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Terms and conditions and guide TOLC MED/VET

TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND GUIDE FOR TOLC-MED/TOLC-VET PARTICIPANTS

FOREWORD

The document summarises how TOLC- MED and TOLC- VET work, as regulated by:

Ministerial Decree No.1107/2022 dated 24.09.2022 setting the “Definition of the methods and contents for the admission test known as ‘TOLC test for single-cycle bachelor and master’s degree courses in medicine and surgery, dentistry and dental prosthetics in medicine and surgery, dentistry and dental prosthetics, and veterinary medicine in Italian for the academic year 2023/2024”
Directorial Decree No.1925 dated 30.11.2022 setting the “Procedures for the ‘TOLC test’ and the subsequent merit rankings to access single-cycle degree programmes in Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics and Veterinary Medicine’;
the service contract stipulated with the participating universities which organise the delivery of the tests and thus, also the locations where the Medicine and Dentistry (LM- 41 and LM-46) and Veterinary Medicine (LM-42) degree programmes are not available

and specifies the terms and conditions of the service for the partecipants.

TOLC-MED, TOLC-VET: STRUCTURE AND GENERAL PROCEDURE

1.1 Definition

The CISIA Tests Online (TOLC) are individual tests, usually different for each participant, consisting of questions, automatically and randomly selected from the CISIA TOLC-MED and TOLC-VET database through a proprietary software. Both the tests and the software are implemented and maintained by CISIA. The database used for both TOLCs is unique, protected and confidential. As of the academic year 2023/2024, and for the following years, the Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR) has decreed that at least one TOLC-MED need to be taken to apply for admission in the single national ranking for entering the single-cycle degree programmes in Medicine and Surgery (LM-41) and/or Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics (LM-46) and at least one TOLC-VET for courses in Veterinary Medicine (LM-42).

1.2 Test structure

Following, the TOLC structures and the allotted time for each section to answer the questions:

1.2.1 TOLC-MED structure

Section	Number of questions	Maximum time allotted for answering questions
Reading comprehension, knowledge acquired in studies	7 question	15 minutes
Biology	15 question	25 minutes
Chemistry and Physics	15 question	25 minutes
Mathematics and Reasoning	13 question	25 minutes
TOTAL	50 question	90 minutes

1.2.2 TOLC-VET structure

Section	Number of questions	Maximum time allotted for answering questions
Reading comprehension, knowledge acquired in studies	7 question	15 minutes
Biology	12 question	20 minutes
Chemistry and Physics	18 question	30 minutes
Mathematics and Reasoning	13 question	25 minutes
TOTAL	50 question	90 minutes

The topics in the test questions are detailed in Annex 1 to the Ministerial Decree No.1107/2022 dated 24.09.2022

1.3 CISIA TOLC-MED and TOLC-VET database

The database of CISIA TOLC-MED and TOLC-VET questions is confidential, protected and not available for public consultation. Universities and participants do not have access to the contents.

The database is confidential and the exclusive property of CISIA.

The disclosure of the questions, contained in the CISIA TOLC-MED and TOLC-VET database, is strictly forbidden. The questions database is periodically updated and validated by the specially established scientific committees, coordinated by CISIA.

1.4 General Procedure

1.4.1 Participants

It is possible to take a TOLC from the penultimate year of Italian or foreign upper secondary schools. People who have obtained a high school diploma in Italy, or abroad if recognised in Italy, can also take the TOLC.

In order to take the TOLC – MED and TOLC – VET, it is necessary to meet the requirements established by the DM 1107 dated 24.09.2022.

Participants with disabilities or SLD

Participants can declare they have a disability or SLD during registration in the CISIA Student Area . In such cases, the participants:

specify the university or universities where they prefer to take the test;
upload in the CISIA Student Area the certifications and/or attestations obtained after turning 18 years old;
request the university to provide the necessary compensatory tools to take the test.

The documentation uploaded during registration will be available and assessed only by the relevant departments of the university where the participants have registered for the test.

The communication methods with the participants are established by each university.

Universities, for participants with disabilities or DSA with special needs may change test dates and shifts by placing the participant in special classrooms. In these cases, the participants will receive a notice at the e-mail address provided during registration in the CISIA Student Area and their registration receipt will be automatically modified.

1.4.2. Calendar

TOLC tests take place twice per calendar year and they are established for each academic year by the MUR. For the year 2023, they will be a session in April and another one in July.

Each participant may only take the TOLC-MED and/or TOLC-VET once in each session.

1.4.3. Delivery format and location

TOLC-MED and TOLC-VET can only take place in the IT rooms, arranged by the universities,via the platform provided by CISIA. Under no circumstances, the TOLC@CASA delivery format is applicable.

