Eligibility for NZSTI membership

NZSTI has strict eligibility criteria for its Accredited Practitioner and Practitioner membership categories. Membership may be obtained through recognised translation and interpreting courses in New Zealand or applicable NAATI certification. Overseas qualifications are assessed on an individual basis and accepted at the discretion of the NZSTI council. Work experience is also considered but strict criteria apply. 

We ask when applying you submit as much detail as possible to help us move your application through our process as quickly as possible. Note that applicants must live and work in New Zealand or must have previously lived here and retain significant personal ties to New Zealand.

Accredited Practitioner (formerly Full Member)

NZSTI considers applications for Accredited Practitioner status by those who have completed Level 7 or higher qualifications in translation or interpreting at a New Zealand or overseas tertiary institution, with the qualification requiring two or more semesters of full-time study and/or being equivalent to at least 120 points. In general, applicants are required to have passed with a minimum overall average grade of B+ and a minimum of A- for practical translation or interpreting papers (which are focused on translation or interpreting practice). 

The language direction granted for translation is generally the direction in which the qualification was completed, which is usually from one’s foreign language into one’s native language, for example translation from Spanish into English. For interpreting, membership is granted in both language directions, for example Punjabi into English and English into Punjabi.

Accredited Practitioner status may be granted for some of the qualifications conferred by the following institutions:

• Auckland University of Technology
• Victoria University of Wellington
• University of Canterbury
• NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters): Certified Translator, Certified Interpreter, Certified Specialist Health/Legal/Conference Interpreter

If your qualification was assessed in more than one language pair, you may only be eligible for Practitioner membership.

• substantial published translation work, with an ISBN, which acknowledges the name of the translator
• at least 5 years of full-time employment as a translator or interpreter within an organisation that provides supervision and professional development
• in exceptional cases, well documented evidence of at least 10 years of regular and extensive work as a self-employed translator or interpreter

• NZSTI is formally affiliated with the Sign Language Interpreters Association of New Zealand (SLIANZ). Members of SLIANZ who join NZSTI are admitted as Accredited Practitioners (interpreting)

• NZSTI admits Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori certified translators/interpreters as Accredited Practitioners (interpreting and/or translation)

Practitioner (formerly Affiliate)

NZSTI considers applications for Practitioner status by those who have completed a Level 6 or 7 qualification in translation or interpreting at a New Zealand or overseas tertiary institution.   

The language direction granted for translation is generally the direction in which the qualification was completed, which is usually from one’s foreign language into one’s native language, for example translation from Spanish into English. For interpreting, membership is granted in both language directions, for example Punjabi into English and English into Punjabi.

Practitioner status may be granted for some of the qualifications conferred by the following institutions: 

• Auckland University of Technology
• Victoria University of Wellington
• University of Canterbury
• UNITEC
• Interpreting New Zealand
• NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters): Certified Provisional Interpreter

If your qualification was assessed in more than one language pair, you may not be eligible for Practitioner membership.

Other equivalent qualifications and/or experience may be considered at the council’s discretion, for example:

• a 3-year language degree with a significant, verified translation component equivalent to part-time translation studies 
• at least 3 years of full-time employment as a translator or interpreter within an organisation that provides supervision and professional development
• in exceptional cases, well documented evidence of at least 7 years of regular and extensive work as a self-employed translator or interpreter
  

Provisional Practitioner

NZSTI considers applications for Provisional Practitioner membership by those who are currently working as translators or interpreters but do not hold the qualifications or experience required for a higher level of membership.

Provisional Practitioners are expected to be working toward obtaining qualifications and experience in order to upgrade their NZSTI membership and be recognised as a qualified professional. 

The language direction granted for translation is generally the direction in which the qualification was completed, which is usually from one’s foreign language into one’s native language, for example translation from Spanish into English. For interpreting, membership is granted in both language directions, for example Punjabi into English and English into Punjabi.

To apply, you will need to supply

• A letter from your employe/s or client/s, confirming you are currently working in the profession. Please ensure its noting language pairs, direction/s and hours or translation volumes.
• Any translation/interpreting qualifications and certifications you hold

Observer

Observers have an interest in the society and profession but are not practitioners themselves. This category is suitable for professionals working in T&I-related sectors and for T&I academics. No supporting documentation is required, however you must state the reason for your interest in becoming a member of NZSTI.

Student

If you are currently studying at a tertiary institution in New Zealand, you may apply for Student membership of NZSTI. You must provide proof of your current enrolment when applying for membership (paid fees invoice). Student membership is granted for a period of two years only, after which your membership automatically switches to Observer or, if you meet the requirements, you may apply to become an Accredited Practitioner, Practitioner or Provisional Practitioner.

Current members of NZSTI may not downgrade their membership to Student. Observers may switch their membership to Student if they meet the criteria.

Note that if you are assessed in more than one language pair within a single qualification, this will affect your eligibility for NZSTI membership (see Accredited Practitioner, Practitioner and Provisional Practitioner information above).

To request further information about the application process or for additional information about the society itself, please contact us on [email protected].

 Go to the application page