CELI 2 i Cittadinanza is the B1 exam for adult migrants run by the Università per Stranieri di Perugia through its certification centre, CVCL. The "i" stands for immigrati; the exam was renamed "Cittadinanza" to show that it is valid for citizenship applications5.
At a glance
| CELI 2 i Cittadinanza | |
|---|---|
| Run by | Università per Stranieri di Perugia (CVCL), through accredited centres in Italy6 |
| Parts | Reading and writing together (2 hours), listening (20 minutes), oral (10–12 minutes)7 |
| Marks | Written part out of 120, oral out of 40, total 1608 |
| To pass | At least 72/120 in the written part and at least 11/20 (raw) in the oral8 |
| If you fail one part | A passed written or oral part is kept for 1 year; you retake the other at 70% of the fee9 |
| Fee | Perugia's fee is €65; centres add their own costs (Milan €90, Fermo €85) |
| Sessions | 3 a year: February, May and September4 |
| Results | About 90 working days after CVCL receives the papers (4 months or more); the digital certificate about 5 months9,2 |
| Certificate | No expiry "as long as the certification system is in force"10 |
Is it accepted for citizenship?
Yes. The Interior Ministry lists the Università per Stranieri di Perugia (CELI) among the recognised certifiers11, and CVCL says all three of its B1 exams are valid for citizenship: the standard CELI 2, CELI 2 i and CELI 2 a for teenagers5. Whether you need a certificate at all depends on your situation: see who needs B1 and who is exempt.
The exam, part by part
The written exam comes in two booklets: the first holds reading and writing (2 hours in total, you divide the time), the second holds listening (20 minutes)7. There is no separate grammar section, but grammar is tested inside reading and writing.
Reading (4 tasks, 30 items, 40 points)
| Task | What you do | Items |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Five short informative texts: choose 1 of 3 answers for each | 5 |
| A2 | A text with rules or regulations: find where each piece of information is | 10 |
| A3 | A narrative text with gaps: choose the right word from 3 options | 10 |
| A4 | A text message with gaps: write the missing word yourself (grammar) | 5 |
The input texts total 700–900 words7. Task A4 is an open cloze: there are no options, so you need the exact form (an article, a preposition, a verb ending). It is worth practising on its own.
Writing (3 tasks, 47 points converted to 40)
| Task | What you write | Length |
|---|---|---|
| B1 | Four short answers to questions about a blog post | 8–15 words each |
| B2 | A formal email answering a prompt with 3 points | 40–50 words |
| B3 | An informal message answering a prompt with 3 points | 80–90 words |
The word limits are narrow7. A 40–50 word formal email is shorter than most people expect, so practise covering three points with a correct greeting and closing in very few words. Each short answer in B1 is marked 0–3: full marks need an answer that is complete and well formed8.
Listening (4 tasks, 28 items, 20 minutes, 40 points)
| Task | What you hear | Items |
|---|---|---|
| C1, C2 | Short informative monologues: choose 1 of 3 answers | 4 + 4 |
| C3 | A text with rules: decide whether each statement, in the same words, was said or not | 12 |
| C4 | An interview: decide whether each statement, in different words, matches what was said | 8 |
C3 tests whether you hear words precisely; C4 tests whether you recognise the same idea in a paraphrase7.
Oral (10–12 minutes, two examiners, 40 points)
The oral has five parts, with one examiner talking to you and another listening and marking12:
- Self-presentation: family, home, work, interests.
- Photos: you get four photos, choose two after about 20 seconds and describe them.
- Comparison: compare an aspect of life in Italy with your country.
- Civics: short explanations on the Constitution and the State, equality, the right to work, health and education, freedoms and paying taxes, based on the CLIQ B1 syllabus.
- Role play: you read the situation silently, prepare for up to 30 seconds, then act it out with the examiner.
The examiners mark four things from 1 to 5: vocabulary, grammar, sociolinguistic competence (using the right register and knowing how everyday and civic life works in Italy) and pronunciation8. The raw score (4–20) is doubled to give the mark out of 40.
How the pass mark works
You pass with at least 72 out of 120 in the written part and at least 11 out of 20 (raw) in the oral. Inside the written part there is no minimum per section: a strong reading score can balance a weaker listening score8,9. The criteria also mention a total of 92/160, but anyone who meets both minimums already has at least 94.
