The qualification is composed of three units:
The texts for the Arts & Culture option will reflect the style of language used when discussing various notions relating to the arts and culture depending on audience and medium. Whether the text is written for an art collector, an audience at a theatre or at a conference on a cultural theme, the translators will have to adapt the language to reflect the target audience.
The texts candidates will have to translate for this option could, for example, promote an art exhibition in an inflight magazine or review a recently published book, film or theatre production; excerpts from exhibition catalogues, classical music websites, and translations for theatre companies might also be offered.
Potential sub-topic areas for Paper 3(G): Arts & Culture:
The CIOL Qualifications Level 7 Diploma in Translation is a high-level professional qualification, set at Master's/postgraduate level. It is the responsibility of each candidate to ensure that they are sufficiently prepared for the exam, competent in both the source and target languages, have very good writing skills and the ability to translate quickly and very accurately at a professional level.
It is essential that you read the Qualification Specification and our Candidate Information for detailed information about the exam format, criteria and regulations.
We also offer preparatory notes on translation:
It is good practice to prepare for a professional qualification by following a course of study. Courses are available in different regions of the UK and internationally. Please refer to the list of courses and contact course providers directly. Please note that as the Awarding Organisation for the DipTrans, we are unable to endorse or recommend any particular course.
A selection of free illustrative source texts can be accessed by CIOL Study Affiliates. You can also purchase past DipTrans papers and Examiner Reports using these forms: Exam Report Order Form and
Past Exam Paper Order Form.
An online demo test is available. This is recommended, to familiarise yourself with the exam software in advance:
Click the images below to watch the interviews with recent Diploma in Translation award winners for some tips on how to prepare for the exam.
Best candidate
Award winner: Madalina Onofras
Interview with: Madalina Onofras
Best English-German candidate
Award winner: Heike Kurtz
Interview with: Heike Kurtz
Best literature translation
Award winner: Mihail Banica
Interview with: Mihail Banica
17 January 2023: Unit 01 & Unit 02 English into Other Language
18 January 2023: Unit 01 & Unit 02 Other Language into English
19 January 2023: Unit 03 English into Other Language & Unit 03 Other Language into English
To register for the DipTrans exam two sets of fees are payable - Exam Fees plus mandatory CIOLQ Virtual Centre Enrolment Fees which cover the costs of invigilation and online assessment.
Unit 01 - Written Translation of a General Text |
£440 |
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Unit 02 - One written translation of a Semi-Specialised Text in a Technology, Business or Literature context |
£325 |
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Unit 03 - One written translation of a Semi-Specialised Text in a Science, Social Science, Law or Arts & Culture context |
£325 |
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Full registration (all three units)* |
£650 |
*Exam Fees are capped at £650; if the total cost of the units you are sitting exceeds this amount, the maximum Exam Fee is still £650.
Unit 01: £60
Unit 02: £60
Unit 03: £60
Full CIOLQ Virtual Centre Enrolment Fee (all three units): £180
For more information, please check our Exam Fees, Invoicing and Billing Policy on our Policies page.
Early registration is now open for the January 2023 DipTrans. Download the DipTrans entry form via the Register Now button below.
Language combinations into English:
Source languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish
Language combinations from English:
Target languages: Albanian, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian and Spanish
If your language combination is not listed, please email our Client Services Team at info.diptrans@ciol.org.uk who will provide you with further assistance.