CILS Examination Centre – Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language
CNA Multicultural Services Inc. is a CILS Exam and Preparatory Centre in an agreement with the University for Foreigners in Siena, Italy.
The CILS exam offers an internationally-recognised qualification awarded according to an ample range of levels and uses that correspond to varying degrees of competence and to different social contexts of language use by individual candidates. The qualification is based on the guidelines in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Anyone who applies for Italian citizenship either by descent must prove an adequate knowledge of the Italian language. This means that applicants must obtain at least an Italian B1 certification in language competency. The University of Siena has created the CILS B1 Citizenship exam specifically for people seeking Italian citizenship.
For more information about the CILS contact us on (02) 8786 0888 or via email at learning@cnansw.org.au.
CILS Examination – Dates for 2023
You may sit the CILS exam at set dates throughout the year.
Please access the 2023 CILS Exams calendar for dates, levels of examination available and enrolment deadlines.

CILS Examination – Application and Administration Fees
The CILS Application Form must be completed and sent to the Marco Polo Italian Language School with a photocopy of an identification document (such as passport or driver’s license) by the deadlines specified for each session.
CILS Exam Fees (UNISTRASI)
Level FOUR-C2 – EURO 210
Level THREE-C1 – EURO 185
Level TWO-B2 – EURO 160
Level ONE-B1 – EURO 150
Level ONE-B1 cittadinanza – EURO 150
Level B1 for adolescents – EURO 130
Level A1 & A2 – EURO 100
In addition to the CILS Exam Fee contained in the schedule above, an Administration fee of AUD 360 per candidate payable to MPLS to cover the costs incurred in administering the exam.
For those candidates who are repeating components of the CILS exam and therefore do not need to sit the full exam, the administration fee payable to MPLS is calculated on a case-by-case basis.
Students withdrawing from the examination or postponing the exam to a later date may incur into additional financial penalties issued the University of Siena.
A non-refundable administration fee of AUD 180 payable to MPLSA will apply for students withdrawing from the examination, whereas a non-refundable administration fee of AUD 90 will apply for students postponing to a later examination date.
Payment method: Eftpos, Bank transfer, Cheque or Cash.
Name: Marco Polo Language School
NAB Bank BSB: 082-490
Account number: 41-190-7854
Please email the receipt of your payment to learning@cnansw.org.au. For online banking, please put your name and course in the description field for easier identification.
Practice papers are available from the Università per Stranieri di Siena.
Upon successful registration you will receive a confirmation of enrolment.
Closer to the examination date you will receive a statement of entry confirming the exam date and time.
CILS Preparatory Course
Marco Polo – The Italian School of Sydney offers CILS preparatory courses in Semester 1 and 2 of each year:
- CILS Preparatory Course (19 hours | February-July) – $720 (Exam Fees Excluded)
- CILS Preparatory Course (19 hours | August-December) – $720 (Exam Fees Excluded)
To enrol in a CILS preparatory course, complete an Enrolment Form. For more information, please email learning@cnansw.org.au.
CILS for Schools Program
Marco Polo – The Italian School of Sydney, in collaboration with the Università per Stranieri di Siena, invites NSW schools offering Italian to implement a CILS Examination Course from 2021.
Thank you to those teachers who attended the webinar delivered via Zoom on Wednesday, 16 September and Wednesday, 7 October 2020.
CILS for Schools downloads and useful resources
1. Webinar recording from 7 October 2020
2. Webinar slides from 7 October 2020
Please refer to the last slide for contact details and important go-to webpages. More information about CILS is also available from Unistrasi.
For information on enrolments, please contact learning@cnansw.org.au or call (02) 8786 0888. Students with little or no prior knowledge of Italian may have to take additional independent study to ensure their progress is in line with course demands.
Note: The CILS for Schools Program has been placed on hold in view of changes to funding allocations. Information will be released as soon as new arrangements are made.