There are plenty of Italian courses to choose from in Italy – from beginner conversation lessons to immersive one-on-one courses.
Whether you’re hoping to learn the basics or need to pass a language exam, there are a few factors to consider when looking for a course, such as class size, number of hours, the inclusion of an exam at the end and, of course, the price.
The latter is an important aspect to consider, as language courses can run up an expensive bill. Though there are some options for learners on a budget, many language schools are going to present a hefty price tag.
Here’s a look at some of the different corsi available in the country and their cost.
Individual lessons
The cost of one-on-one lessons depends on the experience of the teacher, whether they are online or in-person, and whether you are taking them through a school or private tutor.
Online lessons can be an option for anyone looking to spend less on language learning. One of the best ways to find an online tutor is through word of mouth, but Facebook groups, online platforms like Superprof and Lingua Talk and bulletin boards at your local library or university can also help you in your search.
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On Lingua Talk, the average hourly rate for an Italian private tutor is €22.
In-person one-on-one lessons at private schools like Istituto Dante Aligheri in Milan or Scuola Leonardo da Vinci, which has schools in Rome, Milan, Florence, Turin and Viareggio, will cost you more, with fees for an hour-long lesson generally hovering around €45-50.
Intensive courses
If you need to prepare for the citizenship language test or start a university course, you might be looking for an intensive course.
These courses usually take up multiple hours a day every day of the workweek.
The price here varies depending on a number of factors: the number of hours offered, the level of the course, the number of students in the class and whether or not you're preparing for an exam.
For instance, a three-month group class with a total of 240 lessons at the Istituto Dante Aligheri in Milan costs €1,700. A six-month intensive course at the same school costs €3,100.
In Florence, a four-week-long intensive course at Scuola Toscana costs €930. The price rises to €1,865 for eight weeks. These courses however offer additional perks, including cultural outings for art history lessons, literature seminars and food experiences.
A Rome school also named Dante Aligheri has group courses that start at €300 for a week, but can climb to €440 a week for the most advanced courses.
At Naples' Istituto Italia, an intensive course including 20 hours of lessons per week (four hours a day) costs €550.
Evening classes
Though finding in-person evening classes can be challenging if you live in a rural area, these options are generally available in major cities.
Rome-based school Romit offers two group lessons a week for four weeks at the price of €180.
Leonardo Florence charges €360 for a two-month late afternoon course meeting two days a week from 4pm to 5.30pm.
Leonardo Milan charges the same for a two-month evening course with two classes a week taking place from 6.30pm to 8pm.
B1 certificate for citizenship
In order to apply for Italian citizenship by residency or marriage, applicants must prove proficiency in the Italian language at B1 level.
This certification must necessarily be issued by one of four educational institutions approved by the Italian Education Ministry (MIUR).
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These are: The University of Siena for Foreigners (CILS); The University of Perugia for Foreigners (CELI); The Dante Alighieri Association (PLIDA); and The University of Rome 3 (CERT).
The above institutions have exam centres all over the world, meaning you can take the test in Italy or abroad.
The cost of a B1 test varies by institution but it’s generally around €100.
Some language schools offer intensive preparatory classes for the exam (though they may not offer the exam itself).
These group courses generally last four weeks, offering between 25 and 30 lessons.
Costs vary from school to school, but they're usually around €250 to €300.
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