DELE (Spanish)
Instituto Cervantes
Complete guide to passing the DELE (Spanish) exam on your first attempt.
$110-$185
~70-85%
Lifetime
Global
Instituto Cervantes
Work in Spanish-speaking countries
Are you ready for DELE (Spanish)?
Loading quiz...
Complete Overview
The Diplomas de Espanol como Lengua Extranjera (DELE) are official Spanish-language diplomas awarded by Instituto Cervantes in the name of Spain's Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sport, at the six CEFR levels A1 through C2. They are taken by anyone who needs documented Spanish proficiency, including applicants for Spanish nationality by residence, university applicants, and medical graduates entering the MIR and FIR training competitions, and the 2026 registration fee in Spain runs from 112 euros for A1 to 240 euros for C2. Roughly 143,000 people registered for DELE worldwide in 2025, about 4 percent more than in 2024, and the November 2025 sitting alone ran in 596 exam centres across 432 cities in 95 countries.
Every DELE diploma has indefinite validity. Instituto Cervantes states plainly that a diploma issued before the 2008 update still counts, so a holder does not need to re-sit to prove Spanish for a nationality file. That is the sharpest practical difference from SIELE, the point-scale certificate co-owned by Instituto Cervantes with UNAM, the University of Salamanca and the University of Buenos Aires, which expires after five years.
A1 through B2 have four separate pruebas: reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression and interaction, and oral expression and interaction. Each is worth 25 of the 100 points. C1 merges language use into the reading and listening pruebas and adds mediation to the production ones. C2 restructures entirely into three integrated pruebas worth 33.33, 33.33 and 33.34 points.
Grading is APTO or NO APTO, with no numeric level awarded. For A1 to C1 the four pruebas are bundled into two grading groups: reading plus writing, and listening plus speaking. You need 30 of the available 50 points in each group, which is 60 percent, and a strong group cannot rescue a weak one. For C2 you need 20 points in each of the three pruebas. Sixty or more total points is therefore not enough on its own.
The three written pruebas run on the official convocatoria date at the time your exam centre publishes; Instituto Cervantes leaves the timetable to the centre rather than fixing a worldwide start time. The oral prueba may be scheduled by the centre on the day immediately before or after. Results arrive roughly two months after the written date for most sittings, and roughly three months for the May and November sittings.
In 2026 the sittings are 13 February, 17 April, 22 and 23 May, 16 and 17 October, and 13 and 14 November, with registration having opened on 1 December 2025. Not every level runs at every sitting: February offers only A2 and A2 for non-literate candidates, while 23 May and 14 November carry the full general range.
Instituto Cervantes publishes pass rates for some sittings rather than a standing figure. For the February 2026 A2 and A2-NA sitting it reported 9,739 candidates presented and a 71 percent APTO rate.
Why Get DELE (Spanish) Certified?
A DELE diploma never expires. Instituto Cervantes confirms that diplomas issued before the 2008 revision remain valid for nationality files without re-examination, while SIELE certificates lapse after five years.
Spanish law makes DELE A2 or higher one of two compulsory Instituto Cervantes tests for nationality by residence, alongside the CCSE, under Law 12/2015 of 24 June and Law 19/2015 of 13 July.
The exam runs at 596 centres in 432 cities across 95 countries, so most candidates can sit it without international travel.
Around 143,000 candidates registered worldwide in 2025, roughly 4 percent more than in 2024.
Fees differ enormously by country because Instituto Cervantes approves prices in local currency: B2 costs 204 euros in Spain, 176 US dollars in the United States, 145 euros in Italy and 8,000 rupees in India in 2026.
Production pruebas accept any variety of Spanish at every level, and comprehension pruebas include the main varieties from B1 upward, so a Latin American speaker is not penalised for not sounding Peninsular.
Instituto Cervantes lists DELE as recognised in Spain for nationality and for the MIR and FIR medical and pharmacy training competitions, and in regulated education systems in countries including Brazil, France and Italy.
Exam Format & Structure
Duration
Varies by level. A1: 95 minutes written (45 reading, 25 listening, 25 writing) plus a 10-minute oral. A2: 145 minutes written plus a 12-minute oral. B1: 170 minutes written plus a 15-minute oral. B2: 190 minutes written plus a 20-minute oral, 210 minutes of testing in total. C1: 220 minutes written plus a 20-minute oral. C2: 255 minutes written plus a 20-minute oral. Each oral prueba carries its own supervised preparation time, 10 to 20 minutes at A1 to C1 and 30 minutes at C2.
Questions
Varies by level. At B2 there are 66 scored objective items (36 reading across 4 tasks and 30 listening across 5 tasks) plus 2 written tasks and 3 oral tasks, so 71 scored elements in total. A1 and A2 each carry 25 reading and 25 listening items. B1 carries 30 reading and 30 listening. C1 carries 40 reading and language-use items and 30 listening and language-use items. C2 carries 52 items in one integrated 105-minute prueba.
