CILS Certificate Course in Florence at Parola

Italian CILS Preparation Course at Parola Language School

The language school Parola prepares Italian language students for the CILS exam, which is held in Florence twice a year: in June and December. This CILS preparatory program prepares students to obtain the official certification of Italian as a second language (certificato d'italiano come lingua seconda - CILS).

5 Levels of Grammar in the CILS Certificate Preparation:

• CILS for absolute beginners - Level A1 - A2
• 1st Level CILS Certificate - B1
• 2nd Level CILS Certificate - B2
• 3rd Level CILS Certificate - C1
• 4th Level CILS Certificate (most advanced) - C2

CILS Course Levels According to the Italian Education Board

The CILS is an exam with time limit during the tests. The students, during the CILS preparation will learn how to deal with a limited time for each standard CILS exercise at our headquarters in Florence.

Italian CILS Preparation Course Price and Duration

155 euro a month (4 weeks)

Weekly duration: 3 times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) for 2 hours a day.

Total duration: 2 months

The CILS Sessions at Parola School

• The first session begins in April and lasts until the end of May for the June CILS exam.
• The second CILS session starts the first week of October and it concludes at the end of November, for the final italian CILS exam of the year in December

Contact the Italian language school Parola for more information on the Italian CILS certificate.

Italian CILS Exam Dates in Florence

The CILS Italian language exam takes place twice a year throughout Italy in June and December. The certificate is authenticated by the University of Foreigners of Siena that sets 2 exam dates a year. Parola's Italian language students can take the exam for the CILS Certificate in a separate location in Florence.

Exam Dates for the CILS in the Year 2012

There are 2 dates each year to take an Italian language CILS exam, one at the beginning of June and another one during the first days of December:

• June 6th, 2012
• December 9th, 2012

For more detailed information on this exam, please contact the Parola Italian language school.

Information on the CILS conferred by the Siena University for Foreigners

CILS (Certificato d'italiano come Lingua Seconda) is a Certificate of Italian as a Second Language that evaluates and assesses competency level that a student has reached in Italian. It is officially monitored by the University for Foreigners in Siena.

The school Parola prepares students with a specific and approved syllabus, which trains students for the test in an official examination location.

Why a CILS Certification Course in Florence

The CILS certificate is useful for anyone who works and studies in Italy or simply for those who wish to measure their formal and official competence of the Italian language.

The certificate given by the Università per Stranieri di Siena is recognized legally as an official certificate of linguistic communicative competence.

The CILS Guidelines

The certification system of CILS follows the guidelines set by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages checks the learning, the teaching of a foreign language, and evaluates students' linguistic assessment. In addition, it monitors their Italian levels. It is a European initiative in evaluating linguistic competence.

CILS Certificate Levels

Livello Uno

(First level) It corresponds to the B1 level as indicated in Framework. It develops a basic competence level to use Italian with autonomy in everyday contexts.

Livello Due

(Second level) It corresponds to a B2 level and is an intermediate level. A student with this competence is able to use fundamental basics of Italian in a variety of contexts and situations. At this level, speakers are capable of using Italian to communicate effectively during their stay in Italy: for study, work or pleasure.

Note that the possession of this type of certificate allows students who do not belong to the EU to register at university courses without undertaking an Italian test in the faculty.

Livello Tre

(Third level) is equal to C1 level in the CILS framework and represents a superior competence in using the Italian language. The user at this level is able to use Italian effectively in a much wider range of contexts, including atypical situations, formal contexts, in dealing with public and state institutions.

Livello Quattro

(Fourth level) C2 levels in CILS framework is an advanced level approaching native speaker level. The user has a completely independent use of Italian both in formal and informal situations, a capacity to effectively use Italian in professional contexts.

Back to the level list.

CILS Levels for Absolute Beginners

For those who are in the process of learning the Italian language.

The A1 CILS level indicates that a student just got in contact with Italian as a second language, while the A2 CILS level indicates greater knowledge and attests to a larger language competence. Both levels do not represent an autonomous communicative ability.

There are also CILS programs for children of immigrants who are living in Italy, a course syllabus for adults whose first language is different from Italian (Japanese, Chinese and so on) or a preparation aimed at children of immigrants from Italy who live abroad. Contact the school Parola for further information.

Back to the list of CILS levels.

Who is Eligible for the CILS Exam?

Non-Italian citizens and all Italian citizens who reside abroad are eligible to take the exams. There are no limits with regards to age and it is not necessary to hold any educational certificate or qualification. Each candidate is encouraged to prepare for the exam in the way which is most adapted to his or her needs and wants. 

The CILS Exam and the Certification

To obtain a CILS certificate, it is necessary to pass the relevant exam. This exam consists of a listening test, a reading test, and an analysis of the structures of communication, a writing test and a speaking test. All of these evaluations are produced and scored at the Certification Center of the Università per stranieri di Siena according to the guidelines set forth by the EU.

Certificates are granted when a student reaches a minimum score on each session. When retaking the exam, in cases where the minimum score was not achieved, candidates take only those sessions where the score was insufficient.

The CILS Exams All Over the World

Exam takes place in official centers across the globe. These centers also deal with registration for the exams. The cost of the exam is calculated on the basis of the GDP of the country in which the candidate takes the examination.

In cases where students are retaking only those parts of the exam which were failed at the previous attempt, the cost is calculated at one-fifth of the total cost for each session re-taken.

Contact for More Information on the CILS Preparatory Course

A student who is interested in the CILS test preparation, in Florence, can contact the school Parola for further information.