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Once they have attended an orientation workshop, candidates are eligible to take the written examination. This test is designed to measure the candidate’s general English language proficiency, knowledge of court related terms and usage, and familiarity with ethical and professional conduct. These three areas are central to the work of a court interpreter. The written examination is only one part of the process for becoming a qualified court interpreter. Passing this test does not mean an interpreter is certified. Rather, it means the examinee has met one of several requirements for certification. The written examination is offered in various locations around the state on specific dates and times which will be announced on this page.
2009 Written Exam Schedule
The test will be given on the following dates and locations:
| Date |
Location |
Registration Deadline |
| March 6, 2009 |
Philadelphia |
February 13, 2009 |
| June 23, 2009 |
Harrisburg |
June 5, 2009 |
| August 7, 2009 |
Philadelphia/Pittsburgh |
July 17, 2009 |
| October 16, 2009 |
Philadelphia |
September 25, 2009 |
Each one of the test dates may consist of a morning and an afternoon session depending on demand. A maximum of fifty examinees will be admitted to each session. Candidates may indicate their preference for morning or afternoon in the registration form.
In order to prepare for the examination, all candidates should thoroughly read and study the Overview of the Written Examination, which has a full description of the exam; how it is administered, and sample items to help examinees get ready for the test.
Who is Eligible?
Only candidates that have attended an orientation workshop are eligible to take the written examination.
Registration Form
To register candidates must print, complete and mail a Written Exam Registration Form to the address listed on the form. Registrations will be accepted in the order in which they are received and must be accompanied by full payment. Therefore, it is very important that candidates send their registration form as early as possible in order to have a better chance of obtaining their preferred date and time. Every effort will be made to grant the candidate’s first choice. However, it may be necessary to switch candidates between dates and/or morning and afternoon sessions in order to accommodate demand and testing room space requirements. Candidates will be notified in advance when changes are necessary.
Examination Fee
The examination fee is $50 for state residents and $75 for non-residents. Payment must be included with the registration form and can be made by money order or personal check written to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. Registrations forms will not be processed without receipt of the examination fee. A $25 fee will be assessed for all returned checks. Candidates may reschedule (if other dates are available) or cancel before the confirmation letter is mailed out to them. There will be no rescheduling, cancellations or refunds after the confirmation letter is mailed, or if the examinee fails to take the test on the assigned date and time.
Closing Date
The completed form and payment must be received by 5 p.m. on the registration deadline for each of the testing dates. No registrations will be accepted after the deadlines. Closing deadlines will be strictly enforced.
What happens after I Register?
Upon receipt of the registration form you will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt. After registration closes, candidates will receive a confirmation letter with directions to the examination site along with a copy of the Overview of the Written Examination.
Identification
When registering on the day of the test, candidates must bring with them their confirmation letter and a valid government issued picture identification form (driver’s license, official state picture ID, or passport). No one will be admitted without proper identification.
What is the Test like?
The written exam consists of 135 multiple-choice questions and a foreign language assessment exercise. In order to pass the multiple-choice part, 80 percent of the items must be answered correctly. This means the examinee must answer at least 108 of the 135 items correctly. Examinees are allowed two hours and fifteen minutes to complete the multiple-choice part of the test. All candidates, no matter which language they interpret, must take the multiple-choice exam.
The foreign language assessment exercise consists of translating ten items from English into the candidate’s target language. The foreign language assessment is administered the same day, immediately after the multiple choice part of the examination, and will be rated on a pass/not pass basis. Examinees will have forty-five minutes to translate the ten items. Candidates who interpret in languages for which there is a full or partial oral exam must pass both, the multiple-choice exam and the foreign language assessment in order to complete the requirement.
Do I have to take the Foreign Language Assessment?
Candidates who interpret in languages for which there is a full or partial oral examination (Arabic, Bosnian, Cantonese, Croatian, French, German, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Italian, Korean, Laotian, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese), must take the foreign language assessment of the written examination.
Those who interpret in more than one language for which a full or partial oral exam exits must take the language assessment for each language. Candidates are advised to take the language assessment in the language in which they are most fluent first. Subsequently, when attempting to become certified in a second language they must take the language assessment for that language before taking the oral exam. If there is no full or partial oral exam in any of a candidate’s working languages, they do not have to take the language assessment exercise. Sign language interpreters are exempt from taking foreign language assessment exercise.
Exemption for CDI and Deaf Interpreters
Deaf interpreters that have not yet taken the CDI written (knowledge) test are exempt from taking the ICP written examination as a requirement for Pennsylvania certification. In lieu of the ICP written examination, deaf interpreters are required to take and pass the CDI knowledge test by December of 2009 in order to remain viable candidates for certification in Pennsylvania. Once they pass the CDI written exam in either its written or signed version, deaf interpreters must pass the CDI performance test within five (5) years in compliance with RID requirements. In addition, deaf interpreters are responsible for notifying the ICP each time they register to take the knowledge test and the outcome of each attempt in order to demonstrate they are actively engaged in the process of attempting to obtain the CDI credential. Deaf interpreters who have already taken and passed the CDI knowledge test must provide evidence to that effect. They must complete their CDI performance test requirements within RID guidelines. Interpreters who already hold a CDI from RID are exempt from the ICP written exam.
Accommodation
If you require special accommodation because of a disability recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in order to take the written examination, please print and complete the Request for Accommodation and Documentation of Accommodation forms and mail them along with your registration. Every effort will be made to accommodate reasonable requests.
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