Everything you need to know about Bravo!

The Bravo! test assesses your proficiency in a second language, and it helps you understand how well you know Italian. To attend a university in Italy, you must have certified B2 language proficiency level or higher. If your proficiency is not certified, with Bravo! you can get a certificate valid for university enrolment. Check if your university participates in the Bravo! project Taking this test will help you complete admission to the university degree course you like.

If you already have a certificate stating you have achieved a B2 - or higher - proficiency level in Italian, and this certificate is issued by a certifying agency, you may not need to take the Bravo! test. Ask your university. Please remember that a language certificate is a qualification issued by a recognised certifying agency^[1].

^[1]The Certifying Agencies that are part of the CLIQ (Certificazione Lingua Italiana di Qualità - Italian Quality Language Certification) quality system are the University for Foreigners of Perugia, the University for Foreigners of Siena, the University of Roma Tre and the Dante Alighieri Society.

You can take the test more than once, either before or after enrolling in your University degree course. If your university participates in the @casa remote test mode, you can also take the test at home, without having to come to Italy. Contact the university to find out when you should take the test.

We recommend that you take the test before enrolling at your University of choice. The university will take care of registering you for the test and will assess the result. If your score is not high enough, you may be asked to repeat the test.

Your test score appears on your computer screen at the end of the test. You will also find the link to view your score in the reminder email sent to you when you register. The score goes from 0 to 72 points.

The Bravo! test is not a certification. After the test, you will receive a document stating your test for each section. This is a certificate of knowledge that can help you enrol in a University degree course or you can use it as a self-assessment tool.

To take the test you must have:

● a stable Internet connection
● a computer (desktop or laptop) connected to the power outlet and to the Internet
● a smartphone (or tablet) connected to the power outlet and to the Internet. You also need to download the Zoom app
● a pair of wired headphones/earphones for the listening section
● a pen and a few plain sheets of paper to take notes.

We recommend that you take the test in a quiet place without other people around.

Bravo! measures receptive skills, listening and reading comprehension skills, together with grammar skills. The test content focuses on the language you would use for living and studying at a university. The Bravo! test has sections that increase in difficulty, from level A1 to C1.

If your level is equal to or higher than the level required by the university you have chosen, you will have no problem enrolling and attending the courses.

Learning a new language is always a journey. The milestones of this journey are established by the Council of Europe in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages^[1]. The various levels established by the Framework map out the journey, starting with level A1 (beginner learner) and ending with C2 (proficient learner).
For each level of the Framework there is a description of what you need to be able to do in the various categories: listening, reading, writing and speaking.

If you wish to learn more about the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, visit the Council of Europe website.

¹Council of Europe (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Florence: The New Italy. A supplement to the Framework, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, Learning, teaching, assessment - Companion Volume.

The Framework describes what you should know for each level of language proficiency. The Italian Language Profile^[2] specifies exactly which elements of the language you need to know. The Framework provides a general description, while the Profile provides practical examples and is useful for both learners and teachers of Italian.

The CEFR and the Profile are the two points of reference used to create the Bravo! test.

^{[2] Spinelli B. and Parizzi F. (2010) Profile of the Italian language. CEFR reference levels A1, A2, B1, B2, Florence, La Nuova Italia/ RCS Libri.}

Each section of the Bravo! test consists of:

● listening comprehension test (7 multiple-choice questions, 15')
● reading comprehension test (7 multiple-choice questions, 15')
● language structure test (10 multiple-choice fill-in-the-blanks,10')

The test is structured as follows:

Your university sets the minimum score you need to achieve to pass the test.

The BRAVO! test is also a simple, convenient and quick way to understand how your Italian language learning journey is going and to identify your strengths and weaknesses, even after you have started studying in Italy.