To prepare for the CEnT-S, first check which sections your university counts, then learn the format and the syllabus, study section by section, and finish with full timed simulations. About 12 weeks is enough for a steady plan: foundations first, then the sciences, then full practice tests under real timing.
Step 1: Check which sections count for you
Not every university scores all six sections. Each one decides in its call for applications (bando). Two examples:
- Politecnico di Milano (Engineering) does not count Biology and Chemistry when it converts your CEnT-S score.
- The University of Brescia (Business and Economics) counts only Mathematics.
Read your university's bando before you plan your weeks. If a section doesn't count for you, give it less time.
Step 2: Learn the rules that change how you study
- 65 questions in 6 sections, 140 minutes, in this order: Reading and comprehension, Mathematics, Reasoning on texts and data, Biology, Chemistry, Physics.
- Each section has its own timer. When you close a section, its leftover time is lost and you can't go back.
- No calculator: only pen and the paper you are given. Practise mental maths and written calculations from day one.
- +1 for a correct answer, −0,25 for a wrong one, 0 for a blank. Read how the score works and when guessing pays off.
Full details: CEnT-S exam structure.
Step 3: Know the syllabus, section by section
| Section | Questions · minutes | Topics (CISIA syllabus) |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and comprehension | 10 · 30 | Overall understanding and abstraction, relationships between parts of a text, implicit meaning. English at B2 level; non-fiction, literary and journalistic texts |
| Mathematics | 15 · 30 | Numbers, algebra, geometry, functions, exponentials and logarithms, combinatorics and probability, basic statistics |
| Reasoning on texts and data | 15 · 30 | Logic and deductive reasoning, reading and using data (tables, charts), problem solving with basic maths |
| Biology | 10 · 20 | Biological molecules, the cell, cell division and inheritance, plant biology and ecology, animal anatomy and physiology |
| Chemistry | 10 · 20 | States and properties of matter, atoms and the periodic table, bonds, reactions and stoichiometry, solutions, acids and bases, redox, basic organic chemistry |
| Physics | 5 · 10 | Quantities and measurement, vectors, motion, forces, work and energy, fluids and heat, electricity and magnetism |
The full official syllabus is on cisiaonline.it.
Step 4: Follow a 12-week plan
| Weeks | Focus | Every week |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Take a short practice test to find your starting level. Maths foundations: numbers and algebra. Logic basics | Read 2 passages in English and answer questions on them |
| 3–4 | Maths: geometry, functions, exponentials and logarithms. Reasoning: data and charts | Reading practice · keep a mistake log |
| 5–6 | Maths: combinatorics, probability, statistics. Reasoning: problem solving. Start Chemistry | Reading practice · review the mistake log |
| 7–8 | Chemistry and Biology | One timed section per week |
| 9–10 | Physics; finish Biology and Chemistry. First full timed simulation | One full simulation per week, then review every mistake |
| 11–12 | Full timed simulations, weak topics, test-day set-up | Two full simulations per week, then review |
If you have less time, keep the same order and shorten each block. Spend more time on the sections that count most for your university.
Step 5: Practise the way the test works
- Time every section on its own, with the real section times.
- Review every mistake with a full solution, and write down the topic behind it. The mistake log tells you what to study next.
- In full simulations, practise moving on: a question you can't solve shouldn't take the time of three you can.
- Reading: CISIA says no specific preparation is required, so focus on practice: read English non-fiction, novels and news articles, and answer questions under time.
Step 6: Use the free official material
- CISIA Practice Area (cisiaonline.it): official practice simulations, with a free CISIA account.
- CISIA MOOCs (cisiaonline.it): free basic courses in Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. They are in Italian.
Try our 6 sample questions with step-by-step solutions, and our free 18-question sample on an exam screen built to look and work like the real test screen.
The last week and test day
- Do your last full simulation 3–4 days before the test, then review only.
- At home (CEnT@HOME): set up your room and devices exactly as the CISIA instructions say, well before test day. At a university (CEnT@UNI): check the time and place on your receipt. How to book: CEnT-S registration guide.
Prepare with PoliPrep
Our CEnT-S course runs 12 weeks: recorded classes, a weekly live session with your tutors, 20 full simulations with step-by-step solutions and a WhatsApp community, with at most 20 students per cohort.
