Are you looking to get Spanish citizenship, work, or study in a country that speaks Spanish, then you will need to undergo a Spanish language certification test to prove your proficiency level. There are five internationally recognized Spanish certifications and these are required for getting admitted to universities, getting a job, and sharing these with the immigration department.
What are Spanish Language Certification?
The European countries measure the language proficiency stipulated by the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR). The CEFR classifies the language competency of language learners on a scale of A1 to C2, i.e., beginners to masters, respectively and these are measured against reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
Types Of Certification Based On Levels
Let’s look at the CEFR scales and what is expected.
Basic (A1 and A2)
A1 – The learner scale Spanish level A1 is certified for people who can understand everyday expressions, introduce themselves when meeting people and interact with them when they speak slowly and clearly.
A2 – The learner scale A2 is certified for people who can explain their daily routine in simple language and add short expressions while speaking and will be able to provide details about their personal life or work. Even if they don’t understand every word, it will be easier for them to understand the text’s context.
Independent (B1 and B2)
B1 – The learner scale B1 is certified for people who can provide clear information on the matter that they are familiar with. A conversation can be made with clear intention and for a longer duration with expertise in identifying and using grammatical structures. The learner will have gained knowledge to talk about anecdotes, wishes, plans, and events.
B2 – The learner scale B is certified for people who can interact fluently with others and understand and formulate complex ideas on the go.
Proficient (C1 and C2)
C1 – The learner scale C1 is certified for people who can express spontaneously and fluently and can speak well-structured, long, and demanding sentences. There will be minimal to no grammatical errors while speaking and writing because the C1 proficiency allows you to understand basic and even complex grammar concepts and correct mistakes, if any, immediately.
The C1 level proficiency qualifies you to teach others.
C2 – The learner scale C2 is certified for people who are experts in language proficiency. The language expertise will help you understand and summarize complex information, the C1-certified people will be able to express clearly and use professional or rich language without grammatical errors, and the produced text will be of literary or scientific nature.
Language Certification and Exams
The Spanish language certification exams use the CEFR levels to measure language proficiency. Based on these test results, an official certificate of Spanish proficiency is awarded. These Spanish proficiency tests are required to certify an individual.
These examinations can be attended by candidates whose mother tongue is not Spanish. There are different certifications in the Spanish Language are as follows:
DELE – Diplomas de Espanol como Lengua Extranjera
Suitable for people looking for Visa or citizenship, post-secondary students, and working professionals
This certification is awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Education, culture, and sports. The certificates are issued by Instituto Cervantes, a Spanish public institution created to promote Hispanic culture internationally.
Each DELE exam follows the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages grading criteria. The Spanish language certification does not have an expiry date. There are six different levels of the DELE Spanish test.
- Breakthrough (A1)
- Waystage (A2)
- Threshold (B1)
- Vantage (B2)
- Effective Operational Proficiency (C1)
- Mastery (C2)
The certification exams for levels A1, A2, and B1 are for students of age 11 to 16 years. The minimum score to pass the examination will be 60 points out of 100. DELE A1 Sample papers are available online for practice. Each examination center sets the examination dates, and the results will be announced in a maximum of three months. You will get an electronic copy of the Spanish language certificate online by email, and a hard copy of the DELE certification will be received by post.
SIELE – Servicio Internacional de Evaluacion de la Lengua Espanola
Suitable for people looking for post-secondary students and working professionals.
The levels covered in this certification examination are levels A1, A2, B1, B2, and C1 of the CEFR, unlike the DELE certification. This examination was first established in 2016 and was designed by the most prestigious universities in Spain, Mexico, and Argentina.
The SIELE examination certificate is valid only for five years and is divided into the below-listed categories:
- SIELE Global – This examination allows the students to certify all four language skills in a single test which is scored on a scale of 0 to 1000.
- Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
SIELE is different from other examinations because the four language skills examinations can be taken separately except for SIELE Global. This option eases the stress and helps you prepare for the DELE exam.
Each of the four language skill examinations is scored on a scale of 0 to 250 points. Students interested in taking the SIELE Spanish certification exam can book the slot according to their convenience and this examination can be taken in person and online. The result will be announced in a maximum of three weeks, along with the certificate.
CELU – Certificado de Espanol Lengua y Uso
Suitable for people looking for Post-secondary students and working professionals.
The Ministry of Education acknowledges the Spanish certification test, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Worship of Argentina. CELU examination is conducted twice a year, in June and November. The CELU examination is conducted only offline, which is yet to be available online.
The grading scale for this examination is between Good and Excellent, which is equivalent to B1-B2 (intermediate) and C1 (advance) only. Unlike other examinations like DELE and SIELE, the CELU Spanish language examination is divided into verbal and written. There is no stress on grammatical structure for this examination. The results and certificate are received in a maximum of four months. This certificate is acknowledged by academic and professional institutions in Argentina, Brazil, China, and Italy. This test can be taken by candidates whose mother tongue is not Spanish and the country they are from doesn’t have Spanish as the official language.
TELC – The European Language Certificates
Suitable for people looking for Visas, post-secondary students, and working professionals.
This certification is issued by TELC GmbH and the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) and has a broad scope of recognition. The TELC Spanish Certificate is for life and doesn’t come with an expiry date. The examination dates are decided by the examination centers, and the Spanish Certification tests are divided into the following:
- TELEC Español A1
- TELEC Español A2
- TELEC Español B1
- TELEC Español B2
- TELEC Español A1, A2, B1, and B2 Escuela (for scholars)
The grading scale is between 0 and 100 points, and a candidate is declared as passed only when he scores a minimum of 60. The candidate must take the test in person, and the certificate is received six weeks after the examination.
