Overview
CELI (Certificati di Lingua Italiana) are exams for Italian as a second or foreign language, produced and awarded by the CVCL, the language assessment centre of the Università per Stranieri di Perugia. They are linked to the CEFR and comparable to certificates from other ALTE members, and the general CELI certificates carry the ALTE Q Mark. The university says CELI certificates do not expire.
Who can apply
There are three families of CELI exams.
Generic CELI: for schooled adults, from A1 to C2, usable for work and study.
CELI a (adolescents): for ages 12 to 18, at three levels from A2 to B2.
CELI i (immigrants): for adult immigrants to help their integration, at three levels from A1 to B1, including a citizenship level. These sessions are only available at Italian centres.
Levels or stages
| Exam | CEFR level |
|---|---|
| CELI Impatto | A1 |
| CELI 1 | A2 |
| CELI 2 | B1 |
| CELI 3 | B2 |
| CELI 4 | C1 |
| CELI 5 | C2 |
Italy's education ministry accepts CELI 3 for university enrolment within the quota each university sets for non-Italian speakers. CELI 4 and CELI 5 are accepted as proof of Italian on equal terms with Italian speakers.
Exam pattern
Each exam has a written part and an oral part. Time limits from the university's exam descriptions:
| Level | Reading and writing | Listening | Oral |
|---|---|---|---|
| CELI Impatto (A1) | 1 h 15 min (listening is part of the oral) | within oral | about 5 to 6 min |
| CELI 1 (A2) | 2 h | 20 min | about 8 to 10 min |
| CELI 2 (B1) | 2 h | 20 min | about 10 to 12 min |
| CELI 3 (B2) | 2 h 15 min, plus 45 min language competence | 25 min | about 15 min |
| CELI 4 (C1) | 2 h 45 min, plus 1 h 15 min language competence | 25 min | about 18 to 20 min |
| CELI 5 (C2) | 2 h 45 min, plus 1 h 15 min language competence | 30 min | about 20 min |
Skills tested. Reading, writing and listening at every level, plus a separate language competence (grammar and vocabulary) paper from B2 upward, and an oral production test. At A1 the listening is assessed through the candidate's answers in the oral test.
Examples of tasks. At A2, the writing task expands an outline into about 80 words. At B1, writers produce a short notice of about 50 words and a letter or email of 90 to 100 words. At B2, the composition is 120 to 180 words and the letter or email is 80 to 100 words. At C1, there is a summary of 150 to 200 words and a composition of 220 to 250 words. At C2, the composition is 330 to 360 words, plus a pair of linked formal emails.
Marking and results
Parts are scored with weighted marks and the university converts raw scores using published tables. The CELI 2 scoring document, for example, brings the reading score onto a total of 40 points through a conversion table. See each level's evaluation and scoring documents on the CVCL site for the pass rules.
Important dates
The CVCL publishes a calendar of sessions with registration deadlines. Exam centres may set earlier registration deadlines than the university.
Generic CELI sessions in 2026:
| Exam date | Levels | Register by |
|---|---|---|
| 11 March 2026 | A1 to B2 | 13 February 2026 |
| 9 June 2026 | A1 to C2 | 5 May 2026 |
| 11 November 2026 | A1 to C2 | 9 October 2026 |
Generic CELI sessions in 2027 are listed for 9 March (A1 to B2), 11 June (A1 to C2) and 16 November (A1 to C2). Separate sessions are listed for CELI a (adolescents, 9 May 2026 and 15 May 2027) and CELI i (immigrants, several dates a year, Italian centres only).
How to apply
Registration terms and fees depend on whether you sit the exam in Perugia or at another affiliated exam centre. Check the CVCL registration pages and your centre.
Preparation tips
Download the exam description, scoring documents and sample papers for your level from the CVCL site.
Practise writing to the word counts given for your level.
Does a CELI certificate expire?
No. The university states that CELI certificates have no expiry date.