EU citizens or non-EU citizens with EU equivalent status may take the TOLC-MED/TOLC-VET at any of the available university locations even if different from the one where they wish to subsequently enrol.

Non-EU citizens with residency abroad must instead register and take the TOLC at the same university location where they intend to apply for admission inclusion in the local merit ranking.

1.5 Test results, assessment and equalisation of scores

To ensure the repeatability of the test, equal access conditions and fairness in the assessment of results, the scientific model for TOLC-MED and TOLC-VET tests provides for:

the delivery of different tests, not all consisting of the same questions
a participant’s assessment of the test, which takes into account not only of the answers given to each question, but also the difficulty of the test itself
a statistically correct measurement of the difficulty of the test.

The participant who took the TOLC is then awarded an equalised score, obtained by adding the score obtained by the candidate on the basis of the answers given to the questions (unequalised score) and a number measuring the difficulty of the test called the ‘test equalisation coefficient’.

The allocation of the unequalised score is as follows:

1.00 point for each correct answer
minus 0.25 points for each incorrect answer;
0 points for each omitted answer.

Therefore, equalisation occurs automatically ex-post, at the end of each delivery session by applying mathematical formulae made public by the Ministry in Annex No.2 to Ministerial Decree 1107/2022 dated 24.9.2022. Participants will be able to access the results of their tests from the 15th day after the first day of each session.

Within 15 days after having taken the TOLC, the participants will find in their CISIA Student Area:

the result achieved in terms of total and section-by-section equalised score
the number of correct, omitted and wrong answers
the number identifying their own test (test ID)
the detailed description of how CISIA calculates the equalised score, which takes into account the level of difficulty of the test completed by each participant
further details so that the participants are aware of their placement compared to the national results for the same session

2. TOLC-MED AND TOLC-VET REGISTRATION AND ENROLMENT

2.1 Registration in the CISIA Student Area

The participants register in the CISIA student Area on the cisiaonline.it portal and receive from the system, at the e-mail address specified during registration, the information for accessing their own area and the profile activation link.

The e-mail address entered in the CISIA Student Area during registration is the communication channel through which any deadlines and instructions to take the test are provided by CISIA and the universities. E-mails exchanged are official communications.

2.2 Registration for the TOLC

To register for the TOLC, the participants must follow the steps below:

log in to the CISIA Student Area with the confirmed login credentials
select the type of TOLC they want to register for
upload a photo
accept the conditions of use of the service established in this document
state to have the requirements to carry out the TOLC in accordance with Ministerial Decree No.1107 and to have read Ministerial Decree No.1107 and Directorial Decree No.1925
select the payment method
select the university location and the date on which they want to take the TOLC
pay the registration fee, collected by CISIA on behalf of the university where the test is to be taken.
the fee for each test is EUR 30.
payment can be made by:
- MAV (bank payment slip)
- credit card

Test is definitively confirmed booked only when payment receipt and registration are available in the CISIA Student Area in the ‘Bookings management’ section.

Please note that registration on the portal will allow participants to access the “Area Esercitazioni” and other useful materials using the same login credentials. It is recommended to take at least one practice test to become familiar with the test structure, timing and delivery system of the test.

2.3 Special Cases

2.3.1 Changes to bookings

Once a test has been booked , it is no longer possible to cancel it. However, the participants may change their booking by choosing, if available, another date and/or location where to take the test that has been booked.
Those who have booked a TOLC-MED or a TOLC-VET may change the type of test, date and location before the deadline (as provided for in Art. 2, paragraph 9 of Directorial Decree No.1925 dated 30.11.2022). It is only possible to change the type of test between these two TOLCs.
It is possible to modify the booking within the same calendar year of the original booking . It is not possible to modify the booking from one year to the next.

2.3.2 Absences

Those who are absent from a TOLC for the first time will receive a credit in their CISIA Student Area. With this credit, the participant can book a TOLC-MED or a TOLC-VET within the same calendar year, even in a different university.

In the event of any absences after the first, no further credit shall be awarded. In this case, the participant forfeits the fee paid.

Credits unused within the calendar year in which the fee has been paid cannot be spent for the subsequent years and will not be refunded.

2.3.3 Technical Issues

In the event of technical issues (e.g., loss of connection, power failure, video problems), during the course of the test, the participant must immediately notify the classroom committee.

In this case, the test can continue with the reactivation of the login credentials or be reset by the university. If, even with reactivation or reset, it is not possible to continue with the test, the participant may be allowed to take the test on another date or in another shift in the same delivery session or, if a free seat is available, also in another classroom in the same shift.

