Spanish language certificate: DELE or SIELE?

The two international options for a certificate of Spanish language proficiency are the DELE and the SIELE, both run with Instituto Cervantes. Pick the DELE if you need a permanent diploma or Spanish citizenship; pick the SIELE if you need a score fast, on a date you choose.

If you're a student with a study-abroad application, a college requirement or a job posting that says "B2 Spanish", this guide shows which one fits, with US fees and 2026 dates checked in September 2026.

What is the difference between DELE and SIELE?

DELE and SIELE differ on one point that drives everything else: the DELE tests you at one level you choose, while the SIELE measures whatever level you have. The DELE is a pass-or-fail diploma; the SIELE gives you a score from 0 to 1,000 that maps to a CEFR level between A1 and C1.

CEFR is the Council of Europe's six-step scale (A1 to C2) that most universities and employers use to describe language levels. Here is how the two exams compare, from the official pages:

Verdict: the DELE wins on permanence and official weight, the SIELE on speed and flexibility. Our Spanish learning hub covers the level you need before either exam.

Which Spanish certificate should a student take?

A student should take the SIELE when a deadline is close, and the DELE when the certificate must last. SIELE results come back within three weeks, so it suits a study-abroad or scholarship file due next month. The DELE suits anyone who wants one line on a résumé that never needs renewing.

Four questions settle it:

1. Does the program or office name the DELE? Then take the DELE.
2. Is your deadline less than four months away? DELE results alone take about three months, so take the SIELE.
3. Are you unsure of your level? The SIELE places you wherever you land; a failed DELE gives you nothing.
4. Will you still need the proof in six years? A SIELE certificate will have expired.

More exam guides and plans that work back from a test date are on our page for students preparing a language exam.

How much does a Spanish language certificate cost in the US?

A DELE costs between $128 and $210 at Instituto Cervantes Chicago in 2026, depending on the level: $154 for B1, $176 for B2, $195 for C1. Instituto Cervantes students get 10% off. Other US exam centers set their own fees, so check yours before you register.

The SIELE booking page lists the Global exam at €155 and single modalities from €55 (S1, reading and listening) to €100 (checked September 2026). Prices change by country and center, and the page shows the final amount when you pick a location.

When can you sit the DELE Spanish exam in 2026?

The DELE runs on fixed dates, and registration closes about six weeks before each one. At Instituto Cervantes Chicago, the remaining 2026 sessions are November 13 (A2 and school exams) and November 14 (A1, A2, C1, C2), with registration closing September 30, 2026. The October 16 session for B1 and B2 closed on September 2.

Missed those? Instituto Cervantes posts the next year's sessions on its exam site, and results still take about three months after each one. The SIELE has no such calendar: you book a slot at a center, or take it remotely from home with online supervision, which SIELE offers at booking.

Which Spanish certificate works for Spanish citizenship?

Only the DELE works for Spanish nationality by residence. Instituto Cervantes states that applicants must pass the DELE A2 or higher and the CCSE, a test on the Spanish Constitution and society. Nationals of Spanish-speaking countries by origin are exempt from the DELE part.

If you're planning a move, our page for people moving abroad covers the rest of the preparation.

How do you prepare for a Spanish exam with a tutor?

Prepare with a tutor by rehearsing the speaking paper under exam timing, since that is the part you can't practise alone. SIELE's speaking test has 5 tasks in 15 minutes, recorded on a computer; the DELE speaking test is face to face with an examiner. In both, you are marked on what you say out loud, and reading a grammar book won't train that.

Ask a tutor who lists DELE or SIELE preparation to run one mock speaking test in the trial lesson. My own lessons are in English, not Spanish, but the method is the same: I speak for most of every 50-minute lesson, and that is what moved me from understanding well to expressing myself out loud. Our Preply review covers prices and the downsides, including that tutor quality varies a lot.

Skip the exam entirely if nobody asks you for it. A certificate proves a level; it doesn't build one. If you're still far from B1, start with a weekly routine for learning Spanish fast and take the level quiz first.