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1. Italian test for pre-registrants and those enrolled for the first time in the academic year 2025/2026

International students with a foreign qualification (i.e. with a high school diploma not obtained in Italy) and pre-registered for Bachelor's or Master's degree courses at the University of Genoa delivered in Italian, must take a Test of knowledge of the Italian language to ascertain their level of knowledge of Italian.
This provision is laid down by the Ministry of University and Research of the Italian Republic, which expressly states: "Each institution independently organises a test of knowledge of the Italian language, identifying the required level, at least B2, which is compulsory for all degree courses and single-cycle Master's degree courses" 
(institutional source: Circolare_2025-2026_studenti_internazionali.pdf - Universitaly).

All students pre-registered in the academic year 2025/2026 must pass an A2-level test in order to complete their matriculation.

For students pre-registering for a three-year or single-cycle degree course, the A2-level test takes place on the same dates as the TE test.L.E.MA.CO: for information and enrolment, see page https://unige.it/en/studenti/telemaco where the subjects that may be exempted from the TE.L.E.MA.CO.

Pre-enrolled students on a Master's degree course in Italian do not take the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test and will take both the A2 and B2 level Italian test on the dates indicated in the session Calendar of Italian language tests a.a. 2025/2026.

Italian test for pre-registrants and those enrolled for the first time in the 2025/2026 academic year

International pre-registered students must take the Italian A2 test on the same day and, only if they pass it, the further TE.L.E.MA.CO. tests.

  • Those who pass the Italian A2 test will not be able to take the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test, will be able to complete their enrolment and, in the following weeks, will receive an email from the Settore sviluppo competenze linguistiche with information on how to take the Italian B2 test.
  • Those who do not obtain level A2 on the test will not be able to enrol in any degree course offered in Italian at the University of Genoa.

Italian A2 and B2 test scores and demos

  • To pass the A2 level Italian language test you need to obtain a score of 18/25 or higher.
    To take the A2 test go to the
    Course page: DEMO Test of Italian Language | CLA
    and click on Test ITA demo A2 25-26
  • To pass the Italian language test oflevel B2 you need to obtain a score of 20/25 or higher.
    To take the B2 Test go to the page
    Course: DEMO Test of Italian language | CLA
    and click on Test ITA demo B2 25-26

The DEMO tests can only be accessed with UniGe credentials (username and password provided by UniGe at the time of pre-registration), you must therefore be pre-registered or matriculated at the University of Genoa in order to take them. The demos are only intended to show the structure of the test and the type of exercises: they do not provide the score obtained and give no indication either of the level of linguistic competence of those taking them or of the errors made.

1.1 Exemption from Test A2: accepted certifications

Students in possession of an A2 or B1 Italian language certificate issued by the University for Foreigners of Perugia, the University for Foreigners of Siena, the "Dante Alighieri" University for Foreigners of Reggio Calabria and - limited to the B1 level - the Centro Studi Italiani of Urbania, will be exempted from the A2 level test and will be called by the Settore sviluppo competenze linguistiche to take the B2 level test only.

The A2 test may only be taken once by students pre-enrolled in the a.y. 2025/2026: this means that the result of the A2 Italian test taken is definitive, the test cannot be retaken and any A2-B1 certification submitted later will not be accepted: the student will therefore not be able to enrol at the University of Genoa in the a.a. 2025/2026 to degree courses delivered in Italian.

1.2 OFA of Italian language

If the student meets the A2 level but does not meet the B2 level, he/she may enrol at the University of Genoa with an O.F.A., to be passed by attending a free and compulsory Italian language course organised by the University of Genoa, at the end of which he/she will take an exam to determine whether he/she has reached the B2 level.
For information on Italian courses, consult the dedicated page.

Those who do not pass the exam at the end of the course will have to retake the Italian test until they do: if by the deadline for compiling the study plan for the second year they have still not passed it, they will be able to complete the exams for the first year, but will not be able to compile the study plan for the second year: they will then have to enrol again in the first year, as repeaters.

All international students with an Italian OFA in their study plan will have to take the Italian test until they pass it: until the OFA is cleared, they will not be able to enrol in the second year of their degree course and will have to enrol in the first year as repeat students.

