Language Requirements to Study in Italy: B2 Italian and English

The language level you need depends on the language your course is taught in. For the 2026/27 and 2027/28 intakes, Italian-taught Laurea, Laurea Magistrale and single-cycle courses require Italian at level B2 or above, tested by the institution before the visa application and recorded in your Universitaly pre-enrolment; courses taught in English or another language require a B2 certificate in that language covering all four skills; and foundation courses require at least B1 in the course language. Recognised Italian certificates and certain diplomas exempt you from the institution’s test. This guide sets out the rules, the exemptions, the accepted certificates and how consulates treat language evidence.

Language requirements at a glance

Course type	Language	Minimum level (CEFR)	How it is verified	Exemptions
Laurea, Laurea Magistrale, single-cycle, AFAM diplomas taught in Italian	Italian	B2	Test organised by the institution, preferably remote, before the visa application; result recorded in the Universitaly pre-enrolment	CELI, CILS, PLIDA or IT certificate at B2 or higher; C1/C2 CLIQ certificates; diploma from an Italian school abroad; titles on the national exemption list (Annex 2); Perugia or Siena university-for-foreigners diplomas
Courses taught in English or another language	Course language	B2	Certificate covering all four skills from an internationally recognised body, or equivalent university-issued certification; recorded in the pre-enrolment; consulate may verify	As the institution’s rules allow (for example prior degree taught in that language, where accepted)
Foundation courses	Course language	B1	Verified by the institution and recorded in the pre-enrolment	As the institution’s rules allow
Master universitario, PhD, single courses	Course language	Set by the institution	Institution’s own admission rules; recorded in the pre-enrolment	As the institution’s rules allow

Italian-taught degree courses: B2 Italian tested by the institution

The institution is responsible for verifying your language competence. For a Laurea, Laurea Magistrale or single-cycle course taught in Italian you must demonstrate at least B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), the level at which a learner can follow lectures, read academic texts and write structured essays. The institution organises the test, preferably remotely so that you can take it from your home country, and should do so before you apply for the visa. It then certifies the result in your pre-enrolment on Universitaly, so that the consulate does not need to test you again.

Each institution decides the format, dates and content of its test and publishes them on its international admissions pages; check them as soon as you have chosen a course, because test dates can fall early in the pre-enrolment period. If the institution can only test you in person in Italy, your pre-enrolment can be validated “with reservation” and you can travel on a 100-day type D visa to sit the test (see the admission process guide).

Who is exempt from the Italian test?

You do not need to sit the institution’s Italian test if you hold one of the following, which the institution records in the pre-enrolment instead:

• A certificate at B2 or higher from a CLIQ-recognised body. CLIQ (Certificazione Lingua Italiana di Qualità) is the association of the four official Italian certification systems: CELI (Università per Stranieri di Perugia), CILS (Università per Stranieri di Siena), PLIDA (Società Dante Alighieri) and IT (Università Roma Tre). Exams are held at centres abroad on dates each body publishes; B2 sessions fill up, so book well ahead of the pre-enrolment window.
• A C1 or C2 CLIQ certificate, which exceeds the requirement.
• A diploma from an Italian school abroad (scuola italiana all’estero).
• A qualification on the national exemption list (Annex 2), which covers specific secondary-school qualifications with an Italian-language component; we can tell you whether your country’s qualification is on it.
• A diploma from the University for Foreigners of Perugia or Siena.

Keep the original certificate: the consulate may ask to see it, and the university will want it at enrolment.

Foundation courses: B1

For a foundation course you need at least B1 in the language of the course. The institution verifies the level and records it in the pre-enrolment. Because the degree you progress to will require B2, a foundation year is also the time to improve; ask the institution whether it tests you again before progression and what happens if you do not reach B2.

Courses taught in English or another language: B2 in that language

For a course delivered in a language other than Italian, you need a certificate of that language at B2 or higher, covering all four skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing), issued by an internationally recognised body, or an equivalent certification issued by a university. The institution records it in the pre-enrolment, and the consulate includes the certificate in the visa document list and may verify it.

Practical points:

• Institutions publish which certificates they accept and the minimum scores corresponding to B2. Check the list for your course; some programmes set a higher level, and some accept a prior degree taught in English as evidence. Take the institution’s list as the authority, not a general description.
• Check the validity period of your certificate against the institution’s and consulate’s rules, and make sure it will still be valid at the time of the visa application and enrolment.
• Certificates that test only two skills, or online tests the institution does not list, may not be accepted.

There is no Italian-language requirement for a course taught entirely in English, but some Italian will make the residence permit, housing and daily life easier, and many universities offer free or subsidised Italian courses to enrolled international students.

What the consulate checks

The consulate does not run its own language test when the institution has recorded the result in the pre-enrolment. It does, however, include the B2 certificate for non-Italian-taught courses in its document list, may verify certificates with the issuing body, and considers your ability to follow the course as part of its overall assessment of the coherence and credibility of your plan. At the visa interview you may be asked about the course in the language it is taught in. Make sure what you declare on Universitaly, what you present at the consulate and what you can actually do all match.

Each institution publishes its own test dates and list of accepted certificates, and each consulate publishes its document list; you can find your consulate through Il visto per l’Italia.

Planning your language preparation

1. Confirm the teaching language of the whole course on the institution’s page, not just the course title.
2. Decide between the institution’s test and a certificate. For Italian-taught courses, a CLIQ B2 certificate removes dependence on the institution’s test dates and is useful for scholarships and work later; the institution’s test is free of certificate cost but tied to its calendar.
3. Book early. Certificate sessions and institution tests both have fixed dates, and results take time to issue. Work backwards from the pre-enrolment window using the academic calendar.
4. Keep evidence consistent across Universitaly, the visa file and enrolment.
5. Plan beyond the minimum. B2 is the entry level; coursework at Laurea Magistrale level is easier with C1.

For the choice between Italian- and English-taught courses see courses and programmes; for how the language test fits into the overall sequence see the admission process and the Study in Italy hub. If you are unsure which certificate your course accepts, our university admission guidance service checks it against the institution’s current rules.

Frequently asked questions