B1 Italian Language Exam for Italian Citizenship

The CELI 2 citizenship and the CILS B1 citizenship are the necessary levels to obtain Italian citizenship.

The level B1 is usually demonstrated by the ability to carry out simple conversations on somewhat complex topics, understanding the main elements of everyday discussions.

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Which exams are valid for citizenship?

To obtain Italian citizenship, it is necessary to obtain an official certification verifying the passing of level B1.

Both the University for Foreigners of Perugia and the University of Foreigners of Siena are providers of the CELI and CILS qualifications, which are recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The security decree requires certification of a level no lower than B1 in order to obtain Italian citizenship.

Level B1 – pre-intermediate – of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages ​​(CEFR) is equivalent to level CELI 2 and level CILS B1.

Equivalence of CELI and CILS Certifications as per the Common Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages

LEVEL CELI CILS Test your Italian
A1 – basic CELI IMPATTO CILS A1 Italian Test A1
A2 – elementary CELI 1 CILS A2 Italian Test A2
B1 – intermediate CELI 2 CILS B1 / CILS B1 cittadinanza Italian Test B1
B2 – upper intermediate CELI 3 CILS B2 Italian Test B2
C1 – advanced CELI 4 CILS C1 Italian Test C1
C2 – mastery CELI 5 CILS C2 Complete Italian Test

CELI 2 and CILS B1 exams

CELI 2 – cittadinanza

Structure:

  • Reading comprehension (25%)
  • Writing and written interaction (25%)
  • Listening comprehension and phonetic discrimination (25%)
  • Speaking (25%)

Duration of CELI 2 exam: 2 hours 30 minutes

Please note: If one of the two parts (oral and written) is not passed, the entire exam must be repeated.

CILS B1 cittadinanza

Structure:

  • Listening (25%)
  • Reading comprehension and language competence (25%)
  • Writing (25%)
  • Speaking (25%)

Duration of CILS b1 exam: 2 hours 5 minutes

Please note: To obtain the CILS B1 cittadinanza certification, the candidate must pass all the parts.
The candidate will have to retake the entirety of the exam upon failure of any of the parts.

Costs, Dates, and CELI/CILS centers

CELI

There are three sessions per year, taking place in March, June, and November. You can take the CELI exam at the center closest to you, or in Florence, at our school!

Important: To take the CELI exam, strict deadlines and long waiting times are imposed. Marking the exams can take up to 3 months, while sending the certificate, up to 4 months.

Here, at Europass, it costs 120€.

CILS

CILS exams take place various times a year, simultaneously all over the world.

Important: To take the CILS exam it is necessary to respect strict deadlines, for example, the application must be registered at least 45 days before the exam.

It costs 100€, both in Italy and abroad.

Please note: Neither CELI nor CILS can be taken online.

CELI and CILS exam preparation

To pass the language exams for university admission, it is not necessary to follow a specific course, with imposed content or a determined method. What is important is to be well-prepared in both writing and speaking.

Since all parts must be completed successfully in order to pass the exam, training (or simply a review) may be necessary, focusing on certain aspects more than others.

For this reason, we offer a free 15-minute online consultation where one of our instructors can help you choose the learning path that best suits your needs in preparing for the exam.

During exam preparation, exam sessions will also be simulated, using old exam papers.

By taking practice exams, you will get used to the exam structure and the time provided to complete it. Furthermore, by practicing, you can easily check your expected score.

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