SIELE to DELE Converter

Both SIELE and DELE are aligned to the CEFR scale, so SIELE scores map to DELE levels via the shared CEFR mapping. SIELE 0 to 300 = A1, 301 to 450 = A2, 451 to 625 = B1, 626 to 750 = B2, 751 to 1000 = C1. SIELE does not certify CEFR C2; for C2 proof of Spanish, take DALE C2 directly. The conversion is indicative: SIELE gives a numeric score, while DELE is pass / fail per level. Universities and immigration programs accept the CEFR equivalence regardless of which test produced it (with the citizenship and medical residency exceptions noted below).

Sometimes, but not always. Most Spanish and Latin American universities accept SIELE B2 (626+) interchangeably with DELE B2 for undergraduate admission, and SIELE C1 (751+) for postgraduate. However, two key exceptions: Spanish citizenship by naturalisation requires DELE A2 specifically (SIELE A2-equivalent score is NOT accepted), and Spanish medical residency requires DELE C1 or C2 specifically (SIELE C1 score is NOT accepted). For those two use cases, you must take DELE.

Per Instituto Cervantes (which administers both tests): SIELE 751-1000 = DELE C1; SIELE 626-750 = DELE B2; SIELE 451-625 = DELE B1; SIELE 301-450 = DELE A2; SIELE 0-300 = DELE A1. DELE C2 has no SIELE equivalent because SIELE does not certify above C1.

SIELE was designed as a single-sitting multilevel test that places candidates from A1 to C1, with a focus on accurate measurement across the most commonly tested levels. C2 (Mastery) requires more specialised tasks (synthesis from multiple complex sources, near-native register switching) that are difficult to assess in a 3-hour online exam. For C2 certification of Spanish, candidates take DALE C2, the dedicated C2-level Cervantes diploma.

DELE certificates never expire. SIELE certificates are valid for 5 years from the test date. This is one of the main practical differences when converting: a SIELE score might be the right CEFR level today, but the certificate has a shelf life. DELE certificates can be used decades later as proof of the certified level.

For Spanish citizenship by naturalisation: DELE A2 (no SIELE substitute). For Spanish medical residency: DELE C1 or C2 (no SIELE substitute). For Spanish university admission (most programs): either, with most programs accepting B2-equivalent scores. For fast online testing with quick results: SIELE (3 weeks vs 3 months for DELE). For a lifetime certificate: DELE. For C2 certification: DELE C2 (DALE) only.

Yes, by all 76 Spanish universities under CRUE (the Spanish university rectors body), and by most Latin American universities through the Asociacion Universitaria Iberoamericana de Postgrado. The acceptance is per-level: SIELE 626+ (B2-equivalent) for undergraduate admission, SIELE 751+ (C1-equivalent) for most postgraduate programs. Always verify with the specific university; some highly competitive programs (Sciences and Medicine specifically) require DELE.

They are deliberately different formats serving different purposes. SIELE is a multi-level scoring test (0 to 1000) that places you on the CEFR scale wherever your skills land in one sitting; the certificate shows the numeric score and the corresponding CEFR level. DELE is a level-specific exam: you choose which CEFR level to attempt (A1 through C2), and the result is Apto (pass) or No Apto (fail) at that level. The CEFR scale is the common reference that lets you convert between them.