The SIELE Spanish exam can now be taken remotely

SIELE (Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española) has launched a new method that allows candidates to take the exam remotely, that is, on their own computer from their home or workplace, without having to go to an Authorised Examination Centre, as was previously the case. This new feature makes it easier for students and professionals to take the test more comfortably without compromising security guarantees, as the Examination Centre supervises its correct performance online and in real time.

SIELE is an assessment service, managed entirely electronically, which certifies the degree of competence in the Spanish language. Created and developed by the Instituto Cervantes and three leading universities (Salamanca, Nacional Autónoma de México and Buenos Aires), it is managed by Telefónica Educación Digital.

Five years after its birth in 2016, SIELE has now been implemented remotely, with which the candidate can take the Spanish language proficiency tests with their own computer at home or at work.

With the new remotely supervised system (RS), the candidate can obtain the SIELE Spanish certification in a facility other than an Authorised Examination Centre, although the registration for this modality must be done in an Examination Centre in the same country where the test is to be taken.

The remote SIELE has the same content and format as the traditional mode, and is done on the candidate's computer by installing an application called "SIELE Navigator" which is provided when the candidate makes the reservation.

You must check if your computer meets the necessary requirements: internet connection, front-facing camera, audio interface, keyboard, mouse, headset, etc. It must be a laptop or desktop PC, tablet or smartphone devices are not valid.

Registration can be made 48 hours in advance, as in the usual format. At least 24 hours before the exam, the candidate must upload to the platform the official document with which he/she booked the exam and three photos of his/her own face, so that the Examination Centre can validate it remotely.

Before the test (about 30 minutes), the Authorised Examination Centre contacts the candidate by WhatsApp via a QR code to check the environment and apply the security protocol.

The rest of the SIELE does not vary. It is a digital, agile and adaptable exam that works on a scale of points (from 0 to 1000) with equivalences to levels A1, A2, B1, B2 and C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Four tests are offered: reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression and interaction, and oral expression and interaction. The candidate can take all of them (the so-called SIELE global) or choose some of them (there are five different combinations). The certificate is received within a maximum of three weeks and is valid for five years.

Submitted by José Antonio Sierra, Hispanismo advisor.