I am thoroughly enjoying the class. The tutor is excellent and the mix of students and older people works very well indeed! Italian student, Autumn 2025

Available courses

Please note: The information on this page is only applicable to members of the public, who are not employed by the university or studying here as an undergraduate or postgraduate student. If you work at the university, or are an existing undergraduate or postgraduate student, please visit MySkills to find out about the language courses available to you.

The following Italian courses are available for members of the public, although not every course is available every term.

Stage 1.1 (equivalent to CEFR level A1.1): This class is suitable for you if you have never studied Italian before.

Stage 1.2 (equivalent to CEFR level A1.2): Enrol in this class if you have completed Stage 1.1 with us, or if you can:

• use basic structures and basic vocabulary related to greetings, introductions, family, numbers, time, food
• form simple sentences using present tense verbs, basic questions forms, negations and basic adjectives
• follow and engage in simple conversations and understand simple texts

Stage 2.1 (equivalent to CEFR level A2.1): Enrol in this class if you have completed Stage 1.2 with us, or have Grade 4 - 6 in Italian GCSE or equivalent, or if you can:

• use basic structures and basic vocabulary related to everyday topics such as travel, weather, work, health and leisure activities
• use the present and perfect tenses
• engage in longer conversations on familiar topics and express basic opinions
• understand and write short texts

Stage 2.2 (equivalent to CEFR level A2.2): Enrol in this class if you have completed Stage 2.1 with us, have Grade 4 – 6 in Italian GCSE or equivalent or if you can:

• use a wider range of vocabulary covering a range of topics including work, education, hobbies, transport
• use the present, perfect and imperfect tenses
• engage in longer conversations on familiar topics, express basic opinions and make suggestions

Stage 3.1 (equivalent to CEFR level B1.1): Enrol in this class if you have completed Stage 2.2 with us, if you have a Grade 7 – 9 in Italian GCSE or a similar qualification, or if you:

• have a substantial vocabulary covering a wide range of topics including everyday situations, work-related scenarios and social interactions
• can use present, past and future tenses, know how to use the imperative mode, the present conditional and the present subjunctive
• can engage in longer conversations and express opinions on a range of topics
• can understand longer texts – understanding main ideas and extracting specific information
• can write clear, well-structured texts on various subjects

Stage 3.2 (equivalent to CEFR level B1.2): Enrol in this class if you have completed Stage 3.1 with us or, have an AS level in Italian or equivalent, or if you:

• have a substantial vocabulary covering a wide range of topics including everyday situations, work-related scenarios and social interactions
• can use present, past and future tenses, know how to use the imperative mode, the present conditional and the present subjunctive
• can engage in longer conversations and express opinions on a range of topics
• can understand longer texts – understanding main ideas and extracting specific information
• can write clear, well-structured texts on various subjects

PLIDA Exam Preparatory Workshops (A1/A2/B1): A set of 5 preparatory workshops for all students who opt to sit for the PLIDA qualifications. These are held in the Spring term and are offered free of charge to anyone enrolled in another Italian class; they are not available to join as standalone classes.

Placement test

If you have never learned Italian with us before, please take this placement test so that you know which course is suitable for you.

We recommend reading our Terms and Conditions for information about what to do if you enrol at the wrong level and need to transfer to a different course.

Course timetable

Enrolment on our Spring 2026 courses is now closed.

Our Spring 2026 courses are now closed and we cannot accept any late bookings. If you would like to be notified when enrolments open for any future courses, please complete this form.

Course fees

Course fees will be published when future courses are available to book.

Terms and Conditions

Please make sure you have read and understood our Terms and Conditions before enrolling on a course. By purchasing a course, you will be deemed to have accepted the Terms and Conditions, so it's important you have read them before you complete your purchase.

All personal data will be collected and processed in accordance with UK GDPR and any other relevant legislation. Further details of how your personal data will be processed can be found in our Terms and Conditions. Some of our courses are delivered online. As part of the online delivery via Teams / Zoom, please note that your username and email address used to attend the lessons will be visible to other students.

Qualifications

You have the option of entering for PLIDA qualifications A1, A2, or B1 level. 

To help you prepare for the exams, you can join our PLIDA preparation workshops in the spring, which are offered free of charge if you are enrolled in another Italian class; they are not available to join as standalone classes. If you would like to join the workshops, please speak to your teacher after you have enrolled in your core class.

More ways to develop your Italian language skills

Outside the classroom, we share cultural events organised by Italian associations in the UK such as the Istituto italiano di cultura in London and British Italian Society. These events offer additional opportunities for you to develop your knowledge of Italian language and culture.

We also organise our own cultural events, student-led Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) sessions and Language Cafés. If you are enrolled on a language course, you are welcome to take part in all these activities; please ask your teacher for more details after you have enrolled.

Information for students and staff

The information on this page is only applicable to members of the public, who are not employed by the university or studying here as an undergraduate or postgraduate student.

If you work at the university, or are an existing undergraduate or postgraduate student, please visit MySkills to find out about the language courses available to you.