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CILS (Certification of Italian As a Foreign Language)

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The University of Texas at Austin Department of French and Italian is now an official testing site for the CILS Language Certification test.

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 six different proficiency levels officially recognized by the Common European Framework of References for Languages, which translate into different CILS certification exams:

Beginner

CILS A1

CILS A2

Independent Learner

CILS Uno – Level B1

CILS Due – Level B2 (required to apply in Italian Universities)

CILS – B1 cittadinanza (required for the issuing of Italian Citizenship for foreign spouses of Italian citizens)

Advanced Learner

CILS Tre – Level C1

CILS Quattro – Level C2

All the examinations cover what are viewed as the most important elements in language acquisition: speaking, reading, written composition, analysis of structures of communication, and listening.

The qualification is officially issued on successful completion of a particular level. Each part of the examination is evaluated independently, so to pass the exam the candidate must have obtained the necessary grade in each section. Candidates who do not pass the entire exam in one session have 18 months to retake the parts that they have not passed. They will pay the fee only for the portion of the test they have failed. This option is not offered to the candidates taking the B1 Cittadinanza exam.

Who needs to take the CILS B1-CITTADINANZA certification?

silvia.luongo@utexas.edu

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.                                                                    

Where to take the CILS certification exams?

Under an agreement with the University for Foreigners in Siena (Italy), the Department of French and Italian of The University of Texas at Austin is an authorized certifying center.

Address:

Department of French and Italian

Homer Rainey Hall - HRH -201 W. 21st Street, Austin, TX 

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.

Exam Sessions 2025

Exam Session

Registration and Fees

Registration closing date

 

April 9th, 2025

A2

B1-Cittadinanza

B2

Pre-register here

Pay registration fees here

March 9th, 2025

October 16th, 2025

B1 cittadinanza

Pre-register here

Pay registration fees here

September 16th, 2025

December 4th, 2025

 

A2

B1 cittadinanza

B1

B2

C1

C2

Pre-register here

Pay registration fees here

October 25th, 2025

 

Registration Process 

The University of Texas at Austin has partnered with the America-Italy Society of Philadelphia (AIS)  in offering the CILS certification exams. 

Candidates cannot register for the next exam session until they receive the result from the previous session. 

 

Register Here

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.


 

Please follow this link for more information on the CILS Exam or email silvia.luongo@utexas.edu and cilsexams@gmail.com