TOLC

Overview

TOLC (Test OnLine CISIA) is a family of standardised admission tests run by CISIA, a consortium of Italian universities. Rather than one fixed exam, TOLC is a set of variants, each built for a group of degree subjects: for example TOLC-I for engineering and technical courses, TOLC-E for economics and social sciences, TOLC-F for pharmacy and health-science courses, TOLC-B for biology and natural-science courses, TOLC-S for other scientific courses, and TOLC-SU for humanities courses. A university decides which TOLC variant (or variants) its degree programmes require, and candidates sit the variant that matches the programme they intend to apply to.

Who can apply

TOLC is aimed at secondary-school graduates and students in their final year of secondary school who intend to apply to a degree programme at one of the many Italian universities that use TOLC in admissions. There is no separate eligibility screening by CISIA itself: a candidate registers for whichever TOLC variant matches the degree subject area they plan to apply to, at a university that accepts that variant.

Exam pattern

All TOLC variants are multiple-choice, with five answer options per question and one correct answer. Each variant has its own sections, question count and time limit; Italian-language variants also carry an optional English-language section.

Where an English section is included, it is an additional 30 questions in 15 minutes, separate from the core sections above.

Marking and results

Each correct answer scores +1, each unanswered question scores 0, and each incorrect answer carries a small negative penalty (commonly -0.25) in the core sections; the optional English section is scored without a penalty for wrong answers. The overall score range depends on the variant (for example, TOLC-I scores can run from a negative minimum up to 50).

TOLC is not used the same way everywhere, because each university sets its own rules on top of the CISIA score:

• For open-access (non-capped) degree programmes, universities commonly set a minimum threshold on one or more sections. Scoring below it does not block enrolment; instead it assigns an additional learning obligation (OFA, "obbligo formativo aggiuntivo") that the student must clear within the first year, typically by passing a set number of exam credits or completing a CISIA remedial module.

• For programmes with a capped number of places (numero programmato), the TOLC score can instead feed directly into a competitive ranking used to decide admission.

Because the rules differ by university and programme, candidates should check the specific admission notice for the degree they are applying to rather than assume one outcome.

Important dates

CISIA runs TOLC sessions several times a year, organised into test windows (broadly spanning from winter/spring through summer and into autumn), rather than on one fixed national date. Each university publishes which of these sessions it recognises for its own application deadlines, so the relevant date depends on the chosen university and programme as much as on CISIA's calendar. A candidate may generally sit a given TOLC variant once per calendar month; if more than one valid attempt is made, the highest score is the one recorded.

Fees

For 2026, the standard CISIA contribution is 30 euros per test sat, the same nationwide and set annually by the CISIA Consortium Assembly. The fee is non-refundable once paid.

How to apply

1. Register and pay on the official CISIA online portal, choosing the TOLC variant that matches the intended degree subject.

2. Choose a test date and a delivery method: in person at a CISIA-affiliated university test centre, or remotely from home (TOLC@CASA), which uses webcam-based identity checks and monitoring throughout the session.

3. Select, at registration, which universities the result should be sent to.

Registration for a given date typically closes in the early afternoon of the day before the test.

After the exam

The result is sent automatically to the universities the candidate selected at registration. Each university then applies its own rules to that score: for open-access programmes this usually means either no further action or an OFA to clear in the first year, while for capped-place programmes the score can be used in the admission ranking. A TOLC result is generally valid for admissions using that same TOLC variant for the academic year in which it was taken, though some universities extend recognition into the following year; candidates should check the specific programme's notice for how long it treats a result as valid.

Preparation tips

• Confirm which TOLC variant (and which sections within it) the target university requires before studying, since the subject mix differs considerably between variants such as TOLC-I and TOLC-SU.

• Practise under timed conditions, since each section has its own time limit and the questions move quickly.

• Check the specific university's minimum thresholds and how it uses the score (OFA versus ranking) so preparation is matched to what is actually at stake for that programme.