Passing Score
APTO or NO APTO, with no numeric level awarded. For A1 to C1 you must reach 30 of 50 points in each of two grading groups: reading comprehension plus written expression and interaction, and listening comprehension plus oral expression and interaction. For C2 you must reach 20 points in each of the three pruebas. Because both groups are scored separately, a 100-point total split unevenly can still fail: 60 points overall is not the test.
Question Types
- Multiple choice and matching in reading and listening
- Gap-fill language-use items, which appear from C1 upward inside the reading and listening pruebas
- Written interaction, typically responding to a letter, email or notice
- Written expression, an argued or descriptive text on a supplied prompt
- Written mediation from C1 upward, where you reformulate a spoken source text in writing
- Oral monologue, examiner interview and simulated conversation, with a photograph-based description task at A2, B1 and B2
- C2 adds a text-reworking task and an oral conversation about press headlines
Delivery Method
Paper-based at an Instituto Cervantes recognised exam centre. The three written pruebas run on the official convocatoria date at the time the exam centre publishes; Instituto Cervantes does not set a single worldwide start time. The oral prueba is held face to face at the centre and may fall on the day immediately before or after the written date. It may be audio-recorded for quality control.
How scoring works
Score scale
100 points at A1 through C1, split as four pruebas of 25 points each. C2 uses three integrated pruebas worth 33.33, 33.33 and 33.34 points. No numeric level or band is reported on the diploma; the result is APTO or NO APTO.
Score needed to pass
30 of 50 points in each of the two grading groups at A1 to C1, which is 60 percent per group. Group one is reading comprehension plus written expression and interaction; group two is listening comprehension plus oral expression and interaction. At C2, 20 points in each of the three pruebas.
Roughly what that means raw
Instituto Cervantes publishes maximum points per prueba but does not publish raw-to-scaled conversion tables. At B2 the reading prueba's 36 items and the listening prueba's 30 items each map onto a 25-point maximum, so a single item is worth less in reading than in listening.
When results arrive
Roughly two months from the written date for most sittings, and roughly three months for the May and November sittings. There are no unofficial early results; Instituto Cervantes states results cannot be provided before publication. Candidates are notified by email, access an electronically signed grade certificate with a secure verification code in their private area, and successful candidates receive the diploma digitally by email.
How the scale is built
Comprehension pruebas are machine-scored. Written and oral pruebas are rated by examiners accredited by Instituto Cervantes for the level band they examine. The two-group structure is conjunctive rather than compensatory: a 50 in one group cannot offset a 29 in the other, so a total of 60 or more does not pass on its own. A review adds a third independent rating of the written and oral pruebas, carried out centrally, and for the oral it works from the recording or, failing that, the original raters' report.
Pacing and time budget
71 questions in 210 minutes gives you Anchored on B2, the most commonly taken level for university and professional purposes. Reading gives 70 minutes for 36 items, about 1 minute 57 seconds each. Listening gives 40 minutes for 30 items, about 1 minute 20 seconds each, though the pace is set by the recordings and not by you. Writing gives 80 minutes for 2 tasks, 40 minutes each. The oral prueba gives 20 minutes for 3 tasks after 20 minutes of supervised preparation. per question.
25 minutes into reading
Reading tasks 1 and 2 complete, 16 of the 36 items done, with 45 minutes left for tasks 3 and 4
45 minutes into reading
Task 3 complete, 22 items done, and task 4 started, because task 4 alone carries 14 items and needs the last 25 minutes
20 minutes into listening
Tasks 1, 2 and part of task 3 done, roughly 15 of 30 items, since the recordings drive the clock and there is no way to bank time
40 minutes into the writing prueba
Task 1, the written interaction, finished and checked, leaving a clean 40 minutes for task 2
20 minutes of oral preparation
Notes made for all three oral tasks, not just the first, because the examiner moves through them without a further break
| At this point | You should have answered |
|---|---|
| 25 minutes into reading | Reading tasks 1 and 2 complete, 16 of the 36 items done, with 45 minutes left for tasks 3 and 4 |
| 45 minutes into reading | Task 3 complete, 22 items done, and task 4 started, because task 4 alone carries 14 items and needs the last 25 minutes |
| 20 minutes into listening | Tasks 1, 2 and part of task 3 done, roughly 15 of 30 items, since the recordings drive the clock and there is no way to bank time |
| 40 minutes into the writing prueba | Task 1, the written interaction, finished and checked, leaving a clean 40 minutes for task 2 |
| 20 minutes of oral preparation | Notes made for all three oral tasks, not just the first, because the examiner moves through them without a further break |
- Reading task weightings are uneven and you should budget by item count, not by task number. At B2 the four tasks carry 6, 10, 6 and 14 items; at C1 the five tasks carry 6, 6, 6, 8 and 14.
- Listening is externally paced. Use the pause before each recording to read the questions, because that pause is the only preparation window the format provides.
- Transfer answers as you go. There is no separate transfer period built into any DELE prueba, unlike some other language exams.
- In the writing prueba, spend five of the eighty minutes planning before you write. Register and structure are rated, and a well-organised shorter text scores better than a sprawling one.
- In the oral prueba, use the supervised preparation to build notes for all tasks. The examiner sequences the tasks without giving further thinking time between them, and the session may be recorded for quality control.
