Versión en español

siele.org

What is SIELE?

SIELE (Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española) is a service for the evaluation and certification of Spanish language proficiency through electronic means aimed at students and professionals from all five continents.

It is promoted by the Instituto Cervantes, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the University of Salamanca and the University of Buenos Aires, which guarantees standards of quality and good practice in the elaboration of the tests, and the use of different linguistic varieties of the Hispanic world.

SIELE certifies the degree of competence in the Spanish language through four tests: Reading and Listening Comprehension, Written Expression and Interaction and Spoken Expression and Interaction; the exam also takes as a reference the levels established by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) of the Council of Europe.

It is a remote multi-level test in which the tasks in each test are of varying degrees of difficulty, allowing the candidate to be placed at a proficiency level ranging from A1 to CEFR level C1.

SIELE

Calls

The Language School of Universidad Isabel I offers an online session every Tuesday at 10:00 am.

Book your exam

If you would prefer us to help you register, or if you are looking for other dates/times, please contact us by filling in the information request form.

Certificate

With SIELE you will receive an internationally recognised digital certificate, valid for five years, which includes a test score related to the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

It is recognised by CRUE – Conferencia de Rectores de las Universidades Españolas (Conference of Spanish University Rectors) and ACLES – Asociación de Centros de Lenguas en la Enseñanza Superior (Association of Language Centres in Higher Education), among others. 

Within a maximum of three weeks, you will be able to download your SIELE Certificate from the "My page" section of siele.org, the authenticity of which can be checked digitally and quickly on the platform itself.

Structure

Based on the different inventories contained in the Instituto Cervantes Curricular Plan. Reference levels for Spanish, the tests have been designed to measure the candidates' level of linguistic proficiency.

The total duration of SIELE Global is 3 hours and it includes the following parts:

  • Reading Comprehension: 5 Tasks/60 min.
  • Listening Comprehension: 6 Tasks/55 min.
  • Written Expression and Interaction: 2 Assignments/50 min.
  • Oral Expression and Interaction: 5 Tasks/15-20 min.

Technical requirements

To take the SIELE exam remotely you must have and prepare the technical resources (computer equipment, browser and peripheral resources) and the environment detailed below:

Equipment:

The computer must have the following characteristics:

  • Equipment: PC (laptop or desktop), 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor minimum dual core at 2 gigahertz (GHz) or more, 2GB RAM (4GB for 64-bit), 5GB free disk space. Tablet or smartphone devices are not valid. Permission to download and install applications is required.
  • Operating System: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10.
  • Audio interface: to allow playback and recording, which can be solved by a sound card and a headset with a microphone.
  • Camera.
  • Connection: a wired connection or a quality WIFI connection is highly recommended.

Regardless of whether wired or wireless connection is used, a bandwidth (internet) of at least 1Mbps download and 1Mbps upload must be ensured.

Peripheral resources:

SIELE is an online exam consisting of four tests in which you must listen to audio, write a text, and record your answers. The specific characteristics of these tests mean that it is essential to have:

  • Keyboard.
  • Mouse.
  • Headset headphones (recommended with ear cushions that completely cover the ears) with a microphone, which are usually directional and avoid ambient noise when recording.

Mobile phone with the ability to browse the internet and take photos or videos.

Dress and appearance:

  • Appropriate clothing. Photographs are taken continuously during the examination to ensure the correct execution of the examination.
  • Headphones may be worn in the listening comprehension and speaking and interaction tests; in all other tests, the pinnae shall remain visible, not covered by hair, hats or other items.
  • Items that could be used to conceal outside communication devices such as jewellery, tie clips, cufflinks, necklaces, headbands and other hair accessories should be avoided.

Material resources:

  • Mobile device: At the beginning of the test, as it is essential to ensure a suitable environment, the space should be checked. For this purpose, the computer’s camera or a mobile phone can be used. If a mobile phone is used, it must have the capacity to surf the internet and take photographs or videos of the space where the test is to be conducted. Its use beyond this initial environment verification process will result in the test being cancelled and the test not being marked.
  • Note-taking materials (paper). The table must be completely clear, without any paper or documents.

Breaks and/or rest between tests:

  • You may not leave your seat during the examination and failure to do so will result in the cancellation of the examination.

Failure to comply with the technical and environmental verification requirements, as well as any abnormal behaviour during the examination, may result in the cancellation of the examination and loss of the reservation.

Exam preparation

You can take this demo to prepare for the exam. Also, it is very recommended to read the Guide for Candidates carefully.

If you still don't feel ready for the exam, you can prepare with our online Spanish as a Foreign Language courses. You can study from level A1 to level B2 of the CEFR.