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Test of knowledge of the Italian language

A.y. 2024/2025

Students who intend to enrol at the University of Genoa and do not hold a high school diploma obtained in Italy, must take an Italian language test to ascertain their level of proficiency in Italian.
This provision is indicated by the Italian Ministry of the University and Research of the Italian Republic stating that: “Each Institution independently organizes an Italian test, of at least a B2 level, mandatory for any Bachelor’s degree courses or 5-6 year single cycle degree courses (institutional source).

First-time pre-registered students must pass at least the A2 level Italian test to complete matriculation.
Those who do not obtain at least an A2 level on the test will not be allowed to enrol in any course taught in Italian at the University of Genoa. 

The Italian A2 test takes place on the same dates of the TE.L.E.MA.CO TEST (see at: https://unige.it/en/studenti/telemaco)

International students must sit the Italian test and then the TE.L.E.MA.CO TEST: those who fail the Italian A2 test will not be allowed to sit the TE.L.E.MA.CO TEST.

Those who pass the A2 test will continue with the TE.L.E.MA.CO TEST and, in the following weeks will receive an email from Settore Sviluppo Competenze Linguistiche (clat@unige.it) inviting them to enrol and take the Italian B2 test.

To pass the Italian A2 test you must achieve a score of at least 18/25; to pass the Italian B2 test you must achieve a score of at least 20/25.
An example of the A2 test (Test DEMO Italiano A2) can be found at this page
An example of the B2 test (Test DEMO Italiano B2) can be found at this page
Both examples are accessible only to enrolled or pre-registered students at the University of Genoa and have only the purpose of showing the different kinds of tests, not to give score or informations about proficiency or mistakes made.

Students who hold a certificate of proficiency in the Italian language of level A2-B1 issued by the University for Foreigners of Perugia; the University for Foreigners of Siena; the University for Foreigners "Dante Alighieri" of Reggio Calabria and, only for the B1 level, by the Centro Studi Italiani of Urbania, are exempt from the A2 Italian test and they will be called directly to take the B2 Italian test.
Certifications must be sent to: sass@unige.it  at least 20 days prior to the TE.L.E.MA.CO TEST dates. 

The test can only be taken once by students who are pre-registered for the first time: this means that the result of the Italian test is final, and the test cannot be re-attempted.

If a student obtains an A2 level but not a B2, he or she may enrol at the University of Genoa but will need to make up for their failure to achieve the required standard (OFA) by attending a compulsory Italian course organised by the University of Genoa free of charge, at the end of which they will take a new test aimed at ascertaining if they have reached a B2 level of Italian. Those who fail the test at the end of the course may try again until the deadline for completing the second-year syllabus. Those who fail again may complete the first-year exams, but will not be able to fill out the study plan for the second year, because they will still have failed to achieve the required standard: they will then have to enrol in the first year as repeat students.
 

First-time pre-registered students not required to take TE.L.E.MA.CO (see at: https://unige.it/en/studenti/telemaco) will take the complete test (level A2+B2) on the scheduled dates (see below, Italian tests schedule a.y. 2024/25).
A demo of A2 test for new students registered in a.y. 2024-25 will be available in June.

Exemption from the Italian test

The following are exempt from the Italian test: 

  • students enrolled in degree courses taught in English;
  • students who have passed the entry test for degree courses with restrictions on student numbers taught in Italian;
  • students who hold a certificate of proficiency in the Italian language of at least a B2 level among those indicated by the Ministry of University and Research of the Italian Republic (https://www.studiare-in-italia.it/studentistranieri). The University of Genoa accepts B2 certificates obtained starting from January 1st 2022 issued by the University for Foreigners of Perugia; the University for Foreigners of Siena; the University "Roma Tre"; the "Dante Alighieri" Society; the University for Foreigners "Dante Alighieri" of Reggio Calabria and by the Centro Studi Italiani of Urbania by virtue of the agreement with the Università degli Studi di Genova.

