Exams to Study in Italy: ELP Requirements, Italian Language Exams, Academic Exams

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Compared to other countries like America or even other European nations, Italy has a more formal, classified way of education that takes place in large lecture halls. It is also expected for students to complete a considerable number of study hours outside classrooms to prepare for examinations. Universities in Italy offer various bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and super specialization degrees like Ph.D. or doctorate.

To enroll in Italian Universities, students are required to prepare for several examinations. Students can appear for the examinations right in their home country. It is expected of students to pass one or more tests from their home country before they can apply at an educational institute in Italy. They range from the standardized graduate and college admission tests such as GRE, GMAT to English language tests such as SAT, TOEFL, etc. Most institutes offering master’s degrees will also ask the candidate to display their proficiency in Italian like CIELS and CELI which can determine a student’s proficiency in Italian to help them get admitted to an institution.

English Proficiency Exams to Study in Italy

Most bachelor degree programs in Italy accept English proficiency test results. They accept TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE in most universities and the score requirements vary from institute to institute. The test results of most English proficiency tests remain valid for around 2 years. The minimum English proficiency test requirements for popular Italian universities are given below.

Name of the institute	TOEFL Test score requirements	IELTS Test score requirements	PTE, Additional Test score requirements
Sapienza University of Rome	TOEFL accepted, no particular score listed	IELTS accepted, no particular score accepted	CEFR level B2 minimum required for admission
University of Bologna	TOEFL iBT- 80-99 TOEFL CBT- 180-217 TOEFL PBT- 507-557	A minimum score of 5.5 accepted	Cambridge First Certificate accepted
University of Padua	TOEFL iBT- 70 B2- Minimum score accepted is 80 C1- Minimum score required is 95	IELTS- 5.0 B2- 6.0 C1- 7.0	PTE- 50 B2- 65 C1- 76 Cambridge test of English- Minimum B2 level
University of Milan	TOEFL score is accepted.	IELTS is not accepted.	CEFR level B2 minimum required for admission
University of Pisa	A TOEFL iBT score of 90 is accepted.	An IELTS score of 5.5 is accepted	Additional tests are not accepted
University of Trento	A TOEFL iBT score with no skill set below 18 is accepted.	An IELTS score of 5.5 is accepted	A PTE score of 42 is accepted
Polytechnic University of Milan	TOEFL CBT- 210 TOEFL iBT- 78 TOEFL PBT- 547	IELTS score of 6 is accepted.	Additional exams are not accepted.
Polytechnic University of Turin	TOEFL score is not accepted	A minimum IELTS score of 5.5 accepted	No additional tests accepted
University of Rome	TOEFL score is not accepted	A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 accepted	No additional tests accepted
University of Turin	TOEFL iBT score of 79 accepted	An IELTS score of 6.5 is accepted	PTE score- 65 Cambridge score- 173
University of Florence	A TOEFL iBT score of 71 is accepted	An IELTS score of 6.5 is accepted	No additional tests required

Having discussed the score requirements for getting into Italian universities, we can dive into the details of the exams one needs to give to get admitted to an institute in Italy.

IELTS

International English Language or IELTS is a highly preferred English language proficiency test that acts as an admission requirement in most Italian universities offering programs in English. To enroll in such programs, a level of English proficiency is required which can be determined by IELTS. To give IELTS, 14,700 INR is the exam fee and they take place in a lot of exam centers around the world.

There are different score requirements across different institutions in Italy, therefore students have to check out the score requirements of the universities they are intending to apply to. Most Italian universities like the University of Trento and the University of Pisa accept an IELTS score of 5.5 while the University of Rome and the University of Turin have score requirements of 6.5. In some universities, English proficiency test score requirements for master’s courses might differ from bachelor’s courses.

TOEFL

Another notable English proficiency test for getting admission into Italian universities is TOEFL. Some Italian universities actually prioritize TOEFL over IELTS. There are 3 different variations of TOEFL- which are internet-based, computer-based, and paper-based. Most universities in Italy prefer TOEFL iBT for admission. TOEFL costs around 13,617 INR for Indian students.

The test is divided into four segments- Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking and candidates must achieve the minimum score in each segment to be considered for admission. The University of Turin asks for a TOEFL iBT score of 79 while the University of Pisa asks for a TOEFL iBt score of 90. TOEFL PBT scores of 547 while CBT score of 213 is required in most universities in Italy which accept these variations of the test.

