Courses
Italian Language and Culture courses
The School of Italian Language and Culture for Foreigners (ITALSTRA) offers Italian Language and Culture Courses every year, in each semester, at three proficiency levels: Beginner (A1–A2), Intermediate (B1–B2), and Advanced (C1).
These courses are intended for:
- International students enrolled in Bachelor's, Master's, or postgraduate degree programs at the University of Catania;
- Incoming Erasmus+ students;
- Visiting Students and Visiting Professors participating in international agreements with the University of Catania;
- Participants in projects organized in cooperation with the University of Catania (UNICT);
- Foreign citizens.
The course consists of 54 hours of classroom instruction and laboratory activities, corresponding to 9 ECTS credits.
The course is free of charge and is open to the following categories of participants:
- International UNICT students enrolled in Bachelor's, Master's, postgraduate, or PhD programmes who are up to date with the payment of university tuition fees.
- Visiting Students and Visiting Professors participating in international agreements with the University of Catania.
- Students participating in projects organized in cooperation with UNICT.
- Incoming Erasmus+ students who have included the course in their Learning Agreement, subject to selection based on a ranking prepared by the ITALSTRA Scientific Committee.
Each class will have a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 40 students. Applications submitted after the deadline specified in the call for applications will not be accepted.
Participants' initial language proficiency will be assessed through a placement test. At the end of the course, students who have attended at least 80% of the classes will be eligible to take the final assessment. Those who successfully pass the final assessment will receive a certificate of completion for educational activities corresponding to 9 ECTS credits.
For all not included in the list, the course have to be paid, and the educational offer will be provided starting form 2027.
Italian Crash course
The Italian Crash Courses are intensive Italian language courses offered exclusively to incoming Erasmus+ students at the University of Catania. Designed to help students quickly develop their language skills, the courses lead to A2 or B1 proficiency and consist of 36 hours of classroom instruction and language laboratory activities, corresponding to 3 ECTS credits.
The courses are intended to provide students with the language skills necessary to integrate into the academic and local community, as well as to attend courses taught in Italian that are not offered in English or designated as English-friendly. At the end of the course, students will take a final assessment to certify the level of Italian language proficiency achieved. Successful participants will receive a certificate stating the number of hours completed and the corresponding 3 ECTS credits, which may be recognized by their home institutions.
No prior registration is required. During the Welcome Day, incoming Erasmus+ students will take a placement test to assess their initial language proficiency and be assigned to the appropriate class. Students who attend at least 80% of the course and successfully pass the final assessment will receive a certificate confirming the completion of 18 hours of classroom instruction and 18 hours of language laboratory activities, equivalent to 3 ECTS credits.