Where the marks are
Reading task 4 at B2, task 5 at C1
14 items, 39 percent of B2 reading and 35 percent of C1 reading
The single heaviest task in the reading prueba at both levels. It rewards close tracking of cohesion and discourse markers rather than surface comprehension of the topic.
Written expression and interaction
25 of 100 points at A1 to C1, 33.33 at C2
Half of grading group one. It is rated by humans against register, task fulfilment, coherence and range, so a candidate who writes fluently but ignores the stated reader loses marks that grammar cannot recover.
Oral expression and interaction
25 of 100 points at A1 to C1, 33.34 at C2
Half of grading group two, and the prueba candidates rehearse least. Levels differ in task list, and the exam tests interaction with an examiner, not a memorised monologue.
Listening across varieties of Spanish
25 of 100 points at A1 to C1
Includes the main varieties of Spanish from B1 upward. A candidate trained only on Peninsular audio can drop group two below 30 on accent alone, regardless of speaking ability.
Written mediation, C1 and C2 only
One of two C1 written tasks, one of three C2 written tasks
Requires reformulating a spoken source text in writing for a stated reader. It is the task that most distinguishes C-level DELE from B-level, and it does not appear in most general Spanish courses.
Language use items inside the C1 and C2 comprehension pruebas
Embedded within C1's 40 reading items and 30 listening items, and C2's 52 integrated items
From C1, the exam stops separating grammar from comprehension. Items test collocation, register and connector choice inside real texts, so isolated grammar drilling transfers poorly.
| Topic | Weight | Why it scores |
|---|---|---|
| Reading task 4 at B2, task 5 at C1 | 14 items, 39 percent of B2 reading and 35 percent of C1 reading | The single heaviest task in the reading prueba at both levels. It rewards close tracking of cohesion and discourse markers rather than surface comprehension of the topic. |
| Written expression and interaction | 25 of 100 points at A1 to C1, 33.33 at C2 | Half of grading group one. It is rated by humans against register, task fulfilment, coherence and range, so a candidate who writes fluently but ignores the stated reader loses marks that grammar cannot recover. |
| Oral expression and interaction | 25 of 100 points at A1 to C1, 33.34 at C2 | Half of grading group two, and the prueba candidates rehearse least. Levels differ in task list, and the exam tests interaction with an examiner, not a memorised monologue. |
| Listening across varieties of Spanish | 25 of 100 points at A1 to C1 | Includes the main varieties of Spanish from B1 upward. A candidate trained only on Peninsular audio can drop group two below 30 on accent alone, regardless of speaking ability. |
| Written mediation, C1 and C2 only | One of two C1 written tasks, one of three C2 written tasks | Requires reformulating a spoken source text in writing for a stated reader. It is the task that most distinguishes C-level DELE from B-level, and it does not appear in most general Spanish courses. |
| Language use items inside the C1 and C2 comprehension pruebas | Embedded within C1's 40 reading items and 30 listening items, and C2's 52 integrated items | From C1, the exam stops separating grammar from comprehension. Items test collocation, register and connector choice inside real texts, so isolated grammar drilling transfers poorly. |
The numbers
Approximately 143,000 registrations, about 4 percent more than in 2024
DELE candidates worldwide in 2025
Source: Instituto Cervantes press release, 20 November 2025
Around 34,000 candidates at the November 2025 sitting, in 596 exam centres across 432 cities in 95 countries
Scale of a single sitting
Source: Instituto Cervantes press release, 20 November 2025
71 percent APTO from 9,739 candidates presented
Pass rate, February 2026 A2 and A2-NA sitting
Source: Instituto Cervantes exams portal news, publication of February 2026 DELE grades
30 of 50 points in each of two grading groups at A1 to C1; 20 points in each of three pruebas at C2
Pass threshold
Source: Instituto Cervantes, Como son las pruebas DELE
112 euros for A1, 138 for A2, 173 for B1, 204 for B2, 225 for C1, 240 for C2
2026 fee ladder in Spain
Source: Instituto Cervantes, official DELE 2026 price table (ic-tabla-precios-dele-2026.pdf)
60 percent of the exam price before discounts, refunded only if NO APTO becomes APTO or the level rises in a double-exit schools exam
Cost of a grade review
Source: Instituto Cervantes, Calificaciones DELE
If you fail
Wait before retaking
None beyond the calendar. You may register for the next sitting that offers your level, subject to its registration deadline. In 2026 the sittings are 13 February, 17 April, 22 and 23 May, 16 and 17 October, and 13 and 14 November, with deadlines closing roughly six weeks earlier. Note that 2026 exceptionally has no July or September sitting, while 2027 restores both.
Attempt limit
Instituto Cervantes publishes no limit on the number of attempts.
Retake fee
The full current fee for the level in the country of registration, with no reduction for a repeat candidate. In Spain in 2026 that is 112 euros for A1 up to 240 euros for C2; in the United States 128 to 210 US dollars; in the United Kingdom 130 to 245 pounds.
