What is the DPSI qualification and why should I get it?

The DPSI is a nationally recognised qualification that is widely regarded as the Gold standard for Interpreters.   Interpreters with this qualification attend the highest level Interpreting jobs such as in Courts, for the Police, and the Home Office.   In addition, they have access to the highest payment rates, as well as the ability to join NRPSI and create agreements with direct clients.
The exam process
The DPSI (Law) consists of 5 units:  
Unit 1 – consecutive and simultaneous interpreting  
Unit 2 – sight translation into English  
Unit 3 – sight translation from English  
Unit 4 – written translation into English  
Unit 5 – written translation from English  

How we conduct the DPSI exam:   Exams are conducted on Zoom over two days. Day 1 covers oral units (1, 2 and 3), which takes around 90min, and day 2 covers written units 4 and 5, which takes just over 2 hours. The oral units are done with an invigilator and an assessor in your language, the written just with an invigilator.  
Exams take place once a month, so if you are thinking about going straight for the assessment, you could get booked in in the coming months. Exams are booked on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limited number of slots available each month.
Is the DPSI exam difficult?
This is a tough question to answer, but one we get asked by learners all the time. Ultimately, you need to bear in mind two facts:  
a) the DPSI is a Level 6 qualification, and as such is equivalent to a BA degree in complexity; and  
b) looking beyond the exam, holders of the DPSI will be interpreting at the highest levels, often literally holding the lives of limited English speakers in their hands.  

Therefore, the interpreter must understand both the source and target language fully, along with all the nuances, slang and high-level register that can appear in Level 6 settings. The most challenging part of the exam tends to be the terminology and, as such, the biggest mistake one can make is to underestimate the building of glossaries. It is also advisable to invest in a good-quality paper-based legal dictionary, which can be used in the sight translation and written translation units.  

Overall, however, the key to success at the DPSI is without a doubt preparation, preparation, preparation.
How can I prepare for the DPSI?
We offer three kinds of preparation courses to suit all learners and all budgets.  

A) Self-study preparation course  
This online course contains 8 e-learning modules covering the techniques you will be tested on (consecutive/simultaneous interpreting, sight/written translation), as well as units on the settings you will be working in (police, court, prison, immigration) to help you build your glossary. In addition, we provide a large bundle of past exam papers to help you study, as well as other online study resources.    

B) Group DPSI preparation course  
This is a 10-week group DPSI preparation course, consisting of: 8 group DPSI preparation lessons with an experienced tutor; each lesson lasts 90min and takes place remotely once a week 2 FREE language-specific lessons with a qualified Language Specialist; each session with a Language Specialist lasts 60min and takes place remotely once a week The next group sessions will begin in September 2022, intake is now open!    

C) Gold one-to-one DPSI preparation course  
Our high-quality, one-to-one, tutor-led DPSI preparation course is a fixed-length preparation course with additional optional extras. At its’ core is a bundle of 4 focused sessions based around interpreting specialisms, followed by 3 sessions with a qualified and experienced language specialist. In addition, you are able to undertake a mock DPSI exam, experiencing exam conditions and obtaining detailed feedback on your performance.
Questions?   Give us a call on 0203 475 7771, send an email to [email protected] or check out our website for more details!