such as laptop screens) may make it harder for you to see everything clearly.
Preparing for test day
The Certified Interpreter test is delivered online via NAATI’s testing platform, Televic. NAATI uses an online proctoring program called ProctorExam to make sure all tests are valid and are sat by the correct person.
Make sure you have the right equipment (see section: ‘Equipment & system requirements’ above).
Test task briefs
NAATI will send you the task brief for your test tasks one week before your test day.
If you have not received your task briefs at this time, please contact us at onlinetesting@naati.com.au.
System check
One week prior to your test date, you will receive an email from ProctorExam with instructions on how to set up for your test.
When you click the link, you will be prompted to complete a system check. The system check must be completed using the same setup as you will use on your test day (i.e. same computer, phone, headphones, location, internet connection).
If you have not received this email from ProctorExam, check your spam/junk folder. If it is not there, please email us at onlinetesting@naati.com.au so that we can follow up for you.
Watch the below video for system check instructions.
Once your system check is complete, you will receive another email with a link to access the test.
Test preparation and sample materials
A Certified Interpreter test preparation module is available on the NAATI learning management system. You can access NAATI Learn for free at this link: https://learn.naati.com.au/. You don’t need to create an account. Just select the CI Preparation Module from the dashboard.
It provides you with:
- Access to the NAATI testing platform
- Practice materials in a range of languages other than English
- Practice materials in English
- Self-assessment tools
These materials are © National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (2024) and cannot be reproduced without the written permission of NAATI.
Identity document
You must have a photo identity document (passport or Australian driver’s licence) ready when you begin your test. Click here to learn more about identity verification.
Resources
You will be given preparation time for the sight translation tasks only. During this time, you can use offline electronic or hard copy resources, and a whitelist of online resources for your language pair provided by NAATI.
You cannot use any electronic or hard copy resources during the test tasks.
Paper and pen
You may have loose sheets of paper and a pen ready for taking notes if needed.
Food and water
You may wish to have food or water available for the test session as long as it does not interfere with your test performance.
During the test NAATI will provide:
- A whitelist of online resources for your language pair
- Live Support in accessing the NAATI testing platform and basic technical support with a NAATI staff member via live chat. (For any questions or concerns prior to the test date please email onlinetesting@naati.com.au)
NAATI will not provide:
- Technical support should you experience issues with your equipment
- Any other resource materials.
You must observe these conditions. If you do not, NAATI may cancel your test or not issue your test result. In this case, you will not receive a refund of your test fee.
Leaving the test environment
Leaving the test environment during a test session is not allowed.
In exceptional circumstances, you may request a 5-minute bathroom break during your test. This is only allowed in between test tasks and must be requested via the live chat before leaving the room.
Behaviour on test day
You are expected to be courteous and respectful towards NAATI staff. You cannot communicate with other external parties (e.g. via chat) on the test day once your test has started.
Use of internet and electronic devices
You are not allowed to use any electronic devices apart from those used in taking the test. You must not use any communication and recording functions of devices used for your test during the test session.
No machine translation is allowed; however, you may refer to the whitelist of resources provided by NAATI.
Confidentiality
All test materials are the property of NAATI. You are not permitted to make or take away copies, paper or electronic, of any test material, or reproduce the test or communicate the test content to other candidates or a third party.
Test overview
The Certified Interpreter test assesses your ability to provide quality, professional interpreting of non-specialised monologues and texts, using appropriate interpreting modes.
The Certified Interpreter test is delivered online only and is comprised of six tasks. The tasks will involve different situations from different domains, including at least one from the health domain and one from the legal domain.
Two sight translations
- One sight translation into English (about 200 words)
- One sight translation into the language other than English (LOTE) (about 200 words)
Two consecutive monologue tasks
- One consecutive monologue into English (about 300 words)
- One consecutive monologue into LOTE (about 300 words)
Two simultaneous monologue tasks
- One simultaneous monologue into English (about 300 words)
- One simultaneous monologue into LOTE (about 300 words)
The test will be audio and video-recorded for identity verification, assessment and auditing purposes.
On your test day, NAATI’s Digital Testing team will be available via live chat during your test to assist with any technical issues or you can get help by emailing onlinetesting@naati.com.au
Sitting the test
You will follow the same process on your test day as you completed for your practice test, by following instructions received via email on the morning of your test. Please ensure you use the same equipment.
