CEnT-S exam preparation

For high school seniors or recent graduates dreaming of studying in Italy, the CEnT-S exam is a crucial step. From November 2025 onwards this new exam has become mandatory for many English-taught undergraduate programmes in Italy. If you’re aiming to apply to an English-language university in Italy, you will need to take the CEnT-S exam.If you need more detailed information about the structure, scope and scoring system of the CEnT-S exam, we recommend checking our previous blog post titled “CEnT-S Exam”. In this article, however, we will go into detail on how to prepare for each section of the CEnT-S, offering resource recommendations, effective study-plan tips, and practical advice for the days before and on exam day.

Exam Sections of the CEnT-S and Preparation Strategies

The CEnT-S exam is a multi-component test designed to assess your knowledge and skills across different academic areas. It consists of five sections: Mathematics; Texts and Data Reasoning; Biology; Chemistry; and Physics. Since each section demands different thinking skills and subject knowledge, it’s important to adopt a tailored preparation strategy for each one.

Mathematics: How to Study for the CEnT-S Exam

Mathematics (15 questions / 30 minutes) is the section with the highest number of questions in the CEnT-S exam. These questions assess not only your foundational math knowledge but also your problem-solving and logical thinking skills. Here’s how to excel in this section:

Strengthen the Core Topics: First, solidify your high-school level maths. Focus especially on algebra (equations, inequalities, polynomials), functions and graph interpretation, trigonometry (sine, cosine, tangent), exponential and logarithmic expressions, analytic geometry (line, parabola, circle), and probability and statistics — all of which are frequently encountered in the exam.

Practice Heavily: The best way to master mathematics is through consistent problem-solving. Solve questions daily from different topics to reinforce your knowledge and become familiar with different question types. Especially focus on areas like equations and functions from a variety of sources.

Time Management Matters: For 15 mathematics questions, you have 30 minutes — that means on average 2 minutes per question. When practicing at home, time yourself. Get used to not lingering on a question you can’t solve immediately — instead, move on and return to it if time permits. Efficient time use will reduce exam stress.

Analyse Your Mistakes: With every test you solve, review the questions you got wrong. Understand why you missed them — was it a calculation error, or was the topic unfamiliar? Identifying whether the mistake was due to carelessness or knowledge gap helps prevent falling into the same trap again.

Use Diverse Resources: Solving maths questions from a variety of sources broadens your perspective. The official sample questions on the CISIA website are a good starting point. Different question styles mean fewer surprises on exam day.

To succeed in the Mathematics section, strengthen your fundamentals, then work to increase both your speed and accuracy. Over time you’ll notice you can interpret and solve questions more intuitively.

Texts & Data Reasoning: How to Study for the CEnT-S Exam

Texts and Data Reasoning (15 questions / 30 minutes) assesses your reading comprehension, logical reasoning and data interpretation skills — as the name suggests. Although there is no separate English grammar section in CEnT-S Exam, the questions in this part are in English, so your English reading comprehension will be tested indirectly. Here are strategies to succeed in this section:

Improve English Reading Skill: Read English texts daily. These might be news articles, popular science pieces, or blog posts in your field of interest. Try to grasp the main idea and details. Note any unfamiliar vocabulary and look up their meanings. Improving your reading speed and comprehension will save time in the exam.

Practice Paragraph Comprehension: The exam questions often present a paragraph or passage and ask questions about it. Practice with paragraph-based questions—focus on identifying the main idea, author’s purpose, and key details. After reading a passage, ask yourself: “What is this about?” and try to answer.

Logical Reasoning: This section doesn’t just test reading comprehension but also your ability to reason logically. Logical questions might ask you to draw conclusions from given premises, identify reasoning errors, or complete a pattern. To sharpen your mind, solve puzzles like Sudoku, chess problems or basic logic puzzles. Also, if you can find past logic questions from the older TOLC exams, they’re very helpful.

Table and Graph Interpretation: Data analysis questions may give you a table, graph or figure and ask you to draw a conclusion from it. To prepare for this, practice with various reports featuring simple graphs or statistical data. For example, look at a graph and ask yourself: “According to this graph, how did value Y change in year X?” As you improve your ability to interpret data, these types of questions become easier.

