Life in Italy

After B1 Italian: Study and Training Options for Adults in Italy

By Shenal Fernando

Thu 8 Oct · 8 min read

Official guidance checked on 8 October 2026

Reaching B1 Italian is a big step. It helps you understand everyday instructions, talk with teachers and colleagues, and start looking at vocational training.

But there is no single national list of “courses you can join with B1”. Admission depends on the course, your previous education, your region and sometimes your work or residence situation.

B1 is a language level. It does not replace a school diploma, it does not make a foreign qualification valid in Italy, and it does not give you a professional licence.

What your B1 certificate proves

Finishing a B1 language course and passing a recognised B1 certification exam are not the same thing. A training provider may ask for a specific certificate, test your Italian itself, or ask for other evidence.

The type of exam also matters. For example, CILS B1 Cittadinanza (the B1 exam for citizenship) is made specifically for citizenship applications. Do not assume it will be accepted as a general certificate for work or study. Show the provider your exact certificate and ask whether it meets their requirements.^[1][2]

Our recommendation: if you may want to continue into vocational training, school or university, take the standard B1 exam (for example, CILS UNO-B1) rather than the citizenship version. A standard certificate is made for general use, so training and education providers are more likely to accept it.

Your main options at a glance

Your goal	Pathway to explore	What to check besides Italian
Practical skills for work	Short vocational courses	Entry requirements and the certificate you receive
Funded training while unemployed	Employment centre and regional programmes	Eligibility and current funding
Work in personal care	ASA or OSS training	School qualification and course hours
Work in beauty or hairdressing	Recognised estetista or acconciatore courses	Employee level or independent level
Finish basic or secondary school	CPIA and evening courses	Assessment of your previous schooling
Technical specialisation	IFTS or ITS Academy	Diploma or other accepted entry route
University	B2 Italian and foundation courses	Academic eligibility and selection

This table is a starting point. It does not mean every course will accept every B1 learner.

1. Short vocational courses

If you want better job chances without starting a full school or university programme, vocational training is worth looking at. Common subjects include:

Computer skills, email, Word and Excel
Office work, customer service and basic bookkeeping
Hospitality, cooking and restaurant service
Warehouse work and logistics
Sewing, maintenance and other practical trades

Some courses need previous knowledge, a school qualification, or enough Italian to follow technical instructions. B1 is not always enough.

In Lombardy, the official adult training catalogue lists courses run by providers accredited by the Region, for both workers and unemployed adults. Some courses are paid. Eligible learners may get funded places through regional programmes.^[3]

Check what you get at the end: an attendance certificate, a skills certificate after an assessment, or a recognised professional qualification. They are not worth the same.

2. Funded training if you are unemployed

A good first contact is your local Centro per l’Impiego (public employment centre). Ask for a skills assessment and for information about training available now.

GOL – Garanzia per l’Occupabilità dei Lavoratori (a national programme that links job support with training) is one option. Whether you can join, and which course you are offered, depends on your eligibility and an individual assessment, not only on B1.^[4][5]

If you already work, ask about formazione continua (continuing training for workers). Often the employer applies, not the worker.^[6]

3. Personal care: ASA and OSS

A family-assistant course can teach useful skills for caring for someone at home. But it does not automatically give you an ASA or OSS qualification.

ASA – Ausiliario Socio-Assistenziale (social care assistant) and OSS – Operatore Socio-Sanitario (social and health care worker) are two separate qualifications that come from regulated training. Here are the requirements in Lombardy:

Requirement	ASA in Lombardy	OSS in Lombardy
Minimum age	18	18
School qualification	Lower-secondary diploma	Upper-secondary diploma, or a vocational qualification of at least three years
Italian for foreign applicants	At least B1, spoken and written	At least B1, spoken and written
Course length	800 hours	1,000 hours

Other regions may have different rules. Foreign school documents must also meet the admission rules.^[7][8][9]

Lombardy has published funded ASA/OSS places for eligible unemployed people, but not every ASA or OSS course is free. Ask an accredited provider about current places and funding before you sign anything.