In the event of problems encountered by CISIA, such that it is impossible to assess the test correctly and, therefore, to provide an equalised score, the test will be rescheduled within the same delivery session or by establishing, in agreement with the university location, a special make-up period.

2.3.4 Test Cancellation

The test may be cancelled by the university if the classroom committee finds serious breaches during the test (e.g. use of unauthorised devices, searching for hints or duplication of questions). In this case, the classroom committee shall cancel the test and specify the reasons for it in the minutes, at the presence of the participant.

3. TAKING THE TOLC

3.1 Classroom access and identification

On the day of the TOLC, participants must bring a hard copy of Payment and Enrolment Receipt and a valid identity document;
report to the classroom at the time specified on the Payment and Enrolment Receipt making sure to remember their own username and password for entering the CISIA Test Area;
log in, with the login credentials, to the TOLC access page. On screen, the system displays the personal details and the photo of the participant and the details of booked TOLC details . The commissioner verifies that the data does indeed correspond to the person at the work station:
- if they do not match, the commissioner cancels the participant’s test, and the person is escorted out from the classroom;
- if they match, the participant, in the presence of the commissioner, clicks on the TOLC test of the day he/she is to take and, then, clicks on the button to start the full-screen test. The click on the participant’s TOLC of the day corresponds as the partecipant’s entry signature.
wait in silence for the commissioners to carry out the operations previously described for the entire classroom. The commissioners will start the test at the same time for all the validated participants.

In the event of access problems, the participants may only request assistance from the classroom committee if they brought along a hard copy of the Payment and Enrolment Receipt.

IMPORTANT In any case, to be able to take the TOLC, the participants must bring with them the hard copy of the Payment and Enrolment Receipt or be able to log in with their login credentials to the CISIA Student Area. If both conditions are not met, the candidate will not be able to take the TOLC.

3.2 Taking the test

During the test:

there are no breaks. Only in exceptional cases, the committee will grant a break and/or manage assistance to the participant. If granted, a break can only be agreed upon at the end of a section and before starting the next section.
The participant may not use any tech tools or other aids, except those assigned to participants with disabilities or SLD for the purposes of the equal test taking and communicated to the committee by the relevant departments.
TOLC ends at the end of the allotted time of the last section or when the participant click on the dedicated button. At that moment, the screen displays the number of correct, incorrect and omitted answers, sorted by TOLC section.
Participants can only finish the test from the last section. The test, once started, is valid even if it is ended before the allotted time expires. The system records the score in any case.
Participants may finish the test and leave the classroom as instructed by the classroom committee. The participant who wishes to end the TOLC and leave the classroom:
- must reach the last section of the test,
- must press the button to end the test, following the instructions shown on the screen, which shall have the value of “exit signature”,
- the number of correct, incorrect and omitted answers sorted by section will appear on the screen,
- must return to the committee all authenticated sheets received.

The committee will check that the same number of sheets provided upon entering the classroom has been returned.

3.3 Timing and methods

The test is carried out in a predefined manner and time frame: each section of the test has a maximum duration; the participant may use all the time allocated to each section or close it early by giving up the remaining time.

No calculation tool or educational aid may be used during the test.

Only the sheets authenticated by the committee and provided at the time of entering the classroom may be used.

Participants with disabilities/SLD find the supports assigned by the university already within the TOLC. For example, if the participant has been assigned a calculator, it will already be available in the test, on the screen. People with disabilities/SLD will only be able to use other compensatory tools if granted by the disability/SLD contact person of the university where the test is being taken.

4. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE OF THE SERVICE AND RULES OF CONDUCT

The participant must comply with the rules of conduct of the test detailed in Art. 4 of D Directorial Decree No.1925 dated 30.11.2022 and contained in this document.

The participant must also comply with the provisions of the calls and/or admission notices published by each of the university where the tests will be held.

Finally, the participants must comply with the instructions of the classroom commissioners at each location regarding the use of the classroom, leaving the classroom before the allotted time and taking breaks during the test. Any participant who fails to comply with these rules and instructions will be escorted out of the classroom, will not be entitled to a refund and will have the test cancelled. A participant can participate in any subsequent test session by paying the registration fee again.

Booking the test, the participant undertakes to fully accept all the terms and conditions set out in this document.

Use of the service is conditional on acceptance, at the time of registration for TOLC – MED and/or TOLC – MED, of the terms and conditions specified herein.

TOLC – MED and TOLC – VET are services provided by CISIA – Consorzio Interuniversitario Sistemi Integrati per l’Accesso based in Pisa, Via Giuseppe Malagoli 12, on behalf of its member universities.

In more detail, the terms of use of the service are listed below.

