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The NAATI Certification System has been designed after considering the knowledge, skills and attributes identified as necessary for professional practice. It is made up of three components:

  • Prerequisites (Eligibility Pathways): these are the criteria that you have to meet in order to be eligible to sit your chosen certification test.
  • The Certification Test: this is a performance-based test of your interpreting skills. If you’re successful in passing this test, you will be awarded certification.
  • Recertification Requirements: once you are awarded a certification, you are required to meet certain criteria in order to retain it. Every three years, you will need to submit information to NAATI to show that you are continuing to meet these requirements. If you cannot meet these requirements, your credential will expire.

The table below describes these three components of the certification system with specific information for each credential type.

It is important that this document is not read in isolation. You should consult the following additional documents when trying to determine what type of certification you need to apply for:

  • The KSA’s for Interpreters: which sets out in detail the knowledge, skills and attributes identified as being needed for professional practice
  • The NAATI Certification Model: which identifies the types and interrelationships between credentials to be awarded
  • The Descriptors for Interpreter Certifications: which provides information about the competencies associated with each type of credential in the Certification Model

Some eligibility pathways require you to meet NAATI standards for language (i.e. Auslan proficiency), ethical and/or intercultural competencies. The final part of this document outlines some information about these prerequisites.

Click on each image to enlarge.

Notes:
AQF = Australian Qualifications Framework. Visit their website for more information.

If a NAATI Endorsed Qualification was completed more than 3 years prior to the date of application, the applicant must meet requirements as per the non-endorsed qualification pathway.