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: All the details

How much does the B1 exam cost?

CELI 2: Here, at Europass, it costs 120€ for all those that attended one of our courses, 190€ for all those who didn’t.
CILS B1: 100€, both in Italy and abroad.

The structure of the exams

CELI 2 – cittadinanza

Structure: reading comprehension (25%), writing and written interaction (25%), listening comprehension and phonetic discrimination (25%), and speaking (25%).
Duration: 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%), and speaking (25%)
Duration: 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.

When and where to take the exam

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. Our school is one of the accredited centers in Florence.

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.

CILS

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

In Italy, they take place at the University of Siena (about an hour’s drive from our school in Florence) and other affiliated locations.
Abroad, exams take place at some affiliated centers and Italian Cultural Institutes. Discover the office closest to you.

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.

CELI / CILS exams online

Neither CELI nor CILS can be taken online.

How to prepare for the CELI / CILS exams

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.

Our courses (in Italy and online) are highly customizable according to your needs.

Are you in need of just a recap, or are you still not satisfied your level and you’d like to advance your skills by following an intensive course? Do you prefer to study in a group or take private lessons?

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.

Online preparation for B1 exam

Enhance your Italian language skills with our flexible online courses.

Join a global community of learners in group classes or opt for personalized instruction with individual lessons. Mix both options for a complete learning experience.