CILS Italian Language Certification

CILS - Italian Language Certification

General Information

CILS EXAMS, December 5th
AIS-PHILA and UT-Austin - SOLD OUT

This page was updates on October, 1st 2024

Quick Links
CILS B1 Cittadinanza Exam
CILS A1-C2
Online Intensive Preparatory Courses

Upcoming CILS Exams sessions - 2025

Levels	Exam Date	Registration Deadline	Preparatory Course - CP10	Preparatory Course - CP5
B1-Cittadinanza	February 13th, 2025 OFFERED ONLY AT AIS-PHILADELPHIA	January 13th, 2025	SESSION 1 Fridays 11/15 - 02/07 6:00-7:00 pm (ET) No Classes 12/27 and 01/3. SESSION 2 TBA	TBA
A2 B1-Cittadinanza B2	April 9th, 2025 OFFERED ONLY AT UT-Austin	March 9th, 2025	SESSION 1 Thursdays 02/27 - 04/03 6:00-7:00pm (ET) SESSION 2 TBA	TBA
A2 B1, B2 B1 cittadinanza C1, C2	June 11th, 2025 OFFERED ONLY AT AIS-PHILADELPHIA	April 28th, 2025	SESSION 1 TBA SESSION 2 TBA	TBA
B1 Cittadinanza A2	October 16th, 2025 OFFERED AT BOTH LOCATIONS	September 16th, 2025	TBA	TBA
A2 B1, B2 B1 cittadinanza C1, C2	December 4th, 2025 OFFERED AT BOTH LOCATIONS	October 26th, 2025	TBA	TBA

Testing Locations

The America-Italy Society of Philadelphia and the Department of French and Italian at the University of Texas at Austin have partnered in offering the CILS exams. Under an agreement with the Università per Stranieri di Siena both locations are recognized testing centers for the CILS exams.
CILS exam can only be administered in-person. Upon registration, candidates can decide to take the exam at one of the following locations:

America-Italy Society of Philadelphia
Address: 230 Broad St. Suite#1105, Philadelphia, PA, 19102
Contact info: For more information, please email the General CILS Exam coordinator, Silvia Luongo, at [email protected]

The University of Texas at Austin
Address: Department of French and Italian (Homer Rainey Hall)
201 W 21St Street, Austin, TX, 78712.
Contact info: For more information about the exams offered at this location please follow this link CILS-UT or email Silvia Luongo at [email protected].

NOTE: If the CILS Exam session overlaps with regular classes at UT-Austin, the CILS Exam may be administered in a different building than HRH depending on rooms’ availability. The address of the classroom(s) and the detailed schedule will be shared with candidates once the official registration process has been completed.

Registration process for both locations

Candidates cannot register to the next exam session until they receive the result from the previous session. Please read the F.A.Q below for more information on how to see the results.

NOTE

Upload a copy of your ID document in PDF format.
Please make sure to fill the registration form with your complete legal name (first name, middle name, last name) and any title you may have (2nd, III, Jr.). This information will be used to issue your language certificate and must match the information reported on your passport and other legal documents. If the information on the language certificate does not match those on the other documents, your application for Italian citizenship may be rejected by the Consulate.

Pay Here

NOTE

Registration is not complete until you pay the registration fee. We strongly recommend that you pay your registration fee as soon as possible as spots fill up quickly.
Once formal registration has been completed, candidates cannot cancel or transfer their registration to a different date. They will have to re-register and repay. No refunds will be issued.

Exam Fees
If you are interested in taking the CILS exam levels A1 or A2 for children and B1 for teenagers, please email Silvia Luongo at [email protected] before registering.