Every prueba must be taken again, including any prueba previously graded APTO, because there is no partial carry-over. Before paying for a retake, consider the review route instead if you were close: it costs 60 percent of the exam price, must be filed within one month, produces a third independent rating of the written and oral pruebas, and is refunded if the result changes to APTO. Instituto Cervantes warns that a review can also lower the result, and the legal resolution deadline is three months from the close of the request window.
Exam Domains & Topics
25 of the 100 points at A1 to C1. Grouped with written expression for grading, so the pair must reach 30 of 50 together. At C1 this prueba also carries language-use items.
Key Topics to Master:
- A1: 45 minutes, 4 tasks, 25 items on signs, short notices and personal messages
- A2: 60 minutes, 4 tasks, 25 items
- B1: 70 minutes, 5 tasks, 30 items
- B2: 70 minutes, 4 tasks, 36 items, with task 4 alone carrying 14 items
- C1: 90 minutes, 5 tasks, 40 items, reading combined with language use, task 5 carrying 14 items
- Texts are set in the personal, public, educational and professional domains
25 of the 100 points at A1 to C1. Grouped with the oral prueba for grading. The main varieties of Spanish appear in recordings from B1 upward.
Key Topics to Master:
- A1: 25 minutes, 4 tasks, 25 items
- A2: 40 minutes, 4 tasks, 25 items
- B1: 40 minutes, 5 tasks, 30 items
- B2: 40 minutes, 5 tasks, 30 items, six items per task
- C1: 50 minutes, 4 tasks, 30 items, listening combined with language use, task 4 carrying 10 items
- Candidates with certified total hearing loss may be exempted from this prueba under the special conditions rules
25 of the 100 points at A1 to C1 and 33.33 at C2. Marked by trained raters, and re-marked independently by a third central rater if you request a review.
Key Topics to Master:
- A1: 25 minutes, 2 written interaction tasks
- A2: 45 minutes, one interaction task and one expression task
- B1: 60 minutes, one interaction task and one expression task
- B2: 80 minutes, one interaction task and one expression task
- C1: 80 minutes, with task 1 requiring written mediation of a spoken source text
- C2: 150 minutes, three tasks including written mediation and reworking of a supplied text
25 of the 100 points at A1 to C1 and 33.34 at C2. Held face to face at the exam centre and may be audio-recorded for quality control, which is also what a review board listens to.
Key Topics to Master:
- A1: 10 minutes with 10 minutes of preparation, 3 tasks including a personal presentation
- A2: 12 minutes with 12 minutes of preparation, 3 tasks including photograph description and a simulated dialogue
- B1: 15 minutes with 15 minutes of preparation, 4 tasks
- B2: 20 minutes with 20 minutes of preparation, 3 tasks: evaluating proposals, describing an imagined situation from a photograph, and commenting on survey data
- C1: 20 minutes with 20 minutes of preparation, 3 tasks: oral presentation, interview on the topic, and an informal negotiation conversation
- C2: 20 minutes with 30 minutes of preparation, 3 tasks ending in a conversation about press headlines
Recommended Study Plan
- 1Read the Instituto Cervantes structure page for your exact level and write down the number of tasks, items and minutes for each of the four pruebas
- 2Check which levels run at which 2026 sitting: February is A2 and A2-NA only, 17 April is A2 in Spain only, 23 May and 14 November carry the full general range
- 3Note the registration deadline, which closes roughly six weeks before the written date
- 4Download the official candidate guide (guia para candidatos) for your level from the Instituto Cervantes exams portal
- 5Sit one full official model exam cold and score the reading and listening halves against the 30-of-50 group threshold
- 1Register: online through the Instituto Cervantes exams portal if you are testing in Spain, or directly at your exam centre if you are outside Spain or taking a schools-level exam
- 2Register under the exact photo identity document you will bring on the day, and use your NIE if you are sitting A2 in Spain for nationality
- 3Split your model-exam score into the two grading groups: reading plus writing, and listening plus speaking
- 4Assign the majority of study hours to the weaker group, since a strong group cannot compensate
- 5Set a weekly rhythm that touches all four pruebas, because you must sit all four to be graded
- 1Work each reading task type separately rather than doing whole papers
- 2At B2, spend the most time on task 4, which carries 14 of the 36 reading items
- 3At C1, spend the most time on task 5, which carries 14 of the 40 items
- 4Time each task individually so the whole 70 or 90 minutes has a rehearsed split
- 5Build a personal list of connectors and discourse markers from the texts you read, since the same markers drive the gap-fill items
- 1Work the listening tasks from an official model, then re-listen with the transcript
- 2Deliberately mix accents: Rioplatense, Mexican, Caribbean, Andean and Peninsular, because the exam includes the main varieties from B1 upward
- 3Use RTVE Play and Radio Nacional de Espana for Peninsular input and national broadcasters from Latin America for the rest
- 4Practise reading the questions in the pause before each recording, since that pause is the only preparation the format gives you
- 5Track whether misses come from speed, vocabulary or accent, and treat those three separately
- 1Write the interaction task from three different official models under exact timing
- 2Fix register first: the task always states who you are writing to, and mismatched formality costs more than a grammar slip
- 3Build reusable openings and closings for letters, emails and complaints in both formal and informal register
- 4Check every text against the word count the task specifies
