FAQ

What is ASILS and what does it do?

ASILS, an association established in 1992, brings together the main schools for Italian language and culture located in Italy.
The association monitors, guarantees and certifies the overall quality of member schools.
The criteria for being admitted to the association are qualification of teachers, compliance with regulations on staff employment and layout of the places where the courses are held, transparency and correctness in commercial policy towards students.

Is ASILS recognised by the Italian state?

ASILS is an association among private schools but represents the privileged partner in this field with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Instruction in discussions on Study Visas and cultural policies to spread and promote the Italian language around the world.

Does one need a Study Visa to study in Italy

It depends on which country one comes from.
Normally, no visa is needed to stay in Italy for less than 90 days, but it is always best to refer to the Embassy or to Italian consulates in the country of origin, to make sure no further procedures are required.

Can you recommend a language school?

Every ASILS school is very valid, because one can join the Association only after preliminary inspection and can stay in it only after passing periodic checks.

Does ASILS direclty provide Italian language courses?

ASILS does not directly organise Italian language courses, but it does make sure that member schools comply with the association’s criteria.

Does ASILS offer study grants?

Many ASILS schools offer Study Grants to Italian Cultural Institutes abroad.

Is studying the Italian language in Italy expensive?

It depends on the kind of course and accommodation one chooses.
Of course, a group course is less expensive than an individual lesson, and accommodation with a family is less expensive than at a hotel.
Italian trains are among the least expensive in Europe and one can eat well at reasonable prices.
The supply of ASILS schools is so vast and varied that a solution suitable to anyone’s budget can be found.

Where is best to study, considering that Italian regional accents vary greatly from north to south?

The variety of accents in the Italian language represents a richness and beauty of our culture.
ASILS school teachers are qualified and teach standard Italian, perfectly comprehensible and employed in every part of our country.

How much does it cost to join ASILS?

The annual membership fee is 900.00 €.
New members are expected to pay a one-time admission fee of 600€ plus the costs for an inspection visit by an outside entity.
Membership and admission fees are set each year by the General Meeting of the Association.

What are the requirements for joining ASILS?

The school must be active in Italy or in areas where Italian is spoken as the main language (San Marino or the Italian language Swiss Canton Ticino) and teaching of the Italian languages must represent 75% of overall teaching activity.
Schools open at least 9 months a year must have been running for at least two years; schools opening seasonally (at least 4 months a year) must have been running for at least 4 years.
Request for membership must be sent to the national administrative office using the address info@asils.it.

May we advertise our business on the ASILS website?

No, sorry.
ASILS has no commercial aims, and this is why we cannot give special visibility to any economic activity tied to the sector of language teaching or hosting foreign students in Italy.

Does ASILS offer online courses?

Numerous ASILS schools offer preparatory courses for Italian language certification exams and are authorized exam centers.

Are ASILS schools the best Italian language schools in Italy?

ASILS schools are among the most qualified in Italy for teaching Italian to foreigners. All members must meet strict quality standards regarding teachers, programs, services, and facilities, regularly monitored by the association.
However, “best” also depends on each student’s personal needs: location, teaching method, atmosphere, and extracurricular activities may all play an important role. ASILS schools are committed to ensuring the highest quality in all these areas.