Tel: (+39) 055 / 29 46 80 | Email: info@galilei.it
MINISTERO DELL’ISTRUZIONE,
DELL’UNIVERSITÀ E DELLA RICERCA
Location of the school
CILS exam preparation courses
About our CILS exam preparation courses
Why enroll in our CILS exam preparation courses? CILS (Certificate in Italian as a second language) evaluates the level of communicative competence a student has reached in Italian language. It is useful for those who are in daily contact with Italy for reasons of work, study, or for those who simply wish to evaluate their Italian language skills.
The CILS Certificate is an official title and is therefore recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education.
WHAT IS CILS CERTIFICATION FOR?
To be submitted where you are asked for an official certificate.
The CILS certification, as it is nationally recognized, can be used in all areas where a certain level of fluency in Italian is required and formally certified, including:
- Entering the world of work and study
- For the enrollment in Italian universitie
- To teach the Italian language
As a motivation for language studies
The certification is still a goal to be achieved and, so, it encourages the motivation in learning the language.
To obtain a long-term residence permit
In order to obtain a residence permit, the Italian law forsees as mandatory the achievement of an Italian language recognized certification.
Specifically, the certification CILS A2 is recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs among the titles of fluency in Italian language valid for obtaining the residence permit for EC long-term residents.The Institute Galilei therefore provides its students the opportunity to activate CILS exam preparation courses specifically taylored to all those who wish to take the exam CILS A2 for the specific purposes of obtaining the residence permit.
For enrolment in an Italian university
In order to enroll in an Italian University the minimum required level is the CILS DUE (B2). Foreign students who have this level are exempted from the test of knowledge of Italian language and can immediately start to attend the lessons and exams regularly. The CILS DUE – B2 is therefore considered valid for the admission of foreign students in the Italian system of higher education.
To obtain a higher score in public ranking
To be included in public occupation rankings, foreign students with a certificate CILS of levels THREE-C1 and FOUR-C2 can be accredited with additional score.
CILS CERTIFICATION LEVELS
CILS exam preparation courses. The CILS certification system follows the guidelines established in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Therefore, there are six levels of competence recognized, each of which is complete and self-sufficient, and based on the different social, professional and intellectual needs of the student. Find more information about language levels here >>>
The required levels of basic language knowledge (A1 and A2) are structured in modules, differentiated according to the needs and necessities of the student, in order to ensure the students get the best results at the end of the course.
Among those modules, there are some specifically conceived for the children of immigrants living in Italy, other addressed to adults whose first language is significantly different from Italian (Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, etc.) and modules for children of emigrants from Italy who are now living abroad.
STRUCTURE OF THE EXAM
To obtain the CILS certification you must pass a special examination, consisting of:
- a listening test
- a reading test
- an analysis of communication structures
- a written test
- an oral exam
All these tests must be produced and evaluated by the Certification Center of the University for Foreigners of Siena, but can take place also in any partner institution.
TEACHING METHOD OF CILS EXAM PREPARATION COURSES
Institute Galilei organizes Italian language courses for foreigners offering a specific preparation aimed at the achievement of the CILS certification. These CILS exam preparation courses are designed to give the student a thorough and personalized teaching program: our teachers will take care to let you be prepared in all the various skills required for the exam with a personalized teaching method based on what your linguistic needs and goals are.
Students will work directly on CILS exercise books and practical exercises will take place in both understanding and written composition in Italian language. Moreover the use of audio-visual materials and guided conversations is carried on in order to properly develop the oral expression skills of the student.
A further key point of our CILS exam preparation courses is given by the examination simulation, carried out directly on the CILS listening and grammar tests of previous years.
Our teaching method is structured in a way so that our teachers can constantly check the student’s progress in each examination skill, promptly working in order to fill the gaps and correct their weaker expression sides.
PROGRAMS
For every type of our CILS exam preparation courses, we have developed specific programs (Breve, Intermedio, Intensivo) in which the number of teaching hours varies according to the previous language skills of the student, and the level that has to be reached for the exam.
SCHEDULES AND PRICES per person
| Course type | Preparation for level | Lesson hours | Prices in Euros |
| One-to-one course | |||
Breve | A1 – A2 | 10 hours | 360 |
Intermedio | A1 – A2 – B1 – B2 | 20 hours | 670 |
Intensivo | B1 – B2 – C1 – C2 | 30 hours | 950 |
| Two-to-one course | |||
Breve | A1 – A2 | 10 hours | 280 |
Intermedio | A1 – A2 – B1 – B2 | 20 hours | 520 |
Intensivo | B1 – B2 – C1 – C2 | 30 hours | 750 |
| Small group course (max 4 part.) | |||
Breve | A1- A2 | 10 hours | 220 |
Intermedio | A1 – A2 – B1 – B2 | 20 hours | 385 |
Intensivo | B1 – B2 – C1 – C2 | 30 hours | 540 |
All prices include registration fee, teaching materials, 1 guided tour in the historic center of Florence.
Examination fees are not included and are as follows:
- Levels A1 and A2: Euro 40
- Level B1: Euro 90
- Level B1: Euro 70 (CILS Teenagers)
- Level B2: Euro 105
- Level C1: Euro 135
- Level C2: Euro 160
BEGINNING DATES FOR CILS exam preparation COURSES
Normally all the preparatory courses for the CILS certification must begin around two months before the exam.
The CILS exam preparation courses in both individual and bi-individual formula are fully customizable: the students are then free to choose the starting day of the course and the schedule will be organized according to their needs and preferences.
DATES OF CILS EXAMS
ATTENTION – To know the deadline for exams registration students shall contact the offices of the chosen examination location. Furthermore, it is necessary that the partner locations send the registrations for the exams to the Centro CILS at least 40 days before the exam date.
* the exams for A1 level may be organized on request only
For the year 2024 the dates of CILS exams are the following:
| Dates 2024 | Levels |
| 15 FEBRUARY 2024 | A2 Integration in Italy B1 Citizenship |
| 11 APRIL 2024 | A2 A2 Integration in Italy B1 Juniores B1 Citizenship B2 C1 For postgraduates in medicine only |
| 5 JUNE 2024 | A1* A2 A1*-A2 Integration in Italy A1*-A2 Children A1*-A2 Juniores B1 B1 Citizenship B1 Juniores B2 C1 C2 |
| 18 JULY 2024 | A2 Integration in Italy B1 Citizenship |
| 17 OCTOBER 2024 | A2 A2 Integration in Italy B1 Citizenship |
| 5 DECEMBER 2024 | A1* A2 A1*-A2 Integration in Italy A1*-A2 Children A2 Juniores B1 B1 Citizenship B1 Juniores B2 C1 C2 |
USEFUL TIPS TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULTS
In the process of learning a foreign language to properly prepare for the exam, it is very important not only the number of tuition hours, but also and mostly the type of course that you decide to attend.
If you have limited time, or have to combine the preparatory CILS study with you work, we would like to suggest you to choose an individual course: in this way, the lessons will be organized according to your needs and availabilities, also the teacher will deal exclusively with your linguistic necessities, by correcting and improving your weaknesses. Our individual courses are the solution chosen by the majority of our students, as they provide the best results in a very short time.
Always keep in mind, in choosing the most suitable course for you, that a week of individual course corresponds to approximately one month in a group course.
At the Institute Galilei we strongly suggest to start the preparation for the CILS certification about two months before the test, so to organize the course in the time the students have at their disposal in the best and most suitable way.