CPIA and Italian exams: A2 for the permit and B1 for citizenship
CPIA (Centri Provinciali per l'Istruzione degli Adulti) are the state adult-education centres: they teach Italian for free and run the free A2 test for the accordo di integrazione. For the long-term permit and especially for citizenship (B1 has been required since 2018) the certificate is sat at accredited centres - CILS, CELI or PLIDA. Below are the CPIA by city and a certificate comparison. The A2/B1 rules are stable; session dates, waitlists and fees are community-reported - verify current data.
Updated: - permesso.love editorial team
Where to start
If you only need A2 for renewing the permit and the accordo di integrazione, start with a free course and test at your local CPIA - the details are in the A2 article. If the goal is citizenship, plan for B1 via a certificate (CILS/CELI/PLIDA) or the terza media diploma as an alternative.
Italian A2 for the permit: free CPIA coursesCPIA by city
| City | Region | Exams | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milano | Lombardia | CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CILS-cittadinanza | Details |
| Roma | Lazio | CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CILS-cittadinanza | Details |
| Torino | Piemonte | CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CILS-cittadinanza | Details |
| Bologna | Emilia-Romagna | CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CILS-cittadinanza | Details |
| Firenze | Toscana | CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CILS-cittadinanza | Details |
| Napoli | Campania | CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CILS-cittadinanza | Details |
| Genova | Liguria | CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CILS-cittadinanza | Details |
| Verona | Veneto | CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CILS-cittadinanza | Details |
| Padova | Veneto | CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CILS-cittadinanza | Details |
| Bari | Puglia | CILS, CELI, PLIDA, CILS-cittadinanza | Details |
Each city has several CPIA branches across districts and the province - confirm the exact address and schedule on site.
How to enrol at a CPIA
Enrolment at a CPIA is free. You normally bring a passport or ID, your codice fiscale and permesso di soggiorno (or the filing ricevuta), fill in an application and take a short placement interview. The main intake is around the start of the school year (September-October), but groups are often topped up during the year too - confirm the exact window and branch address with your CPIA directly, as they change.
CILS, CELI, PLIDA and the A2 test: comparison
| Certificate | Issuer | Cost | Difficulty | For citizenship | Where taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CILS | University for Foreigners of Siena | per the community around a few dozen euro per level; the exact fee is set by the centre | the format is seen as predictable; a separate B1 cittadinanza module is streamlined for the citizenship requirement | yes, B1 (including the CILS cittadinanza module) is accepted for citizenship | densest in Tuscany; centres nationwide |
| CELI | University for Foreigners of Perugia | per the community comparable to CILS, a few dozen euro; depends on the centre | per the community similar to CILS; a CELI immigrant module exists for the accordo and citizenship | yes, CELI B1 is accepted for citizenship | centres nationwide, many in the centre and north |
| PLIDA | Società Dante Alighieri | per the community a few dozen euro per level; set by the centre | per the community seen as steady and academic; recognised abroad | yes, PLIDA B1 is accepted for citizenship | the Dante Alighieri committee network in Italy and abroad |
| A2 via a CPIA | the state CPIA (provincial centre) | free - it is a test tied to the course, not a paid certificate | per the community the easiest; it covers the accordo di integrazione, but not citizenship | no: citizenship needs B1, the A2 test does not qualify | at any CPIA where you live |
All three certificates (CILS, CELI, PLIDA) at B1 are accepted for citizenship - people choose by centre convenience and session dates. The free A2 test via a CPIA covers the accordo di integrazione, but does not qualify for citizenship, which needs B1. Cost and difficulty are broad community estimates; the exact fee is set by the centre.
Not legal advice. Language-level requirements, fees and session dates change - verify with your local CPIA, the prefecture and the chosen certification centre site.