Many students ask us about the advantages of an official exam. Most of them, when they refer to an “official exam,” immediately mention “DELE,” as they are unaware that there are alternatives to the most famous exam in the Spanish-speaking world. That’s why today we’re going to talk about its best-known alternative: SIELE.
SIELE is an exam to assess your level of Spanish and has an official status, so it is accepted by institutions such as universities. In this test, we will evaluate the usual disciplines of reading, listening, writing, and speaking, just like in DELE. Up to this point, everything is the same, but what are the differences?
The main difference is that DELE examines students based on a specific level, with a pass or fail grade, while SIELE establishes the candidate’s level, placing it between A1 and C1. In other words, you cannot fail in SIELE.
Another significant difference is that the student decides which parts they want to be examined on, so we may encounter a test where only a few skills are practiced. In this sense, the candidate also has more flexibility in terms of dates, infinitely more extensive than in DELE, and in terms of the location to take the exam since it can even be done from home.
Forget about using a pen too, as the exam will be conducted on a computer. All these processes also expedite the grading, as results are obtained within a maximum of three weeks.
Are these all advantages? Unfortunately, no. The drawback of SIELE is its validity over time. While DELE has no expiration date, SIELE is only valid for the next five years. A measure somewhat understandable because if a language is not practiced, it is eventually lost.
Do you want specific information about SIELE? You can visit our dedicated page or ask us directly. Jaleo Madrid is a SIELE center, so you can take the exam with us (and if you want, we will help you prepare for it).