Summarise and Note-Take: Get into the habit of summarising a text you’ve read or a logic question you’ve solved in your own words. Summarising is a good way to ensure you understood something properly, and it encourages systematic thinking. During the exam, if you face a long question, it’s helpful to jot down key points quickly.

In this section you’ll need to combine language-comprehension with reasoning. As you increase your English reading practice, also engage in activities that develop your critical thinking. Over time, you’ll find you can quickly grasp paragraphs and confidently handle data-supported logic questions.

Biology: How to Study

Biology (10 questions / 20 minutes) tests your basic biological knowledge and evaluates your science background. Although the question-count is relatively low compared to other sections, it can be especially important if you are applying for a health-sciences or biology-related programme. Here’s how to study:

Systematically Review Topics: Although Biology covers a broad field, for the CEnT-S exam you’ll typically cover high-school -level topics. Focus on cell structure and organelles; DNA-RNA and protein synthesis in genetics; human physiology major systems (nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive etc.); evolution and basic ecology principles; and biochemistry (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids). Take notes for each of these.

Use Visualisation Techniques: Biology is information-heavy, so visual aids help a lot. For example, when studying a cell, use a diagram to label organelles. When studying the heart or kidney, note key parts via schematic diagrams. Visual memory is especially effective for dense subjects like Biology.

Memorise Key Terms and Mechanisms: Definitions and process names are important in biology. Use flashcards to learn essential terms such as cell-division phases, hormone names, enzymes, ecosystem terminology. Review a set number of terms each day to improve retention.

Make Inter-topic Connections: Many biology topics are interconnected. For example, when studying genetics, link the structure of DNA with protein synthesis; in physiology, think about how respiratory and circulatory systems work together. Making connections helps you understand cause-and-effect and improves your ability to answer questions.

Consolidate by Solving Questions: After you’ve studied each biology topic, practise with related questions. Especially look for sample questions on cells and genetics or similar-level test questions. Analyse any mistakes: if you missed a physiology question, revisit that system. By practising you’ll develop the ability to apply your knowledge in exam format.

Success in the Biology section comes from regular review and conceptual understanding. Don’t just memorise — strive to understand. And remember: while this is a knowledge test, it also assesses interpretation skills. Try to anchor the concepts in everyday examples or even basic experiments in your mind.

Chemistry: How to Study

Chemistry (10 questions / 20 minutes) is another science-section where your basic chemistry knowledge is tested. The chemistry questions typically come from high-school curriculum fundamentals and may involve numerical calculation. Here’s what to focus on when studying chemistry:

Learn the Core Concepts Well: Atomic structure, the periodic table and the properties of elements are the ABC of chemistry. Understand what atomic number, mass number, and an element’s position in the periodic table mean. Also ensure you know types of chemical bonds (ionic, covalent, hydrogen, etc.), and basic reaction types (synthesis, decomposition, combustion, etc.). These core concepts form the foundation for more advanced topics.

Practice Calculation-Intensive Topics: Concepts such as the mole, stoichiometry, concentration calculations, solubility and gas laws require regular problem solving. First learn the formulas and units, then practise applying them via different problems. If you struggle with mole calculations, start with simple questions and gradually increase difficulty.

Focus on Acids-Bases and pH: You may see questions about acids and bases, pH calculations and neutralisation reactions. Learn acid-base theories (Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry) and their everyday examples. Practice pH calculations (especially involving powers of 10 since pH is a logarithmic scale).

Don’t Neglect Basic Organic Chemistry: Having a fundamental understanding of simple organic molecules (e.g., methane, ethanol, glucose), functional groups (alcohols, acids, esters etc.) and basic reaction patterns gives you an advantage. The CEnT-S won’t demand deep organic chemistry, but basic concepts help, especially when biology and chemistry overlap.

Think Experimentally: Some chemistry questions may present experimental setups or everyday scenarios. Therefore, think about how the theory applies practically. When studying gases, imagine a balloon being heated and expanding. Matching theoretical knowledge to real-life situations helps you interpret questions better.