- 5Have a teacher or a native speaker mark two of the three, since self-marking production work does not work
- 1Write the expression task from three official models under exact timing
- 2Plan for five minutes before writing: thesis, three supporting points, conclusion
- 3At C1, drill written mediation specifically: listen to a source text once and reformulate it in writing for a stated reader
- 4At C2, drill the text-reworking task, which asks you to rewrite a supplied text for a different purpose or audience
- 5Rewrite each piece once after feedback rather than moving straight to a new prompt
- 1Rehearse the exact task sequence for your level, timing the supervised preparation as well as the interview
- 2At B2, rehearse all three tasks: evaluating proposals, describing an imagined situation from a photograph, and commenting on survey data
- 3Build a fixed monologue skeleton you can fill with any topic, so preparation time goes on content and not on structure
- 4Record yourself, because the examiners may record you and a review board would judge from that recording
- 5Book at least four sessions with a tutor on iTalki, Preply or a local Instituto Cervantes centre and ask for task-specific feedback
- 1Sit a complete official model in one morning, in the real prueba order, with realistic gaps
- 2Score reading plus writing and listening plus speaking as two separate totals out of 50
- 3Rework every reading and listening item you missed and classify the cause
- 4Rewrite the two written tasks after feedback
- 5Decide from the two group totals which group gets the majority of the remaining weeks
- 1Work only the structures your own errors show, not a general grammar syllabus
- 2For B2 and above, drill the subjunctive triggers that appear in your production errors rather than the whole paradigm
- 3Work ser and estar in the specific contexts you got wrong, including estar with past participles and ser for events
- 4Build a topic vocabulary list from the model exams you have already sat, since DELE prompts recycle domains rather than words
- 5Re-do 100 previously missed reading and listening items
- 1Sit a second complete official model under the same conditions
- 2Compare the two group totals against week 8 and confirm both are above 30 of 50
- 3Do a full timed oral rehearsal with a tutor including the supervised preparation period
- 4Rework any single task type where you consistently score below 60 percent
- 5Confirm the convocatoria details from your exam centre, since the centre emails the place, day and time for both written and oral pruebas
- 1Stop starting new material and re-work your own error log
- 2Do one timed task from each prueba every day rather than whole papers
- 3Rehearse the oral tasks aloud daily, even alone, so the mouth is warm on exam day
- 4Check that you hold the exact identity document you registered with, plus the registration receipt and the official convocatoria
- 5If your centre has not emailed the convocatoria 10 days before the written date, contact them, which Instituto Cervantes states is the candidate's responsibility
- 1Arrive at the address the centre named, at the local time it named, not at the centre's main address by default
- 2Expect identity verification and a photograph before you enter the room
- 3Leave bags, phones and electronic watches outside the room, since the centre accepts no responsibility for personal items
- 4In the oral prueba, use the full supervised preparation time and take notes
- 5Note that results arrive in roughly two months, or roughly three for the May and November sittings, and that any review request must be filed within one month
Ready to pass DELE (Spanish)?
Get 500+ practice questions, video walkthroughs, and a pass guarantee.
Best Study Resources
Instituto Cervantes exams portal (examenes.cervantes.es)
Official specificationCarries the per-level structure tables with task counts, item counts, minutes and maximum points, the grading rules, the dates calendar, and the official 2026 price table for every country where DELE is administered.
Free
Guias para candidatos DELE
Official candidate guidesInstituto Cervantes publishes a candidate guide per level describing the pruebas and how they are administered. This is the document that tells you what the raters are actually looking for.
Free
Official DELE model exams (modelos de examen)
Official past papersDownloadable from the exams portal alongside the audio files and answer keys. The only material that reproduces the real item counts and timings exactly.
Free
Preparacion al DELE (Edelsa)
Preparation seriesLevel-by-level preparation books with audio and keys, the most widely used commercial series in Spanish-language schools.
Per-level books, priced by retailer
El Cronometro (Edinumen)
Preparation seriesBuilt around timed rehearsal and self-diagnosis rather than content coverage. Suits candidates who know the language but lose points to the clock.
Per-level books, priced by retailer
AVE Global
Official online courseInstituto Cervantes's own online Spanish course, organised by CEFR level. Useful for closing a level gap before starting exam-specific practice.
Subscription through Instituto Cervantes centres
RTVE Play and Radio Nacional de Espana
Authentic listeningSpanish public broadcaster archive. Pair it with Latin American public broadcasters, because DELE listening includes the main varieties of Spanish from B1 upward.
Free
Real Academia Espanola: DLE and Diccionario panhispanico de dudas
ReferenceThe dictionary and usage guide that settle register and regional-usage questions, which matters for the written interaction task where register carries real marks.
Free
iTalki and Preply
Tutoring marketplacesThe practical route to timed oral rehearsal with feedback. Ask for tutors who list DELE preparation and specify your level's exact task list.
