CILS certificate program

CILS (Certificate of Italian as a Foreign Language) is an officially recognised qualification attesting proficiency in Italian and it is a valuable certificate both for work and educational purposes. Scuola Leonardo Da Vinci is an authorised CILS exam centre, approved by the University for Foreigners in Siena.

CILS (Certificate of Italian as a Foreign Language)

As many other language certifications, CILS is standardised by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This certification provides different competence levels in the language:  A1-A2 (basic learner), B1-B2 (independent learner, central), C1-C2 (competent learner), A2 integrazione (permit of stay), B1 cittadinanza (Italian citizenship).

The exam is divided into 4 main sections to assess the four fundamental language abilities (writing, reading, speaking and listening), which are evaluated and scored independently.  To obtain the certificate, students must get a Pass in each section. If you get a Pass only in some sections and not in others, you will have the opportunity of a retake in the next exam session in order to improve your score only in the sections where you failed the first time (except for A2 integrazione and B1 cittadinanza).

CILS is the first certification of Italian that can be used to obtain a resident permit for those students or workers wishing to stay in Italy for a long period of time since it is recognised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Course Preparation for the CILS

Scuola Leonardo da Vinci offers specific courses to support students with the CILS certification and provides a thorough preparation with regard to the different skills required by the exam itself. Courses are held some weeks before the exam dates announced by the University for Foreigners in Siena.

In the first place, the student is given a comprehensive overview of the different sections of the exam.  The teacher introduces each single test section, illustrating its nature, the main characteristics and the assessment criteria. Then the student has the opportunity to make practice with a trial test, at the beginning without the time constraints imposed by the real examination, then trying to stay within those limits.After the correction of the test by the teacher, the critical points and weaknesses are revised and specific reinforcement activities are proposed to recover.

Course Starting Dates

Course Facts
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