Chemistry is a subject that becomes clear with regular review and problem-solving. Write down formulas and review them often; if you struggle in a topic, go back to basics and build step by step. With each solved problem you’ll internalise chemical thinking and feel more comfortable when similar questions appear in the exam.

Physics: How to Study

Physics (5 questions / 10 minutes) is the section with the fewest questions, but strongly reflects your science background — so you shouldn’t ignore it. Here are study tips for the Physics section:

Create a Comprehensive Summary: Prepare summary notes covering the fundamentals of high-school physics. Include major topics such as mechanics (motion, force, energy, momentum), electricity and magnetism (Ohm’s Law, simple circuits, magnetic fields), waves and optics (light reflection, refraction, lenses), and thermodynamics (heat, temperature, heat transfer). Include key formulas and principles for each topic in your summary.

Understand Rather Than Just Memorise: Physics has many formulas, but understanding where they come from and how to apply them is more important than rote memorisation. For example, don’t just memorise F = m·a — understand the relationship between force, mass and acceleration. That way, even if the question is phrased differently, you can apply the core principle.

Develop a Habit of Problem Solving: Solve sample problems for each topic. Start with basic level questions for mechanics and electricity, then gradually move to more challenging problems to improve both speed and accuracy. While solving, always ask yourself: “Which physics principle am I using here?” This approach reinforces the topic.

Pay Attention to Units and Conversions: Unit conversions in physics can trip you up (e.g., converting km/h to m/s). Get comfortable with the SI units and common conversions. Before you begin solving, check if all values are in compatible units. This awareness helps you avoid unexpected mistakes.

Link to Real-Life Examples: Connecting physics principles to everyday life makes them more concrete. Relate projectile motion to throwing a ball, energy conversion to a car braking, wave motion to a guitar string vibrating. Doing so will make abstract physics concepts feel less remote and easier to interpret.

In the Physics section, although there are fewer questions, you must be prepared across a broad topic range. If you learn the fundamentals calmly, practise regularly and stay composed, you’ll be well-equipped for the physics questions.

Final Advice & Exam Strategy

We’ve discussed specific strategies for each section, but overall success in the CEnT-S exam requires a disciplined and planned preparation process. Here are some final tips:

Set Your Targets: First find out which areas your chosen department emphasises. For example, in engineering the maths and physics scores may be critical, whereas for psychology you might need more maths and biology. Allocate your study time accordingly, but aim to achieve a minimum level of competence in all sections.

Make a Regular Plan: Break your study programme into weeks and allocate sufficient time to each subject. To avoid monotony, consider studying more than one subject a day (for example, maths in the morning, chemistry in the afternoon). Remember to include weekly review sessions and question-solving in your plan.

Use Mock Exams to Test Yourself: Taking mock exams in the format of the real test is highly valuable for improving time management and strategy. Make sure to use the free mock tests offered by CISIA. These mocks help you identify weak sections and give you a chance to improve before exam day. Also, analyse your results to raise your performance each time. Sign up for Preptest’s CEnT-S Exam package for free today and instantly view a detailed analysis of your mock test results.

Remember Negative Marking: In the CEnT-S exam, each wrong answer results in a –0.25 point penalty. Therefore, rather than guessing blindly at questions you’re not sure about, use elimination to raise your chance of a correct answer. If you’re still very unsure, leaving the answer blank is better than a wrong guess. Plan your strategy in accordance with this scoring system.

Keep Your Motivation High: Your goal of studying abroad, especially in Italy, is worthwhile enough to endure the challenge of this exam. You may face difficult moments, but keep your focus on your university life in Italy and future career opportunities. Celebrating small successes along the way will boost your confidence, and a positive mindset will reflect across all subjects.

Utilise External Support: Alongside self-study, don’t hesitate to use professional support or courses if necessary. Guidance from experienced instructors, access to mock tests and tailored study plans can accelerate your preparation. Also, group study with peers aiming for the same goal can foster motivation and mutual learning.

Remember: The CEnT-S exam is not only a test of knowledge, but also of strategy. Time management, choosing right resources and staying motivated are the keys to success. By following the tips in this guide and preparing each section of the exam in a balanced and efficient way, you’ll enter exam day with confidence. Wishing you success in your preparation!