TOLC 2026 — Exam for Italian Universities

Picture a foggy October morning in 2026. You are sitting at the computer in your room, the final minute of the TOLC-I exam on screen, a CISIA proctor watching you through the camera from Pisa, and your result on the 0-50 scale will decide whether a year from now you start an engineering degree at Politecnico di Milano, Sapienza in Rome, or whether you will have to look for an alternative. This is not the American SAT, nor is it a national school-leaving exam — it is a specifically Italian system in which the CISIA consortium has, since 2012, centralised entrance exams for most public universities and does so exclusively in computer-based form, with an instant result and a penalty for guessing.

International applicants usually hear about the TOLC too late — in the spring of their final school year, when the first sessions have already taken place and slots for the next ones fill within hours of registration opening. In this guide I will walk you through all five TOLC types (TOLC-I, TOLC-E, TOLC-F, TOLC-S, English TOLC), show you exactly how to register through cisiaonline.it from abroad, what score Politecnico di Milano, Sapienza, Bologna and Sant’Anna in Pisa specifically require, and why Bocconi is the only major Italian university that does NOT use the TOLC (and what it uses instead). At the end you will find a realistic plan B for when something goes wrong.

What is the TOLC and which Italian universities require it in 2026?

TOLC stands for Test On-Line CISIA — a computer-based entrance exam run by the Consorzio Interuniversitario Sistemi Integrati per l’Accesso (CISIA), a consortium of more than 50 public Italian universities. The exam was created to standardise admissions to capped programmes (numero programmato) — instead of each university running its own test, a candidate sits the TOLC once and can apply to several universities in parallel with the same result. This is a completely different logic from systems built entirely on a school-leaving exam, and different again from the American holistic review with the SAT, essays and recommendation letters.

TL;DR — what you need to know right away:

• The TOLC is required for most public-university programmes in engineering, economics, pharmacy and the natural sciences
• Format: computer-based, 50-110 minutes depending on the type, in 99% of cases taken in TOLC@CASA mode (from home, under camera proctoring) or on-site in selected Italian cities
• Cost: EUR 30 per attempt
• You can sit it once a month, and your best result counts
• 2026 sessions: the first in February, the last in October — registration opens 30-45 days in advance
• Bocconi does NOT use the TOLC — it has its own BOT (Bocconi Online Test)

The CISIA consortium states on its site cisiaonline.it that in 2024 more than 200,000 TOLC attempts were taken per year — a scale on which any one international applicant is just one of many, but CISIA has explicitly allowed sitting the test from outside Italy since 2020. A passport, an Italian account on the portal and a computer with a camera — that is all it takes to register for a session.

The most common myth I hear from applicants: “if I have good advanced maths from school, I’ll pass the TOLC no problem.” Partly true, partly a trap. Advanced school maths covers maybe 60-70% of the TOLC-I range — the rest is logic with elements of an IQ test, physics at a level that often goes beyond standard school physics, and reading comprehension of a scientific text in Italian (unless you sit the English TOLC). A strong student with a 90+ advanced maths result usually scores 30-40 on the TOLC without intensive preparation. But 30-40 is only the entry point — the best programmes at Polimi (Computer Science Engineering, Aerospace) require 40+ in the positional ranking.

What are the TOLC types and which one should you choose for your field?

CISIA runs nine kinds of TOLC, but for international applicants five mainly matter — the rest (TOLC-AV, TOLC-PSI, TOLC-LP, TOLC-SU) are narrowly profiled for specifically Italian fields. The choice is not free: each university specifies precisely which TOLC it expects for a given programme.

TOLC-I (Ingegneria) — engineering degrees. This is the most popular TOLC among international applicants, required for all engineering degrees at Polimi, Politecnico di Torino, Sapienza, Bologna, Padua and Pisa. Format: 50 questions, 110 minutes, split into four sections:

• Matematica (20 questions, 50 min) — algebra, analytic geometry, functions, limits, the basics of differential calculus
• Logica (10 questions, 20 min) — codes, sequences, syllogisms, similar to GMAT critical reasoning
• Comprensione verbale (10 questions, 20 min) — reading a scientific text in Italian
• Scienze fisiche e chimiche (10 questions, 20 min) — physics and chemistry at upper-secondary level

TOLC-E (Economia) — economics and business degrees. Required at Sapienza (Economics & Management), Bologna, Padua and LUISS. Important: Bocconi does NOT use the TOLC-E — Bocconi has a separate BOT. TOLC-E format: 36 questions, 90 minutes, sections in maths (13), logic (13) and reading comprehension (10).

