Entry requirements

The programme accepts graduates from any Greek or foreign Higher Education Institution.

The admission process to the Joint Postgraduate Studies Programme (J.P.P.S.) in “Conference Interpreting and Translation” commences when a notice is published by the Special Interdepartmental Committee (S.I.C.) of J.P.P.S. The admission notice is published at the administration offices and the web sites of the participating Schools and the website of J.P.P.S.

To participate in the exams, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• A Higher Education degree of any specialization from any Greek or foreign Higher Education Institution
• Excellent knowledge (certified at C2 level) of two other languages supported by the programme, namely English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian.
• Ability to express yourself with ease and precision in front of an audience in your native language
• Excellent general education and knowledge of current affairs and politics.

The J.P.P.S. has been designed on the premise that the native language of the students is Greek. Applications from candidates with native languages other than Greek will be considered on the grounds of teaching staff availability.

Candidates who are not native speakers of Greek must submit the necessary documentation (including certification of excellent knowledge of the Greek language at C2 level) and undergo precisely the same assessment process as Greek applicants, while they must also be examined in their knowledge of the Greek language.

In addition, they must also submit: a) a Greek language certificate (C2 level), b) recognition of equivalency of their degree by DOATAP (the Hellenic NARIC). If accepted on the J.P.P.S., they are provided with admission statement, which they can use in Greece in order to obtain a residence permit.

 

Applications

Candidates can submit their applications for the course in Conference Interpreting every other year, during the period from March 15th to May 15^th.

For the academic year 2021-2022 applications can be submitted from 16^th March until 10^th June 2021.

Candidates can download the application form here and submit their applications and all supporting documents by June 10^th at the latest.

The candidate’s application portfolio should include:

1. Application form
2. An up-to-date CV with a recent photo, stating inter alia the time spent abroad as well as any professional or research experience
3. A copy of the bachelor’s degree(s). For graduates of non-Greek Higher Education Institutions, recognition of equivalency document certified by DOATAP (the Hellenic NARIC) is also required
4. The corresponding Transcript of Records (ToR)
5. Copies of the C2 Certificate(s) of Language Proficiency

Applications are sent by regular mail to the Administration Office of the School of English Language and Literature at the address:

Administration Office of the School of English Language and Literature,

Administration Building,

3rd floor,

Aristotle University Campus, 54124

Thessaloniki

Greece

Candidates should also fill in the electronic application form available here.

 

Evaluation Process

At first, all candidates’ portfolios are evaluated in terms of the programme entry requirements, by a three-member committee appointed by the J.P.P.S.’s Special Interdepartmental Committee (S.I.C.). If the candidates meet the formal criteria, they are invited to participate in the oral entrance exams.

For the course in Conference Interpreting, the assessment method (allocation of points) is based on oral exams (up to 100%).

More specifically exams include:

1. the oral delivery of a summary of a written text (approx. 300 words) from each of the candidate’s foreign working languages into Greek (candidates will be given 10 min. to prepare for each text)
2. an accurate oral rendering of a brief, well-structured speech (2-3-minute duration) for their stated working languages, supported by the programme, into the Greek language without note-taking

an interview by the committee, also including a general knowledge test on Greek and international history, geography, politics and current affairs, as well as questions pertaining to the candidate’s participation in the programme. The interview can be carried out in any of the candidates’ working languages.

Candidates will be assessed based on the following evaluation criteria:

• Eloquence in the native language.
• Linguistic and cultural competence in the working languages.
• Ability to concentrate, memorize, analyze and infer meaning.
• Ability to express oneself with ease and accuracy in front of an audience.
• Solid general knowledge and awareness of current affairs.
• Time spent abroad in a country where one of the working languages is spoken.
• Candidates’ motivation for attending the programme, the ability to work under pressure and openness to constructive feedback during training.

The pass grade is six (6) out of ten (10). Candidates must score at least 6/10 in each of the working languages they will be examined on. Based on the candidates’ final scores, the first 20 candidates with the highest score will be admitted to the programme. All candidates with an equal score to that of the last candidate admitted are also accepted onto the programme. If a successful candidate fails to register on the programme within the set deadline, then the 1st, 2nd etc. runner-ups are invited to register.

The exams are carried out by an exam committee appointed by the Special Interdepartmental Committee (S.I.C.) of J.P.P.S. Its members may also include examiners from the Directorate General for Interpretation of the European Commission and the European Parliament (SCIC) upon invitation.

 

Scholarships

The Directorate General for Interpretation of the European Commission offers scholarships to students on the Course in Interpretation of the J.P.P.S. in “Conference Interpreting and Translation”. Click here for more information.

 

10 answers to FAQ from graduates to candidates

1. What are the possible topics and what is the level of difficulty of the texts to be interpreted?

There are no specific topics in the entrance exams. The texts are easy to follow and well-structured. easy-to-understand content.

2. Is the interview intended as an oral exam??

Yes. The interview aims to examine the candidates’ general knowledge and their familiarity with current affairs, as well as their ability to express themselves with clarity and precision.

3. What are the topics of the interview questions?

The interview questions touch upon both current affairs as well as the candidates’ general knowledge.

4. Is the interview conducted in Greek, in the working languages ​​or in both?

The interview is usually conducted in Greek, however, if deemed necessary, the interview can be conducted in any foreign language stated by the candidates.

5. Can I attend the programme with three working languages?

Yes, you can. This means that you have to attend classes for all three working languages during the Postgraduate course. However, this is challenging and requires a lot of work, perseverance, patience and resilience.

6. What should I pay attention to when interpreting texts?

Each text tells a story. Carefully listen to this story and try to memorize it by paying attention to the way the different ideas interrelate in the text.

7. Can I take notes while listening to the texts?

No, unless it is a number or a name.

8. What time should I arrive at the examination site?

At least twenty minutes before the exam starts.

9. How can I prepare for the exam?

There are short videos on news sites dealing with current affairs. Newspaper articles are just as useful. You should also brush up your general knowledge on history and geography.

10. How is the examination structured?

Firstly, you are given some texts to prepare in the languages ​​you are examined on. Once this step is completed, you are asked to summarize what you have read. Next, you will listen to some speeches that you need to  deliver in Greek. The interview is the last stage of the evaluation process.