Italy (IT)
Italy is a parliamentary republic of 20 regions stretching from the Alpine peaks of the Dolomites to the sun-baked coasts of Sicily and Sardinia, celebrated worldwide for its unparalleled Renaissance art and architecture, UNESCO-laden historic cities from Rome to Florence and Venice, world-defining cuisine and wines, passionate football culture, and a relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle that has drawn expats, artists, and retirees for centuries.
Learning the Language in Italy
Courses, certifications, funding, and online resources to reach fluency.
Italian (italiano) is the sole official language at national level. Regional languages with legal recognition include Sicilian, Venetian, Neapolitan, Sardinian, Ligurian, and others — but Italian is the sole medium of administration, education, and employment. German has co-official status in South Tyrol (Trentino-Alto Adige); French in the Aosta Valley; Ladin in limited Alpine areas. Proficiency at B1 level is required for Italian citizenship by naturalisation (after 10 years for non-EU, 4 years for EU citizens). B2 is required for most healthcare and regulated professional roles. Italy does not have a mandatory federal integration course system. However, the Accordo di Integrazione (integration agreement) for non-EU permit holders requires achieving A2 level within 2 years of arrival. Italian is assessed through internationally recognised certifications: CELI (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera — University of Perugia), CILS (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera — University of Siena), PLIDA (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri — Dante Alighieri Society), and DITALS (Certificazione di Competenza in Didattica dell'Italiano a Stranieri — for teachers).
Accordo di Integrazione (Integration Agreement)
All non-EU citizens entering Italy for the first time on a stay permit (permesso di soggiorno) for 1+ year (except asylum seekers, minors, and some specific categories). Signed at the Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione (Prefettura) at the time of first stay permit issuance.
Free — the Italian state funds accredited providers.
2 years from signing. Courses leading to A2 certification are free and organised by local CPIA (Centri Provinciali per l'Istruzione degli Adulti) or accredited associations.
You must accumulate 30 credits (punti) within 2 years: major credits for Italian A2 language certification (16 credits), Italian civic culture knowledge, participation in training and work. Failure to accumulate minimum credits may affect permit renewal. Success: certificate and enhanced future permit options.
Automatic at the Prefettura (Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione) when signing your first stay permit. Language courses: enrol at your nearest CPIA via the Comune or directly at centri.cpia.it.
CPIA (Centri Provinciali per l'Istruzione degli Adulti)
CPIA are state-run adult education centres present in every Italian province. They offer free Italian language and literacy courses for adult learners, especially immigrants. Levels: from zero/literacy to A1, A2, B1. Also offer secondary school equivalency programmes (Primo livello — scuola media; Secondo livello — liceo/professionale). Classes are in the evening or afternoon to accommodate working adults.
All adult residents. Free for all. Non-EU nationals: priority access for Accordo di Integrazione.
Free
Contact your local CPIA directly (find via centri.cpia.it or your Comune's adult education office). Enrolment is typically in September–October for the school year.
Language Levels — What Each Means
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases. Can introduce yourself and ask/answer simple questions.
Required for: Not required for any official purpose in Italy, but useful as a starting point for Accordo di Integrazione.
Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions. Can communicate in simple, routine tasks. Basic self-description and immediate environment.
Required for: Accordo di Integrazione completion for non-EU permit holders (within 2 years of first permit). Very basic employment (manual work with Italian-speaking colleagues).
Can understand the main points of clear standard input. Can deal with most situations when travelling. Can produce simple connected text on familiar topics.
Required for: Italian citizenship by naturalisation (B1 minimum — some courts accept B2 as evidence of better integration). Most employment. Driving licence theory test (Italian proficiency required for non-Italian version).
Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics. Can interact with a degree of fluency. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects.
Required for: Healthcare professions (medici, infermieri, farmacisti, fisioterapisti): Ordine membership requires B2 Italian certificate. Many public administration jobs (concorsi). Academic study in Italian universities. Teacher qualification (abilitazione insegnamento).
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts and recognise implicit meaning. Can express ideas fluently without much searching for expressions.
Required for: Law (avvocati): aptitude test for foreign lawyers includes Italian legal language at C1 level. Academic and research positions. Senior public administration. Journalism.
Can understand virtually everything heard or read. Can express with precision, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
Required for: Native-equivalent professional roles. Italian literature, publishing, academia.
Courses & Community Learning
Dante Alighieri Society (Società Dante Alighieri)
Group courses: €150–500 per trimester depending on level and city. Individual lessons: €40–70/hour.The world's oldest and most established Italian language promotion institution. Has chapters (comitati) across Italy offering group and individual classes, cultural events, conversation exchanges, and PLIDA examination preparation. Levels A1–C2. Most cities have a local comitato.
www.ladante.it ↗Università per Stranieri di Perugia
Intensive 2-week course: €350–600 + accommodation. Semester programme: €900–2,000.The University for Foreigners in Perugia (Umbria) — one of Italy's most prestigious Italian-as-a-foreign-language institutions. Offers 2-week to semester-long intensive courses, plus online programmes. Administers the CELI certification.
www.unistrapg.it ↗Università per Stranieri di Siena
Intensive 2-week course: €300–600. Online CILS preparation: €200–400.Italy's second university for foreigners, based in Siena (Tuscany). Offers courses, intensive programmes, and online learning. Administers the CILS certification.
www.unistrasi.it ↗Language schools (scuole di lingua)
Group lessons: €100–400/month. Individual: €40–80/hour.Private language schools in all major cities: Berlitz, Benedict, Wall Street English (English schools that also offer Italian), and hundreds of independent Italian schools. Quality varies significantly. Accredited schools carry the Accreditamento del MIUR or accreditation from certification bodies.
