Constitutional and sociocultural knowledge of Spain (CCSE)

• Study the questions

  Every question of the practice bank with its answer, by topic. Check yourself, reveal the answer and mark what you don’t know yet.

  Study all questions

• Timed practice exam

  25 questions drawn at random from the bank, with the real exam’s time limit and pass mark.

  Coming soon

• 📘 The Constitution1978, the Transition, values, structure, reformRead the guide
• ⚖️ Rights, duties and participationFundamental rights, voting, protection, nationalityRead the guide
• 🏛️ Institutions of the StateThe King, the Cortes, the Government, the courtsRead the guide
• 🗺️ Territorial organisationAutonomous communities, provinces, municipalities, languagesRead the guide
• 📜 HistoryRomans, Al-Andalus, 1492, the Civil War, the TransitionRead the guide
• 💃 Culture and traditionsWriters, painters, flamenco, festivals, foodRead the guide
• 🌍 GeographyBorders, mountains, rivers, islands, climateRead the guide
• 🩺 Society and daily lifeHealth care, school, work, transport, proceduresRead the guide

• The Spanish Constitution (La Constitución española)The Spanish Constitution of 1978 for the CCSE: the parliamentary monarchy, the higher values, sovereignty, the flag and anthem, fundamental rights and duties, with a real practice question in Spanish.The ConstitutionRights, duties and participationRead the guides
• The institutions of the State (Instituciones del Estado)The King, the Cortes Generales, the Government, the Constitutional Court, the Ombudsman and the courts: the institutions of Spain for the CCSE, with a real practice question in Spanish.Institutions of the StateRead the guides
• Autonomous communities, provinces and municipalitiesThe 17 autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities, provinces, municipalities, co-official languages and the capitals of the main regions: territorial organisation for the CCSE.Territorial organisationGeographyRead the guides
• History, culture and society of SpainAl-Andalus, 1492, the Golden Age, the Civil War, the Transition, art, literature, festivals, food, geography and daily life in Spain: the culture, history and society block of the CCSE.HistoryCulture and traditionsSociety and daily lifeRead the guides

1. 1

   Check that you need the CCSE

   The CCSE is part of the file for nationality by residence, but not everybody has to take it. Start by confirming your own case, so that you do not pay for a test you do not need, or miss one you do.

   • Read the requirements for nationality by residence on the website of the Ministry of Justice: years of legal residence, good conduct and integration.
   • Most applicants must show the CCSE and a Spanish certificate (DELE A2). Nationals of Spanish-speaking countries do not need the language test, but they usually still need the CCSE.
   • Some people are exempt from the CCSE, for example people under 18 or with a legal incapacity, or with limited education or a disability that is certified. Check the exact rule for your case.
   • If you are unsure, ask a lawyer or the Ministry of Justice; do not decide from forums.

   Ministry of Justice: nationality
2. 2

   Know the format of the test

   The test has five tasks. Knowing how they are built means there are no surprises on the day.

   • 25 questions in total: 15 on government, legislation and civic participation, and 10 on Spanish culture, history and society.
   • The questions have three options, or are true or false, and some of them come with a picture or a short text.
   • You have 45 minutes and you need 15 right answers (60%). Wrong answers do not subtract points, so never leave a question empty.
   • The test is in Spanish, but it uses simple language: it tests what you know, not how well you write.
3. 3

   Download the official manual

   The Instituto Cervantes publishes a free manual with all the content that can come up. It is the main source of the test.

   • The manual is divided into the five tasks: government and civic participation, rights and duties, organisation and territory, culture and history, and society.
   • Read it once through to get the whole picture, then go back to the parts you do not know.
   • Use our guides next to it: they explain the same content in English and Arabic, with the Spanish words you will see in the questions.

   Instituto Cervantes: CCSE
4. 4

   Read the eight topic guides

   Our guides cover the eight topics of the bank: the Constitution, rights and participation, institutions, territory, history, culture, geography and society.

   • Each guide has photos, short sections, a list of Spanish words with their meaning and a box of things to remember.
   • Read one guide a day. Eight guides in eight days is a good rhythm for most people.
   • The guides about the Constitution, rights and institutions are the most important because they match the 15 questions on government.

   Start with the Constitution
5. 5

   Learn the key numbers and dates

   Many CCSE questions are about a number, a name or a date. They are easy points if you have learned them, and impossible to guess if you have not.

   • Dates: 1492, 1936–1939, 1975, 6 December 1978, 1 January 1986.
   • Numbers: 350 deputies, 17 autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities, 50 provinces, 4-year terms, vote from 18.
   • Names: the King Felipe VI, Cervantes, Velázquez, Picasso, Gaudí, the Teide, the river Tajo.
   • Write them on cards and review them every day.
6. 6

   Study the questions by topic

   After each guide, study the questions of that topic. You see the question in Spanish, with the English or Arabic help under it, and you can mark the ones you do not know.

   • Open the study page from the guide: it goes straight to the questions of that topic.
   • Mark the questions you got wrong or guessed, then check them again two or three days later.
   • Do not memorise the letter of the answer: the practice exam changes the order of the options.

   Study all the questions
7. 7

   Take the timed practice exam

   When you have read the guides and studied the questions, take the practice exam in the same conditions as the real one.

   • 25 questions, 45 minutes, with a timer. Do it in one go, in a quiet place, without notes.
   • You get the score and a review of every answer. Aim for at least 20 out of 25 to have a safe margin over the 15 needed.
   • Repeat it until you pass several times in a row, then do not study new things on the last day.
8. 8

   Register with the Instituto Cervantes

   You register online on the Instituto Cervantes site, choose a centre and a date, and pay the fee. Places can run out, so register early.

   • There are test dates through the year at the centres of the Instituto Cervantes and at accredited centres, in Spain and in many other countries.
   • The fee is set by the Instituto Cervantes and changes: look at the current amount on the site before you pay. The registration closes some days before the test.
   • You need a valid identity document (passport, NIE or TIE): the name on it must be the same as in your registration.
   • If you need adapted conditions because of a disability, ask when you register.

   Instituto Cervantes: registration
9. 9

   The day of the test

   Arrive early, with the right document, and stay calm. The test is on a computer in a supervised room.

   • Take your identity document and any confirmation of registration you were asked to bring. You cannot enter without ID.
   • Phones and notes are not allowed in the room. Listen to the instructions of the staff.
   • Answer every question: there is no penalty for a wrong answer. Do the easy ones first and come back to the hard ones.
   • Keep an eye on the clock: 45 minutes are enough for 25 questions if you do not stay too long on one.
10. 10

    Results and what comes next

    The result arrives after the test, in the way and in the time that the Instituto Cervantes announces. If you pass, you get a certificate that you add to your nationality application.

    • The result is “apto” (pass) or “no apto” (fail). Keep the certificate: you will need it for the file.
    • If you do not pass, you can sit the test again on a later date; you register and pay again, and you can use the review of your practice answers to see what to improve.
    • Then you prepare the rest of the application: the language certificate if you need it, the criminal record certificates and the form, which you submit to the Ministry of Justice.
    • Check the validity of your certificate, because the rules about how long it counts can change.

• Instituto Cervantes: what the CCSE is
• Spanish Ministry of Justice: nationality

Rules and dates follow the official sources at the time of writing; always check them before you register. Asagno is not affiliated with the Instituto Cervantes or the Spanish government.