The Verification of Initial Preparation (VPI) consists of a compulsory test for all students enrolled in the 1st year of an undergraduate or integrated five-year/six-year degree programme, meant to ascertain the basic knowledge to successfully attend the chosen degree programme.
If you have already taken the entry test, you are not required to take the VPI as it is included in the aforementioned test.
The VPI is not a constraint for access or attendance to the programme, but it is an opportunity for students to measure their knowledge and skills at the beginning of their university career.
The date on which the test is taken is automatically assigned following enrolment. You can view and modify it, only if strictly necessary, through your personal iCatt page.
The test is delivered online and the technical details are communicated to the student following enrolment.
Indicative outline of the VPI for the Mathematics degree programme
How the test is composed
For this degree programme, the test consists of a series of online multiple-choice questions, lasting a total of 40 minutes, in the following subject areas:
- Mathematics (15 questions).
- Italian language knowledge, general knowledge and reading comprehension (15 questions).
The positive outcome of the test is achieved with 50%+1 of the correct answers for each of the subject areas.
In the event of a negative result or absence from the VPI test, an Additional Educational Obligation (OFA) is assigned to fill in the gaps found in one's knowledge.
Failure to pass the Verification of Initial Preparation will result in the assignment of an OFA on each of the subject areas.
Students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to view the dedicated section by clicking here.
Additional Educational Obligation (OFA)
For this degree programme, the Faculty has determined the following Additional Educational Obligations which consist of:
- Mathematics: course delivered in the classroom lasting at least 12 hours, with final exam.
- "Italian language knowledge and text comprehension": 12-hour online course, with final exam.
Students are required to attend the OFA according to the scheduled calendar (consult the Newly Enrolled Students' Kit of the Faculty). Students who have attended at least 70% of the scheduled hours are admitted to the final exam of the OFA course. Passing the final exam entails the fulfilment of the OFA and the possibility of continuing in the degree programme without further Additional Educational Obligations. During the first year, there are up to 3 attempts to pass the final exam, without the need to attend the OFA course again.
In case of failure to pass the OFA final exam, the Group Tutor in charge will contact the student in order to support him/her in the process of preparing and passing the above test.
At the end of the early summer exam session and/or the summer exam session, the professor/lecturer in charge of the degree programme, having evaluated the results of the VPI and the final exams of the aforementioned courses, and taking into account the exams of the 1st year passed by the student, may consider the OFA to have been fulfilled.
Otherwise, the student is required to renew his/her enrolment in the first year of the programme as a repeating student.
Cases of exemption from taking the Verification of Initial Preparation
Students from other universities are exempt from taking the VPI only in the event of admission to years subsequent to the 1st one.
Students transferring internally between Università Cattolica programmes are exempt from taking the VPI only in the following cases:
- in the case of admission to years subsequent to the 1st one;
- in the event that the VPI carried out in the programme of origin is identical to that envisaged in the programme of destination in terms of specificity and number of the thematic areas and the duration of the same.
In this case, students retain the result of the VPI in the programme of destination and any OFAs assigned in the previous degree programme remain to be filled, if they have not yet been taken.