T&Cs and FAQs
Terms and conditions
Full terms and conditions are available here:
Bristol Translates Summer School T&Cs 2024 (PDF, 103kB)
FAQs
Tuition
Q. Who is Bristol Translates for?
A. The summer school is for translators with an advanced knowledge of one or more languages, working either into or out of English, whether undergraduates, graduates or others, including practising translators. This is both to develop participants’ skills and give them an insight into the profession of literary translator.
Q. Are the Bristol Translates workshops for translation between English and other languages?
A. Yes. This year, in addition to workshops translating from a range of languages into English, we are also running workshops translating out of English.
Q. Are the Bristol Translates workshops only for translation from the languages listed?
A. Yes. Do consider applying for the multilingual workshop if your language is not listed, and keep an eye out next year as we like to vary the languages we offer.
Q. Do I need to do any preparation in advance?
A. The workshop texts will be emailed to attendees one month in advance to enable you to familiarise yourself with them, look up vocabulary terms and think about the challenges. You are not expected to translate them in advance, because this is what we’ll be doing in the workshops.
Eligibility
Q. Can I take part if I’m not based in the UK?
A. Yes. Bristol Translation summer school is entirely online and participants are welcome to take part from anywhere in the world. Just make sure you set your clock to British Summer Time!
Q. May I attend Bristol Translates if English is not my mother tongue or language of habitual use?
A. For the into English workshops, only if you have excellent command of English. You may be asked to take a short test, and acceptance is at the discretion of the tutor in that language. Note that for Japanese, applicants should have at least Level 1 or 2 of the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test). For out of English workshops, you should apply for the workshop corresponding to your mother tongue.
Q. I am bilingual in English and another language. Am I eligible?
A. Yes.
Q. I am already studying/practising translation. Is this summer school for me?
A. Yes: the programme is designed to be of interest to those with some translation experience, or a lot, or none. It is an opportunity to work in a group situation under the supervision of leading professional translators.
Q. Does Bristol Translates provide a translation qualification?
A. No. There are many excellent translation courses in the UK and elsewhere which offer a full programme of study, including here at the University of Bristol. The summer school is intended to give a taste of good translation practice, and we hope that those whose appetite is whetted may think about pursuing their interest further. All students successfully completing the summer school will, however, be awarded a certificate signed by the co-directors.
Q. What does the course fee cover?
A. The fee covers the workshops and attendance at the talks and panel sessions.
Q. Can I attend just part of the summer school?
A. We strongly discourage this, as the workshop sessions will only be of real use if you attend the whole event. If you were to attend only part, you would still have to pay the fee in full. However, the keynote is open to non-participants and some other sessions may be recorded and published on our playlist.
Q: May I attend Bristol Translates in the future as well or can I only attend once?
A: You are welcome to attend as many times as you like. In fact, quite a few of our participants come back – some to keep working in the same language and others to practise working from another.
Q: If my application is unsuccessful, may I try again next year?
A: Absolutely! We know that circumstances change and translators work very hard to improve their skills. We will be very happy to consider another application from you.
Cancellation and refunds
Q. What right do I have to cancel and will I receive a refund of my fee?
A. Please consult our terms and conditions for information about your right to a refund.
Please email any queries to bristol-translates@bristol.ac.uk
This was the most fantastic, intensive, challenging and amazing week. Thank you very much!
Thank you for creating such a supportive, encouraging, inclusive and non-judgemental environment. This week has really boosted my confidence and I now feel that it is actually possible to pursue a career in translation (which I was doubting earlier this year). I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to join Bristol Translates 2023. Thank you again.