Advanced Entry: Chinese Translation and Interpretation

Admission Requirements

You may be eligible to complete the degree in only two semesters through advanced entry, if you meet the following requirements.

• Earned a master’s degree from a translation and interpretation program OR have at least two years of relevant full-time professional experience.
• The Language and Skills Test (LST) evaluation will confirm whether you qualify to take the Advanced Entry exam. Nominated students do not need to take the LST.
• Pass the Advanced Entry exam.

If you apply for advanced entry and do not qualify, we will automatically consider you for accelerated entry (three semesters) and the regular two-year program. 

Nominated Students

The term “nominated student” refers to current students at our partner universities who are nominated by their faculty to apply for our Advanced Entry exams. We waive several aspects of the application for nominated students and you are guaranteed a minimum 30% scholarship.

If you are not a nominated student, you can still apply for Advanced Entry but please note the differences in your application process.

Choose Your Degree

We offer Advanced Entry for the following programs. 

• MA in Translation (T): focus on Chinese to English and English to Chinese translation.
• MA in Translation and Interpretation (TI): training in both translation and consecutive interpretation.
• MA in Conference Interpretation (CI): training in both consecutive and simultaneous interpretation.

If you are interested in localization, check out our Advanced Entry MA in Translation and Localization Management (TLM). Advanced Entry is not available for our joint T/TLM, TI/TLM, or CI/TLM degrees. Those degrees require 6 semesters (three years) to complete.

Admissions Process Timeline

The following timeline is for nominated students. If you are not a nominated applicant, please follow the instructions below but ignore the references to nominations and apply as soon as possible (before April 1).

March

• Nominations are due from your home university by March 1.
• Once you receive a nomination, start the online application for a Middlebury Institute master’s program by April 1.
• Attend our webinar for advanced entry Chinese translation and Interpretation where the admissions team and faculty will answer questions about the application process, exams, etc. We will email everyone who has been nominated (and everyone who started the appropriate application) with the date, time, and instructions on how to join the webinar.

April

• Submit your online application for a Middlebury Institute master’s program by April 1.
• Register for the Advanced Entry exam by April 10.
  • You will receive information on how to register after submitting the online application.
• Attend our webinar on the Advanced Entry exam led by our faculty. We will email you the date, time, and instructions on how to join the webinar.
• Take the Advanced Entry exam on Saturday, April 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Beijing Time)

May 

• We will send you your admissions decision by May 10.
• If you are admitted, pay your tuition deposit by May 15 to officially enroll and secure your spot in the program. Note there are different types of admission.
• Start the visa process: you will receive an email with instructions from our office of International Student and Scholar Services within a week of paying your tuition deposit.

June–September

• You will receive emails from various offices for your orientation and onboarding as a new student.
• Classes start in early September but you should plan on being in Monterey one week before the start classes to participate in Welcome Week.

How to Apply

• Review the instructions for all of our translation and interpretation programs.
• Nominated students will receive detailed instructions on how to apply from your faculty in March. Please note that nominated students do not need to provide the following:
  • TOEFL/IELTS/Cambridge English fluency scores
  • Language and Skills Test (LST)
  • Recommendation Letters
  • Admissions interview
  • Application fee

Scholarships

• Nominated students are guaranteed a minimum 30% scholarship and can receive additional scholarship funding based on the strength of their application. Make sure to submit a personal scholarship statement as part of the online application.
• If you are not nominated, you can still receive scholarship funding by submitting a personal scholarship statement as part of the online application.

Advanced Entry Exam

MA in Translation

• English into Chinese translation (400–500 words, to be completed within 1.5 hours, dictionaries allowed).
• Chinese into English translation (500–600 characters, to be completed within 1.5 hours, dictionaries allowed).

MA in Translation and Interpretation

• English into Chinese translation (400–500 words, to be completed within 1.5 hours, dictionaries allowed).
• Chinese into English translation (500–600 characters, to be completed within 1.5 hours, dictionaries allowed).
• English into Chinese consecutive interpretation (three segments, for 7–9 minutes in total).
• Chinese into English consecutive interpretation (three segments, for 7–9 minutes in total).

