By Duygu Türer, 2026 winner of the award for Best Candidate in the Diploma in Translation, pictured receiving her award from CIOL Honorary President Baronness Jean Coussins

Why the DipTrans?

As a full-time freelance translator with a background in mathematical engineering, I had long wanted to complement my professional experience with a recognised qualification. This led me to DipTrans. What particularly motivated me to take the exam was the fact that it is internationally recognised and comparable to master’s level study.

Preparation period

One thing you quickly hear about the DipTrans is how challenging the exam is. I, too, was advised that thorough preparation was essential, so I made sure to allocate enough time to prepare. I made extensive use of the resources available on the CIOL website, reviewing past exam papers and examiners’ reports, and familiarised myself with the assessment criteria.

Alongside this, I read books and articles by established scholars in translation studies. As someone who translates every day, I found combining this practice with theory highly beneficial. Given that my specialised units were Technology and Social Sciences, I also read current articles in both fields, focusing on terminology and style.

Once I had registered for the exam, I completed several practice translations under exam conditions. Afterwards, I reviewed my translations with a critical eye, identifying points where I could improve further. Throughout this process, I also benefitted from the feedback of my husband, who has a background as a writer.

Ultimately, the preparation process was about far more than simply passing the exam; it also significantly improved my professional practice as a translator.

Exam day

As the exam was scheduled over two days, the pace was manageable. Being able to take it online from home was also a great advantage and one of the decisive factors in my registration. Thanks to the pre-exam briefings on how to use the platform, I didn’t run into any technical issues and could focus entirely on translating.

How the DipTrans has contributed to my career

Achieving my DipTrans qualification gave me the opportunity to become a full member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and join a community of language professionals.

Since obtaining the qualification, I’ve noticed that prospective clients respond more positively to my applications. The qualification demonstrates professional competence and credibility, which builds trust.

As machine translation post-editing and AI-assisted translation become increasingly common, I believe formal qualifications play an even more important role in demonstrating a translator’s expertise, particularly for critical projects where accuracy and nuance really matter. I anticipate DipTrans will continue to serve this purpose for years to come.

CIOL Awards Ceremony

The most exciting moment of my journey was learning that I was the winner of the DipTrans Best Candidate Award. Receiving my award from Baroness Coussins at the CIOL Awards Ceremony, meeting distinguished language professionals and experiencing CIOL’s genuine support for linguists made this achievement even more meaningful.

Looking back, I am very glad that I decided to take the DipTrans exam. It has provided me not only with a prestigious qualification, but also the motivation to keep growing as a translator through the ongoing study of language, translation and culture.

Duygu Türer is a certified English to Turkish translator with 15 years of experience in the translation industry. She is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and holds the CIOL Qualifications Level 7 Diploma in Translation (DipTrans) with distinction in the general, technology and social science units, and a bachelor's degree in Mathematical Engineering. She is also a member of the American Translators Association.

You can find Duygu on LinkedIn.

Views expressed on CIOL Voices are those of the writer and may not represent those of the wider membership or CIOL.