Studying in Spanish in Spain and Latin America
Spanish opens degrees and exchange semesters in Spain and in 18 countries of Latin America. Many students first come for an exchange, for example with the EU programme Erasmus+ or a university partnership, and some stay for a full degree.
Most lectures at Spanish universities take place in Spanish, even where single courses are offered in English. Universities in Spain and Latin America often recommend or require level B1 or B2 for exchange students. B1 and B2 are the third and fourth of the six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), the European scale from A1 to C2.
The variety you hear depends on the country. In Spain, z and c before e and i sound like the English th, and the informal plural you is vosotros. In Latin America, both sound like s, and ustedes serves as the plural for everyone.
Choose your course variety by your destination. For Spain, learn Peninsular Spanish, and for Mexico, Colombia or Argentina, learn Latin American Spanish, including the voseo of Argentina and Uruguay.
Spanish level and proof for admission and exchange
Each university sets its own language requirement. Some rules have become common, and the CEFR, the European six-level scale from A1 to C2, serves as their yardstick.
| Route | Usual level | Common proof |
|---|---|---|
| Degree at a public university in Madrid | B2 | DELE or SIELE |
| Exchange semester in Spain | B1 to B2, recommended or required | DELE, SIELE or the university's own test |
| Degree in Latin America | set by each university | ask the university |
Public universities in Madrid have required Spanish at B2 from applicants from non-Spanish-speaking countries since the 2020-2021 academic year, unless the programme states otherwise. The DELE is the official Spanish diploma, which never expires. The SIELE is a computer-based test that reports levels from A1 to C1 and is valid for five years.
Exchange students in Erasmus+ get access to Online Language Support (OLS), the EU's online language platform. Higher education students take its language assessment before a stay of 14 days or more, unless Spanish is their native language. The assessment is not a certificate.
Conventions of academic writing in Spanish
Academic writing in Spanish follows conventions that English speakers rarely meet in a general course.
- Spanish academic prose accepts longer sentences with several subordinate clauses than English does.
- Impersonal constructions with se, such as 'se analiza' (it is analysed), and the plural 'we' of modesty, as in 'en este trabajo analizamos', replace the English 'I'.
- Connectors such as 'no obstante' (nevertheless) and 'por consiguiente' (consequently) structure the argument.
- Months, days and languages are written in lower case, as in 'el 3 de mayo'.
- Accent marks follow fixed rules, and a missing accent counts as a spelling mistake.
Degree programmes in Spain end with a final project, the Trabajo de Fin de Grado (TFG), and master's programmes with a Trabajo de Fin de Máster (TFM). Your department sets the citation style.
If you plan to study in Spain, add a course in academic writing in Spanish to your DELE C1 preparation. Both train text types such as reports, opinion pieces and formal emails.
Preparation courses for a degree in Spanish
Several course types bridge the gap between your Spanish level and university study.
| Course type | Purpose | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Spanish course | lectures, reading and writing for study | before or during the degree |
| DELE preparation | recognised proof of B2 or C1 | months before the application |
| University language centre course | Spanish for enrolled international students | during the exchange or degree |
| Self-paced online Spanish course | general level from A2 to C1 | any time |
The University of Salamanca, through its department for Spanish as a foreign language called Cursos Internacionales, offers its own online Spanish course from A2 to C1 without fixed dates or timetables. The Instituto Cervantes runs AVE Global, an online learning platform for self-study or with a tutor.
Courses at university language centres are often cheap or free for enrolled students. They do not help with the certificate you need before admission, because you are not yet enrolled at that stage.
Spanish for lectures, seminars and tutorías
A lecture in Spanish runs for 60 to 90 minutes, often fast and with technical terms. A lecturer from Seville sounds different from one from Bogotá, so an academic course trains note-taking with long recordings from several countries.
Seminars ask you to summarise a reading, defend a position and disagree politely. Phrases such as 'entiendo su argumento, pero' (I understand your argument, but) help you take part without sounding rude.
Contact with lecturers follows its own conventions. An email opens with 'Estimado profesor' or 'Estimada profesora', states the request early and closes politely. Forms of address vary between universities and countries, so follow the lecturer's lead between tú and the formal usted. Tutorías are the fixed office hours in which lecturers meet students.
- ✓DELE preparation trains task types, timing and a recognised result.
- ✓It suits the months before an application.
- ✗Exam training rarely covers long lectures and heavy reading.
- ✗Seminar discussion and long essays get little time.
Timeline to a valid Spanish certificate
Plan backwards from the application deadline, because the DELE takes place on fixed dates only. The DELE is the official Spanish diploma, and the SIELE is a computer-based test you book on any date.
- 12 to 18 months before: take a placement test. At B1, the third of the six CEFR levels, start a course towards B2.
- 6 to 9 months before: register for the DELE. The registration deadline falls six to seven weeks before the exam day.
- 4 to 6 months before: sit the DELE, which leaves time for the results.
- 1 to 3 months before: if time is short, take the SIELE and ask the university whether it accepts it.
- After admission: take an academic writing course before term starts.
There is no official table of hours per level for Spanish. Many schools plan with about 200 guided hours per CEFR level, the figure Cambridge English gives for English.
Frequently asked questions about online Spanish courses for university
What Spanish level do public universities in Madrid require?
Public universities in Madrid have required Spanish at CEFR level B2 from applicants from non-Spanish-speaking countries since the 2020-2021 academic year, unless the programme states otherwise. DELE or SIELE certificates are common proof. Other Spanish universities set their own requirements.
Do universities in Spain accept the SIELE instead of the DELE?
Whether a university in Spain accepts the SIELE instead of the DELE depends on the university, and for the B2 rule of public universities in Madrid both are common proof. The SIELE reports levels from A1 to C1 and is valid for five years, while the DELE never expires. Ask your university before you register.
What Spanish level do I need for an Erasmus semester in Spain?
For an Erasmus semester in Spain, many host universities recommend or require Spanish at level B1 or B2, the third or fourth of six CEFR levels. Erasmus+ students also take an online assessment through Online Language Support before a stay of 14 days or more. The host university sets the binding requirement.
How does academic writing in Spanish differ from academic writing in English?
Academic writing in Spanish accepts longer sentences with several subordinate clauses and prefers impersonal constructions with se or the plural we of modesty. English academic writing favours shorter sentences and states the thesis early. Spanish also writes months and days in lower case.
When should I take the DELE before applying to a Spanish university?
Take the DELE at least four to six months before the application deadline of your Spanish university, because results arrive about two to three months after the exam. Registration closes six to seven weeks before each date. If time is short, ask whether the university accepts the SIELE, whose results arrive within three weeks.
What is a TFG at a Spanish university?
A TFG, or Trabajo de Fin de Grado, is the final project that completes a bachelor's degree at a Spanish university. It is a written academic work in Spanish, usually defended in front of a panel. Academic writing courses in Spanish prepare students for it.
Sources
The information is based on these sources. Check fees and dates with the provider before you register.