Question 1

When is the next CEnT-S?

Accepted Answer

The next testing period is the 1st 2026–27 period, November 2026 – January 2027. CISIA hasn’t published its test days yet. Universities add dates to the CISIA calendar as they schedule them.

Question 2

How many times can I take the CEnT-S?

Accepted Answer

Once per testing period (CISIA calls these macro-periods), so up to five times in 2026–27. You can book a date in a later period from the day after your test.

Question 3

When will I get my score?

Accepted Answer

When you finish, you see how many answers you got right, wrong, and left blank. Your official score, the normalized score, appears in your CISIA Student Area once your period ends: by January 29, March 31, May 31, July 30, or September 17, 2027.

Question 4

How is the CEnT-S scored?

Accepted Answer

Each correct answer earns 1 point, a blank earns 0, and a wrong answer loses 0.25. At the end of the period, CISIA adds a coefficient to each section score: the harder your version of the test turned out to be, the bigger the coefficient. Your total is the sum of your section scores.

Question 5

How much does it cost, and when does booking close?

Accepted Answer

Each test costs €55, paid by card or by MAV bank slip (MAV only works with Italian banks). In 2025–26, booking closed at 14:00 Italian time about six days before each test day. Check the deadline next to your date in the CISIA calendar.

Question 6

What happens if I miss my test?

Accepted Answer

Under the 2025–26 rules, after one absence you could book another CEnT with the same payment, up to the last test day of the cycle. If you missed that test too, the fee was lost. Unused credit is not refunded.

Question 7

Can I take the CEnT-S from home?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as CEnT@HOME, if your university accepts it. You need a laptop with a built-in front camera, plus a smartphone or tablet as a second camera, both connected for the whole test. CEnT@UNI is taken in a university computer room. Your admission notice says which formats count.

Question 8

Which period should I choose for an Italian university?

Accepted Answer

Start with the admission notice for your degree and application round. It says which periods and formats it accepts and when scores must arrive. Work back from that deadline, leaving time for your normalized score and, if needed, another attempt in the next period. If you need a study visa, aim for the earliest periods.

Period	Testing window	Test days	Scores by
4th period 2025–26	September – October 2026	Sep 17, 2026 Oct 15, 2026	Oct 30, 2026
1st period Next2026–27	November 2026 – January 2027	Not published yet	Jan 29, 2027
2nd period 2026–27	February – March 2027	Not published yet	Mar 31, 2027
3rd period 2026–27	April – May 2027	Not published yet	May 31, 2027
4th period 2026–27	June – July 2027	Not published yet	Jul 30, 2027
5th period 2026–27	August – September 2027	Not published yet	Sep 17, 2027

Section	Questions	Minutes
Reading and comprehension	10	30
Mathematics	15	30
Reasoning on texts and data	15	30
Biology	10	20
Chemistry	10	20
Physics	5	10
Total	65	140

CEnT-S Test Dates
2026–27

Testing Periods & Score Dates

4th period · 2025–26

1st period · 2026–27

2nd period · 2026–27

3rd period · 2026–27

4th period · 2026–27

5th period · 2026–27

The Test at a Glance

From Choosing a Period
to Test Day

Check Your Admission Notice, Then Book

Plan Your Practice

Set Up for Test Day

Common Questions