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The Italian Language School for Foreigners at the University of Palermo is an official examination center for the CILS Certification.

The CILS Certification assesses the level of linguistic-communicative competence in Italian as a second or foreign language. The CILS Certification is issued by the University for Foreigners of Siena (UniStraSi) and is recognized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research.

The CILS Center is a member of EALTA (European Language Testing Association), an association, founded thanks to European Community fundings, which brings together all the European actors involved in language testing and assessment.

The CILS Certification is a useful qualification for foreign students who wish to demonstrate their knowledge of the Italian language for work, study (students need an official language certification to enrol in Italian universities) or for cultural reasons. It is recognized in all industrial, commercial and financial sectors.

The CILS Certification is made up of six different levels, as indicated by the Council of Europe's CEFR (from level A1 to level C2) and is one of the pillars of CLIQ, the coordinator of the issuing of certifications bearing CLIQ's quality logo.

Who is it for?

 You can register for the CILS examination if you are:

• a foreign citizen;
• an Italian citizen living abroad (descendant of Italian emigrants);
• a foreign immigrant in Italy.

In addition:

• there are no age limits;
• you do not need any special qualifications;
• you do not need to have passed a lower level CILS examination;
• you can prepare for the CILS examination in the way that is most appropriate to the characteristics of the level of your interest.

Why is it useful?

The CILS Certification is useful:

• if you study Italian;
• if you work and study in or in contact with Italy;
• if you want to assess your competence in Italian.

Each level of the CILS Certification certifies a communicative ability that can be spent in different situations and contexts. The usability of each level of the CILS Certification for those who want to work or study in contact with the Italian institutions is established by the document of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Coordinated System of Certifications of Italian for Foreigners", Rome, 1998.

Each CILS level is independent and complete and you do not need to have passed a lower level test to take the exam. In addition, if you do not reach the minimum required score, in the two consecutive exam sessions, you can retake the exam only for the skills that you do not have passed.

 

Who recognizes the CILS Certification? 

In February 2013, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed an agreement with CLIQ (Italian Language Quality Certification) association. CLIQ was created by the certification bodies of Italian as a second language and the University for Foreigners of Siena is one of its founding members.

The CILS Certification, created by the University for Foreigners of Siena, is one of the pillars of CLIQ and one of the most important tools foreigners can count on for an assessment of their skills in Italian. Such assessment is based on rigorous and innovative theoretical and methodological models.

By signing this new agreement, the CILS, even more by using CLIQ's logo, will conduct its activities in closer coordination with the system of certifications.