TOLC-F (Farmacia) — pharmacy and biotechnology degrees. 50 questions, 105 minutes: biology (15), chemistry (15), maths (7), physics (7), reading comprehension (6). Required for pharmacy and CTF (Chimica e Tecnologia Farmaceutiche) at virtually all public universities.

TOLC-S (Scienze) — pure sciences. Applied mathematics, theoretical physics, chemistry, molecular biology, geology. 50 questions, 110 minutes. Required at Sapienza and Bologna for natural-science degrees.

English TOLC (the English versions of TOLC-E and TOLC-I). This is the option for English-taught programmes — Computer Science Engineering in English at Polimi, the Bachelor in Economics & Business in English at Bologna, the Bachelor in Engineering Sciences at Sapienza. There is no “Comprensione verbale” section in Italian — it is replaced by an English equivalent. For an applicant who does not know Italian, this is often the only realistic option for the first year.

A practical tip: if you are torn between fields, sit the TOLC-I first — it covers the largest number of programmes, and its result is often accepted as a substitute score for related fields. Sapienza accepts the TOLC-I for Computer Science (which formally requires the TOLC-S), and Polimi accepts the TOLC-I for Architecture (a separate architecture test is run in addition).

What is the TOLC-I format and what exactly should you expect?

The TOLC-I is the type most often taken by international applicants, so I will give it special attention. The exam lasts 110 minutes and consists of 50 questions split into four rigidly timed sections — you cannot move on to the next section early, nor go back to the previous one.

Section 1 — Matematica (50 minutes, 20 questions). This is the largest section and decides most of the points. The range covers advanced school maths by roughly 70%, but with extras: trigonometry in full (including trigonometric identities, which standard school programmes do not require to the same depth), combinatorics and probability at a higher level than the standard core, and the basics of differential calculus (limits, derivatives) — present in advanced school maths, but treated as a must-have in the TOLC-I. There is no calculator — everything is done by hand, with access to a formula sheet displayed on screen.

Section 2 — Logica (20 minutes, 10 questions). This is where applicants usually lose the most points, because the typical school-leaving exam does not test this kind of task. The questions are similar to GMAT Integrated Reasoning or LSAT logic games: number sequences, syllogisms, “which item does not belong”, codes, spatial puzzles. The average time per question is 2 minutes, so there is no room for working things out on paper. Training: practise with the “Esercitati” section on cisiaonline.it, which has hundreds of these questions from past years.

Section 3 — Comprensione Verbale (20 minutes, 10 questions). A scientific text in Italian (~500 words) plus 10 questions about understanding it. Themes: popular science (articles about climate, technology, medicine). Required Italian level: B2 (CILS, CELI, DELI). If you sit the English TOLC, this section is in English — IELTS 6.0+ or TOEFL 80+ is required.

Section 4 — Scienze Fisiche e Chimiche (20 minutes, 10 questions). Classical physics (mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism at upper-secondary level) plus general chemistry (the mole, stoichiometry, reaction equations, the basics of organic chemistry). An applicant with advanced school physics or chemistry has an edge here; without it, you need to add around 40 hours.

The scoring system that catches people out:

• Correct answer: +1 point
• No answer: 0 points
• Wrong answer: −0.25 points

The maximum score is 50 points. The penalty for guessing means the “better to mark something than nothing” strategy from a typical school exam does not work — if you cannot eliminate at least two of the four options, you are statistically better off leaving the field blank. An applicant with good mathematical instinct usually scores 30-40 points; 40+ is already a very strong result for Polimi’s top programmes.

How do you register for the TOLC from abroad, step by step?

CISIA runs registration exclusively online through the portal cisiaonline.it. For an international applicant the whole process takes 30-40 minutes, but there are traps — mainly with translating documents and with the timing of slot openings. Start at least 6 weeks before your planned session, because popular sessions (April, June) fill within 24 hours of registration opening.