Students holding a B2 level certificate are required to send it to: sass@unige.it 20 days prior to the test date. 

If the certificate is obtained or sent after the date a student took the test, only the test result will be considered valid. This means that a student who failed the A2 test will not be able to enrol in the University of Genoa, even if he or she obtained a B2 certificate after the date of the test; in addition, a student who has passed the A2 test but failed the B2 test will have to attend the Italian course they have been assigned to and take the final exam.

Italian language courses to achieve the required standard (OFA)

Go to the dedicated section of the Italian language courses and tests page

Italian tests schedule a.y. 2024/2025

I semester

Dates reserved for pre-registered students in the a.y. 2024-25 who must also take the TE.L.E.MA.CO TEST

  • A2 test: 
    The test takes place on the same dates of the TE.L.E.MA.CO test (see at: https://unige.it/en/studenti/telemaco)
     
  • B2 test: 
    October 14th 2024 in person (test times not yet available)
    November 25th 2024 in person (test times not yet available)

Test schedule reserved for pre-registered students in the a.y. 2024-25 who DON’T HAVE TO take the TE.L.E.MA.CO TEST

  • October 14th 2024 in person (test times not yet available)
  • November 25th 2024 in person (test times not yet available)

Dates reserved for freshers enrolled for the first time in the a.y. 2023-24

  • September 27th 2024 in person (test times not yet available)

Dates reserved for students enrolled in the years prior to a.y. 2023-24

  • September 27th 2024 in person (test times not yet available)

A.y. 2023/2024

Contents and scores for the Italian language proficiency test reserved for students enrolled in the years prior to A.Y. 2023/24

The test lasts 30 minutes. You must complete 9 tasks, for a total of 34 questions. 
To pass the test and prove you have a B2 level of Italian, you must achieve a score of at least 27/34.
An example of the Test can be found at https://cla.aulaweb.unige.it/mod/quiz/view.php?id=1814

From question 1 to question 8, you need to complete the sentences, choosing from 4 possible options. In question 9, you need to click on the correct word that completes the text, choosing from 4 possible options.

See the Syllabus to prepare for the test.

Contents and scores for the Italian language proficiency test reserved for freshers (enrolled for the first time in A.Y. 2023/24)
The Italian language proficiency test is divided into two parts called Test A2 and Test B2. Both tests must be taken for the exam to be considered valid.
The total duration of the test (Test A2 + Test B2) is 35 minutes. 

  • Part I (Test A2) assesses language proficiency up to an A2 level, lasts 20 minutes and consists of 5 questions. In the first 3 questions, relating to grammatical structures, you must complete sentences, choosing the correct answer from the possible options given; in question 4, you must indicate the word that correctly completes the text, choosing from four possible options. In question 5, you will listen to a recording and answer six true or false questions. 
    Part I of the test is passed with a minimum score of 20/25.
     
  • Part II (Test B2) assesses B1 to B2 proficiency, lasts 15 minutes and consists of 5 questions. In the first 4 questions, related to grammatical structures, you must complete sentences, choosing the correct answer from the possible options given. Question 5 is a test of lexical competence and reading comprehension: you must indicate the correct word that completes the text, choosing from 4 possible options. There is no listening exercise in the B2 Test. 
    Part II of the test is passed with a minimum score of 17/21.

An example of the A2 Test can be found at https://cla.aulaweb.unige.it/mod/quiz/view.php?id=2214
An example of Test B2 can be found at https://cla.aulaweb.unige.it/mod/quiz/view.php?id=2215
See the Syllabus to prepare for the test.

Italian tests schedule a.y. 2023/2024

2nd semester

  • 23 February 2024
  • 19 April 2024
  • 28 June 2024 (In-person test reserved for students enrolled in the years prior to the academic year 2023/2024 who have not yet passed the test, students enrolled in the academic year 2023/2024 who have never taken the test and those who have not passed the exam at the end of their Italian course)

Outcome of a.a. tests 2023/2024

Last update 21/06/2024