Level	Price	Price for each part to retake
A1- A2	$120	$50
B1	$140	$50
B1 - Cittadinanza	$170	No Capitalization
B2	$190	$60
C1	$220	$60
C2	$250	$60

About the CILS Exam

The Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera or CILS) is a qualification offered by the Università per Stranieri di Siena (Italy) for foreign speakers of the Italian language, recognizing various levels of language proficiency. The qualification is recognized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is often used to grant acceptance in any Italian university or higher education institution in Italy (B2 level) and as a required certification for the issuing of the Italian Citizenship for foreign spouses of Italian citizens (B1-cittadinanza level).
CILS qualification is open to all Italian residents abroad and non-Italian speakers wishing to validate their skills in Italian. Applicants of any age are eligible to apply. Preparation for the examination is highly encouraged.
There are different proficiency levels officially recognized by the Common European Framework of References for Languages, which translate into different CILS certification exams.

Who has to take B1-Cittadinanza

As of December 4th, 2018 (law 1 Dec 2018, n. 132) it has become indispensable condition for the issuing of the Italian citizenship for foreign spouses of Italian citizens, according to artt. 5 and 9 of L. 91/92, to demonstrate the adequate knowledge of the Italian language to a level not less than B1 (Cittadinanza) of the Common Reference Framework for the knowledge of languages. Fulfillment of this requirement is met by the acquisition of a title/certification issued by an institution of public education/educational institution or a certification issued by an authorized/recognized certifying body.

Follow this link to read the differences between
CILS UNO B1 and CILS B1-CITTADINANZA.

CILS Exams - Frequently Asked Questions

Read the frequently asked question about the CILS Exams by clicking on the buttons below.

Can I take breaks?

Breaks are incorporated in the exam schedule. Except in case on an emergency, you may not leave the room while taking each section. During the exam candidates cannot move to the next section before the allotted time is over.

What should i Bring?

You have to bring the ID you used upon registration (valid passport or driving license). Candidates should bring a black pen to complete the exam. The use of cellphones, dictionaries, computers or notes of any kind are not allowed during the written and oral exam

How and when will I receive the exam results?

Exam results and online certificates will be published on the website of Università per Stranieri di Siena at Risultati Esami. Candidates will need to insert their birthdate (dd/mm/yyyy) and their identification number (Matricola) to view the results.
For the B1-Cittadinanza results will be posted 40 days after the exam date. For all the other levels results will be published 4 months after the exam date. Paper certificates will be delivered by mail 6 months after the exam date. Certificates don't have an expiration date.

HOw long are the exams?

HOw many points do I need to pass the exam?

Candidates pass the exam if they receive minimum points in each section. For levels A1-C2 candidates can retake the part(s) they failed within 18 months from the exam date. This option is not available for the B1-Cittadinanza. Candidates cannot register to the next exam session until they receive the result from the previous session.

Level	Points for each section	Points needed to pass
A1/A2	Ascolto (12 points) Lettura (12 points) Produzione scritta (12 points) Produzione orale (12 points)	At least 7 points in each section.
B1 - C2	Ascolto (20 points) Lettura (20 points) Analisi delle strutture (20 points) Produzione scritta (20 points) Produzione orale (20 points)	At least 11 points in each section.
B1-Cittadinanza	Ascolto (12 points) Lettura (12 points) Produzione scritta (12 points) Produzione orale (12 points)	At least 7 points in each section with a total of 28 points to pass the exam.

CAn I take the exam online?

No, the CILS Exams can only be taken in person at one of the accredited testing centers worldwide.

Useful Information

Italian Citizenship Qualification Tool Jure Sanguinis
Italian Citizenship by Marriage Jure Matrimoni
Italian Citizenship by marriage requests

Where to stay in Philly.
There are 2 hotels right across from us:
The DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, 237 South Broad Street, Philadelphia 19107
Cambria Hotel, 219 South Broad Street, Philadelphia 19107

Documents Translation
The America-Italy Society of Philadelphia offers documents translation. For more information contact [email protected].

General CILS Coordinator:
Silvia Luongo [email protected]

The America-Italy Society of Philadelphia promotes friendship and cultural understanding between the Republic of Italy and the United States of America