MA in Conference Interpretation 

• English into Chinese translation (400–500 words, to be completed within 1.5 hours, dictionaries allowed).
• Chinese into English translation (500–600 characters, to be completed within 1.5 hours, dictionaries allowed).
• English into Chinese consecutive interpretation (three segments, for 7–9 minutes in total).
• Chinese into English consecutive interpretation (three segments, for 7–9 minutes in total).
• English into Chinese simultaneous interpretation (12–15 minutes).
• Chinese into English simultaneous interpretation (12–15 minutes).

Admissions Decision

If you are admitted, there are several types of admissions decisions that you can receive:

Admitted to your program choice

We will email you an admissions letter with instructions on how to deposit to secure your spot.

Admitted to another program (with flexibility)

Based on your overall application (including the Advanced Entry exam), we may determine that you are eligible for a different program to your program of choice but you will have the flexibility to take courses in your program of choice and depending on your performance, potentially graduate with a degree in your program of choice. For example:

• You were interested in an MA in Translation and Interpretation but you are admitted to an MA in Translation. You will have the opportunity to take courses in translation and interpretation—if you are successful in those courses, you may be able to graduate with an MA in Translation and Interpretation (not guaranteed). Otherwise, you will graduate with an MA in Translation.
• You were interested in an MA in Conference Interpretation but you are admitted to an MA in Translation and Interpretation. You will have the opportunity to take courses in conference interpretation—if you are successful in those courses, you may be able to graduate with an MA in Conference Interpretation (not guaranteed). Otherwise, you will graduate with an MA in Translation and Interpretation.

You will receive an email with instructions on accepting your new program. If you accept, you will receive an admissions letter with instructions on depositing.

Admitted to another program (no flexibility)

You may be admitted to a different program without the opportunity to take courses outside of your degree program. 

• If you are admitted to an MA in Translation, you will not be able to take interpretation courses.
• If you are admitted to an MA in Translation and Interpretation, you will not be able to take simultaneous interpretation courses.

You will receive an email with instructions on accepting your new program. If you accept, you will receive an admissions letter with instructions on depositing.

Curriculum

MA in Translation 

Coursework:

• Advanced Translation I B–A (4 credits)
• Advanced Translation I A–B (2–4 credits)
• Translation Practicum (2 credits)
• Translation Technology (2 credits)
• Translation and Interpretation as a Profession (1–2 credits)
• Advanced Translation II B–A (4 credits)
• Advanced Translation II A–B (2–4 credits)
• Advanced Translation Technology (2 credits)
• Translation Practicum (4 credits total: 2 credits per semester)
• Electives (2–7 credits)
• Directed Study: Thesis (optional, 4 credits: 2 credits per semester)

MA in Translation and Interpretation 

Coursework:

• Advanced Translation I (4 credits)
• Advanced Interpretation I—Consecutive B–A (2 credits)
• Advanced Interpretation I—Consecutive A–B (2 credits)
• Practicum in Interpretation, Translation, or Localization (2 credits)
• Advanced Translation II (4 credits)
• Advanced Interpretation II—Consecutive B–A (2 credits)
• Advanced Interpretation II—Consecutive A–B (2 credits)
• Electives (10–11 credits)

MA in Conference Interpretation 

Coursework:

• Advanced Interpretation I—Consecutive B–A (2 credits)
• Advanced Interpretation I—Consecutive A–B (2 credits)
• Advanced Interpretation Simultaneous B–A (2 credits)
• Advanced Interpretation Simultaneous A–B (2 credits)
• Advanced Interpretation II—Consecutive B–A (2 credits)
• Advanced Interpretation II—Consecutive A–B (2 credits)
• Advanced Interpretation II Simultaneous B–A (2 credits)
• Advanced Interpretation II Simultaneous A–B (2 credits)
• Practicum in Interpretation (4 credits total: 2 credits per semester)
• Electives (8–9 credits)