Step 1 — Creating a CISIA account. On cisiaonline.it click “Area Studenti” → “Registrazione”. You need: first name, surname (exactly as in your passport), date of birth, fiscal code (optional for foreigners — you can leave it blank or generate a temporary one through the Agenzia delle Entrate). Your email address must be active — all notifications (registration confirmation, exam link, result) come by email only.

Step 2 — Choosing the TOLC type and session. The session calendar is available at cisiaonline.it/area-tematica-tolc-cisia/calendario-sessioni-tolc/. 2026 sessions typically:

• February — the first sessions, the least crowded, ideal for early birds
• March-April — peak registration, slots vanish within 24h
• May-June — popular with Italian candidates, high occupancy
• July-September — second peaks, plus summer “extraordinarie” sessions
• October — last chance before the semester starts

Choose the mode: TOLC@CASA (from home, the most convenient option for an international applicant — you don’t have to fly to Italy) or TOLC-Sede (on-site in one of 50+ Italian cities). TOLC@CASA requires a computer with a camera, a stable internet connection (min. 2 Mb/s upload) and a room where no one will walk in during the 110-minute exam.

Step 3 — The EUR 30 fee. Payment by card (Visa/Mastercard) or instant bank transfer. Each attempt is a separate fee — if you plan 3 attempts over six months, budget roughly EUR 90 for the exams alone.

Step 4 — Pre-test and equipment check. 7-10 days before the exam CISIA sends a link to a technical pre-test. You must pass a simulation: installing the Safe Exam Browser (software that blocks other applications), a camera test, a microphone test, an internet-speed test. Failing the pre-test = losing your slot with no refund. Laptops running Windows 10/11 or a Mac on macOS 12+ are compatible; Linux is NOT supported.

Step 5 — Exam day. Log in 30 minutes before the start. The CISIA proctor connects with you by camera, asks you to show the room (360°), to show ID (passport or national ID card), and you begin. The exam is recorded; a toilet break is not allowed. You get your result immediately after finishing — the system marks the answers automatically.

The trap most international applicants run into: the TOLC-I and the other TOLCs are 100% in Italian (apart from the English TOLC). The exam interface, the instructions, the questions — everything is in Italian. Set aside at least 20 hours to learn technical vocabulary (mathematical, physical) in Italian, even if the Comprensione section is not your strong suit. CISIA does not provide translations.

How does TOLC scoring work and what are the score thresholds at Italian universities?

The TOLC score ranges from 0 to 50 points for the TOLC-I/TOLC-S/TOLC-F (50 questions × 1 point) and from 0 to 36 for the TOLC-E. In reality the national average is ~20-25 points for the TOLC-I, so 30+ is already clearly above average, and 40+ is the top decile.

Every university in Italy publishes a so-called bando di concorso (admissions regulation) on its site, with exact score thresholds. The 2024-2025 thresholds published on universitaly.it and university sites:

Politecnico di Milano (Polimi). Polimi does not use a fixed score threshold — it runs a positional ranking. The CISIA TOLC-I result is weighted together with a bonus for sitting it early (anticipato bonus +5 points for those who took the TOLC by September of the previous year) and gives you a place in the ranking. The higher your place, the earlier you choose your programme. 2024 figures (per polimi.it/ammissione):

• Computer Science Engineering — average score of those admitted: ~38 points
• Aerospace Engineering — average: ~37 points
• Mechanical / Civil Engineering — average: ~30-32 points
• Minimum pass threshold — 8 points (below = OFA, but you can still get in where there is no competition)

Sapienza Università di Roma. Sapienza applies a threshold of 6 points on the TOLC-I for engineering degrees — below that threshold a candidate gets OFA (Obblighi Formativi Aggiuntivi), i.e. an obligation to pass a remedial maths course in the first semester. Above 6 — admitted to the programme without conditions. Competitiveness: lower than Polimi, but on popular programmes (Computer Engineering in the English version) the caps on places create a ranking.

Università di Bologna. Bologna uses thresholds of 15-20 points on most public programmes with the TOLC-I and TOLC-S. Details: studenti.unibo.it. Bologna is less competitive than Polimi, but it has more applicants (the largest number of international English-taught programmes).

Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa. Sant’Anna is an elite school with strict selection — it requires 35+ points on the TOLC-I plus its own subject test plus an interview. It is the only Italian university with a level of competitiveness comparable to the American top 20.

Università degli Studi di Padova. Padua applies thresholds of 10-15 points on most engineering degrees, lower for the pure sciences. Very welcoming to international students — a large community of foreign students.

