SIE

Italian for exchange students

The School for International Education offers Italian language courses that are specifically designed for exchange students spending a study period at Ca' Foscari University. Each course awards a total of 6 CFU/ECTS that students can add to their Learning Agreement.
Each course requires a minimum number of students in order to be activated.

Eligible students:

  • Erasmus+, Overseas and other interuniversity exchange students
  • Double and Joint Degree students

Courses

I semester 2025/2026 a.y. II semester 2024/2025 a.y. Other opportunities

I semester 2025/2026 a.y.

Courses to be offered in the first semester of the 2025/2026 a.y. and instructions on how to apply will be available approximately in early summer.

II semester 2024/2025 a.y.

Each course attributes a total of 6 CFU/ECTS and is made up of two modules:

  1. General Language module (30 hours): sociolinguistic, structural, cultural and historical aspects of the Italian language, in line with the language level of the course
  2. Language Practice module (50 hours): grammar and language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing)
file pdf Infographic Italian language courses 679 KB

During course registration, all students need to take a placement test and will be assigned to a linguistic level according to their results.

Course list

For the second semester of the 2024/2025 academic year, students can apply for Italian language courses at the levels A1, A2, B1 and B2 according to the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

The complete syllabi are made available on each course's webpage before the beginning of classes. Students can access the syllabi of the courses offered in previous years by searching for the title or the course code through the University's Course search.

  1. General language module - Module A or Module B
    A1 level students have a choice for their general language module (30 hours). Students can express their course preference during registration.
    • [SIE105A1] Italian language for Exchange students - Module A: Communication and culture
      For students with no prior experience with the Italian language, especially for those who come from a non-European/Romance linguistic background. The class will cover elements of Italian culture and language communication, with a particular focus on vocabulary, and will strengthen some basic grammatical notions that are taught in the language practice classes. Lessons will be taught mostly in English.
    • [SIE106A1] Italian language for Exchange students - Module B: Structures, forms and meanings
      For students who have some previous knowledge or understanding of the Italian language, and/or who have a good command of another Romance language. Compared to Module A, this class will focus on developing more complex grammatical aspects which can be found in everyday conversations and short texts, and will draw attention to Italian language for academic purposes used in the classroom. Lessons will be taught in Italian where possible, supported by English where necessary.
  2. Language practice module - Level A1
    • Students will be assigned an A1 language practice class (50 hours) that has 2 x 2,5 hour lessons per week (5 hours per week).

N.B. Beginners and absolute beginners spending the full year at Ca' Foscari who wish to take Italian in both semesters are advised to take SIE105A1 (Module A with A1) in the first semester, followed by SIE106A2 (Module B with A2) in the second semester.

  1. General language module - Module B
    • Students at the A2 level will take [SIE106A2] Italian language for Exchange students - Module B: Structures, forms and meanings:
      For students who have some previous knowledge or understanding of the Italian language, and/or who have a good command of another Romance language. Compared to Module A, the class will focus on developing more complex grammatical aspects which can be found in everyday conversations and short texts, and will draw attention to Italian language for academic purposes used in the classroom. Lessons will be taught in Italian where possible, supported by English where necessary.
  2. Language practice module - Level A2
    • Students will take an A2 language practice class (50 hours) that has 2 x 2,5 hour lessons per week (5 hours per week).
  1. General language module
    • Students at the B1 level will take [SIE107] Italian language for Exchange students - Pre-intermediate B1
      For students with a knowledge and understanding of the Italian language at an elementary level (A2 is required). Along with grammatical issues, the class will focus on theoretical aspects concerning register variation and the history of the Italian language, and will develop students' metalinguistic awareness through the examination of current topics of relevance, as well as examples taken from a range of different texts. Lessons will be taught in Italian.
  2. Language practice module - Level B1
    • Students will take an B1 language practice class (50 hours) that has 2 x 2,5 hour lessons per week (5 hours per week).
  1. General language module
    • Students at the B2 level will take [SIE108] Italian language for Exchange students - Intermediate B2
      For students with an intermediate knowledge and understanding of the Italian language (B1 is required). Along with grammatical issues, the module will give a general outline of the crucial moments in the history of the Italian language, and will examine contemporary Italian language and linguistic variability. Increasing attention will be drawn on the structures of academic and specialized texts, written in a formal register. Lessons will be taught in Italian.
  2. Language practice - Level B2
    • Students will take a B2 language practice class (50 hours) that has 2 x 2,5 hour lessons per week (5 hours per week).

Registration

Registration for these courses is mandatory. Students cannot attend classes or take exams if they are not officially enrolled in the course.

To apply for these courses, international exchange students need to fill out the online Application Form that they have received by e-mail from the office that manages their mobility programme (Incoming Mobility or Joint/Double Degree). All students, including those who have no prior knowledge of the Italian language, must take the online Placement Test to complete their application (see below). 

  • Deadline (Application Form and Placement Test): January 13, 2025. Applications Forms and Placement Tests submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
  • Students who have already passed an Italian language course at the School for International Education are not required to take the Placement Test, but they must indicate this on the Application Form.
  • Registration will be limited to a maximum number of students per class. Priority will be given in order of having filled out the Application Form. Applicants not added to the class will be placed on a waitlist, and will be added to the course if a place becomes available. 

In early February, students will be informed via email by the SIE (cfsie@unive.it) whether the courses they have applied for have been activated and their registration can be confirmed. Once course activation is confirmed, all registered students will automatically receive all necessary information about the course before classes start. 

International exchange students are not officially enrolled in a course if it is not in their Learning Agreement! Therefore, within the first two weeks of classes, you must contact the office that manages your mobility programme (incoming.mobility@unive.it or jointdegree@unive.it) in order to add the course to your Learning Agreement, if not already present. 

Placement test

To take the Placement Test please visit the SIE Moodle platform. Log in with your Ca' Foscari enrolment number (matricola) and password, and enter the enrolment key (chiave di iscrizione) which you received via email and on the Application Form.

The test is progressive from level A1 to level C2, and it tells you your compatibility with each level of Italian language you are testing for. If you get over 70% in a level, you must then proceed to test for your compatibility with the following level. But if you do not reach 60%, you will be placed in the previous level (or in the A1 level class if you do not reach 60% in the first section of the test).
N.B. You must continue with each level until you cannot go ahead any further.

file pdf Placement test guide 280 KB

Schedule

The courses will run from February 17th, 2025. General Language classes will be held over 8 weeks, whereas Language Practice will take place for 10 weeks.
Cancelled lessons may either be rescheduled on Saturdays or moved to the following weeks, thus the final date of each course cannot be confirmed in advance.

file pdf Schedule - Courses for Exchange students 2024/2025 - II semester 476 KB

Attendance and exams

Attendance for the Italian language courses for exchange students at SIE is mandatory: students must attend at least 80% of classes for each module. They can therefore be absent for a maximum of 3 lessons of the General Language module, and for a maximum of 4 lessons of the Language Practice module.

Exams will take place approximately from May 5th and no later than May 23rd, 2024.
Students are strongly advised to plan their departure from Venice following the end of the exam session in case some exams need to be rescheduled.

There is only one exam session. It is not possible to repeat the exam at a later date.
In order to be admitted to the final exams, students must be officially enrolled in the course and meet the attendance requirements. 

file pdf Exams - Courses for Exchange students 2024/2025 - II semester 272 KB

Other opportunities
to study Italian language at the SIE

Students can also register for standard Italian language classes which are organised three times a year and offer a special discount for Exchange students. Please note these courses do not provide credits (CFU/ECTS).