Short answer
All four certificates are accepted for Italian citizenship, and none is worth more than another4. Choose by the next session you can actually get a seat in, your weakest skill and what happens if you fail one part: PLIDA B1 and CELI 2 i let you keep the parts you passed, CILS B1 Cittadinanza and CERT.IT B1 do not5,6,2,7. Base fees are €80 for CERT.IT, €100 for CILS in Italy and €65 plus centre costs for CELI 2 i (Italy only); PLIDA is priced by each centre1,2,3,8. Results take about 2–3 months, or 4–5 for CELI 2 i9,6.
What the law asks
For citizenship, the law asks for Italian at level B1 or higher, proved by a certificate from a recognised certifier10. The Interior Ministry's list has five bodies: the Università per Stranieri di Siena (CILS), the Università per Stranieri di Perugia (CELI), the Università Roma Tre (CERT.IT), the Società Dante Alighieri (PLIDA) and the Università per Stranieri "Dante Alighieri" di Reggio Calabria4. This page compares the first four, which are by far the most widely available.
No certificate is "worth more" for citizenship. A pass is a pass. So choose the one that fits your calendar, your location and your weakest skill.
Which one fits your situation
- You live in Italy and want an exam soon: CILS B1 Cittadinanza has the most sessions (six a year)11, but if you fail one part you retake everything2.
- You are afraid of failing one skill: PLIDA keeps passed skills for 18 months5; CELI 2 i keeps a passed written or oral part for one year6.
- Writing is your weak point: CERT.IT asks for two short texts of 50–80 words and lets the other written skills compensate12; CILS asks for a single 80–120 word text, but writing must pass on its own2. CELI 2 i also has no minimum per section inside the written part6.
- Speaking is your weak point: CILS has one of the shortest orals and gives pronunciation only 1 point of 1213. PLIDA gives you 3 minutes to prepare each speaking task5.
- You live abroad: CELI 2 i runs only in Italy14. Check what your nearest centres offer: CILS (B1 Cittadinanza or standard B1), the standard CELI 2, or PLIDA. CERT.IT has very few centres abroad15.
- Budget: CERT.IT costs €801; Perugia's CELI 2 i fee is €65 plus the centre's costs; CILS is €100 in Italy2; PLIDA prices vary by centre8.
Side by side
| CILS B1 Cittadinanza | CELI 2 i Cittadinanza | PLIDA B1 | CERT.IT B1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certifier | Univ. per Stranieri di Siena | Univ. per Stranieri di Perugia | Società Dante Alighieri | Università Roma Tre |
| Where | Italy and abroad16 | Italy only14 | Italy and abroad17 | Italy, few centres abroad15 |
| Sessions a year | 611 | 314 | 418 | 319 |
| Fee | €100 (more abroad)2 | €65 + centre fee3 | Set by the centre8 | €801 |
| Writing | 1 text, 80–120 words2 | 3 tasks: 8–15, 40–50 and 80–90 words20 | 2 texts: 110–150 and 70–100 words5 | 2 texts, 50–80 words each12 |
| Speaking | ~10 min: self-presentation + conversation21 | 10–12 min, 5 parts incl. photos and civics22 | ~15 min: interaction + monologue, with preparation5 | ~10 min: interview + 2 role plays (one by voice message)12 |
| To pass | Each of 4 skills (number not published)23 | Written ≥ 72/120 and oral ≥ 11/2024 | Each skill ≥ 18/305 | Written ≥ 42/70 and oral ≥ 18/3012 |
| Skills compensate? | No23 | Inside the written part6 | No5 | Inside the written block12 |
| Fail one part | Retake everything2 | Keep the passed part 1 year6 | Keep passed skills 18 months5 | Retake everything7 |
| Results | About 2–3 months9 | About 4–5 months6 | About 2–3 months8 | About 2–3 months7 |
Each certificate's guide on this site has the details and the official links: CILS, CELI 2 i, PLIDA, CERT.IT. For one topic across all four, see costs, results time, exam format and which certificates are accepted.
Four questions to help you decide
1. When is the next session I can actually get a seat in?
This usually decides it. The official calendars are only the start: each centre runs some of the sessions, many close registration earlier than the certifier, and seats are limited25,26. Write to two or three centres near you, for different certificates, and compare their next real dates.
2. When do I need the certificate?
You must have the certificate when you file your citizenship application10. Results take two to five months depending on the certifier, so count backwards from the date you want to apply. Some consulates accept only the final certificate, not a provisional result: São Paulo, for example, asks for the definitive certificate with a QR code27.
3. What is my weakest skill?
Where the rule is "pass each skill" (CILS, PLIDA), your weakest skill decides the result. Where the written skills are added together (CELI 2 i, CERT.IT), a strong skill can carry a weaker one. Take a free practice test first and look at your lowest score.
4. How bad would a retake be?
With CILS B1 Cittadinanza and CERT.IT B1, failing one part means paying for and sitting the whole exam again2,7. With PLIDA and CELI 2 i, you retake only what you failed, for a reduced fee5,6.
Which one is easiest?
We found no published pass rates that would let anyone compare them fairly, so "the easiest" claims online are opinions. The formats do suit different people:
- CILS rewards solid everyday comprehension and one well-built email.
- CELI 2 i rewards precision in short texts and comfort talking about daily and civic life.
- PLIDA rewards stamina in writing and the ability to talk at length after preparing.
- CERT.IT rewards short, clear messages and confident role play.
What about other certificates?
Only certificates from the recognised bodies count. Consulates write that "other certifications" are not accepted28,29, and regional vocational-training certificates are not valid either4. A higher level (B2, C1) from a recognised body is fine, because the law asks for "not lower than B1"10.
The standard B1 exams are accepted too, according to the bodies and institutes that run them: Perugia says so for the standard CELI 230, and the Italian Cultural Institute in Rio de Janeiro, which now offers the standard CILS B1 instead of B1 Cittadinanza, says so for CILS31.
Frequently asked questions
Which B1 certificate is best for Italian citizenship?
All the certificates from the recognised bodies are equally valid. Choose by the next available session near you, your weakest skill and the retake rules: PLIDA and CELI 2 i let you keep passed parts, CILS B1 Cittadinanza and CERT.IT B1 do not.
Is CILS better than PLIDA for citizenship?
Neither is better for the application. CILS B1 Cittadinanza has more sessions; PLIDA keeps passed skills for 18 months and has longer writing tasks.
Can I use a B2 certificate instead of B1?
Yes, if it comes from a recognised certifier. The law asks for Italian at a level not lower than B1.
Is the standard CILS B1 accepted, or only B1 Cittadinanza?
Italian Cultural Institutes abroad, such as Rio de Janeiro's, say the standard CILS B1 also meets the requirement, and some now offer only that one; it runs in June and December and keeps passed parts. Siena's own pages do not say so, so confirm with your consulate or prefecture.