FAQ

General Info:

LEO is not a certifying body. However, our courses are designed to help students prepare for certification exams by building the skills and knowledge needed to succeed.

Many people confuse the terms “certificate” and “certification.” While they may sound similar, they have distinct meanings:

  • A certificate (such as a certificate of completion or attendance) confirms that an individual has successfully completed a course or training program. It does not grant official recognition or professional credentials.
  • Certification is an official designation awarded by a national or state certifying body, verifying that an individual meets specific industry standards and qualifications.

Linguist Education Online (LEO) is not a certifying body. However, our courses are designed to help students prepare for professional certification exams, ensuring they meet the necessary skill requirements for their field.

Yes! We’d be happy to give you a sneak peek. Contact us to schedule a virtual tour and explore the course structure, content, and features before making a decision.

Most LEO courses are self-paced, allowing you to complete them on your own schedule. Additionally, most courses offer instructor evaluations or live Zoom-based lessons as an option. If a course includes the option of instructor evaluation, it will be mentioned in the course description.

No, all necessary materials are included in the course. However, if you’re taking a course with instructor evaluation, we recommend downloading audio recording software (if you don’t already have it). Additionally, you’ll need computer-compatible headphones and a microphone for your recordings to ensure the best learning experience.

To take our courses with instructor evaluation, you’ll need:

  • Audio recording software (or the ability to download it).
  • Headphones and a microphone for clear recordings.
  • Basic file management skills, including the ability to zip and unzip files.
  • Zoom access for certain courses and tests.

If you have any questions about technical setup, feel free to contact us!

To ensure a smooth learning experience and avoid confusion, we do not enroll students in multiple courses simultaneously. If you purchase more than one course, you must complete one course first before being enrolled in the next.

Course access varies depending on the program. Most courses have a set duration, but extensions may be available if needed. If you’re unsure about your course’s timeframe, check the course description or contact us for details.

Yes! We understand that unexpected circumstances can arise, so LEO offers course extensions based on the course type:

  • Preparatory Course for the Court Certification Exam: 4 weeks
  • Basic 3-Unit Course: 2 weeks
  • Single Topic Unit: 1 week
  • 12-Week Preparatory Course for the CCHI/NBCMI Exam: 2 weeks
  • 24-Week Healthcare Interpreter Training Program: 4 weeks

If you need more time after using your free extension, you can purchase additional course access at 25% of the prorated tuition for an extra month.

For more details or to request an extension, please contact us!

You will be awarded a Certificate of Completion once you have successfully finished all required assignments for your course. Certificates are emailed in digital format, but a printed copy can be mailed upon request.

Yes, each course includes up to three certificates at no additional cost. If you need more than three certificates for the same course, we charge a $20 administrative fee per course. This fee helps us process and deliver extra certificates efficiently.

LEO stores certificates for three years. After this period, old records are purged, and you may need to retake courses to obtain a new LEO certificate. We recommend downloading and saving your certificates for future reference. If you need assistance retrieving a certificate within the three-year timeframe, feel free to contact us.

Yes! If you need assistance, please contact us here for technical support. We’re happy to help!

Yes! ASL interpreters can take any of our courses on a self-assessment basis without instructor evaluation and earn RID CEUs.

Course Curriculum & Learning Process:

LEO courses are designed to provide a comprehensive learning experience for language professionals. Courses include:

  • Chapters covering specialized subject matter and interpreter ethics
  • Quizzes to reinforce subject knowledge and ethical decision-making
  • Ethics videos & assignments for real-world application
  • Glossaries to expand professional terminology
  • Interpretation or translation exercises to build practical skills

Want to see a course before enrolling? We offer virtual tours via Zoom! Contact us to schedule one.

LEO offers various course packages to accommodate different learning styles, schedules, and goals:

  • Self-Paced Learning: Ideal for students who prefer to work independently, using course materials without the constraints of deadlines or required assignments.
  • Guided Learning with Evaluation: Includes objective performance assessments at the beginning and end of the program, providing structured feedback.
  • Instructor-Led Learning: Designed for those who thrive under expert guidance, with interactive assignments and instructor feedback.

Each package varies in workload, offering flexibility to help students balance their time, budget, and educational needs.

Our courses were created by a multidisciplinary team of language, legal, and medical professionals with extensive experience in their respective fields. This team includes:

  • Certified interpreters with federal, state court, and medical interpreter credentials
  • Experts in pedagogy and curriculum development to ensure effective learning methods
  • Academic professionals with strong backgrounds in linguist training and education
  • Certified translators

This collaborative expertise ensures that LEO’s programs are comprehensive, practical, and aligned with industry standards.

LEO’s instructors are highly qualified professionals with extensive experience in interpreting, translation, and training.

  • Legal interpretation courses are taught by federally and/or state-certified interpreters.
  • Medical interpretation courses are led by instructors certified through CCHI and/or NBCMI.
  • Translation courses are taught by certified translators with expertise in various fields.

Beyond their credentials, all instructors have significant experience in interpreter and translator training, ensuring high-quality education and practical, real-world insights.

