Certifications

Certificazioni d'Italiano

Why it’s a great idea to get a language certificate.

If you love the Italian language and you have already achieved a certain level of Italian, you might want to get a language certificate. Validating your Italian language skills through an Italian language certification is a brilliant idea.

  • You can get your Italian Language Certification in many countries worldwide and in Italy.
  • A language certification is, in fact, an excellent tool to demonstrate your level of Italian and it will be really useful if you decide to study, work or reside in Italy.  
  • Maybe your grandparents or great grandparents were Italian, and you want to apply to get the Italian dual citizenship. Since December 2018, to obtain the Italian citizenship you will need to take an Italian language exam attesting at least, a B1 Italian language proficiency.
  • Preparing for an Italian proficiency test is the best way to practise the four skills of Italian language learning: reading, speaking, listening, writing.

There are several Italian language Certifications issued by universities, cultural institutions, and certified language schools in Italy and worldwide. The most known are the: 

  • CELI (Italian Certification as a Foreign Language).
  • CILS (Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language).

Both differ a lot, however, all of them have a very similar format.

Each of the tests consists of four different Italian language learning skills.

  • Reading
  • Listening
  • Writing
  • Speaking

What level to choose?

What level to choose depends on your goal. If you need an Italian Language Certification to access university in Italy, you will need a B2 or C1. If you have an excellent command of the language, maybe you want to take your chance and try the C1 or C2. If you are a beginner learner, you can sign up for an A1 or A2.

The CELI consists of three different modules:

  • CELI (the traditional one, intended for educated adults)
  • CELI for immigrants (intended for foreign citizens who immigrated to Italy and is also available for students with very little education)
  • CELI for teens (intended for youngsters aged between 13 and 17)

The CELI comprises of six levels, adapted to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

  • CELI IMPATTO – level A1
  • CELI 1 – level A2
  • CELI 2 – level B1
  • CELI 3 – level B2
  • CELI 4 – level C1
  • CELI 5 – level C2

The Italian Ministry of Education recognizes the CELI 3 as a valid Italian Language Certification to study at University in Italy, together with CELI 4 and CELI 5. The CELI 2 is, instead, valid for citizenship purposes.
The CELI exams are made out of 4 to 5 sections (depending on test level) and cover the four skills of Italian language learning (reading, listening, speaking, writing).

THE CILS CERTIFICATION

THE CILS was created and issued by the University of Siena for Foreigners. The exams take place twice a year (June and December) in Italy and various accredited centers and universities, worldwide.

The CILS comprises of six levels of increasing difficulty, recognizing various levels of Italian language proficiency. As the CELI, the CILS is designed to test students’ ability to listen to and express themselves in Italian.

  • CILS A1
  • CILS A2
  • CILS 1 – level B1
  • CILS 2 – level B2
  • CILS 3 – level C1
  • CILS 4 – level C2

The Italian Ministry of Education recognizes the CILS 2 (B2), as a valid Italian Language Certification to study at University in Italy, without the usual mandatory language assessment. The CILS 1(B1) is, instead, valid for citizenship purposes.

The CILS test consist of four sections (oral, written, morphosyntactic and lexical competence, comprehension of written texts, comprehension of oral texts). The format of the exam comes into the shape of multiple choice questions, re-elaboration of texts starting from some given elements and free development of a topic.

Both the CELI and the CILS are official Italian certifications issued by Italian universities, which means they are valid and recognized worldwide.

Note: Personally, I do not issue certificates that certify your level of Italian, but I will give you the preparation, support and all the help necessary to certify your Italian, thanks to agreements with locations that are entities that issue certificates of competence in the Italian language, according to the directives of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).