CELU

Overview

The CELU (Certificado de Español: Lengua y Uso) is a Spanish-as-a-foreign-language exam from Argentina's public universities. It is run by the ELSE consortium of the Consejo Interuniversitario Nacional (CIN). Its website says it is the only Spanish exam officially recognised by Argentina's Ministry of Education and endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It tests how well a person can use Spanish in everyday, study and work situations, not grammar rules, and the certificate has no expiry date.

Who can apply

The exam is for people whose first language is not Spanish. Candidates must be at least 16 years old and have completed at least three years of secondary school. Native Spanish speakers who were schooled in another language and need to certify their Spanish for work or study may also sit it. You register with the ID or passport you will use on exam day.

Exam pattern

The CELU has a written part and an oral part. Since 2020 it can be taken fully online. The 2026 sessions were run digitally on Zoom, so candidates need a computer, internet, webcam and microphone. Dictionaries, books and notes are not allowed.

• Written part: four activities. You listen to a recorded radio programme (played twice, notes allowed) and write a related text. You then read three press or other texts and write three texts of your own, such as letters to the editor, opinion pieces or reports.

• Oral part: a 15-minute interview with two examiners, one of whom leads the conversation. It starts with a getting-to-know-you conversation, then a talk of two minutes or more on one of two cards you choose from, then a role-based dialogue.

Grammatical errors are not counted one by one. Examiners look at whether you communicate appropriately for the situation.

Levels or stages

The CELU website lists three certification levels, Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. The Basic level is new, starting from the February 2026 session.

• Basic: short exchanges on familiar topics in simple, everyday situations, possibly with pauses and hesitation.

• Intermediate: can manage familiar, social and service situations with some fluency and cope acceptably at work and in study. The site calls this the university threshold level.

• Advanced: comfortable and spontaneous in a wide range of situations, including work and academic settings, and can read specialised and academic texts.

The Facultad de Lenguas of Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, a consortium member, describes the exam inconsistently on its page: one paragraph says two levels (Intermediate and Advanced), while a later one lists three. This file follows celu.edu.ar.

Marking and results

Results are published about 30 days after each session, and the digitally signed certificate can be downloaded 45 days after the exam. The certificate carries a QR code that institutions can use to check it.

Important dates

Regular sessions are held four times a year, and the full calendar with registration windows is on the official site. In 2026 the August session had its written exam on 21 August and oral exams on 24 and 25 August, with results published on 22 September. The next session was announced for a written exam on 6 November and oral exams on 12 and 13 November.

Fees

As listed on the official site in 2026, the fee depends on where you sit the exam. In Argentina it is the peso equivalent of US$100 at the official selling rate on the day of payment. In Brazil it is US$100, or US$65 for candidates who show low income. In Europe it is 120 euros, and in the United States US$140. The fee is not refundable.

How to apply

Registration is through the portal linked from celu.edu.ar (inscripcioncelu.cin.edu.ar) during the window posted for each session. Registration is complete only after you pay the fee and receive the confirmation email. If you cannot attend after paying, tell the CELU office before the exam day with supporting documents so you can be considered for the next session.