It joins other exam boards such as Cambridge English, IELTS and Trinity in the list of recognised qualifications that students on PON programs can take at the end of their language course to release scholarships funds.

English is the most widely studied foreign language in Italy

“We offer an on-demand, four-skill Italian ministry recognised exam which English language schools in the UK can deliver themselves – an added luxury, logistically,” LanguageCert head of business development Henry Tolley told The PIE News.

Sponsoring students for three-week intensive language courses abroad, PON programs have brought thousands of Italian students to the UK.

Delays in the release of funding from the Italian MoE in 2015 caused widespread worry in the industry, followed by excitement when new funding was announced in 2017.

New requirements introduced in 2017 have raised the language levels required to participate. Students now need to be at CEFR B1 to access the program and complete a B2, four-skill (speaking, listening, reading and writing) examination at the end of the course to release scholarship funds.

Since English is the most widely studied foreign language in Italy, higher requirements to access PON programmes spell good news for the UK ELT industry, according to Tolley.

‘There are not many students at B1 in Spanish, French or German with external qualifications in Italy.  In the past, 27% of students chose other languages because levels were lower – now you’ll see probably less than 5%,” he told The PIE.