Prepare online for the DELE, the Spanish diploma that never expires

The DELE (Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera) is the official Spanish language diploma of the Spanish state. The Instituto Cervantes issues the diplomas on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education and runs the exams, administration and finances. The legal basis is a set of Royal Decrees, 1137/2002, 264/2008 and 1004/2015. The University of Salamanca works with the Instituto Cervantes on writing the exam papers and on marking.

The DELE follows the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The CEFR describes language ability on six levels, from A1 for beginners to C2 for near-native command. Each level has a general exam for candidates aged 16 and over. For school students aged 11 to 17, the Instituto Cervantes offers three school versions, namely A1, A2/B1 and B2/C1. The double school exams award one of two levels depending on performance.

Universities, employers and authorities ask for the DELE because they cannot test Spanish themselves and need a state standard. The Instituto Cervantes is the public institution that promotes Spanish worldwide, and the DELE is its main exam. According to the Instituto Cervantes, the diplomas have official status, no expiry date and international recognition.

DELE exams at levels A1 to C1 have four parts, namely reading, listening, writing and speaking. You sit the written parts on the official exam day. The exam centre may schedule the speaking part on the day before or after. DELE C2 combines the skills into three parts.

The timings come from the exam descriptions of the Instituto Cervantes. In DELE B2, reading takes 70 minutes, listening 40 minutes and writing 80 minutes with two tasks.

From C1 upwards, the DELE also tests mediation. Mediation means passing on content from a text or conversation in a way a specific person can understand, for example as a summary or a recommendation. In DELE C1, the reading and listening parts also test language use. In DELE C2, part 1 covers language use, reading and listening (105 minutes), part 2 covers writing with mediation (150 minutes), and part 3 consists of a presentation, an interview and a conversation about press headlines.

The DELE has only two results, APTO (pass) and NO APTO (fail). At levels A1 to C1, each of the four parts is worth 25 points, so 100 in total. For marking, the parts form two groups. Group 1 covers reading and writing, and group 2 covers listening and speaking. You pass if you reach at least 30 out of 50 points in each group.

The two parts within a group balance each other, but the groups do not. A worked example shows the effect. With 22 points in reading and 9 in writing, you reach 31 points in group 1 and pass that group. With 12 points in listening and 16 in speaking, you reach only 28 points in group 2. Your overall result is then NO APTO, even though you scored 59 points in total.

DELE C2 has three parts worth about 33.3 points each. You need at least 20 points in every part.

In reading and listening, each correct answer earns one point, and wrong answers cost nothing. So never leave a question blank. Two independent, accredited examiners mark your written texts, and the average counts. The examiners mark the speaking part during the exam itself, with an overall mark weighted at 40 percent and detailed marks at 60 percent.

The DELE takes place on fixed dates that the Instituto Cervantes, Spain's public language and culture institution, sets worldwide. Not every level is offered on every date. Registration for 2027 opens on 18 November 2026.

The school versions take place on 21 May and 12 November 2027. Not every exam centre offers every date.

Fees differ from country to country. The prices in the table apply in Spain in 2026, as published for example by the Universitat de València as an exam centre.

Outside Spain, the exam centre tells you the price when you register. The Instituto Cervantes does not offer the DELE as an at-home exam. You always sit it at a recognised exam centre, while the preparation can happen entirely online.

Besides the DELE, there is the SIELE (Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española). The Instituto Cervantes developed it together with the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the University of Salamanca and the University of Buenos Aires. The SIELE is a digital test on a computer that does not check one fixed level. Every candidate receives a result on the scale of the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference.

SIELE Global covers all four skills. Each part is worth 0 to 250 points, so up to 1,000 in total. There are also five partial exams, S1 to S5, that combine only some skills. According to siele.org, you can choose the day, time and place at more than 1,000 centres in more than 85 countries. The Complutense University of Madrid charges a regular fee of 155 euros for SIELE Global.

If you need proof that lasts for decades or you aim for C2, choose the DELE. If you need a quick result for an application, check whether the university or employer accepts the SIELE.

This plan assumes that your Spanish is already at level B2 of the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference, so you can read newspaper articles and follow conversations on everyday topics. It counts on six to eight hours of study a week.

1 Measure your starting point in week 1

Sit the official model exam (modelo de examen) of the Instituto Cervantes with exam timings. For DELE B2, an exam guide and the exam specifications are also free to download. Work out your result for both groups.

2 Train the weaker group in weeks 2 to 5

If group 1 is ahead, practise listening with news and podcasts from Spain and Latin America. If group 2 is ahead, read opinion pieces and write two texts a week in the DELE task types.

3 Practise the speaking test in weeks 6 to 8

Train the three tasks with 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of exam. A teacher in a live online class plays the examiner and marks you against the Instituto Cervantes criteria.

4 Sit mock exams in weeks 9 and 10

Take two complete mock exams in one sitting. The written parts of DELE B2 last over three hours, and you need that stamina on exam day.

An online course for the DELE, the official Spanish diploma, trains you on the task types and the marking. Seven features show that a course is built for this exam.

1. The course states the target level and starts with a placement test.
2. The exercises follow the current format, which at C1 includes language use and mediation, the clear passing on of content to others.
3. Teachers mark your texts against the Instituto Cervantes rating scales and explain the points.
4. You practise the speaking test live, with preparation time, as in the real exam.
5. The course includes at least two complete mock exams.
6. The provider states price, hours and duration up front and keeps the course fee separate from the exam fee.
7. The provider does not promise that you will pass, because the Instituto Cervantes does the marking.

Six mistakes in the DELE, the official Spanish diploma, can be avoided with good planning.

1. You rely on one strong group. Good reading and writing do not make up for weak listening, because each group needs 30 points on its own.
2. You leave questions blank in reading or listening. Wrong answers cost nothing, but a blank answer certainly earns nothing.
3. You mix European and Latin American forms. The DELE accepts both standards as long as you use one of them consistently.
4. You miss the registration deadline. It falls six to seven weeks before the exam day.
5. You overlook the date of the speaking part, which may be the day before or after the written exam.
6. You underestimate the length. In DELE C2 you spend more than four hours in the exam room for the written parts.

The Instituto Cervantes, which issues the diplomas on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education, emails you as soon as the DELE results are out. This takes about two months, or about three months after the May and November sessions. You download the official results certificate from your personal area. It carries an electronic signature and a verification code that universities and employers use to check that it is authentic. If you reach APTO, meaning you passed, you also receive the diploma digitally.

If you disagree with the result, you can request one review within a month. It costs 60 percent of the exam price and is refunded if NO APTO (fail) changes to APTO. A review can also lower your mark.

You use the diploma to apply to universities, employers and authorities. If you plan to study in Spain, add a course in academic writing in Spanish to your DELE C1 preparation. If you need the diploma for work, combine it with a business Spanish course.