The participants register on the CISIA portal at www.cisiaonline.it and receive from the system on the mandatory personal e-mail address, the login credentials, username and password for the service.
Once the registration is complete, upon logging in the personal area, using the username and the provided password , the participants must select the type of TOLC and the location where they wish to take it and then select one of the available dates on the calendar.
The participant shall pay the fee of EUR 30.00 by credit card or by bank MAV (Payment slip) or other system available at the time of booking registration.
1. Upon successful payment by credit card, the participants can immediately print out a receipt of successful registration, which they will find in their personal area. This receipt must be retained and presented to access the classroom and entitles the participants to take the test.
2. In the case of payment by bank MAV, since payment verification is not immediate, the participants must follow the procedures provided by the information system for the correct payment and subsequent registration. Following the successful payment registration, the participants will receive an e-mail at the e-mail address provided at the time of registration, confirming the successful payment. By logging in their personal area, the participants will be able to print out a receipt of the correct registration. This receipt must be retained and presented to access the classroom and entitles the participants to take the test.
Booking and taking the TOLC-MED and/or the TOLC-VET is conditional on acceptance of the terms and conditions set out in this document. If the participants do not want to accept, are invited not to book any test.
The participants guarantees and undertakes to verify the accuracy and completeness of the personal data provided to CISIA.
Participants are entitled to review and edit their personal data in their personal area.
The booking of a TOLC at the chosen location is completed upon payment of the mandatory contribution fee set at EUR 30.00
The participants are solely responsible for the secrecy of their password, account and any other data, as well as for all other activities that take place under the account activity.
The participants may not share or assign the above to third parties. Any unauthorised use of the above or any other breach of security concerning the Site (https://www.cisiaonline.it) of which the participants may become aware must be reported immediately to info@cisiaonline.it.

5. PERSONAL DATA PROCESSING

Participants interested in taking the TOLCs provide their data directly to CISIA, which acts as the Data Controller, that is as the entity that autonomously defines the purposes and methods of personal data processing.

Therefore, CISIA, processes the users’ personal data for the fulfilment of its official purposes and statutory rules in accordance with the laws and regulations in force.

Specifically, besides the personal and contact data, additional data will be collected and processed, such as the type of high school in which the participant is enrolled, geographical area in which that high school is located, and the year of enrolment in that high school. The purpose of processing these additional data is to enable CISIA to carry out statistical studies on the predictivity of TOLCs.

CISIA provides the student data to CINECA on behalf of the universities, and CINECA, for its part, provides this data to MUR to create the national rankings. In particular, the MUR and CINECA access the data of all the tests taken by the participants , as governed by Art. 8 of the Directorial Decree No.1925 dated 30.11.2022.

Therefore, the third-party recipients of the data are the universities and CINECA in accordance with Art.4 points 10 and 11 of the same Regulation (EU) 2016/679, ‘GDPR’.

It will also be the responsibility of the Data Controller to appoint the university where the TOLC is carried out as Data Processor pursuant to Art.28 of the GDPR for activities related to the proper delivery of the tests at the university locations (by way of example, but not limited to operations related to the recognition of users and the test delivery).

Regarding students with disabilities and SLD, CISIA processes only the personal data and information about the status declared, whereas the universities, in this specific case, are in charge for the processing of the personal and special data of the students, from the moment of receipt of the documentation supporting this processing.

The participants who took a TOLC could not ask for the results to be cancelled before the deadlines set by law. If, on the other hand, the participants have only registered on the CISIA portal, they may request the modification or cancellation of their data at any time.

In the case, partecipants have not entered their graduation grade when registering on the portal, CISIA reserves the right to request this information from the National Student Registry to process the data for statistical purposes.

CISIA, for the sole purpose of ensuring proper recognition throughout the TOLC course, requires the inclusion of the participant ‘s personal photo when registering on the TOLC portal. CISIA retains the data for a period of 3 years and in any case the participant may exercise all the rights provided for by current legislation, including the right to request its deletion at any time after the test.

The full privacy policy is in any case made available to the participant when registering and accessing the CISIA Student Area, in accordance with art.13 and subsequent of the GDPR.

6. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

The database containing the questions is confidential and the exclusive property of CISIA in accordance with Annex 2 to Ministerial Decree No.1107 dated 24.09.2022 and is protected by copyrights. This information is the property of CISIA and is kept and protected by it.

Maintaining the confidentiality of the questions is a fundamental principle for the sustainability of the scientific model, to guarantee the quality of the tests and their orientation and selective purpose.

The disclosure by participants of the questions contained in the CISIA TOLC-MED and TOLC-VET database is strictly forbidden.

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