A strong applicant with 90+ in advanced maths and 80+ in physics, after 3 months of systematic preparation, usually reaches 32-38 points. That is enough for almost everything except Polimi CS and Sant’Anna.

How do you prepare for the TOLC and what are the best materials?

CISIA offers free practice materials on cisiaonline.it in the “Esercitati con il TOLC” section — this should be your first stop before spending money on commercial courses. The materials include: full tests from past years (with correct answers), a question bank in every section, an exam-interface simulator (identical to the one you will see live). The quality of CISIA’s materials is enough for 80% of candidates — commercial courses are an add-on, not a replacement.

A preparation plan for an applicant with advanced maths (2-3 months):

Weeks 1-2: Diagnosis. Do a full past-year test from cisiaonline.it under exam conditions (110 minutes, no breaks). Check your score. Map your weaknesses:

• Matematica: which topics suit you? Trigonometry? Derivatives? Combinatorics?
• Logica: do you see the patterns in sequences? Are codes Greek to you?
• Comprensione: how long did it take you to understand the text in Italian?
• Scienze: which areas of physics do you have in your head, and which have you forgotten since your first year of school?

Weeks 3-6: Working on weaknesses. Cover each topic systematically. Materials:

• Matematica: the textbook “Bergamini Trifone Barozzi — Matematica.blu 2.0” (the Italian upper-secondary standard), online: the cisiaonline.it question bank
• Logica: “Test Logica per TOLC” (Edises publisher) — 1500 exercises with explanations
• Comprensione: read articles from Le Scienze (the Italian Scientific American) — 30 min a day
• Scienze: “Halliday Resnick Walker — Fundamentals of Physics” (in English), the CISIA physics question bank

Weeks 7-10: Full-scale simulations. Every weekend, a full test from cisiaonline.it. Goal: stabilise your score at 28+ early on, 35+ towards the end. Analyse every wrong answer; it is better to understand 5 mistakes than to grind through 50 exercises without reflection.

Weeks 11-12: Time strategy and final polish. Work on your pace: do you fit maths into 50 minutes? Is logic 20 or 25 minutes? Train the “skip vs. answer” decision — it often decides 5-7 final points.

Without advanced maths: 4-6 months. You need to add: trigonometry in full, derivatives, combinatorics, 3D analytic geometry. I recommend starting with a solid advanced-level textbook in your own language, then moving on to Italian materials.

A trap applicants don’t see: physics and chemistry in the TOLC-I are not core school-level. Physics requires knowledge of things like the Galilean transformation and the basics of quantum physics (the photoelectric effect), thermodynamics at a higher level than the standard core. Chemistry requires stoichiometry in a harder form + the basics of organic chemistry. If you only took the core in physics/chemistry, add at least 30 hours.

Commercial courses: WAU (wauniversity.com), UnidTest, Edises offer courses for EUR 200-500. From my experience: for an applicant with good advanced maths, courses are not essential — the CISIA materials are enough. For an applicant without an advanced background, the WAU course (~EUR 300) makes sense as a structure.

How does a school-leaving diploma translate into Italian university requirements?

Most European education systems are part of the Bologna Process, and a national school-leaving diploma is formally recognised in Italy without a nostrification procedure. Your national academic-recognition body issues a statement of recognition for academic purposes, often free of charge, if you need one. Italian universities usually accept a foreign school-leaving diploma directly through the universitaly.it portal — the official government platform for international applicants.

What exactly you need to apply to an Italian university (2026):

1. School-leaving certificate — apostille (issued by the competent authority in your country) + a sworn translation into Italian
2. An Italian language certificate — a minimum of B2 (CILS, CELI or DELI) for Italian-taught degrees. The DELI or CILS exam (Università per Stranieri di Siena) — cost EUR 130-180, results in 6-8 weeks
3. An English certificate — IELTS 6.0+ or TOEFL 80+ for English-taught degrees
4. A TOLC result — from a session accepted in the university’s bando, taken at least a month after its publication
5. Pre-iscrizione (preliminary registration) — through the universitaly.it portal, usually by 30 July
6. Dichiarazione di Valore (DoV) — an alternative to the apostille, issued by the Italian consulate in your country, cost ~EUR 60

Trap 1: Italian language for most programmes. Only ~30% of bachelor’s programmes have English-taught versions. Computer Science Engineering in English at Polimi, the Bachelor in Economics & Business in English at Bologna, the Bachelor in Engineering Sciences at Sapienza — these are exceptions. Most of physics, chemistry, pharmacy, law and medicine is in Italian → DELI/CILS B2 is a must-have, not optional.

