CLIP certification: the first translation quality examination
Discover CLIP’s translator evaluation system, take our exams and demonstrate your value to clients and recruiters in a way that they know they can rely on.
Our solution
The CLIP certification exam is a simple and powerful tool to help you build your career and stand out. A CLIP score on your CV gives you a distinct advantage over other applicants and allows you to feel more confident in negotiating your rates. Our system provides constructive feedback to help you grow and develop over time.
A growth tool that uses quality as a measure of success
Exam details
Simple
As soon as you have subscribed to our platform you can schedule an exam at a time that works around your own time constraints.
Proctored and secured
Our exams are fully secured: online proctors watch your progress and will check your ID. This gives clients confidence in the reliability of your CLIP score.
Time
Our exams last five hours, during which you will be required to translate approximately 1,200 words. These requirements give us the best representation of your skills.
Online
The CLIP exam is 100% online, meaning you don’t need to leave the comfort of your own home. Just make sure you have a space with a good internet connection where you can guarantee complete privacy for the duration of the exam.
Objective and anonymous
Our exam is anonymous, ensuring complete neutrality from our assessors.
CLIP score and certificate
You will receive your CLIP score within two weeks of completing the test, as well as your official certificate and a detailed review of your work by our assessors, including, where applicable, areas of possible improvement and recommended training exercises. There is no “pass/fail”; you will receive a certificate regardless of your score
Evaluated skills
Our exam tests your command of the target language, including spelling, grammar, syntax, typography, punctuation and other specifics. It measures your understanding of the source language and your ability to provide a quality, accurate translation following specific terminology. Translations are performed without a CAT tool.
3 exercises
The exam is composed of one spelling/grammar quiz assessing the command of the target language, a proofreading exercise, and a two-part 1,200-word translation.
Generic translation exam
The generic CLIP exam does not assess specialized fields, such as legal or medical translation. Certifications specific to these industries, as well as others, are currently under development.
Senior professional markers
Our assessors are degree-holding translation industry veterans whose editing and translation skills have been thoroughly evaluated. All are LQA experienced and and have translated and edited a minimum of ten million words.
Correction environment
Exams are marked using a framework based on the LISA/MQM grid, ensuring objectivity in the evaluation. The CLIP process does not have unrealistic expectations on participants and is not intended to be a competition. It is designed to reflect the demands and constraints of the real-world environment, including realistic margins of error.
Why take the CLIP certification?
The CLIP certification is a great investment, no matter what stage your career is at. If you are new to the industry, it will help you reach your first clients more easily. If you are more experienced, it will help you take your career to the next level, with better clients and a stronger position for negotiating your rates. CLIP also helps you to understand where you need to improve, and makes recommendations specific to your requirements.
What does the CLIP certification evaluate?
The CLIP certification assesses your command of the target language, as well as your understanding of the source language. It checks for spelling and grammar, accuracy, terminology, integrity, consistency of language and the translator's attention to the style of the content - whether it is understandable and fluent, and conveys the message the client wishes to express.
Are the exercises made up or do they come from real-life contexts?
Our exams are designed to emulate the kind of scenarios you are likely to encounter on the job. They are therefore based on actual texts, which could be projects from real clients, meaning that your score is truly representative of your ability to do the job, not just to succeed academically.
What company uses the CLIP certification score?
The number of companies that endorse the CLIP initiative is constantly growing—a few of our early supporters are displayed on our website. This is a pioneering project full of opportunities for early adopters!
How can I prepare for the CLIP certification?
We have practice tests available for download on our website that will give you a clear idea of what to expect in the certification exam. Remember, the CLIP exam is not based on passing or failing, the worst that can happen is that you learn where you have room to grow. If you want that added reassurance, we do offer a feedback service on your previous translations to fine-tune your translation skills according to our expectations.
When will I receive my CLIP certification result?
You can expect your results and certificate within two weeks of completing your scheduled exam.
Where does the CLIP certification take place?
Wherever you like! As long as you have a quiet, private space (no open-space allowed) and a strong internet connection, you can take our exam.
I want to take the CLIP certification
Generic certification
Machine Translation Post-Editing Test
Specialized certifications
Specialized certifications are on their way, watch this space!
Commercial marketing
Legal
Technical
IT - Localization
Medical
(Do not worry, we will not use your email address for anything else.)