ECL – European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages
Suitable for people looking to obtain visas and professionals
The ECL certificates are issued and certified by the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE), similar to TELC. One of its similarities with the CELU examination is it only conducts examinations for B1, B2, and C1. The skills tested in the ECL Spanish language certification exam are reading, writing, and listening. The grading scale is between 0 and 100 points, and a candidate is declared as passed only when he scores a minimum of 60. The candidate must take the test in person and receive the certificate within a month after the examination.
Spanish Language Levels, Exams Centers
Spanish language certification in India can be achieved by registering in the following centers.
DELE Exams dates in 2022, Spanish exams in India
| EXAM DATES 2022 | REGISTRATION DEADLINE | LEVELS | CENTRES |
| Friday, APRIL 1 | February 2, 2022 | A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 | NEW DELHI JAIPUR MUMBAI |
| Friday, MAY 20 Saturday, MAY 21 |
March 16, 2022 | Young Learners: A1, A2/ B1 A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2 |
NEW DELHI JAIPUR MUMBAI |
| Friday, JULY 1 | May 4, 2022 | A2, B1, B2, C1 | NEW DELHI JAIPUR |
| Friday, Oct 7 | August 24, 2022 | A2, B1, B2 | NEW DELHI MUMBAI |
| Friday, NOV 18 | October 5, 2022 | Young Learners: A1, A2/ B1 | NEW DELHI CHENNAI JAIPUR KOLKATA |
Details of examination centers in India – DELE exams in India
Find below the list of exam centers to achieve Spanish certification in India.
CHENNAI
Inaword Centre For Languages No 26 Teachers Colony,
Kasturba Nagar in Adyar 600020.
Chennai.
+91 44 24455077 +91 9962935152
JAIPUR
Genesis Group, 84/260, Roondla Plaza, Madhyam Marg, Mansarover Plaza,
Near K.V.- 5, Jaipur (Raj.) – 302020
www.dele-genesis-jaipur.com / info@genesisgroups.in / info@dele-genesis-jaipur.com
KOLKATA
Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture (RKM) School of Languages.
Golpark, Kolkata 700 029. West Bengal
https://www.sriramakrishna.org/ / rmic@vsnl.com
+91 33 2464 1303 +91 332 4641 307
MUMBAI
Hispanic Horizons, “Vas Chambers” Building. 18 Hill Road, Bandra (W) Mumbai 400 050.
https://www.hispanic-horizons.org/ / dele@hispanic-horizons.org
+91-22-26409039 +91 8082647938
NEW DELHI
Instituto Cervantes de Nueva Delhi, 48, Hanuman Road, Nueva Delhi, 110001.
https://www.nuevadelhi.cervantes.es/ / cenndel@cervantes.es
+91 11 43 68 19 00 +91 11 4368 19 99
DELE Exam Fees In India – Minimum Official Prices In India For 2022 (Instituto Cervantes Fees)
Spanish level test
| COUNTRY | INDIA |
| A1 | 4,400 |
| A2 | 5,000 |
| B1 | 5,800 |
| B2 | 7,000 |
| C1 | 7,500 |
| C2 | 8,000 |
SIELE – official prices in India for 2022
| Start | End | Duration | Price in Euro | Price in INR | |
| SIELE Global | 09:00 | 12:30 | 60 + 55 50 + 15 minutes |
€ 135 | 11053 |
| SOUL 1 RC+LC |
09:15 | 11:45 | 60 + 55 minutes | € 45 | 3684 |
| SOUL 2 RC+WEI |
09:30 | 12:00 | 60 + 50 minutes | € 65 | 5322 |
| SOUL 3 LC+OEI |
09:45 | 11:45 | 55 + 15 minutes | € 75 | 6140 |
| SOUL 4 OEI |
13:00 | 14:00 | 15–20 minutes | € 60 | 4912 |
| SIELE 5 WEI+OEI |
13:15 | 15:45 | 50 + 15 minutes | € 75 | 6140 |
Best Sites For Online Spanish Language Courses With Certificates
To pass the Spanish Language certification test with flying colors, you will have to be familiar with the examination format because this will give you more confidence and relieve stress so you can prepare for the actual examination.
Many online Spanish language courses are available to help you easily learn the language. The reason to choose Spanish as a language to learn is that it continues to see remarkable growth, with more than half a billion people using it as either their first or second language.
Register yourself at Curiotory (online Spanish courses with certification) to earn a Spanish certification course; Curiotory arranges native language speakers to train their students. The Spanish Curriculum is designed in two levels, and the duration will be 3 months, 36 instruction hours to get trained with one level, and the other level takes a similar time limit.
The courses include real-time evaluation, formative assessment, and summative assessment. These will help you understand the language, practice the evaluation and prepare to complete the courses with flying colors.
Benefits of Spanish Certification
DELE diplomas are valid indefinitely; it’s a constant asset that gives you an edge over others in job hunting. It’s beneficial to those who aim to take up work in Spanish-speaking countries and for those who are seeking promotion or improved career prospects in those countries
FAQs
- Who corrects the exam?
The Universidad de Salamanca in Spain corrects the DELE exams
- What are the documents needed for taking the SIELE examination?
Personal ID that was used for registration
Access information used at siele.org to access the test computer.
- Who organizes DELE Exams?
DELE exams are organized by the Cervantes Institute and the Spanish government
- Where do I register to take a DELE exam?
First, register on the Instituto Cervantes website. Then log in to your account and follow the instructions.
- Can I take any Level of Examination?
Yes, you can. You don’t need to have a certificate for lower levels to take a higher-level exam.