CEnT-S Test Centres: CEnT@HOME and CEnT@UNI

Our research source describes two formats for taking CEnT-S: CEnT@UNI and CEnT@HOME. These formats differ in execution context, not academic structure — the testing environment, the devices involved, and the security/supervision protocols set them apart.

CEnT@UNI is the in-person format, held in computer laboratories specifically accredited for the exam, on the physical campuses of universities that have the relevant CISIA arrangement.

Our research source names, as examples, universities that host this type of testing: Brescia, Siena, Trieste, Sapienza, Milano-Bicocca.

According to our source, this format's advantages include: university-provided hardware, university-managed network and software infrastructure, and technical responsibility handled largely by the host institution. If a technical issue occurs during the test — a power cut or a dropped connection — the system logs the data and university staff step in immediately.

Candidates attend with a valid identity document (a physical passport or a valid chip-based ID card), log in to the CISIA portal from their assigned computer, and complete the test that way.

CEnT@HOME is the remotely supervised format. Our research source presents it specifically as an option designed for international / Non-EU candidates who may not be able to travel to Italy.

Taking the exam from home does not mean an informal, unsupervised "online exam." According to our source, this format has strict, zero-tolerance requirements covering the device, network, room, supervision, identity and environment — each covered in the sections below.

According to our research source, there is no difference between the two formats in the exam's academic content, difficulty, duration, question count, or how universities recognise the result. The difference is entirely in the execution context.

With CEnT@UNI, the university manages the testing infrastructure — computer, internet, software, and physical supervision. With CEnT@HOME, most of that responsibility shifts to the candidate: laptop, internet connection, secondary supervision device, and a compliant room setup all need to be arranged by the candidate.

Primary Device: Laptop

• Desktop computers cannot be used for the exam
• The laptop must remain connected to power
• The laptop must remain continuously connected to the internet
• Windows 10 (64-bit) or later, or macOS 13 or later, is required
• The Horizon APP must be installed, downloaded from the CISIA Student Area at the latest the day before the exam
• Once running, Horizon APP blocks other background tabs, communication apps, and screen-recording software

Internet Connection

According to our source, a stable ADSL or fibre connection is required; proxy and VPN use are both prohibited. Because the test runs on strict, section-by-section time limits with an expectation of uninterrupted connectivity, connection stability matters.

Camera and Other Hardware

• The laptop's built-in webcam must be functional
• All USB ports must be free except for a connected mouse
• Dual-monitor setups are prohibited

Secondary Device: Phone or Tablet

CEnT@HOME requires a second smart device for supervision. According to our source, this device needs the Webex app and a QR-code reader installed. Before the test starts, the candidate scans a QR code shown on the computer screen with this device to join the virtual room with supervisors over Webex.

The 45-Degree Camera Rule

According to our source, the secondary device should be positioned diagonally behind the candidate — roughly 1.5 metres from the desk, at roughly 1.5 metres of height, at an angle of roughly 45 degrees (mounted on a tripod or shelf). This positioning lets supervisors continuously monitor the candidate, the computer screen, the desk, the candidate's hands, and the room's single closed door throughout the test.

Microphone

According to our source, the secondary device's microphone must stay on for the full 110-minute test, so supervisors can hear the testing environment.

1. 01

   The room must be adequately lit

2. 02

   The candidate must be completely alone throughout the test

3. 03

   The room must have a single door

4. 04

   Another person entering the room — even briefly — is a serious violation

   According to our source, this can lead to supervisors stopping the test and disqualifying the candidate.

5. 05

   The testing environment is tightly monitored by supervisors

According to our source, the periodic table needed for the Chemistry section isn't a separate physical item — it's provided digitally, on screen, within CISIA's exam software.

This guide doesn't tell every candidate to pick one specific format. The comparison below is based solely on our research source.

CEnT@UNI may be operationally simpler when:

• The candidate can reach an available university test setting
• The candidate prefers institution-managed equipment and infrastructure

CEnT@HOME may be relevant when:

• The candidate cannot travel to Italy
• Remote testing is accepted for the target programme
• The candidate can meet the technical and environmental requirements

Our research source names a handful of universities as examples of CEnT@UNI locations, but it doesn't provide a complete, live database of every currently bookable test centre. So this page does not fabricate a "complete 2026 CEnT-S test centre list" that our source doesn't support.

Instead, this page focuses on how the two testing formats actually work, what candidates need to prepare, and the difference between in-person and remote testing. We think that limitation makes the page more trustworthy, not less.