Hourly, set by individual tutors
CCSE preparation manual, Instituto Cervantes
Companion test materialRelevant only to nationality candidates, who must pass both DELE A2 or higher and the separate CCSE test on the Spanish constitution and society.
Published by Instituto Cervantes
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assuming 60 points overall is a pass
It is not. Instituto Cervantes states directly that a candidate with 60 or more points still fails if a grading group falls short. At A1 to C1 you need 30 of 50 in reading plus writing and 30 of 50 in listening plus speaking. At C2 you need 20 points in each of the three pruebas separately.
Expecting a passed prueba to carry over to the next attempt
It does not. Instituto Cervantes confirms that a candidate re-sitting DELE must take every prueba again, even one they scored APTO on previously, and must pay the full fee again. There is no second chance within a sitting and no partial credit across sittings.
Registering with a different identity document from the one you will bring
The document you name at registration is the document you must present. Instituto Cervantes requires the original registration receipt, the original official photo identity document used at registration or your passport, and the centre's official convocatoria. Candidates sitting A2 or A2-NA in Spain must present both the TIE and the passport as originals.
Registering for A2 in Spain without a NIE
Instituto Cervantes requires candidates sitting DELE A2 in Spain for the purpose of nationality by residence to register using their NIE. Registering under a passport number instead creates a mismatch between the diploma and the nationality file at the Ministry of Justice.
Treating the exam as a Peninsular Spanish test
Any variety of Spanish the candidate uses is valid in the production pruebas at every level, and the comprehension pruebas deliberately include the main varieties from B1 upward. Preparing only with Peninsular audio leaves the listening prueba exposed to Rioplatense, Caribbean and Andean recordings.
Preparing reading as one 70-minute block
Task weightings are lopsided. At B2 the four reading tasks carry 6, 10, 6 and 14 items, so task 4 alone is 39 percent of the reading score. At C1 the five tasks carry 6, 6, 6, 8 and 14 items. Rehearsing whole papers without per-task budgets means the heaviest task gets whatever minutes are left over.
Skipping the supervised oral preparation period
Every level gives dedicated preparation time before the oral prueba: 10 minutes at A1, 12 at A2, 15 at B1, 20 at B2 and C1, and 30 at C2. Candidates who walk in without notes lose structure, and the prueba may be recorded, which means an unstructured answer is exactly what a review board would hear.
Requesting a review expecting only an upside
Instituto Cervantes states that a review can lower your result. The review costs 60 percent of the pre-discount exam price, must be filed within one month, and involves a third independent rating of the production pruebas plus verification of the automatically scored ones. It is refunded only if NO APTO becomes APTO or the level rises in a double-exit schools exam.
Booking a sitting that does not offer your level
Level availability varies by sitting. In 2026 the 13 February sitting offers only A2 and A2-NA, the 17 April sitting offers A2 in Spain only, 16 October offers B1, B2 and C1 while 17 October offers A2, and only 23 May and 14 November carry the full general range.
Assuming you can move a booking to next year
Instituto Cervantes allows registration changes only within the same calendar year, and only while the registration window for both the original and the new sitting is open with places free. Outside Spain you cannot change exam centre at all. Refunds are limited to 14 calendar days from the registration date, and a no-show earns no refund and no transfer.
Exam Day Tips
- 1
Bring three things: the registration receipt, the original official photo identity document you registered with or your passport, and the official convocatoria the centre emailed you.
- 2
If you are sitting A2 or A2-NA in Spain, bring both the TIE and the passport as originals. Instituto Cervantes accepts one alone only for theft, renewal, court retention or visa retention, each with original supporting paperwork dated within four months.
- 3
Expired documents are acceptable for the A2 in Spain case. Instituto Cervantes confirms that candidates presenting the originals of an expired passport or TIE may enter the room.
- 4
Go to the address on the convocatoria at the local time on the convocatoria, not to the centre's headquarters. Punctuality for the written pruebas is compulsory and lateness is only excused in special circumstances.
- 5
Expect to be identified and photographed before entering. Hats, caps, veils and burkas must be removed for the photograph and for entry; a headscarf is allowed if the face oval stays uncovered and the ears are visible.
- 6
Leave bags, backpacks, phones, electronic watches, laptops and any digital device outside the room. The centre may require you to deposit them and accepts no responsibility for loss.
- 7
Check the start time your exam centre published for the written session and the separate appointment for your oral. Instituto Cervantes fixes the date of each convocatoria but leaves the daily timetable to the centre, and the oral may fall on the day before or after the written session.
- 8
If a problem occurs during administration, ask for the complaints form (hoja de reclamaciones) at the centre and complete it the same day. The centre handles that class of complaint directly.
- 9
Use the whole supervised preparation period before the oral prueba and take written notes into the room. Instituto Cervantes allows for the oral prueba to be audio-recorded for quality control.
- 10
If you do not appear, you are graded No presentado, with no refund and no transfer to another sitting except in duly justified cases of special gravity.
Career Paths & Salary Ranges
Interpreter or translator
Spanish is among the highest-demand pairs in US public-sector and healthcare interpreting. DELE C1 or C2 is the usual proficiency evidence where no national certification exists.
