Exams
DELE or SIELE in Madrid: which one suits you and how to prepare
How the DELE differs from the SIELE, which one suits your goal in Spain and how to prepare for the tests with a realistic plan.
You live in Madrid or are about to move here. Someone asks you for a Spanish language certificate: the Ministry of Justice for nationality, a university or your company. Two acronyms come up, DELE and SIELE. The Instituto Cervantes is behind both, but they are not used for the same things and you do not prepare for them in the same way.
What each one is
The DELE (Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera, or Diplomas of Spanish as a Foreign Language) is an official qualification. It is issued by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of Spain’s Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the University of Salamanca. It has six levels, from A1 to C2. You register for one specific level and the result is apto (pass) or no apto (fail).
The SIELE (Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española, or International Spanish Language Assessment Service) is a digital exam. It is a joint initiative of the Instituto Cervantes, UNAM (Mexico), the University of Salamanca and the University of Buenos Aires. You do not choose a level: the same exam includes tasks from A1 to C1 and gives you a score. You cannot fail it; the result shows your level. SIELE Global combines the four papers and leads to a certificate. The partial modalities (S1 to S5) lead to a report.
DELE and SIELE side by side
| DELE | SIELE | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Instituto Cervantes, on behalf of the Ministry of Education | Instituto Cervantes, UNAM and the universities of Salamanca and Buenos Aires |
| Levels | A1 to C2; you sit one | A1 to C1 in the same exam |
| Format | Paper, at an exam centre | Computer, at a centre or remotely under supervision |
| Speaking test | In front of two examiners | Recorded answers |
| Dates | Fixed exam sessions | You choose the day and time |
| Grading | Pass or fail | 0 to 1,000 points, with a CEFR level |
| Results | About two months (three in May and November) | Three weeks at most |
| Validity | Indefinite | Five years |
| Valid for nationality | Yes, from A2 | No |
Which one suits your goal
Spanish nationality by residence. There is no choice here. Royal Decree 1004/2015 requires the DELE A2 or higher and the CCSE test of constitutional and sociocultural knowledge. The CCSE has 25 questions and you pass with 15. The SIELE website itself states that its certificates are equivalent to the DELE in Spain, except for nationality. Nationals of countries where Spanish is an official language, among others, are exempt from the DELE.
Any level from A2 upwards is valid. If you are torn between A2 and B1, sit the one you have comfortably mastered. A no apto (fail) at B1 does not give you an A2.
University. Each university sets the level and the certificates it accepts. CRUE, which brings together Spanish universities, recognises the SIELE. If the admissions deadline is tight, its results arrive sooner. Check before you register.
Employment or a company requirement. It depends on what Human Resources asks for. If they want a score to compare candidates, or need it soon, the SIELE fits. If you prefer a qualification that does not expire and is also valid for nationality, go for the DELE.
How to prepare for the speaking and writing tests
Both exams measure the same skills in different formats. Your preparation should mirror the format.
Speaking in the DELE. At A2, for example, there are 12 minutes of preparation and 12 minutes of test. There are three tasks: a presentation, describing a picture and a simulated conversation. One examiner talks with you; the other only grades. In one-to-one lessons, the teacher plays the interviewer and keeps time. Afterwards you listen to the recording together: did you complete the task? How did you use the language?
Speaking in the SIELE. You talk to a computer. You listen to or read the instructions and the recording starts, with a fixed time limit. Nobody nods or helps you keep going. That silence is disconcerting. Practise with a timer and a recorder until it no longer intimidates you.
Writing. In the DELE A2 you handwrite two texts, 130 to 150 words in total, in 45 minutes. In the SIELE you type two tasks in 50 minutes. In both, your text must respond exactly to the instructions. In class we work with a short checklist: verb tenses, agreement and connectors.
If your mother tongue is Arabic, pronunciation deserves work of its own: read the phonetic challenges Arabic speakers face.
The Institute’s tip. Do at least two full mock exams, in the real order and with the real timings. For the DELE, use the sample papers published by the Instituto Cervantes; for the SIELE, its official online practice test. If you are taking the SIELE, type on a computer with accents, ñ and opening marks (¿ ¡) from the first weeks.
A realistic preparation plan
- Level test. Measure your level in the four skills. Set the exam, the level and the date by which you need the document.
- Count backwards. From that date, subtract the time results take and the registration deadline. That tells you your last useful exam session.
- Level phase. Our internal estimate: about 60 hours from A1 to A2, 80 from A2 to B1 and 100 from B1 to B2. It varies with how much time you put in.
- Exam phase. In the last four to six weeks, the focus shifts to the format: typical tasks, timings and mock exams.
- Exam week. Light revision. Check the centre’s exam notice: venue, time and identity document.
Example: you need the DELE A2 for nationality and you are starting from a solid A1. With four hours of lessons a week, allow about four months until the exam, plus the wait for results. You can prepare for the CCSE at the same time; it is held every month except August and December.
Preparing with one-to-one lessons
The Institute prepares students for the DELE and the SIELE in one-to-one lessons, in person at Gran Vía 40 or online. You start with a free 30-minute level test and the schedule is adjusted to your date. Check our prices.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Exam sessions, fees and requirements change. Check them before you register in the official sources (in Spanish): DELE, SIELE, SIELE practice test, CCSE, Royal Decree 1004/2015 and Ministry of Justice.