1.3 Exempted from the Italian test are

  • those who enrol in degree courses taught in English
  • those who pass the admission test for a degree course with a programmed number of students taught in Italian
  • those who are in possession of a certification of competence in the Italian language of level at least B2 among those indicated by the Ministry of University and Research of the Italian Republic (see circular for the a.a. 2025/2026)
    The certifications of level at least B2 accepted by the University of Genoa must have been attained on or after 1 January 2023 and must be issued by the University for Foreigners of Perugia; by the University for Foreigners of Siena; by the University for Foreigners "Dante Alighieri" of Reggio Calabria; by the University "Roma Tre"; by the "Dante Alighieri" Society and by the Centro Studi Italiani of Urbania by virtue of the agreement in force with the University.

If the student takes the B2 certification or sends it after the date on which he/she took the test, the outcome of the test will be valid: this means that those who took the B2 test, did not pass and subsequently send a B2 certification, will have the O.F.A. in the study plan for the whole of the academic year 2025/2026 and will have to attend the Italian course in which he/she will be enrolled.

Pre-enrolled students exempt from the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test

Pre-enrolled students exempt from the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test (see the page https://unige.it/en/studenti/telemaco) will take the entire Italian language test (level A2 + B2) on the dates indicated (see the Calendar of Italian language tests a.y. 2025/2026): they will receive an email from the Settore sviluppo competenze linguistiche with information on how to take this test.

2. Tests for those enrolled in the years prior to the 2025/2026 academic year with OFAs in Italian

International students enrolled for the first time at the University of Genoa in years prior to 2025/2026 and with an OFA in Italian must repeat the Italian test until it is passed. Until the Italian OFA is filled they must enrol in the first year as repeaters and cannot be placed in any Italian course.

Only those who enrolled for the first time in the a.y. 2025/2026 can take part in Italian courses for international students with OFAs or request the activation of a self-study online course.

Depending on the year of first enrolment, students will find below information regarding the Italian test they will have to take (score and demo).

Enrolled for the first time in the years prior to AY 2023/2024

To pass the Italian language test, you need to obtain a score of 27/34 or higher.

To take a test for those enrolled for the first time in the years prior to the 2023/2024 academic year, go to the page
Course: DEMO Italian language test | CLA
and click on Test ITA demo AP enrolled before 23-24

Enrolled for the first time in the academic year 2023/2024

To pass the Italian B2 test, you must obtain a score of 17/21 or higher
To take the B2 test for those enrolled for the first time in the 2023/2024 academic year, go to the
Course page: DEMO Italian Language Test | CLA
and click on Test ITA demo B2 enrolled 23-24

Enrolled for the first time in the 2024/2025 academic year

To pass the B2 Italian language test, you needto obtain a score of 20/25 or higher.
To take the B2 test for those enrolled for the first time in the a.y. 24/25 go to the page
Course: DEMO Italian language test | CLA
and click on Test ITA demo B2 enrolled 24-25

For the dates of the Italian test please consult the dedicated session: calendar of Italian tests for the a.y. 2025/2026.

3. Italian test B2 a.y. 2026/2027

The Italian B2 test must be taken both by aspiring international students intending to enrol on three-year degree or master's degree courses taught in Italian in the 2026/2027 academic year, and by international students with OFAs in Italian enrolled for the first time in years prior to 2026/2027.

Scores and Demos for the Italian B2 Test

The scores required to qualify for the B2 level and the demo of the Italian test will be available starting in April 2026.

Test demos can only be accessed using UniGe credentials (username and password provided by UniGe upon acceptance via UnigeApply). The demos are intended solely to illustrate the test structure and the types of exercises; they do not provide a score and offer no indication of the test-taker’s language proficiency level or the errors made.

3.1 Test for those enrolled in the years prior to the 2026/2027 academic year with Italian O.F.A.

International students enrolled for the first time at the University of Genoa in years prior to 2026/2027 and with an OFA in Italian must retake the Italian test until it is passed. Until the OFA of Italian is filled they must enrol in the first year as repeaters.

The University of Genoa does not organise any Italian courses for international students with OFA of Italian.