PTE Academic

PTE Academic is also a popular mode of testing that is accepted in some Italian universities offering bachelor’s degrees. University of Trento accepts a PTE score of 42 while University of Padua accepts a minimum score of PTE of 50. There are some other institutes in Italy as well, which accept PTE and students can check them out.

Cambridge English Language Assessments

Cambridge English Assessment tests are also accepted in some Italian universities, though they are less in number. These tests do not have an expiration date but they are not considered valid after two years. The minimum cut off is determined by grades A, B or C. The tests are of multiple levels and they cost around 6,000 INR to 7,000 INR. The main variations of this test which are B2 First, C1 Advanced, and C2 proficiency mainly determine an individual’s level of English. Popular universities like University of Padua and University of Turin accept Cambridge English assessment tests of level B2.

Italian Language Proficiency Tests to Study in Italy

There are universities, especially the ones offering master’s courses that take additional Italian proficiency test scores along with English proficiency test scores for admission. There are certain courses that exclusively accept Italian language proficiency tests since the medium of instruction in such courses is Italian. Therefore, students appearing for such courses are advised to begin learning Italian as soon as possible to demonstrate a minimum level of proficiency in it. The main types of Italian language proficiency tests are discussed below.

CELI (Certificate of Knowledge of the Italian Language)

CELI, or the Certificate of Knowledge of the Italian language, is accredited by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Education, Universities, and Research. The CELI is on par with CEFR which is an English proficiency test and it consists of six levels. The test is conducted a few times a year at the Italian cultural institutes in India and a student targeting a master’s course in Italy should be prepared for it.

CILS (Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language)

The CILS or Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language Exam is supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign affairs and the University of Sienna. The exam mirrors the CEFR and consists of six levels, starting from A1 to C2. The exam is held in June and December in Italian-based institutions and the exam score does not expire. The certificate is internationally recognized as an official representation of dominance in the Italian language.

PLIDA (Italian Language Project Dante Alighieri)

The PLIDA, or Italian Language Project Dante Alighieri is an examination that is in agreement with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This examination also corresponds with the CEFR level starting from A1 to C2. This proficiency test judged based on four sections: oral comprehension, writing, reading comprehension, and speaking.

IT (Italian Certification)

The IT or Italian Certification is also an Italian language proficiency examination which is offered by the University of Rome. The examination resembles the CEFR based on the levels, from A1 to C2, and is held a few times across Italian institutions. A lot of graduate programs in Italy accept scores from this test.

Admission Tests to Study in Italy

Along with language proficiency exams, international students need to submit scores of admission tests which consist of general and standardized tests in order to study in Italy. There are different specializations in different Italian universities like business, law, medicine, engineering etc and they require admission tests for admission into the programs. Details about the examinations are given below.

GRE

GRE, or Graduate Record Examinations is one of the most recognized entrance examinations in the world which can make a student eligible to apply for most top-notch universities around the world. Usually, graduate programs like MBA and MSc require GRE as a part of the assessment. Though it is not mandatory for most programs in Italy, GRE scores have a lot of weightage due to its importance. An overall score of 150 is satisfactory but students can prepare to achieve higher scores. The GRE exam fee is 15,678 INR and it is held several times a year across different centers.

GMAT

GMAT or Graduate Management Assessment Test is a test mainly targeted at business schools around the world. The test can be taken five times a year with a minimum gap of 16 days between the test dates. The minimum score for GMAT varies from institute to institute but most popular universities like Bocconi University Milan, MIB School of Management, and MIP Milano require a GMAT score above 600 for admission. St John's University and Luiss Guido Carli require GMAT scores of 550+ for admission. The requirements also change every year depending on the applicants’ scores, so the university websites must be checked for proper information on the required test scores.

MAT

Mathematics Admissions Test or MAT is a standardized mathematics-based test that is used for admission at universities in Italy. It can be submitted for some undergraduate and graduate programs in Italy, though not compulsory.

IMAT

IMAT or International Medical Admissions Test is a part of the admission procedure for undergraduate medicine courses at Italian universities. Italian University of Education, Universities, and Research provides undergraduate medical courses which are offered in Italy. The courses are offered in English and open to all candidates coming from all over the globe.

Before applying to Italian universities, international students should be aware of all the tests and test scores required by the institutes they are planning to apply to. The minimum score requirements vary based on courses and university websites explain all that in detail. For example, popular business schools usually require a higher GMAT score compared to their counterparts while bachelor’s courses at more sought out universities ask for better scores in language proficiency tests. In general, students should aim for a high score in entrance tests as well as language proficiency tests to maximize their chances of getting admission into popular institutes in Italy.