Admission Requirements
The conditions for admission to Active Membership are governed by Article 7 of the Association Bylaws (amended Dec. 3, 2016) and are as follows:
"Applicant" means a person applying to TAALS for admission, readmission, or language reclassification.
A. Substantive requirements
Applicants for active membership shall fulfill the following requirements:
(1) An Applicant Interpreter
must have at least one hundred (100) days of conference experience in simultaneous and/or consecutive interpretation. S/he must be sponsored by at least three (3) active members in good standing who have been members of the Association for at least two years in the Interpreter category for at least two years and who confirm that they have worked with and have listened to the Applicant.
(2) An Applicant Translator or Reviewer/Reviser
must be sponsored by at least two (2) active members in good standing who have been members of the Association in the Translator category for at least two years. The applicant must also satisfy at least one of the following requirements:
• Service in a recognized organization for at least one (1) year in a full-time post as translator or reviewer/reviser, or three (3) years in a closely related position in which a substantial portion of the time is spent translating.
• Freelance translation under contract in a recognized organization for one year during which time remuneration for this work represents a substantial portion of the Applicant's earnings.
• Published and credited translations.
• Freelance translators working mainly on the private market must submit three (3) references from public or private entities per target language. Such references shall be provided by clients for whom the Applicant has worked during the past three (3) years, specifying the relevant dates and working languages. The Applicant shall also submit a list of other translations, if any, indicating relevant dates and working languages.
(3) An Applicant for readmission in either category
shall be presumed to have satisfied the substantive requirements when were first admitted
(4) Applicants for reclassification
shall submit only those sponsorships which are pertinent to the reclassification.
(5) If an Applicant,
owing to special circumstances
, cannot comply with the above requirements, special consideration may be requested. A full explanation of the circumstances must then accompany the application.
B. Formal Requirements
Applications must set forth sponsorship, experience, a professional domicile and requested language classification. The following sponsorships apply:
• For an A: three (3) sponsorships with that A
• For a B: two (2) sponsorships with that B or better
• For a C: two (2) sponsorships with a B or better in that language
Translators, Reviewers/Revisers
• For an A: three (3) sponsorships with that A
• For a B: two (2) sponsorships with that B or better
• For a C: two (2) sponsorships with a B or better in that language
For more details, please visit: https://www.taals.net/en/bylaws/">. Please remember that only complete application packages will be accepted. As an applicant, it is your responsibility to collect the sponsorship forms, assemble the application package and then submit a full package to the Admissions Secretary (scanned submission is preferred.)
Deadlines for submission:
Spring cycle:
please submit your completed application no later than February 15.
Fall cycle:
please submit your completed application no later than September 15.