CILS B1 Cittadinanza exam-day guide
CILS B1 Cittadinanza · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid original identity document
Bring the original document you registered with (passport or national ID card), not a photocopy. Check the expiry date now: an expired document is the most common reason candidates are turned away. If your registration data and your document differ (e.g. married name), contact the centre before exam day.
Registration confirmation / admission slip
Print or download whatever your centre sent you after payment and enrolment, showing your candidate number, date, time and room.
Proof of payment of the exam fee
Some centres ask to see the receipt on the day. Confirm with the provider whether it is required and in what form (paper or PDF).
Photographs
A small number of centres request passport-style photos for the certificate file. Confirm with the provider whether photos are needed and how many.
Pen (and pencil) permitted by the centre
Bring a couple of black or blue ballpoint pens, plus a pencil and eraser if the centre allows them for rough work. Confirm which instruments are permitted, since rules on pencil use on answer sheets vary.
No phones, smartwatches, notes or dictionaries
Leave electronic devices at home if you can. Anything brought into the room must be switched off and stored as the invigilator instructs; a device that rings or vibrates can lead to annulment of your paper.
Glasses, hearing aids, medication you may need
Bring anything you need to hear the listening section and read comfortably. If you require special arrangements (extra time, separate room), these must be agreed with the centre in advance, not on the day.
Confirmed address, entrance and arrival time
Check the exact building and entrance the day before; centres are often inside schools or universities with several gates. Plan to arrive well before the stated time (many centres ask for 30 minutes' margin) to allow for ID checks and seating.
Water and a light snack
Bring water in a clear bottle and something small to eat in case there is a pause between the written and oral parts. Confirm with the provider whether breaks are scheduled and whether food and drink are allowed at the desk.
A non-smart watch
Useful for pacing yourself if the room clock is not visible. Confirm with the provider whether wristwatches are permitted in the exam room.
Knowledge of the paper format
Before the day, be sure you know the sections you will face (listening, reading, analysis of communication structures, written production, oral production) and the task types in each, so no time is lost understanding instructions.
Contact number of the centre
Save the centre's phone number and email in case of transport problems or a last-minute change of room.
Plan the day
Re-read the centre's instructions and confirm the address, arrival time and room. Check that your identity document is valid and matches your registration details. If anything is unclear (documents, permitted items, oral exam timing), write to the centre now rather than the night before.
Do one full timed run-through of the paper under exam conditions, including speaking aloud for the oral part, then stop intensive study. In the last days, consolidate fixed expressions, connectors and the written formats (informal email, message, short text) rather than starting new grammar.
Pack your bag: identity document, registration confirmation, pens, water, glasses, the centre's contact details. Lay out clothes and check your route and transport times, including any strike or timetable change. Set two alarms. Go to bed at a normal hour; a full night's sleep is worth more than an extra hour of revision.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive early. Switch your phone off completely before entering the building. Go to the toilet before the paper starts, since leaving the room mid-section may not be allowed. Keep your document in your hand for the ID check.
Listen carefully to the invigilator's instructions, fill in your candidate details exactly as instructed, and check that you have every answer sheet and question booklet. Read each set of instructions before starting the section.
Watch the time and give each section its share; do not let one difficult item consume the whole section. Answer every item, since there is no penalty for a wrong answer in the objective parts. Leave a few minutes at the end to transfer or check answers and to proofread the written production for agreement, accents and verb endings.
Greet the examiner, speak in Italian from the first moment, and ask politely for repetition or clarification if you did not understand the question. Keep talking even when you are unsure of a word: circumlocution scores better than silence. The oral may be held on the same day or on a different date - confirm with your centre.
Note down what felt difficult while it is fresh, and ask the centre when and where results will be published and how the certificate is issued.
Rules to check
Bring the original identity document used at registration. A photocopy, a photo on your phone or an expired document will normally not be accepted, and you may be refused admission.
Electronic devices must be switched off and placed where the invigilator instructs. Using a phone, smartwatch, notes or a dictionary during the exam is treated as cheating and can lead to your paper being annulled.
Follow the invigilator's instructions at all times: silence, no communication with other candidates, no borrowing materials, and no leaving your seat without permission. Ask the invigilator, not your neighbour, if something is unclear.
Timing is set by the centre. Sections are usually collected when time is called, so stop writing immediately when told; writing after the call can be penalised. Confirm with the provider whether any extra time is granted to candidates with documented special needs and how to request it in advance.
Whether breaks are allowed, and whether the oral test falls on the same day, is decided by the individual centre. Confirm with the provider in advance so you can plan food, medication and transport.
The pass mark, and whether a minimum score is required in each section or only overall, is set by the certifying body and can be checked in the official regulations. Confirm the current rule with your centre rather than relying on what other candidates tell you.
Results and certificates are issued through the certifying university and your centre. Keep the contact details of both and do not leave the exam room without confirming how and when you will be informed.