FAQ
General Info:
What’s the difference between certificate and certification?
Many people confuse the meaning of ‘certified’ with having a ‘certificate.’ A certificate of completion, or a certificate of attendance, is not the same thing as being nationally or state certified. A certificate confirms attendance and successful completion of a course of study or targeted training, while being certified is an official recognition by the national or federal certifying body that you possess certain qualifications and meet certain standards. Linguist Education Online is not a certifying body, however, our courses prepare students for certification exam.
Can I see what a course looks like before I buy it?
Sure! Contact us to schedule a virtual tour!
When signing up for a course, do I need to buy any additional materials?
No, you do not. All of the materials are provided in the course. If you are taking a course with instructor evaluation, then we suggest you download audio recording software, if you don’t have it already. In addition, you will need computer-compatible headphones and a microphone for your recordings.
How can your programs help healthcare providers?
Our courses, tests, training guides, and Zoom lessons can assist any healthcare provider that needs to:
– assess the skills of current interpreters or screen new applicants
– prepare their staff interpreters for certification exams
-train their contract interpreters without incurring IRS penalties
For more information, click here!
How can your programs help language agencies?
Our courses, tests, training guides, and Zoom lessons can assist any language agency that needs to:
– assess the skills of current interpreters or screen new applicants
– prepare their staff interpreters for certification exams
– train their contract interpreters without incurring IRS penalties
For more information, click here!
Where can I obtain more information?
You can can contact us through our website with any questions you may have. We are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST). If we receive your inquiry after business hours, we will respond to you promptly the next business day.
Can I be enrolled in more than one course at a time?
As a way of avoiding any complication or confusion, we do not enroll students in more than one course at a time. Students who pay for more than one course must complete one course at a time before they are enrolled in others.
Will I become certified after taking your courses?
Linguist Education Online is not a certifying body. However, our courses prepare students for certification tests. For more information on how to get certified, please visit our Becoming a certified interpreter page.
Do you offer courses for American Sign Language interpreters?
Yes, ASL interpreters can take our single-topic courses without instructor evaluation, on a self assessment basis, and earn RID CEUs.
Please click here for more information.
Can my course be extended if I need more time?
Yes. We understand emergencies happen that can force students to take some time off from their coursework. As a result, Linguist Education Online has a policy that entitles students to an extension of their course access. Extension times vary by course:
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 the student wishes to continue with their course after they used their free extension, they may purchase additional access to the course at the rate of 25% of the prorated tuition. The student will then be granted an additional month of access to their course.
What are the minimum technical requirements to take your program?
If you purchase a course with instructor evaluation, you must have audio-recording software or the ability to download it. In addition, you must have headphones, a microphone, and know how to zip and unzip files. Some courses and tests also require you to have Zoom.
When am I awarded a Certificate of Completion?
A student receives their certificate of completion after they have completed all of the required assignments for the course. Certificates of completion are emailed in digital form. They can be mailed to you upon request.
Is technical support available?
Yes, you may contact us here.
Signing Up:
How do I sign up for a course?
Easy! Simply go to our Programs menu and select Training Courses. Then choose which type of course you want. After completing the payment process, you will be asked to register for the course by providing us with some information. You will then receive an email with instructions on how to begin your course.
**Please note that payments and registrations are processed during business hours. If you pay and register for a course after business hours, you will receive an email the following business day.
Payment:
What payment options do you offer?
We accept PayPal, credit cards, debit cards, money orders, cashier’s checks, and personal checks.
If paying by check or money order, please mail your payment, made payable to Linguist Education Online, LLC, to the following address:
Linguist Education Online
32910 W 13 Mile Rd, Suite E-504
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Do you offer financial aid or payment plans?
At this time we do not offer financial aid. However, for courses that are $1,500 or more, you’ll have the option of paying it in two installments. We also provide group discounts.
In addition, when paying for your purchase with PayPal, you’ll have the option to pay with PayPal Credit (formerly Bill Me Later). PayPal Credit is a line of credit from PayPal that gives you the flexibility to pay for your purchase now, or pay over time. For more information on PayPal Credit, please click here.
*Please be advised that Interpreter Education Online is not affiliated with PayPal or Paypal Credit. When using Paypal services, you are subject to Paypal’s terms and conditions.
What is your refund policy?
Refunds are issued up to 48 hours after payment has been made. Otherwise, your payment will be processed and no refund will be made after that. Courses may not be transferred to another party. No exceptions.
Once I pay, how soon can I start?
You may start the same day that you pay (might depend on our business hours).
Curriculum:
Can I submit more exercises than I’m required to?
Yes, you can. However, there is an additional charge of $40.00 per glossary and $89.99 per interpretation assignment.
Do I do the interpretation exercises in real time or do I record them?
Both! Exercises in the initial and final assessment tests are recorded in real time. Other exercises will require you to record your interpretation performance and submit it for evaluation.
Who are the instructors?
All our legal interpretation instructors are federal and/or state certified interpreters. Our medical interpretation instructors are all certified as well, either through CCHI and/or NBCMI. In addition to extensive backgrounds in interpretation, all our instructors also have considerable experience in interpreter training.
Why are some of your courses offered in different packages?
Various educational packages provide students with the opportunity to choose the best training option to fit their learning needs.
Some may want to work independently, using our materials without constrains of strict academic curriculum and the requirement to submit their homework in a timely manner. Other students, in addition to accessing the course materials, want to receive an objective evaluation of their interpretation performance at the beginning and at the end of the program.
The majority of students, however, prefer to study under the guidance of instructors. As a result, our packages offer various assignment workloads, so students can balance their time, budget, and educational needs.
What languages are your programs available in?
Currently, they are available in Albanian, Arabic, Cantonese, French, Haitian Creole, Hmong, German, Korean, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. If you do not see your language among these, we can translate the course after you purchase it. Please keep in mind that translation can take up to two weeks.
Who developed your programs?
They were developed by a multidisciplinary team of language, legal and medical professionals. This team consists of experienced interpreters with federal, state, and medical interpreter certification credentials. In addition, all members of our development team have extensive pedagogical and academic backgrounds that helped contribute to the creation of course curricula.
What do the courses consist of?
Courses consist of the following:
- Chapters on specific subject matter and interpreter ethics
- Subject matter and ethics quizzes
- Ethics videos and assignments
- Glossaries
- Interpretation exercises
We also offer virtual tours of our courses via Zoom. Contact us to schedule one!
Continuing Education:
I need CEUs. How do I know whether to take a course with or without instructor evaluation?
Since CEU guidelines vary from one certifying organization to another, we suggest you visit our Continuing Education page in order to become familiar with requirements of many organizations. You may also wish to contact your state or national certifying organization to check on their CEU requirements.
Testing:
LEO Plus:
How does your LEO Plus membership program work?
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.