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  • I Belong 100-hour Cultural Orientation course

    100 hours

    One course since 15 June 2026. The old Stage 1 courses have ended.

  1. 1

    Hold the prerequisite certificate

    Prerequisite

  2. 2

    I Belong 100-hour Cultural Orientation

    100 hours

Integration course · needed for Long-Term Residence

Malta’s integration programme for people living here. Since 15 June 2026 it runs one course, the 100-hour Cultural Orientation course. Passing it is one of the requirements for Long-Term Residence.

Last checked
Restructured
Official pages read

What changed on 15 June 2026

Checked on the Directorate's page on 29 Sep 2026

Since 15 June 2026, the programme runs only the 100-hour Cultural Orientation course (it used to be called Stage 2 Cultural Orientation). Stage 1 has ended. New learners are encouraged to take the New Course on Maltese Language and Culture instead; the Directorate links the schools that teach it.

To join the 100-hour course you need either a Stage 1 certificate or a New Course certificate. If your Stage 2 application was received before 15 June 2026, you will be offered the MQF Level 2 Maltese course and the 100-hour course.

Read the full status update.

What to do now

Pick the line that matches you.

Quick facts

  • Who it is for

    People living in Malta who have the right documents and certificate (see the steps). Registering does not guarantee a place.

  • What it involves

    One course since 15 June 2026: the I Belong 100-hour Cultural Orientation course.

  • Prerequisite

    A Stage 1 certificate or a New Course on Maltese Language and Culture certificate, plus a valid Residence Permit, Asylum Seeker Document or CIO Document.

  • Stage 2 application received before 15 June 2026?

    You will be offered the MQF Level 2 Maltese course and the 100-hour course.

  • Long-Term Residence link

    One of the requirements for Long-Term Residence, not the only one.

  • Cost

    No fee is published. Ask the Directorate before you budget.

How it works now

First the certificate, then the 100-hour course. You can't take the course without the certificate.

  1. 01

    Hold the prerequisite certificate

    Prerequisite

    You need two things: a certificate (either I Belong Stage 1 Cultural Orientation, or the New Course on Maltese Language and Culture) and a valid Residence Permit, Asylum Seeker Document or CIO Document from the Maltese authorities. Stage 1 no longer runs; new learners are encouraged to take the New Course, and the Directorate links the schools that teach it. Registering does not guarantee you a place.

    Stage 1 has ended: about the New Course
  2. 02

    I Belong 100-hour Cultural Orientation

    100 hours

    The one course the programme now runs. Passing it is one of the requirements for Long-Term Residence.

    The course in detail

Before 15 June there were two Stage 2 courses: Maltese (50 hours) and Cultural Orientation (120 hours). That is this guide’s 14 June 2026 record. See every course, old and new, side by side.

How this connects to Long-Term Residence

Passing the 100-hour course is one of the requirements for Long-Term Residence. Identità has other conditions too, such as how long you have lived in Malta. The certificate alone does not give you Long-Term Residence.

For Long-Term Residence, Identità asks for three things:

  • the I Belong course (100 hours), with at least 75% in the final exam;
  • a course certificate no more than one year old when you apply;
  • a separate Maltese test at MQF Level 2, with at least 65%.

The Directorate’s page gives no pass mark.

Do you hold the older 50-hour and 120-hour certificates? 170 hours is our sum of those, not an official total. Ask Identità how they are assessed.

See Long-Term Residence in detail.

Who the programme is for

The programme runs the I Belong 100-hour Cultural Orientation course. Passing it is one of the requirements for Long-Term Residence in Malta.

You need a valid Residence Permit, Asylum Seeker Document or CIO Document from the Maltese authorities, and either a Stage 1 certificate or a New Course on Maltese Language and Culture certificate. Registering does not guarantee a place. You are told the dates and any cost before your place is confirmed.

Who can take the course, and who may be exempt: eligibility in detail.

Study Hub

Free practice on Malta’s history, civic life, everyday Maltese and public services, with a mock test. It is our own material, not official exam questions.

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Common questions

Can I register for I Belong Stage 1 right now?

No. Stage 1 ended on 15 June 2026. Take the New Course on Maltese Language and Culture instead; the Directorate's page links the schools that teach it. Its certificate, or an old Stage 1 Cultural Orientation certificate, lets you join the 100-hour course.

What do I need before the 100-hour Cultural Orientation course?

Two things. First, a valid Residence Permit, Asylum Seeker Document or CIO Document from the Maltese authorities. Second, either an I Belong Stage 1 Cultural Orientation certificate or a New Course on Maltese Language and Culture certificate. Registering does not guarantee a place.

Is there a cost to join the I Belong Programme?

No fee is published. The Directorate says you are told any conditions before your place is confirmed. Ask the Directorate before you budget, and do not assume it is free.

Does the Cultural Orientation course guarantee Long-Term Residence?

No. Passing it is one of the requirements for Long-Term Residence, not the only one. Identità also checks how long you have lived in Malta, your income, your housing, your health insurance and a separate Maltese test.

What does Identità ask for on the I Belong certificate?

The I Belong course (100 hours) with at least 75% in the final exam, on a certificate no more than one year old when you apply. Identità also asks for a Maltese test at MQF Level 2 with at least 65%. The Directorate's own page gives no pass mark; use Identità's figures, because Identità decides your application.

My Stage 2 application was received before 15 June 2026. What happens now?

You will be offered both the I Belong Maltese course at MQF Level 2 and the 100-hour Cultural Orientation course. Use the assistance link on the Directorate's page to ask about your dates.

Who can answer a question about my own case?

For the course, use the assistance link on the Human Rights Directorate's I Belong page. For Long-Term Residence, ask Identità. This guide explains the published rules; it cannot see or change your application.

Official sources

Every current fact on this page comes from one of these official pages.

  • 01
    Human Rights Directorate (opens in a new tab)

    Official I Belong Programme overview: the current programme structure (as restructured from 15 June 2026), eligibility, registration conditions, and discontinued courses.

    Last checked 2026-10-02

  • 02
    Identità (opens in a new tab)

    Official Identità guidance on Long-Term Residence eligibility for non-EU nationals, including the documentation requirements that name the I Belong Integration Certificate.

    Last checked 2026-10-02

Start with the official guidance

To check your own eligibility, your registration, or your Long-Term Residence application, use the official sites, not this guide.

See also our map of official I Belong Programme contacts.

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