The guide to admission exams for Italian universities.
Entrance exams for Italian universities are mainly divided into national and local, administered by each individual university.
Tests can be selective or evaluative. Many universities use the TOLC (CISIA Online Test) for admission to various degree programs.
To enroll in the first year of a university course, most Italian universities require students to take an orientation and assessment test to determine their aptitude and preparation. Some universities may use the test to limit access to certain courses that accept a limited number of students. Here I wrote the post that talks about limited and open access to Italian universities.
Since 2018, there have been different types of TOLCs, each designed for a specific field of study:
- TOLC in English – I: consists of questions in English relating to the following areas: mathematics, logical reasoning, science, and reading comprehension.
- TOLC in English – E: consists of questions in English relating to the following areas: logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and mathematics.
- TOLC English-F: consists of questions in English related to the following areas: biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, logic.
Based on the results students obtain in the TOLC English, the university may require them to attend supplementary courses, assign Additional Educational Requirements (OFA), or make them take preliminary exams during their course of study depending on the course.
For example, to enroll in the design faculty at the Politecnico di Milano, you must pass the TOLD – Design.
Starting in November 2025, CISIA will launch CEnT-S: the new English test that will replace the previous types of English TOLC (I, E, and F).
If you plan to apply for a bachelor’s degree in 2026, note that the usual TOLC-I, TOLC-E, and TOLC-F exams no longer take place. The authorities have replaced them with a CEnT-S. This is an entrance exam that is now mandatory for applicants to engineering, biology, pharmaceutical, economics, psychology, and natural science programs.
Here are the most important points:
When can you take the CEnT‑S:
The organizers conduct the test four times a year, scheduling each period with several dates:
- November, December, January (first macro-period)
- February, March (second macro-period)
- April, May, June (third macro-period)
- September, October (fourth macro-period).
Score normalization:
After you take the test, the CISIA portal first evaluates your answers, then each university reviews them according to its own criteria. Because of this, your final score may differ from what you see immediately after completing the exam.
CEnT‑S structure:
The exam consists of 55 questions divided into five sections:
- Mathematics (15 questions)
- Reasoning based on texts and data (15)
- Biology (10)
- Chemistry (10)
- Physics (5)
The total time is 110 minutes, divided into sections.
Follow the instructions in the announcement or admission notice to complete your enrollment in your degree program. Buona fortuna!