Note: You will not receive a link to sit the test until you have completed the system check.
Watch the video below for instructions on how to set up on test day.
NAATI’s Digital Testing team will be available via live chat during your test to assist with any technical issues.
The test must be completed in a location that is free of distractions, background noise, and other people. The test location will be checked at the start of the test.
You will need to provide proof of your identity by showing your identity document (passport or Australian driver’s licence) to the camera when asked, prior to beginning your test.
The test will be audio and video-recorded for identity verification, assessment, and auditing purposes.
Watch the video below for step-by-step guidance on what happens on test day.
For each sight translation task, you will be required to sight translate a written document into spoken language. The text will be about 200 words long. NAATI will provide you with an interpreting brief and sight translation text available on the screen. You will have 5 minutes to prepare and then 7 minutes to sight translate the text. NAATI will provide you with a whitelist of online resources for your language pair. No machine translation is allowed. You cannot ask the test supervisor for any clarifications about the text.
The recording will start automatically when your preparation time is over. Once you have finished sight translating, you will click the finish button. The task will finish when you complete the sight translation, or about 7 minutes after the start of your sight translation.
One week prior to the test, you will receive the interpreting briefs for the consecutive monologue tasks so that you can prepare. On the day of your test, you will not have any preparation time for these tasks.
The interpreting brief will be played to you as part of the audio recording. The monologue that you need to interpret will begin immediately after the interpreting brief. You will hear a chime sound at the end of each segment. You should start interpreting no more than 5 to 10 seconds after the chime. You may take notes during the task. You cannot ask for any clarifications, repeats or pauses of the audio recording.
The task will finish when you complete the interpreting, or about 15 minutes after the start of the source monologue audio.
One week prior to the test, you will receive the interpreting briefs for the simultaneous monologue tasks so that you can prepare. On the day of your test, you will not have any preparation time for these tasks.
The interpreting brief will be played to you as part of the audio recording. The monologue that you need to interpret will begin immediately after the interpreting brief. You should start interpreting as soon as possible after the monologue begins and continue to interpret for the duration of the monologue. You may take notes during the task. You cannot ask for any clarifications, repeats or pauses of the recording.
The task will finish when you complete the interpreting, or about 5 minutes after the start of the source monologue audio.
Assessment & results
Assessment
At least 2 NAATI examiners will independently assess your performance in the test. They will assess each task separately, using assessment rubrics with 5 bands (with Band 1 representing the highest level of performance and Band 5 the lowest). Your task performance will be marked against each criterion, which are the same for all task types, as outlined below.
For each task, NAATI examiners will assess your:
- Transfer competency: Meaning transfer skill, Application of interpreting mode, and Rhetorical skill.
- Language competency: Language proficiency enabling meaning transfer into the target language.
Refer to our language policy to understand how the examiners will assess your use of language in your test.
You need to achieve at least Band 2 for each criterion, and you must pass all six tasks to pass the test. To be awarded the Certified Interpreter credential, you must pass both the Certified Provisional Interpreter test and Certified Interpreter test.
Results & receiving your credential
NAATI aims to issue results within 8-10 weeks of the test date. We will issue results as they are finalised, so some candidates will receive their results earlier than others even if they sit the test on the same day.
To be awarded the Certified Interpreter credential, you must pass both the Certified Provisional Interpreter (CPI) test and Certified Interpreter test.
- If you already hold a CPI credential, you will be awarded a Certified Interpreter credential if you pass the Certified Interpreter test.
- If you pass the Certified Interpreter test, but haven’t yet passed the CPI test, you will not receive the Certified Interpreter credential until you have also passed the CPI test.
You must also pass any prerequisite screening tests (Ethical Competency and/or Intercultural Competency).
Supplementary testing
If you attempt all tasks and pass at least four of the six tasks but fail this test overall, you are eligible to apply for a supplementary test.
You must apply for the supplementary test from your myNAATI account within 30 days of receiving your test results. The supplementary test will involve re-sitting only the task type(s) that have been failed, but on a different topic.
If you pass this supplementary test, and you already hold a Certified Provisional Interpreter credential, NAATI will award you the Certified Interpreter credential. If you fail the supplementary test, this means you have failed the Certified Interpreter test. You can apply for another Certified Interpreter test with NAATI if you want to sit the test again.
