The CCSE exam: what it is and how to pass
Exam format, tasks, registration, fee, exam dates and results.
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The CCSE (Conocimientos Constitucionales y Socioculturales de España) is the test of constitutional and sociocultural knowledge of Spain. It is designed and run by the Instituto Cervantes, and passing it is one of the requirements to apply for Spanish citizenship by residence: it proves the “sufficient degree of integration into Spanish society” that the Civil Code requires.
Who has to take it
Every adult applying for citizenship by residence, with these exceptions:
- Minors and people whose legal capacity has been modified by a court (now, people with support measures) are exempt.
- People who completed compulsory secondary education (ESO) in Spain: the Ministry of Justice waives the CCSE and the DELE when they provide the certificate.
- Others can ask the Ministry of Justice for a waiver, which it assesses case by case.
Unlike the DELE A2, the CCSE must also be passed by nationals of Spanish-speaking countries.
What the exam is like
| Questions | 25 |
| Time | 45 minutes, no break |
| Question types | Three options, or true/false |
| To pass | 15 correct answers (60%) |
| Wrong answers | Do not subtract points |
The questions are split into five tasks. 60% are about government, law and civic participation, and 40% about culture, history and society:
| Task | Topic | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government, law and civic participation | 10 |
| 2 | Fundamental rights and duties | 3 |
| 3 | Territorial organisation and geography | 2 |
| 4 | Spanish culture and history | 3 |
| 5 | Spanish society | 7 |
The exam is in Spanish.
How to register
- Go to the Instituto Cervantes exams website (examenes.cervantes.es) and create an account.
- Choose the exam date and the nearest exam centre. There are centres all over Spain.
- Pay online from your account. In 2026 the fee is €85, a single price that the Instituto Cervantes reviews every year.
- Keep the confirmation. On exam day, bring the same ID document you registered with (passport or TIE residence card).
If you fail or do not turn up, you are entitled to one more registration without paying again, under the conditions set by the Instituto Cervantes.
Exam dates
Exams are usually held on the last Thursday of every month, except August and December. Each sitting has its own registration deadline, a few weeks before. Always check the current calendar on the Instituto Cervantes website.
Results and certificate
Results are published on the Instituto Cervantes website a few weeks after the exam: pass (apto) or fail (no apto). In your citizenship application you state that you have passed, and the Ministry of Justice can check it with the Instituto Cervantes. Download and keep your certificate in case you are asked for it.
How to prepare
- Every year the Instituto Cervantes publishes a free official manual with the content of the test.
- Practise questions from all five tasks and, above all, understand why each answer is right: many questions look alike and change a single detail.
- Task 1 is 10 of the 25 questions: give it more time.
- Do timed mock exams: 45 minutes for 25 questions is plenty, but it helps to get used to it.
The app gives you a daily plan up to your exam date, mock exams with the same split by task and the explanation and source of every answer, with English, French and Arabic translation. Our questions are original: we do not reproduce those in the official manual.