Pursuant to Act 40/2015, the Cervantes Institute has established three appraisal and administrative procedures for centres seeking to adhere to the DELE/CCSE testing centre network. In keeping with the provisions of the act, the procedure varies depending on whether the applicant is:
- A private or public institution.
- Located on or off Spanish soil.
- A member of the Cervantes Institute system of accredited centres (SACIC, Spanish initials for Sistema de Acreditación de Centros Instituto Cervantes).
Application procedures. Characteristics and variables
As a general rule, membership in the DELE/CCSE testing centre network is formalised by public institutions by concluding an international non-regulatory convention and by private institutions by concluding a contract with the Cervantes Institute.
Accreditation for centres operating outside Spain
All institutions outside Spain seeking accreditation as a DELE/CCSE testing centre must apply on http://cau.cervantes.es/. Applications must be handled through a Cervantes Institute coordinator, who will be the contact for pre-accreditation proceedings as well as for testing arrangements once the centre forms part of the DELE or CCSE network. Further information on accredited Cervantes Institute centres is available on testing sites around the world. The Cervantes Institute coordinator may visit the centre seeking accreditation for on-site verification of the data furnished on the application.
Application procedures for accreditation on cau.cervantes.es
From the http://cau.cervantes.es/ website, applicants should select ‘DELE exams’ or ‘CCSE citizenship exams’, as appropriate, in the ‘Subject’ field. In the ‘Specifically about’ field, they should select ‘Application for testing centre accreditation’. Applicant details, especially the centre name and country of origin, should be included in the ‘Details on the incident’ field.
Application procedures for centres operating in Spain
For testing centres operating in Spain, applications are handled from the Cervantes Institute headquarters. Candidates must apply to the Commercial Department from the Cervantes Institute’s website.
- Procedure for private centres (contracts): https://cervantes.sede.gob.es/procedimientos/portada/idp/152
- Procedure for public centres (conventions): https://cervantes.sede.gob.es/procedimientos/portada/idp/202
To access the website and complete the application, candidates must have a digital certificate/electronic ID or obtain a Cl@ve system code. The respective page on the Cervantes Institute’s website is entitled ‘Application for membership in the Cervantes Institute’s network of private testing centres in Spain’. That page, like this site, contains a link to information in PDF format on the requisites to be a DELE/CCSE testing centre. Institutions meeting the requirements should forward the e-form provided, completed with the fullest information possible, to the Institute electronically. All subsequent accreditation proceedings, as well as conclusion of the contract, will also be handled electronically. The estimated time for reviewing applications is 6 months, plus any time needed for contract procedures and document delivery where DELE/CCSE testing centre accreditation is granted.
Access to the application for the Cervantes Institute certification system (SICIC, Spanish initials for Sistema de certificación del Instituto Cervantes)
Exclusive access for DELE diploma testing centres: https://sicic.cervantes.es/