Our courses are currently available in the following languages:

  • Albanian, Arabic, Cantonese, French, Haitian Creole, Hmong, German, Korean, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

If your language is not listed, we can translate the course after purchase. Please note that translations may take up to two weeks to complete. Contact us for more details!

Yes! Most of our courses are eligible for CEUs. If CEUs are available for a specific course, it will be indicated here. ASL interpreters can also earn RID CEUs through our programs. 

Once you purchased a course, you will receive an email confirmation with instructions on how to access your course. Please note that this email is sent during our office hours, 8 AM to 4 PM Eastern. 

Both!

  • Initial and final assessment tests are completed in real time and recorded.
  • Other exercises require you to record your interpretation performance and submit it for evaluation.

This combination ensures a well-rounded assessment of your skills while allowing flexibility for practice and feedback.

Yes! If you’d like to submit additional exercises for evaluation, you can do so for an extra fee:

  • $40.00 per glossary submission
  • $89.99 per interpretation assignment

This option allows students to receive extra feedback and further enhance their skills.

Signing Up & Payment:

It’s easy! Follow these steps:

  1. Go to our Programs menu and select Training Courses.
  2. Choose the course type that best fits your needs.
  3. Complete the payment process.
  4. After payment, you’ll receive an email with instructions on how to begin your course.

🚨 Please note: While you can pay at any time, registrations are processed during business hours, 8 AM to 4 PM Eastern. If you pay after hours, you will receive your confirmation/enrollment email on the next business day.

We accept the following payment methods:

  • PayPal
  • Credit cards & debit cards
  • Money orders
  • Cashier’s checks
  • Personal checks

If paying by check or money order, please make it payable to Linguist Education Online, LLC and mail it to the following address:

📍Linguist Education Online

32910 W 13 Mile Rd, Suite E-504
Farmington Hills, MI 48334

For any questions, feel free to contact us!

Yes! We offer custom training and testing solutions for organizations and discounts for group enrollments. If you’re interested in training multiple employees or contractors, contact us to discuss pricing and tailored programs for your team.

We do not currently offer financial aid, but we provide flexible payment options:

  • Installment Payments: For courses priced at $1,500 or more, you can pay in two installments.
  • Group Discounts: Available for organizations and teams enrolling multiple students.
  • PayPal Credit: When checking out with PayPal, you may have the option to use PayPal Credit, which allows you to pay over time. 

🚨 Please note: LEO is not affiliated with PayPal. Use of PayPal services is subject to PayPal’s terms and conditions.

Refunds are available within 48 hours of payment. After this period, payments are processed and non-refundable. If you have any questions before purchasing a course, feel free to contact us for assistance!

You can typically start your course on the same day you make your payment, depending on our business hours, 8 AM to 4 PM Eastern. If you enroll outside of business hours, your course access will be processed on the next business day.

Testing:

A Language Proficiency Test (LPT) is an assessment designed to evaluate an individual’s ability to communicate effectively in a specific language. These tests measure skills such as speaking, listening, reading, and writing, depending on the test format. LEO’s LPTs focus on real-world language use, providing an objective measure of language skills, helping individuals and organizations ensure linguistic competency for professional and compliance purposes.

The Speaking and Listening portion of a Language Proficiency Test typically takes 20–30 minutes.

For more details on test structure and scheduling, visit this page. 

Yes, it is.

Yes! LEO’s Language Proficiency Tests are conducted entirely online, allowing you to take them from anywhere with a stable internet connection.

Continuing Education:

CEU requirements vary by certifying organization, so we recommend visiting our Continuing Education page to review guidelines for different organizations.

LEO Plus:

LEO Plus is an annual membership program available to individuals, language agencies, and healthcare providers. It provides across the board discounts on LEO products and includes benefits not available to non-members such as free Zoom lessons with interpretation instructors, free access to select courses, and much more!

Click here to learn more.

Conference:

The confirmation email could land in your spam folder. If you checked and still can’t find it, you might be missing it because you previously unsubscribed from LEO’s newsletter. Please feel free to resubscribe here and make sure LEO is among safe senders, as this is crucial in order not to miss important information regarding the conference, including the links to join and the video recording.

We will send you the link to join the day before the live event. Please check your spam folder if you haven’t received it. Please note that the link will be sent at the end of the work day (7 PM Eastern) to allow last minute registrants to join us.

You need to add LEO to safe senders, as all conference communication is managed by Constant Contact. If you previously unsubscribed from our newsletter, you will be missing important links and other relevant info. Please resubscribe here to stay informed.

The recorded video will be sent to everyone registered within a week after the live event. You will have a month to view the recording and fill out a short attendance questionnaire. You can view the video at any time within this month and pause/stop/revisit it whenever works for you. You can still get your CEUs even if you miss the live event.

Yes, we will have four interactive breakout rooms with outstanding experts on Friday. You can learn more about them here.

You need to complete the attendance questionnaire that will be sent to all participants after the conference, and we will issue your certificate within two weeks after receiving your answers. If you fill out the questionnaire after the submission deadline, please notify our Course Admin at Admin@LinguistEducationOnline.com

LEO will provide CART captions during the entire conference, except the networking sessions. If you’d like to have an ASL interpreter, please let us know in advance: Services@LinguistEducationOnline.com