Antes de salir, consulto el horario en el portal del estudiante.

In Spanish, antes is normally followed by de when the next verb is in the infinitive.

• antes de salir = before leaving / before going out
• antes de comer = before eating
• antes de estudiar = before studying

So antes salir would be incorrect.

Because after antes de, Spanish uses the infinitive when the subject stays general or is understood from the context.

• Antes de salir, consulto... = Before leaving, I check...

This is very common in Spanish:

• Después de cenar, leo.
• Antes de acostarme, apago la luz.

If you want to make the subject very explicit or change it, Spanish may use a different structure, but in this sentence the infinitive is the natural choice.

Here, salir means to go out or to leave.

Depending on context, salir can mean:

• to leave
• to go out
• to come out
• to depart

In this sentence, Antes de salir most naturally means Before leaving or Before going out.

Consulto is the first person singular present indicative of consultar:

• yo consulto = I check / I consult

It is used because the speaker is describing a usual action or routine:

• Antes de salir, consulto el horario... = Before leaving, I check the timetable...

Consulte would be a different form, such as a subjunctive or formal command, so it would not fit here.

Estoy consultando means I am checking right now, which is less natural if the sentence is describing a habit rather than an action happening at this exact moment.

Spanish often uses the simple present to talk about habits, routines, and repeated actions, just like English.

So:

• Consulto el horario can mean I check the timetable
• In context, it can also imply I usually check the timetable

The sentence sounds like a routine:

• Before leaving, I check the timetable on the student portal.

Spanish does not need a special form for usually unless the speaker wants to emphasize it.

Horario can mean several related things depending on context:

• timetable
• schedule
• opening hours
• class schedule

In el horario en el portal del estudiante, it most likely means the timetable or the schedule, especially in an academic context. For example, it could be:

• class times
• exam schedule
• a daily timetable

Spanish uses definite articles more often than English.

So Spanish says:

• consulto el horario
  literally: I check the timetable

Even where English might say my timetable or just the timetable, Spanish often uses el if it is clear which one is meant.

This is very normal:

• Abro la puerta = I open the door
• Lavo las manos = I wash my hands
• Consulto el horario = I check the timetable

En is used because the idea is in/on the student portal, meaning the information is found there.

• en el portal = on the portal / in the portal

This is similar to how Spanish often uses en for websites, apps, platforms, and online spaces.

Examples:

• Lo vi en internet.
• Está en la plataforma.
• Lo consulto en la web.

Sobre means about/on the topic of, so it would not fit here.
A el is not used in this meaning.

Because de + el contracts to del in Spanish.

• de + el = del
• a + el = al

So:

• el portal del estudiante = the student portal

This contraction is required in standard Spanish, except when el is part of a proper name:

• Voy a El Escorial.
  Here, El belongs to the name, so it does not contract.

It most naturally means the student portal.

Spanish often uses de where English uses a noun as an adjective:

• portal del estudiante = student portal
• tarjeta de crédito = credit card
• sala de espera = waiting room

So although the literal structure is portal of the student, the natural English meaning is student portal.

Yes, you could, if you specifically want to say my timetable:

• Antes de salir, consulto mi horario en el portal del estudiante.

That makes it more personal and specific.

But el horario is also very natural if the context already makes clear whose schedule it is. Spanish often prefers the definite article when possession is obvious.

The comma separates the introductory phrase from the main clause.

• Antes de salir, = introductory time expression
• consulto el horario... = main action

This punctuation is very common and helps readability. In a short sentence, some punctuation choices can vary, but the comma here is standard and natural.

Yes. In Spanish, consultar often means to check, to look up, or to consult information.

Examples:

• consultar el horario = check the timetable
• consultar el diccionario = look something up in the dictionary
• consultar una página web = check a website

So this is a very natural verb here. It does not have to sound formal in Spanish, even if consult sometimes sounds formal in English.

Yes, it sounds correct and natural, especially in a formal or neutral context.

In everyday speech, some people might also say:

• Miro el horario en el portal del estudiante.
• Reviso el horario en el portal del estudiante.

But consulto el horario is perfectly good Spanish, and it is especially common in administrative, academic, or written contexts.

Yes, depending on what you mean.

• el portal del estudiante = the student portal
• la web del estudiante = the student website
• la plataforma = the platform

Each one sounds slightly different:

• portal suggests an official online access point with services and information.
• web sounds more like a website.
• plataforma often suggests an online system used for classes, materials, or administration.

So the original sentence is good if you mean an official university portal.

Yes, somewhat. The original order is very natural:

• Antes de salir, consulto el horario en el portal del estudiante.

You could also say:

• Consulto el horario en el portal del estudiante antes de salir.

Both are correct. The original version puts the time phrase first, which gives it a slight emphasis:

• Before leaving, I check the timetable...

So the first version may sound a little smoother if you want to highlight the routine timing of the action.