4. Beauty and hairdressing

Lombardy’s adult catalogue also includes recognised courses for estetista (beautician) and acconciatore (hairdresser).^[3]

Working as an employee and working independently are different levels. In Lombardy, the standard estetista route is two years and 1,800 hours to work as an employee. To work independently or become the responsabile tecnico (technical manager), you need a further 700-hour specialisation and a final exam.^[10]

Before paying for a short beauty, nail or hair course, ask whether its certificate gives you the official qualification you need. A practical workshop cannot replace a qualification required by law.

5. Back to school: CPIA and evening courses

If you do not yet have the school qualification needed for your goal, adult schooling may be the next step.

CPIA – Centri Provinciali per l’Istruzione degli Adulti (public adult education centres) offer first-level courses. These lead to the licenza media (lower-secondary school certificate).

Second-level courses are run by upper-secondary schools and lead to technical, vocational or art diplomas. They are often called corsi serali (evening courses).

Your previous learning can be assessed and written into a Patto Formativo Individuale (personal study agreement). This may change your study plan, but a shorter course is not automatic.^[11]

6. IFTS: technical specialisation

IFTS – Istruzione e Formazione Tecnica Superiore (higher technical training) offers focused courses linked to jobs. In Lombardy they usually last two semesters, 800–1,000 hours, in fields such as manufacturing, construction, tourism, IT and business services.^[12]

An upper-secondary diploma is one way in, but not the only one. Lombardy’s 2026/27 rules also allow vocational diplomas and, in some cases, entry after an assessment of skills gained through education, training and work. B1 alone does not make you eligible.^[13]

7. ITS Academy: higher technical education

ITS Academies (higher technical institutes) offer practical, industry-focused courses. They are not university degrees. Most last two years, some three, in fields such as ICT, energy, transport, fashion and tourism.

The usual entry requirement is an upper-secondary diploma. Another route is a four-year vocational diploma plus an IFTS certificate. Foreign qualifications must be assessed.^[14] Ask each academy about language tests, selection, fees and compulsory work placements.

8. University and foundation courses

B1 can be a starting point, but it is usually below the level needed for an Italian-taught degree. The national procedures for international students for 2026/27 and 2027/28 set the Italian level at at least B2 for the degree applicants they cover, with some exemptions.^[15]

Some institutions offer foundation courses (preparation courses for university). These need at least B1 in the teaching language, but finishing one does not guarantee a degree place.^[15] If you already live in Italy, ask the university which admission category applies to you.

If you studied in Sri Lanka

Keep your language documents and your education documents separate. Depending on the course, a provider may ask for your certificates, results, translations and a Dichiarazione di Valore (declaration of value) or a CIMEA statement.

A Dichiarazione di Valore describes your foreign qualification. It does not turn it into an Italian diploma. Read our full guide to the Dichiarazione di Valore.

Before paying for translations or other services, ask the school or provider exactly which documents they accept.^[13][16]

Questions to ask before you enrol

Do you accept my exact Italian certificate, or will you test my Italian?
Does my previous education meet the entry requirements?
Which documents do you need for my Sri Lankan qualifications?
What exact certificate will I receive, and what can I use it for?
Is the course approved for the job I want?
What are the total costs, funding conditions and attendance rules?
Is there a work placement, and when does it take place?

For many adults, a good plan is practical training together with continued Italian study towards B2. Choose a course whose entry rules you can meet and whose certificate fits your real goal.

Useful Italian search words

Search online with these words plus your town or province: corsi per adulti (adult courses), corsi gratuiti disoccupati (free courses for the unemployed), CPIA, corsi serali, ASA, OSS, IFTS, ITS Academy, formazione continua. In Lombardy, you can also search the regional catalogue at formazione.servizirl.it. In Pavia province, contact CPIA Pavia.

Official sources

This article is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm the current requirements with the school, training provider or office concerned.

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