Trap 2: the diploma alone is not enough. Unlike systems where a school-leaving result equals admission, Italian universities require the TOLC + the diploma for capped programmes, and the TOLC is often the most important part. The school-leaving diploma serves as proof that you finished secondary school, not as a selection tool.

Trap 3: ISEE and fees. Public Italian universities use the ISEE system — an index of family income. For a family with a moderate income, the annual tuition at Polimi can be as low as EUR 156 (the lowest band), and around EUR 500 at Sapienza. That is significantly less than EUR 13,000 a year at Bocconi or USD 30,000 a year in the USA. To benefit: a sworn translation of your parents’ tax returns + tax-office certificates, submitted at a CAF (Centro di Assistenza Fiscale) or directly at the university.

For an applicant with 90+ advanced maths and the intention to study engineering, a realistic 2026 application timeline:

• September 2025 — start learning Italian (DELI B2)
• November-December 2025 — first practice TOLC@CASA (diagnosis)
• February 2026 — first real TOLC-I attempt
• April 2026 — second attempt (the best result counts)
• May 2026 — school-leaving exams
• June 2026 — DELI B2 exam
• July 2026 — pre-iscrizione on universitaly.it
• September 2026 — admission and enrolment

Check the GPA calculator to see how your school-leaving results translate into different grading systems — useful when applying to the USA as a plan B.

Which Italian universities are a realistic target for an international applicant via the TOLC?

Italy has 67 public universities and ~30 private ones — but for an international applicant with a TOLC, the realistic pool is ~10 institutions. The rest are small regional universities that mainly admit local students. I will focus on those with a significant international community that admit international applicants every year.

Politecnico di Milano (Polimi) — Italy’s flagship technical university. QS Ranking 2024: #123 globally, #6 in Europe among technical universities. ~50,000 students, 6% international. English-taught bachelor’s degrees: Computer Science Engineering, Mathematical Engineering, Management Engineering. Tuition for a low ISEE: EUR 156/year — yes, really. The TOLC-I is the basis of admission; read the full Polimi guide. Milan is an expensive city — a room costs EUR 500-750/month, with total living costs of EUR 800-1,200/month.

Sapienza Università di Roma — Europe’s largest university. 110,000 students, ~20,000 international. QS #134. Sapienza has the widest range of fields: engineering, medicine, law, architecture, economics, philology. The TOLC-I and TOLC-E are required for most programmes. English-taught programmes: Bachelor in Engineering Sciences, Bachelor in Bioinformatics, MEDTECH (medicine in English, but it requires the IMAT, not the TOLC). Life in Rome: EUR 700-1,100/month — cheaper than Milan, with a more relaxed academic climate.

Università di Bologna — the oldest university in the world (1088). Full guide. 87,000 students. QS #154. The richest offering of international programmes in Italy: 70+ programmes in English. The TOLC-I, TOLC-E and TOLC-S are used depending on the field. As a city, Bologna is cheaper (EUR 650-900/month) and has the highest share of students in the population in Italy.

Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa — the Italian MIT. ~600 students, hyper-competitive. Requires a TOLC-I of 35+ plus its own subject test plus an interview. Worth it if you are aiming for a research career — almost all graduates go on to a PhD at the world’s top universities. Tuition: almost nil, but competitiveness on a par with Stanford.

Università degli Studi di Padova. QS #219. ~65,000 students. Padua is welcoming to international students — a large foreign-student community, lower TOLC thresholds, an excellent English-taught offering in the natural sciences (Molecular Biology, Animal Care).

Bocconi — a separate note. Bocconi is a private economics university that does not use the TOLC. Bocconi has its own route: the Bocconi Online Test (BOT) — a computer-based test similar to the GMAT (logic, maths, reading comprehension) — or the SAT (minimum 1350) with a holistic application. For an international applicant, Bocconi is a more American route (essay, recommendation letters, interview) than an Italian one. Tuition EUR 13,000-16,000/year for a low ISEE, up to EUR 16,500 at full rate, but Bocconi offers generous merit-based scholarships. Full Bocconi guide.

