PLIDA certification evaluates skills in Italian as a foreign language according to a six-tier scale, from A1 to C2 in ascending order of difficulty, corresponding to the levels established by the European Council (Modern languages division: cf. Quadro comune europeo di riferimento per le lingue: apprendimento, insegnamento, valutazione – Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: learning, teaching, evaluation, published in Milan by La Nuova Italia – Oxford, 2002).

Level of italian - Beginners

• PLIDA Certification A1 - Initial Contact
• PLIDA Certification A2 - Survival

Level of italian - Foundation

• PLIDA Certification B1 - Treshold
• PLIDA Certification B2 - Progress

Level of italian - Professional

• PLIDA Certification C1 - Efficacy
• PLIDA Certification C2 - Mastery

The PLIDA certificate for level A2 or above  is valid for the issue of a long term residence permit (permesso di soggiorno).

 

Candidates eligible

Certification is designed for people whose mother tongue is not Italian
. All candidates can choose the level that they consider as closest to their level of skill: it is not necessary to have taken examinations at lower levels in order to enrol for a given level. Examinations at several levels can be taken during the same session.
Examinations are open to all: however it is advisable to contact the school secretariat in advance for information regarding preparation for the examination.

Examination structure

The examination consists of four tests that verify the candidate’s competence in the four fundamental areas of linguistic skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Further information on the PLIDA preparation course

Passing the examination, marks

For each test, marks are expressed in terms of a maximum of thirty.
To pass the examination, the candidate has to obtain a pass mark (minimum 18/30) in each of the four skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking). The minimum overall score for a pass in the examination is therefore 72/120, while the maximum possible score is 120/120.
A candidate who obtains a pass mark in at least one of the four skills obtains a credit in the skill passed, which can be used in the following 18 months to take just the test that had not previously been passed.

 

Examination results and certificate issue

Examination papers are sent from the various Certification Centres to the Central Offices, where they are marked and evaluated within 30 days from the date of receipt.

The Central Office sends Certificates for all the candidates who pass the examination.
The certificate indicates the candidate’s details, the level, the marks obtained in the four language skills, and the overall mark.

Candidates’ personal data is used solely for certificate issue, and this data will not be published in any form in accordance with Italian privacy legislation (law 675/96).

Exam sessions

Examinations are organized to take place on predetermined dates, which apply to all Centres:

4 March 2020 (level A2)

25 March 2020 (levels B1, B2, C1)

13 May 2020 (levels A1, A2, C2)

10 June 2020 (levels B1, B2, C1)

29 July 2020 (levels B1, B2, C1) 

18 November 2020 (levels  A1, A2, B1) 

19 November 2020 (levels B2. C1,C2) 

 

PLIDA on-line

The complete list of Certification Centres, the Syllabus, and many other useful resources are available on the web, at the PLIDA web pages