Italian language proficiency assessment for non-EU citizens

Non-EU applicants requiring a study visa who intend to enrol in Italian-taught Bachelor’s, Master’s or single-cycle degree programmes, and single courses at the University of Pisa must demonstrate knowledge of the Italian language at least at level B2, as required by ministerial regulations.

Exemption from the Italian language test a.y. 2026-2027

Applicants holding a B2-level certificate issued within the CLIQ system (Certificazione Lingua Italiana di Qualità) are exempt from the Italian language test.

Valid certificates are those issued by:

• University for Foreigners of Perugia
• University for Foreigners of Siena
• Roma Tre University
• Società Dante Alighieri

Certificates may be obtained in Italy or abroad at accredited examination centres.

Please note: certificates issued by Italian Cultural Institutes are not considered valid. For further exemption cases, please refer to the ministerial note.

Italian language test for candidates without certification a.y. 2026-2027

Applicants without a valid certificate must take an Italian language test consisting of two stages:

1. TEST ITA L2

• can be taken on available dates across all CISIA consortia universities
• minimum required score: 55/72
• must be taken in the current calendar year (from 1 January 2026)
• must be booked following the instructions below

2. Online oral interview (CLI)

Access to the interview is granted only to candidates who achieve at least 55/72 in the CISIA TEST ITA L2:

• the interview assesses oral production skills
• it is organised by the University Language Centre (CLI)

Important:

• the University of Pisa TEST ITA L2 and the oral online interview (CLI) can be taken only by candidates who have submitted a pre-enrolment application for a University of Pisa programme via the Universitaly portal
• the Italian language requirement is considered fulfilled only if both stages are successfully passed

Test fees

• TEST ITA L2: €35.00, payable according to the instructions below within the deadlines
• Online interview: €35.00, payable to CLI following the instructions on the dedicated page

Please note: Fees paid are under no circumstances refundable and may not be transferred to or used for any subsequent test session, including cases where candidates not pre-enrolled at the University of Pisa via Universitaly have mistakenly registered for the Italian language test.

Stage 1 – TEST ITA L2

Dates and payment deadlines

TEST ITA L2 dates (online @HOME mode), registration and payment deadlines for a.y. 2026/2027 are the following:

Who can apply

Non-EU applicants requiring a visa may register for the CISIA ITA L2 Test ONLY if they have already completed their pre-enrolment on Universitaly, by the closing date of the selected test session, for an Italian-taught degree programme at the University of Pisa (Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or Single-cycle Master’s degree).

What to do (step by step)

1. Register on the Alice portal using your personal data exactly as shown in your passport. Any discrepancy may prevent participation in the test
2. Log in to the portal using credentials you received by email
3. Select: Menu → “Segreteria” → “Iscrizione test di Valutazione”
4. In the “Course of study” section, select TEST ITA L2 and choose one available date (you can select only one date)
5. Pay the €35.00 fee via PagoPA. Your registration will be confirmed only after payment has been completed.

Please note: the email address used on the Alice portal must match the one entered on Universitaly. If the two email addresses do not match, the system will not correctly process your registration for the CISIA ITA L2 Test. If you used a different email address on Alice, go to the “Personal data” section of the Alice portal and click on “Edit contacts” before registering for the test.

Important:

• check the required equipment and technical requirements for the @HOME test on the CISIA dedicated page

• on the day of the test, you will receive an email containing:

  • a link to access the test (accesso.testcisia.it / @HOME / OTHER TESTS)
  • the credentials needed to log in to the test
  • a link to the WEBEX virtual classroom
  • a link to download your score certificate after you have completed the test.
• if the test is passed with a score of 55/72 or higher, the TEST ITA L2 certificate must be uploaded to Universitaly as part of the pre-enrolment application documents.

Stage 2 – Online oral interview

Dates and payment deadlines

The interview is organised in 3 sessions in July, September and October 2026, according to the schedule published on the CLI website.

Registration procedure

Only candidates who have passed the CISIA test with the required minimum score are eligible. The interview:

• must be booked following the instructions on the CLI dedicated page
• is held online
• can be taken only once

If successful, the CLI issues an “Open Badge” certificate, which must be uploaded:

• on the Universitaly portal, for validation of the pre-enrolment application
• on the Alice portal, during enrolment

Summary information:

• the online oral interview (CLI) can be taken only by candidates who have passed the CISIA ITA L2 Test with the minimum required score (55/72), regardless of the consortium university where the test was taken. However, priority in interview bookings will be given to candidates who took the test at the University of Pisa
• the TEST ITA L2 and the oral interview (CLI) can be taken just once
• tests taken at other CISIA consortium universities are valid, provided they are passed with a minimum score of 55/72, taken in the current calendar year (from 1 January 2026)
• fees paid by candidates are non-refundable and may not be transferred to or used for any subsequent test session.

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