Also check the GPA calculator to see how your profile (diploma, certificates, TOLC) compares against different European universities — comparing Polimi vs. Sapienza vs. Bocconi vs. the German TUs helps you find the sweet spot.

Is the TOLC worth taking from a 2026 perspective?

The short answer: yes, if you are aiming for engineering, economics or natural-science studies at a public Italian university. The TOLC is the cheapest and most accessible route to Italy’s flagship universities — Polimi, Sapienza, Bologna, Padua. A cost of EUR 30 per attempt, the ability to sit it from home, an instant result, multiple sessions a year — it is a far friendlier system than the American SAT/ACT with its requirement of being physically present at a test centre.

The long answer has several layers. First, the TOLC is not a hard exam for an applicant with advanced maths — the average applicant, after 3 months of preparation, reaches 30-40 points, which is enough for 80% of Italian public programmes. Second, the funding system (ISEE) makes studying in Italy genuinely cheaper than at many private universities back home — Polimi at EUR 156/year for a low ISEE is an absurdly good deal compared with private business schools. Third, a degree from an Italian technical university or university is globally recognised — Polimi and Bocconi rank higher than most national alternatives, while Sapienza and Bologna are in the QS Top 200.

Caveats: the Italian language is a real barrier. Most bachelor’s programmes are in Italian — DELI/CILS B2 is a necessity, not an option. An applicant who starts learning Italian in their final school year has a harder road than one who started in their second year. Second caveat: competition is rising. In 2024 there were ~200,000 TOLC attempts; in 2025 the number grew by ~10% per year, including a rise in international candidates. An international applicant increasingly competes not only with Italians, but also with Spaniards, Germans, Indians and Chinese applicants.

From a 2026 perspective, choosing the TOLC makes sense as part of a wider application portfolio: the TOLC for Polimi/Sapienza/Bologna + the SAT for Bocconi + possibly an application to German technical universities (free, no TOLC). Three parallel routes, three contingency plans. For an applicant with good maths, such a triad is genuinely achievable within a single year.

Who is the TOLC not worth it for? For those aiming solely at Bocconi (it doesn’t use the TOLC), at private universities like LUISS Guido Carli (which run their own tests alongside the TOLC), or at American universities (where the TOLC is not accepted). For anyone with no plans for an Italian public university, EUR 30 and 30 hours of study are a wasted budget.

Sources and methodology

All the data in this article comes from official sources available in April 2026:

• CISIA (Consorzio Interuniversitario Sistemi Integrati per l’Accesso) — cisiaonline.it — official data on the TOLC format, session calendar, fees, preparation materials, attempt statistics (the “TOLC in numeri” section)
• Universitaly.it — universitaly.it — the government portal for international applicants, pre-iscrizione, university data
• Politecnico di Milano — polimi.it — bandi di concorso, admissions statistics, the structure of the positional ranking
• Sapienza Università di Roma — uniroma1.it — data on OFA thresholds, TOLC programmes
• Università di Bologna — unibo.it — bandi di concorso, international programmes
• Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa — santannapisa.it — admissions requirements
• Università di Padova — unipd.it — bandi, statistics

Currency note: all prices in EUR are catalogue prices from 2024-2025; confirm the current figures on the universities’ sites before applying.

Methodology: the score-threshold data comes from official bandi di concorso published by the universities on their faculty pages; the admissions statistics come from CISIA’s “TOLC in numeri” reports and university reports available for the TOLC-I/TOLC-E for the 2024/2025 academic year. Some thresholds (such as the average 38 points for CS Eng at Polimi) are estimates based on the 2024 positional ranking, not fixed formal thresholds — Polimi operates on a ranking basis, not a threshold basis. Check the current data on the universities’ sites before every application.

What is NOT in this article: data on medical degrees (medicine in Italy uses the IMAT, not the TOLC — a separate exam); data on art and architecture degrees (they have their own tests, e.g. the architecture test at Polimi); rankings of private Italian universities like LUISS, NABA, IED.

If you are planning to apply to an Italian university for the 2027/2028 academic year, start with the cisiaonline.it materials and a first practice TOLC@CASA as early as autumn 2026 — an early diagnosis gives you 6-9 months for real preparation.