Language exchange (scambio linguistico)
Freetandem.net and Meetup.com have active language exchange communities in Italian cities. Italian learners meet Italian speakers learning your language for informal conversation practice.
www.tandem.net ↗Association and church-based Italian courses
Free or €20–50 per semesterACLI (Associazioni Cristiane Lavoratori Italiani), Caritas, and many Catholic parish organisations offer free or very low-cost Italian courses for immigrants in all Italian regions.
Official Certifications
| Certificate | Provider | Levels | When Needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CELI (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera) | Università per Stranieri di Perugia | CELI 1 (A2), CELI 2 (B1), CELI 3 (B2), CELI 4 (C1), CELI 5 (C2) | B1 for citizenship after 10 years. B2 for most healthcare professions and regulated professional practice. C1–C2 for academic positions and advanced professional roles. | €80–200 per level depending on examination centre |
| CILS (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera) | Università per Stranieri di Siena | CILS A1, A2, CILS UNO-B1, CILS DUE-B2, CILS TRE-C1, CILS QUATTRO-C2 | Same uses as CELI — citizenship (B1/B2 minimum), professional registration, university admission. | €80–180 per level |
| PLIDA (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri) | Società Dante Alighieri | A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2 | Citizenship applications, professional registration, university admission. Widely accepted but slightly less common than CELI/CILS. | €60–150 per level |
| DITALS (Certificazione per Insegnanti) | Università per Stranieri di Siena | DITALS di primo livello (for beginners in teaching), DITALS di secondo livello (for experienced teachers) | For those who want to teach Italian as a foreign language professionally. | €120–250 |
Online Resources
Duolingo Italian
FreePopular gamified language app. Good for beginners and vocabulary building. A1–B1 level. Available in many languages.
www.duolingo.com/course/it ↗Babbel Italian
PaidStructured conversation-focused Italian learning. A1–B1. Subscription model with high-quality content.
www.babbel.com/learn-italian ↗Italian with Lucrezia (YouTube)
FreePopular Italian teacher on YouTube with comprehensive free lessons from A1 to C1.
www.youtube.com/@ItalianWithLucrezia ↗RAI Italiano — Parliamo Italiano
FreeFree Italian lessons from Italy's national broadcaster RAI. Audio, video, and reading exercises. A1–B2.
www.raicultura.it/lingua-italiana ↗Coffee Break Italian (podcast)
FreeStructured audio/podcast Italian course from beginner to advanced. Very popular with expats.
coffeebreaklanguages.com/coffeebreakitalian ↗Italian Uncovered (StoryLearning)
PaidStory-based Italian learning — intermediate and advanced. Paid premium course.
storylearning.com/learn/italian ↗Anki (flashcard app)
FreeOpen-source spaced-repetition flashcard system. Download pre-made Italian vocabulary decks for efficient memorisation.
apps.ankiweb.net ↗RaiPlay (streaming)
FreeItaly's free streaming service for RAI TV and radio. Watching Italian television is one of the most effective immersion methods — accessible abroad.
www.raiplay.it ↗Funding Your Language Courses
CPIA courses (government centres): free for all. Accordo di Integrazione language courses: free for non-EU permit holders. Employer-funded training: many CCNLs include a right to paid study leave (permesso per studio — up to 150 hours/year in many contracts) — your employer may fund Italian language courses. Fondi Interprofessionali (sectoral training funds, e.g. Fondimpresa, Fon.Coop): employers can apply for grants to fund Italian language training for employees. EU funds: ESF+ (European Social Fund Plus) 2021–2027 finances language integration programmes in many Italian regions — often delivered free via Comuni, CPIA, and associations. Regione-level grants: some regions (Emilia-Romagna, Toscana) offer voucher formativi (training vouchers) for unemployed or underemployed residents covering language courses.
Practical Tips
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Immersion is faster than classroom learning — get a medico di base, do your own Comune errands, and chat with neighbours even when it's uncomfortable. Administrative Italian is itself a learnable register.
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Italian television, especially RAI news (TG1, TG2), is excellent for natural spoken Italian. RaiPlay is free and accessible internationally.
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Regional accents are very strong — if you learn standard Italian (standard taught in courses), you may initially struggle to understand Sicilian, Neapolitan, or Venetian speech. Your ear will adjust after 2–3 months.
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Even basic Italian earns enormous goodwill from Italians — unlike in some countries, Italians are genuinely delighted when foreigners try to speak their language.
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For citizenship: get a certified CELI/CILS/PLIDA B1 certificate well before you reach 10 years of residence — the certification process can take 2–3 months from application to result.
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Apps like Duolingo are good for habits and vocabulary, but insufficient alone for real communicative competence — pair with regular conversation practice.
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Children in Italian schools acquire Italian very quickly — typically fluent in 6–12 months of full-time schooling. Consider enrolling children in Italian public school (scuola pubblica) rather than international school for faster integration.
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