All international students with OFA of Italian will take the Italian B2 test according to the modalities foreseen for the a.a. 2026/2027 and will have to achieve a score of 25/35 (corresponding to the B2 aptitude) in order to fill the OFA.

The retiring students will be considered as new candidates for enrolment and will take the test as at point 3.2 (Italian test for students who intend to enrol for the first time in the academic year 2026/2027 in degree courses delivered in Italian). If they do not achieve the B2 Italian requirement, they will NOT be able to enrol in any course at the University of Genoa delivered in Italian.

3.2 Italian test for students intending to enrol for the first time in the 2026/2027 academic year in degree courses taught in Italian

International students with a foreign qualification (i.e. with a high school diploma not obtained in Italy) who intend to enrol in three-year degree or master's degree courses at the University of Genoa granted in Italian must take a test of knowledge of the Italian language to ascertain their level of proficiency in Italian. 
This provision is laid down by the Ministry of University and Research of the Italian Republic, which expressly states: "Each institution independently organises a test of knowledge of the Italian language, identifying the required level, at least B2, which is compulsory for all degree courses and single-cycle master's degree courses": the updated circular will be published at www.universitaly.it/studenti-stranieri

According to ministerial regulations, therefore, in the academic year 2026/2027 it will be compulsory to have a B2 level knowledge of Italian at the time of enrolment.

For students intending to enrol in a three-year or single-cycle degree course, the Italian B2 test will take place on the same dates as the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test: for information and enrolment, see the https://unige.it/en/studenti/telemaco page where the subjects that may be exempt from the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test are also indicated. These students must first take the Italian test on the same day and, only if they pass it, the further tests of the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test: those who do not pass the Italian B2 test will not be able to take the further tests of the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test.

Students who intend to enrol on a Master's degree course taught in Italian do not take the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test and will take the B2 Italian language test on the dates indicated in the Calendar of Italian language tests a.y. 2026/2027.

Those who do not obtain a B2 level on the test will not be able to enrol in any degree course offered in Italian at the University of Genoa.

To support students intending to enrol for the first time at the University of Genoa in the a.y. 2026/2027 in degree courses (both three-year and five-year or single-cycle) delivered in Italian, the University of Genoa offers preparatory courses to a limited number of candidates: for information on these courses in Italian please consult the dedicated page.

Calendar of Italian tests for the academic year 2025/2026

I semester

Students pre-registered in A.Y. 2025/2026 who must also take the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test

  • Test A2: the test is held exclusively in person and on the same dates as the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test. (see page telemaco)
  • Test B2:
    • 16 October 2025 in-person only (in the morning at a time to be determined)
    • 27 November 2025 in-person only (time to be determined)

Students pre-registered in the a.a. 2025/2026 who do NOT also have to take the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test.

  • 16 October 2025 in presence only (in the morning at a time to be determined)
  • 27 November 2025 face-to-face only (in the morning at a time to be determined)

Students enrolled for the first time in the years prior to the a.a. 2025/2026

  • 25 September 2025 exclusively in attendance (in the morning at a time to be determined)
  • 27 November 2025 face-to-face only (in the morning at a time to be determined)
II semester

For all students (both pre-registered in the a.a. 2025/2026, or enrolled for the first time in the years prior to a.y. 2025/2026)

  •   29 January 2026 in-person only (in the morning at a time to be determined)
  •    26 February 2026 in presence only (in the morning at a time to be determined)
  •    23 April 2026 face-to-face only (in the morning at a time to be determined)
  •    25 June 2026 face-to-face only (in the morning at a time to be determined)

Calendar of Italian tests for the academic year 2026/2027

I semester

Students intending to enrol for the first time in the academic year 2026/2027 who do NOT have to take the TE.L.E.MA.CO. test and students with O.F.A. enrolled for the first time in years prior to 2026/2027:

  • 17 September 2026 in-person only (in the morning at a time to be determined)
  • 15 October 2026 in-person only (in the morning at a time to be determined)
  • 19 November 2026 face-to-face only (in the morning at a time to be determined)
II semester

Dates will be announced in December 2026.

Outcome of a.a. tests 2025/2026

Last update