Language Certification

The Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles offers the opportunity to take the official exams for the Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language (CILS) managed by the Università per Stanieri di Siena at the headquarters of the Institute itself.

Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language at the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles

CILS EXAM DATES IN 2021

- B1 Cittadinanza: April 15 (this session is reserved for the candidates already registered in 2020)

- ALL levels A1, A2, B1, B1 Cittadinanza, B2, C1, C2: June 10 and December 2

Registrations for the December 2 session will start in October (please check this page for updates on registration dates)

The test takes place at the Italian Cultural Institute (1023 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024) and you must attend in person.
Please note that, if there are many registrants, some candidates may take the exam on the following day.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the dates and/or format of the exam may change according to either the State of California, Consulate General of Italy and/or University of Siena guidelines. Registered candidates will be notified promptly IF changes occur. Additional precautions may be taken to assure the safety of all and will be detailed in the instructional email sent before the test.

There are other institutions, approved by the University of Siena, where more dates for the B1 Cittadinanza exam might be available. We suggest checking the official Universita' per Stranieri di Siena' website for an updated list of approved CILS exam centers.

REGISTRATION
The following enrollment documents must be sent by e-mail to alessandra.mastroianni@esteri.it   by the end of the registration deadlines:

1.Enrollment Form

2.Scanned copy of a valid ID

Since the number of spots is limited, registrations will be accepted on a “first come first served” basis. Therefore, you may pay the exam fee only after your enrollment has been accepted.
An email containing information on fees and payment methods will be sent to the registered candidates.
Please note: The exam fee cannot be refunded or used for the following exam sessions unless the session is cancelled by the IIC LA. Only In this case, will the exam fee be returned.

Universita’ per Stranieri di Siena- Information for candidates

For CILS B1 Citizenship Prep Course click here 

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Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language

The Certificates of Italian are titles attesting the degree of communication skills in Italian as a Foreign Language. Potential recipients include foreign citizens, Italian citizens residing abroad (of Italian origin), and foreign immigrants in Italy. No previous degree is required to take the exams. For the administration of the exams through the Italian Culture Institutes, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has signed agreements with the following institutions:

Università per Stranieri di Perugia   (CELI – CIC)

Università per Stranieri di Siena  (CILS)

Università degli Studi Roma Tre  (IT - ele.IT)

Società Dante Alighieri  (PLIDA)

The certifications are consistent with the parameters set by the European Union’s Framework of Reference for Languages.