Results are expressed as letters: A, B and C are passes (excellent, good, sufficient); D and E are fails9.
Fees
CVCL's fee at its own Perugia centre is €651. Other centres add an administration fee and must show it separately9: the University of Milan charges €90 in total and the CPIA in Fermo €85. Retaking only the failed part costs 70% of the fee (Milan: €63). Abroad, centres set the price of the standard CELI 2 in local currency.
Dates and registration deadlines
CELI 2 i has three sessions a year. No session is left in 2026: the next is in February 20274.
| CELI 2 i session | CVCL deadline |
|---|---|
| 17 February 2027 | 22 January 2027 |
| 20 May 2027 | 20 April 2027 |
| 15 September 2027 | 17 August 2027 |
Abroad, the standard CELI 2 runs on 9 March 2027, 11 June 2027 and 16 November 2027 (CVCL deadlines 9 February 2027, 11 May 2027 and 16 October 2027)4.
Centres may close earlier than CVCL and have few seats: Milan offered 12 places for its September 2026 session and closed registration nine days before CVCL's deadline2.
How to register, step by step
- Find an accredited centre. You register with a centre, not with CVCL13. CVCL publishes the list of centres in Italy and abroad6.
- Check that it runs CELI 2 i (Italy) or the standard CELI 2 (abroad), and when its own deadline is.
- Send the form, a copy of a valid ID and the payment receipt1. CVCL's registration form asks for personal data, residence, nationality, contacts and the level; it does not ask for a residence permit or tax code14, but a centre may ask for more.
- Ask for your matricola (candidate number) about 20 days after the deadline; you need it to see your results9.
- Disability or dyslexia? Tell the centre when you register, with a medical certificate from a public health body translated into Italian. CVCL can grant measures such as double time, large print or a high-readability font, with no extra fee9.
If you are ill on the day, a medical certificate lets you sit the next session at the same centre without paying again, as long as you register by its deadline9.
On exam day
- Bring a valid identity document; it is checked before the written part and again before the oral9.
- Phones, dictionaries and books are handed in at the door. Use a black or blue pen and no correction fluid on the answer sheets9.
- Do every component. Leaving out a whole component of the written part cancels the exam9.
- The oral is normally on the same day; at Perugia, with many candidates, it can be the next day1.
Results and certificate
CVCL says results come about 90 working days after it receives the papers, which means four months or more9; the Milan centre tells candidates about three months, with the digital certificate about five months after the exam2. If your consulate accepts only the final certificate, count on five months. You see the result, with your score in each component, in the candidates' area of the CVCL site using your matricola and date of birth; a provisional pass document can be downloaded before the certificate arrives9. CELI certificates have no expiry10.
If you fail a part
If you pass only the written part or only the oral, the passed part is kept for one year, and you retake the other part at the same level and type, paying 70% of the fee9. If you fail both, you register again for the full exam. With sessions in February, May and September, a retake of the oral is possible within the same year.
How to prepare
- Practise the three word limits until you hit them without counting: 8–15, 40–50, 80–90.
- Practise open cloze on short messages: articles, prepositions, verb endings.
- Prepare to talk for a minute about a right or a duty in everyday words, and to describe a photo.
- Follow the 4- or 8-week study plan and compare the certificates in which certificate should I choose.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take CELI 2 i Cittadinanza abroad?
No. CVCL runs CELI Immigrati sessions only at Italian centres. Abroad you can take the standard CELI 2, which CVCL says is also valid for citizenship.
How much does CELI 2 i cost?
Perugia's fee is €65. Other centres add their own costs, for example €90 in Milan and €85 in Fermo. Retaking only the failed part costs 70% of the fee.
What is the pass mark for CELI 2 i?
At least 72 out of 120 in the written part and at least 11 out of 20 in the oral. There is no minimum for each section inside the written part.
If I fail the oral, do I repeat the whole exam?
No. A passed written or oral part is kept for one year, and you retake only the other part at 70% of the fee.
When are the next CELI 2 i dates?
There are no more sessions in 2026. In 2027 the sessions are on 17 February 2027, 20 May 2027 and 15 September 2027; your centre may close registration before CVCL's deadlines.