Requirements. Language tests and admission test

 

To enrol in the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Languages for Intercultural and Business Communication, students must – in addition to holding a secondary school diploma or another recognized equivalent foreign qualification (Art. 6, paragraph 1 of Ministerial Decree 270/2004) – complete the following:

  1. ONE OR MORE MANDATORY LANGUAGE TESTS to be taken at the University Language Center (CLA) BY SEPTEMBER 30, regardless of whether or not the student has already enroled. See Language profiling and testing below.

  2. A MANDATORY BUT NON-SELECTIVE ADMISSION TEST. See Admission test below.

LANGUAGE PROFILING AND TESTING

 

Prospective students must contact the CLA by the end of September to schedule a mandatory and free appointment for Language Profiling and Testing.

The service is open to whomever is interested, even those who have not yer decided whether or not to enrol in the LCII programme.

The Profiling and Testing session at the CLA is mandatory, can be held either in person or online, and must be completed by the end of September, as it will determine which classes each student should attend starting in early October.

Prospective students must:

  • provide information about their previous language studies

  • provide any existing language certifications

  • provisionally indicate their choice of a second language of study (in addition to English)

  • take the English test to verify B1-level proficiency (required for programme admission) and for class placement

  • possibly take placement tests in other languages (if already studied)

  • receive complete information about how the degree programme is organised

Instructions on how to book the Language Profiling and Testing session will be published in August on the webpage dedicated to first-year LCII testing.

ADMISSION TEST

ADMISSION TEST – TOLC-SU

In accordance with ministerial regulations, all students enroling in a university programme for the first time are required to take an admission test.

The test is mandatory, but failing it does not prevent either enrolment or attendance.

 

REGISTRATION

The admission test is organised nationally by the CISIA Interuniversity Consortium and is called TOLC (CISIA Online Test). The TOLC is an individual test, administered via a computer-based platform and composed of questions that are automatically and randomly selected from a database.

The TOLC-SU is the version intended for the Humanities area, and therefore also applies to degree programmes in Languages.

To register for a TOLC-SU, you must sign up on the website www.cisiaonline.it and follow the instructions provided there.

The TOLC-SU can be taken at any participating university, either in person or remotely (TOLC @ CASA), on any of the available dates listed on the CISIA website.

Enrolment in a university is not required to take the test: students may register as early as their fourth year of high school.

 

TOLC @ CASA

Students who wish to do so can take the test from home. The rules and technical requirements for TOLC@CASA are available on the CISIA website, where registration is also managed. Students may choose any participating university location when registering.

If other departments at the University of Siena offer in-person TOLC-SU sessions, it is possible to register for those as well.

The TOLC-SU test calendar, which is regularly updated, is available at the following link: https://tolc.cisiaonline.it/calendario.php?tolc=umanistica

Note:
Registrations for TOLC-SU sessions organised by the DFCLAM Department in Arezzo are still managed through CISIA, have limited availability, and are not reserved for students already enroled in our Department or Degree Programme. Therefore, early registration is recommended to secure a spot.

 

FORMAT

The features and format of the TOLC-SU are explained in detail on the website www.cisiaonline.it, which should be consulted for any questions or clarifications.

The test is divided into three sections, for a total of 50 multiple-choice questions:

  • Section 1: Reading comprehension and knowledge of the Italian language (30 questions, 60 minutes)

  • Section 2: Knowledge and skills acquired during previous studies (10 questions, 20 minutes)

  • Section 3: Logical reasoning (10 questions, 20 minutes)

Note:
While you are required to answer all three sections, only the 30 questions in Section 1 (Reading comprehension and Italian language knowledge) will be evaluated for admission to the Bachelor's Degree in Languages for Intercultural and Business Communication.

This section includes three types of texts – essay, literary, and journalistic – each followed by 10 multiple-choice questions (with 5 answer options).

A sample TOLC-SU test is available on the CISIA website, along with tools for practice and preparation.

Please note that the English language section will not be evaluated for this programme.
For details regarding foreign language testing, please see Language profiling and testing above.

 

EVALUATION

For admission to the Bachelor’s Degree in Languages for Intercultural and Business Communication, only the first 30 answers from Section 1 – Reading Comprehension and Knowledge of the Italian Language – will be considered.

The result of each TOLC is based on an absolute score calculated as follows:

  • +1 point for each correct answer

  • 0 points for each unanswered question

  • –0.25 points for each incorrect answer

To be considered as having passed the TOLC-SU for this degree programme, students must achieve a minimum score of 15 out of 30 in Section 1 only.
Students who score below 15 will be assigned Additional Learning Requirements (OFA – Obblighi Formativi Aggiuntivi).

 

ADDITIONAL LEARNING REQUIREMENTS (OFA) - REMEDIAL COURSE

To fulfill the OFA, students are required to attend a remedial course organised by the degree programme. Those who do not pass the TOLC will receive an email (sent to the address provided during registration) with the start date of the remedial course, which will be held between December 2025 and January 2026.

  • The course duration is 18 hours.

  • Students may miss up to 6 hours and still be considered as having attended.

  • More than 6 hours of absence, unless otherwise agreed with the instructor, requires repeating the entire course.

  • At the end of the course, students must take a final test administered by the instructor.

  • Only students who attended the course will be eligible to take this final test.

Failure to attend the remedial course or to pass the final test will result in an academic block, meaning the student will not be able to register for curricular exams during the current academic year.

 

FOR INFO, PLEASE CONTACT:

Prof. Alessio Ricci


https://docenti.unisi.it/it/ricci-1