DELE (Spanish) Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the DELE (Spanish), eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
$110-$185
Provider
Instituto Cervantes
Validity
Lifetime
Available
Global
Education
Check official exam requirements
Experience
Varies, check official requirements
Specific 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.
Number of 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.
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.
Question Format
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
Passing Requirement
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.
How It Is Delivered
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.
Languages Offered
Spanish only. Any variety of Spanish is accepted in the production pruebas at every level, and the comprehension pruebas include the main varieties of Spanish from B1 upward.
Visit the official Instituto Cervantes certification page
Create an account and select your exam
Choose a test center or online proctoring option
Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
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 You Need
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.
How It Is Calculated
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.
When You Get Results
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.
In raw terms: 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.
- Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo)
- Appointment confirmation email
- For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet
What are the prerequisites for the DELE (Spanish)?
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..
How much does the DELE (Spanish) cost?
The DELE (Spanish) exam costs $110-$185. This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the DELE (Spanish)?
Visit the official Instituto Cervantes certification page → Create an account and select your exam → Choose a test center or online proctoring option → Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
What should I bring to the DELE (Spanish)?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation email. For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet.
Ready to prepare for DELE (Spanish)?
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