$59,440 median annual wage in May 2024 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Adult education, basic skills or ESL teacher
Bilingual capability is a hiring condition in many adult education programmes serving Spanish-speaking learners.
$59,950 median annual wage in May 2024, with the top 10 percent above $95,750 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Postsecondary language teacher
University Spanish teaching normally requires a graduate degree alongside the language evidence, and DELE C2 is the level that documents native-adjacent command. The all-postsecondary median was $83,980 in the same release, so language teaching sits below the campus average.
$77,010 median annual wage for foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary, in May 2024 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Spanish nationality by residence
Law 12/2015 and Law 19/2015 require applicants to pass both DELE A2 or higher and the CCSE. Nationals of Spanish-speaking countries by origin, under-18s, people with judicially modified capacity, existing DELE A2 holders and holders of an Escuela Oficial de Idiomas A2, B1 or B2 certificate are exempt from the DELE requirement.
No salary applies. The measurable cost is the DELE A2 fee, 138 euros in Spain in 2026, plus the separate CCSE test
Medical or pharmacy training in Spain (MIR, FIR)
The Spanish Ministry of Health accepts DELE C1 or C2 as the Spanish-language evidence for access to MIR and FIR training places, and Instituto Cervantes lists that recognition on its own page describing what the DELE is. The level demanded here is two full CEFR bands above the A2 used for nationality.
No salary figure is published by Instituto Cervantes for this route. The measurable requirement is the level: DELE C1 or C2
University study in a Spanish-speaking country
Universities set their own level requirements, commonly B2 for undergraduate entry and C1 for postgraduate. Instituto Cervantes notes DELE recognition inside regulated education systems in countries including Brazil, France and Italy.
No salary applies. The measurable figure is the fee ladder: 112 euros for A1 up to 240 euros for C2 in Spain in 2026
Prerequisites & Requirements
- There are no formal prerequisites and no requirement to hold a lower-level diploma. Any level can be entered directly.
- Since November 2015, anyone may register regardless of nationality or origin, including nationals of Spanish-speaking countries.
- You must supply a photo identity document at registration, and you must bring that same original document, or your passport, on the day.
- Candidates sitting DELE A2 in Spain for nationality by residence must register using their NIE.
- An individual email address is required at registration, because Instituto Cervantes and the exam centre communicate results and the convocatoria only by email.
- Registration is online through the Instituto Cervantes portal for adult candidates testing in Spain, and directly at the exam centre for candidates outside Spain and for all schools-level exams.
- Payment for online registration in Spain is by Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card, processed through the Santander Elavon payment gateway.
- There is no age restriction on the general levels. Separate schools exams exist for students aged 11 to 17 at A1, A2/B1 and, from 2026, B2/C1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a DELE diploma expire?
No. Instituto Cervantes states that DELE diplomas have indefinite validity, and that a diploma issued before the 2008 update still serves to prove Spanish for nationality purposes without re-examination. That is the main structural difference from SIELE, the point-scale certificate co-owned with UNAM, the University of Salamanca and the University of Buenos Aires, which is valid for five years.
How soon can I retake DELE if I fail?
At the next sitting that offers your level, with no waiting period imposed. Instituto Cervantes runs five sittings in 2026: 13 February, 17 April, 22 and 23 May, 16 and 17 October, and 13 and 14 November. In 2027 the calendar returns to eight dates including July and September. The practical constraint is the registration deadline, which closes roughly six weeks before each written date.
Is there a limit on attempts?
Instituto Cervantes publishes no cap on how many times a candidate may sit DELE. Each attempt requires a fresh registration and a fresh payment at the current price.
What does a retake cost?
The full current fee for that level in the country where you register. Instituto Cervantes states there is no second chance within a sitting: a candidate who is not APTO must register again and pay the established price. In Spain in 2026 that is 112 euros for A1, 138 for A2, 173 for B1, 204 for B2, 225 for C1 and 240 for C2.
Why does the fee differ so much between countries?
Instituto Cervantes approves DELE prices in local currency country by country. The 2026 table puts B2 at 204 euros in Spain, 176 US dollars in the United States, 205 pounds in the United Kingdom, 235 euros in Germany, 145 euros in Italy, 150 US dollars in Mexico, 8,000 rupees in India and 285,000 won in South Korea.
If I pass one prueba but fail overall, does it carry over?
No. Instituto Cervantes confirms that a candidate re-sitting must present again for every prueba, even ones previously graded APTO. You must also complete all pruebas at a single sitting to be graded at all, with the single exception that candidates with certified total hearing loss may be exempted from either the listening or the oral prueba.
How exactly does the pass threshold work?
For A1 through C1 the four pruebas are paired into two grading groups, each worth 50 points: reading comprehension plus written expression and interaction, and listening comprehension plus oral expression and interaction. You need 30 points in each group. For C2 the three integrated pruebas are worth 33.33, 33.33 and 33.34 points and you need 20 in each. Instituto Cervantes states that 60 or more total points is not enough on its own.
Do wrong answers cost marks?
