What is the DPSI?
The CIOL Qualifications Level 6 Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (DPSI) has been the benchmark qualification for public service interpreting for over 30 years, and is now available fully online.
What are the benefits?
Recognised by the UK Ministry of Justice and for the UK Police PAIT Scheme, the DPSI is also strongly recommended for work in Health and all public service contexts.
- Enhance your career - you will be entitled to:
- Use the title 'DPSI' after your name
- Apply for full membership of the Chartered Institute of Linguists
- Apply for registration on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI)
- Take on the highest level and best paid public service interpreting work
- The DPSI is an Ofqual-regulated, nationally recognised qualification
What format does the exam take?
The qualification is composed of five units:
- Unit 01: Interpret consecutively and simultaneously
- Unit 02: Provide a sight translation into English
- Unit 03: Provide a sight translation from English
- Unit 04: Translate into English
- Unit 05: Translate from English
For detailed information on the content and format of the qualification please refer to the DPSI Qualification Specification.
How can I prepare for the exam?
The CIOL Qualifications Level 6 Diploma in Public Service Interpreting is a professional qualification, set at degree 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 interpreting and writing skills and the ability to interpret 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.
The exam is available both to candidates attending courses and to independent candidates. 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. Please refer to the list of courses and contact course providers directly. Please note that as the Awarding Organisation for the DPSI, we are unable to endorse or recommend any particular course.
Preparing to take the DPSI online
An online demo test is available to help you in preparing to take the DPSI online. This is recommended, to familiarise yourself with the exam software in advance.
This YouTube video guide (click the link or on the picture below) offers advice on joining the DPSI Oral Unit.
This YouTube video guide (click the link or the picture below) offers advice on joining the CIOLQ Online Exam Delivery Platform for written units.
Examiner Reports & Sample Law Paper
Candidates may also be interested in recent DPSI Examiner Reports which set out recommendations based on previous DPSI candidate performance by language. A sample Law paper in English is also available here.
Past Papers
You can purchase past DPSI papers using this DPSI Past Paper Order Form.
DPSI Role Play Topics
Role Play topics for the November 2025 exam session, will be published here on 03 November 2025.
Unit 01
Interpret consecutively and simultaneously in the public services
CIOL Qualifications (CIOLQ) listened to feedback received from candidates and training providers and made the decision to change the way in which Unit 01 of the CIOL Qualifications Level 6 Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (DPSI) is examined. The initial move in 2020 to online assessment (due in part to the Covid-19 pandemic) and our decision to continue to offer online assessments presented an opportunity for us to review and improve the way in which we assess this unit.
Following the success of this approach in the last several years, Unit 01 will continue to be assessed via Microsoft Teams using an audio recording for Unit 01 – Part B. You will listen to the audio recording through headphones and interpret simultaneously. In the live exam each audio recording will be approximately 4 minutes in length.
An English Unit 01 paper is available here: DPSI Sample Paper U01.pdf
Key points:
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An interlocutor will support you during your Unit 01- Part A and Part B exam
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Your laptop/PC must always have a camera and microphone access
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You must ensure you have good quality headset with a microphone
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You must have either Windows 10 or 11 for Microsoft or macOS 12.0 or higher for Apple Mac
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Minimum bandwidth requirement of at least 5 Mbps Upload / 10 Mbps Download
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It is highly recommended that, where possible, a wired network is used, for faster internet and more reliable connectivity
More about Unit 01:
Part A – Interpret consecutively between an English Speaker and a speaker of the Other Language. Both speakers will be present and the exam will be conducted on Microsoft Teams. A recording will not be used for Part A. Role play topics are published on our website in line with the dates confirmed in the Key Dates document. You will be required to interpret consecutively for approximately 20 minutes.
Part B – Interpret simultaneously. You are not required to whisper.
You will listen to two audio recordings which you will be required to interpret simultaneously. On the day of the exam an invigilator will share the audio recordings with you. The two recordings cannot be slowed down and there will be no repetition. The recordings will be as follows:
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Recording 1: Interpret simultaneously from your chosen language into English
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Recording 2: Interpret simultaneously into your chosen language from English
Both Recording 1 and Recording 2 will be on the same broad topic but could be from a different area. Role play topics are published on our website in line with the dates confirmed in the Key Dates document. You will be required to interpret simultaneously for a period of 10 minutes.
The format of the assessment has been changed for online delivery, but the learning outcomes and assessment descriptors remain the same. The marking and moderation of completed assessments and results processing remain unchanged.
If you have any questions please contact our Client Services Team (CST) by email to info.dpsi@ciol.org.uk
Dates
Registration for the November 2025 exam session is now open. Please note minimum candidate numbers are required for certain languages to run, so please register early to avoid disappointment.
The November 2025 exam dates are:
- 17 – 21 November 2025 all oral units
- 25 November 2025 all written units
The November 2025 key dates document provides useful information about dates and deadlines.
Fees
For November 2025 the following fees apply:
- Unit 01 - £300
- Unit 02 - £250
- Unit 03 - £250
- Unit 04 - £250
- Unit 05 - £250
Full exam entry (or a combination of any four units) - £995
For more information, please check our Exam Fees, Invoicing and Billing Policy on our Policies page.
Languages
For the November 2025 exam session the following languages (paired with English) are offered:
Law pathway - Arabic (MSA), Cantonese (Traditional), Farsi, French, Mandarin (Simplified), Panjabi (Indian), Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Ukrainian and Urdu.
Health pathway - Arabic (MSA), Cantonese (Traditional), Polish, Spanish and Urdu.
You can express an interest in other languages and future sessions here.
If you have any other questions about languages, pathways, or future sessions please contact our Client Services Team (CST) at info.dpsi@ciol.org.uk
Registration
Registration for the November 2025 exam session is now open. Please register early as minimum candidate numbers are required for certain languages to run, and if these are not met your application may be rejected for this exam session.
You can register and pay using the Register Now button below.
Once you have submitted the registration form, you will be taken to PayPal to complete the payment. You do not need to have a Paypal account to book and pay, you can pay securely via PayPay using a debit/credit card. Your payment will be taken by the IoL Educational Trust, CIOL's associated educational charity.
If you are interested in other languages or in taking the DPSI in June 2026, please express an interest here.
For help and support with registration and payment contact us at info.dpsi@ciol.org.uk