Exam Levels

Familiarize with Exam Levels. Teachers should establish the proper exam level for their students checking the levels descriptions and categories. Home-schooled students, students who have studied Italian outside a traditional school setting, and college students can participate in the competition, but should contact the NIE director to determine the exam level. Be aware that categories and level descriptions have been modified with the 2020 exam.
Choosing a level that does not reflect your students' proficiency level or years of study will be cause for disqualification.

Level	Description
Novice Level (Grades: 7)	Entry level middle school students who are enrolled in 7th grade and are studying Italian for the first time (where the course content is equivalent to the first half of first year high school Italian or in a course that splits over 7th and 8th grade). Targeting ACTFL - NL-NM
Level 1 (Grades: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12)	Middle school students in 7th or 8th grade who are completing their full one-year course of Italian; 8th grade students who are completing the second half of first full one-year course of Italian; Entry level of high school or any program where students are taking a course whose content is equivalent to the first full year of Italian. Targeting ACTFL - NM
Level 2 (Grades: 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12)	8th grade or 9th grade students who have completed one full year of Italian in Middle school; High school students who are taking the second year of Italian. Targeting ACTFL - NH (Reading); NM-NH (Listening)
Level 3 (Grades: 9, 10, 11 or 12).	High school students and all other students who are taking the third year of Italian. Targeting ACTFL -  IL (Reading); NH-IL (Listening)
Level 4 (Grades: 10, 11, 12)	High school students and all other students who are taking the fourth year of Italian. Targeting ACTFL - IL-IM
Level 5 (Grades: 11, 12)	High school students and all other students who are taking the fifth year of Italian.  Targeting ACTFL - IM