Instituto Cervantes does not publish any negative-marking rule for the DELE comprehension pruebas, and the published maximum for each prueba is a flat 25 points at A1 to C1. Treat every item as worth attempting.
When do results arrive?
Roughly two months after the written date for most sittings, and roughly three months for the May and November sittings, which are the two largest. Instituto Cervantes emails candidates when grades publish, and the official certification of grades appears in your private area on the exams portal. Candidates graded APTO also receive the diploma digitally by email and can download it from the same private area.
Can I get my result early?
No. Instituto Cervantes states it is not possible to give a candidate their grades before the publication date.
How do I challenge a result?
One review request per sitting, filed within one month through the form in your private area on the exams portal. It costs 60 percent of the exam price before any discount, payable in euros at the start. The review verifies the administration record, re-checks the automatically scored comprehension pruebas, and obtains a third independent central rating of the written and oral pruebas. Instituto Cervantes warns explicitly that a candidate can end up with a lower grade than the original, and refunds the fee only if NO APTO becomes APTO or the level rises in a double-exit schools exam. The legal deadline for resolution is three months.
What identification do I need on the day?
The registration receipt, the original official photo identity document you registered with or your passport, and the centre's official convocatoria. EU citizens may enter with the original national identity document of their country even if that was not the registration document. Candidates sitting A2 or A2-NA in Spain must present both the TIE and the passport as originals, with narrow exceptions for theft, renewal, court retention or visa retention, each needing original supporting paperwork dated within four months.
Can I take the oral prueba online?
No. Instituto Cervantes states the DELE oral prueba is held in person at the exam centre. The written pruebas are also paper-based; DELE has no computer-delivered version, unlike SIELE, which is delivered on computer with results in at most three weeks.
Can I bring a dictionary or any reference material?
No. Instituto Cervantes advises candidates not to bring personal items into the room at all, and states that bags, backpacks and electronic devices will be placed out of reach for the duration. The centre may also require phones, electronic watches, laptops and other digital devices to be deposited at the entrance.
What accommodations are available?
Instituto Cervantes runs a special conditions procedure and publishes an adapted A2-NA exam for non-literate candidates, who must present the Ministry of Justice authorisation resolution on the day so the centre can verify its secure verification code. Candidates with certified total hearing loss may be exempted from the listening prueba or the oral prueba, and deaf applicants for Spanish nationality who officially evidence their deafness do not have to sit DELE A2 at all.
Which level do I need for Spanish nationality?
DELE A2 or higher, plus the separate CCSE test on the Spanish constitution and society, under Law 12/2015 of 24 June and Law 19/2015 of 13 July. Exempt from the DELE requirement are nationals of Spanish-speaking countries or territories by origin rather than by acquisition, under-18s, people with judicially modified capacity, existing holders of DELE A2 or higher, and holders of an Escuela Oficial de Idiomas basic A2, intermediate B1 or advanced B2 certificate.
Can I change my level, centre or sitting after registering?
Only within the same calendar year, and only while the registration window is open for both the original sitting and the new one, with places free. Registering in Spain, you can change level, sitting and centre through the Inscripciones section of your private area. Registering outside Spain, you cannot change centre at all, though the centre can process a change of level or sitting. If you move up a level you pay the difference; if you move down, Instituto Cervantes does not refund it.
Can I get my money back if I cannot attend?
Only within 14 calendar days of the registration date, requested through the Instituto Cervantes user service if you registered in Spain or through your exam centre otherwise. After that window, the terms and conditions give a single examination opportunity at the chosen sitting. Failing to appear earns no refund and no transfer to another sitting, except in duly justified cases of special gravity.
How does DELE compare with SIELE?
DELE is a pass or fail diploma at one CEFR level, owned by Spain's Ministry of Education with Instituto Cervantes running it since 2002, paper-based, sat at fixed sittings in over 1,000 centres, with indefinite validity and results in around two months. SIELE is a points certificate scoring each skill on a 250-point scale to a 1,000-point total with A1 to C1 equivalences, launched in 2016, computer-delivered on demand at more than 1,600 centres, valid five years, with results in at most three weeks. Spain recognises DELE for nationality; SIELE is not accepted for that purpose.
How does DELE compare with the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas certificates?
Both count for the Spanish nationality language requirement: Instituto Cervantes lists holders of an EOI basic A2, intermediate B1 or advanced B2 certificate as exempt from DELE A2. The difference is reach. EOI certificates come from Spain's public language school network and are issued in Spain, while DELE is administered in 95 countries and is the credential foreign institutions recognise.
Success Stories
“Four years of study from complete beginner. The lifetime validity made DELE worth the investment over other tests. Now working in Madrid.”
Jennifer M.
DELE C1 Holder
“Needed B2 for Spanish university admission. The oral exam was intimidating but practice with iTalki tutors made all the difference. Examiners are friendly.”
Thomas K.
DELE B2
“After 3 years in Spain, DELE A2 was the final step for citizenship. Don't underestimate it - prepare properly even for lower levels.”
Maria C.
A2 for Citizenship
Pass DELE (Spanish), Guaranteed
94% pass rate on first attempt
One-time • Lifetime access