Prepare online for DELF and DALF, the French diploma that never expires

DELF (Diplôme d'études en langue française) and DALF (Diplôme approfondi de langue française) are the official French language diplomas of the French Ministry of Education. The exams are designed by France Éducation international (FEI), a public body based in Sèvres near Paris. Exam centres around the world run them, most often an Institut français, an Alliance Française or a university.

Both diplomas follow 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. DELF covers levels A1 to B2, and DALF covers C1 and C2. The six diplomas are independent exams, so you can go straight to B2 or C1.

Universities, authorities and employers ask for such a diploma because they cannot test every applicant's French themselves. According to FEI, DELF B2 gives access to French universities and serves as language proof for French citizenship. A growing number of universities and some grandes écoles, the highly selective elite schools of France, now ask for DALF C1.

Besides the tout public version for adults, there is DELF junior and scolaire with topics from teenagers' lives, and DELF Prim for children.

Every DELF exam and DALF C1 have four parts, namely listening, reading, writing and speaking. You sit the three written parts together with other candidates in an exam room. You take the speaking part alone in front of two examiners, after a fixed preparation time. DALF C2 combines the skills into two parts, a written part for reading and writing and an oral part for listening and speaking.

In DELF A2 you write two texts of at least 60 words each, in DELF B1 one text of at least 160 words, and in DELF B2 an argumentative text of at least 250 words. DALF C1 asks for a synthesis of 220 to 240 words and then a text of at least 250 words. A synthesis is a neutral summary of several documents without your own opinion. In DALF C2 you write a structured text such as an article, an editorial or a speech, based on a file of about 2,000 words.

From B2 upwards, the speaking test starts with a short presentation on a topic. You then discuss it with the examiners and defend your point of view.

In DELF, the diploma for levels A1 to B2, and in DALF C1, examiners mark each of the four parts out of 25 points. You receive the diploma with at least 50 out of 100 points. You also need at least 5 out of 25 points in every single part. If you score less than that in one part, you fail, even if your total exceeds 50.

DALF C2 has two parts worth 50 points each. There the minimum is 10 out of 50 per part, and the pass mark is again 50 out of 100.

In DELF B2, with 20 points in listening, 18 in reading, 13 in writing and 4 in speaking, you reach 55 points. You still do not receive the diploma, because the speaking part has fewer than 5 points.

France Éducation international (FEI), the public body that designs both diplomas, trains and licenses the examiners. For writing and speaking they use marking grids for each level. These grids check whether you completed the task, how you argue and how accurately you write and speak.

The juries' decisions are final. According to FEI, you cannot appeal against your marks. You can ask your exam centre to see your exam paper.

Each exam centre sets its own fee for DELF and DALF. France Éducation international (FEI), the public body behind both diplomas, publishes no standard prices.

FEI lists all licensed centres on a world map.

Each centre sets its own dates. The Université Clermont Auvergne offers five exam windows between December 2026 and June 2027, and the Institut français Écosse offers three in 2027. At both centres, registration closes about five to seven weeks before the exam.

You cannot take DELF or DALF from home. The written parts take place in an exam room, and you take the speaking part in front of two examiners. Your centre sends you the result. At the Institut français Écosse, results arrive about two to three months after the exam.

The right level on the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference with its levels A1 to C2, depends on who wants to see the diploma. The exact requirement always comes from the university, the authority or the employer.

Besides DELF and DALF, France Éducation international (FEI) offers the TCF, the Test de connaissance du français. The TCF places you on the CEFR scale without a pass or fail. Its result is valid for two years. DELF and DALF test exactly one level and are valid for life.

Register for the level you already reach reliably in class. A placement test tells you in advance. FEI points to its own Ev@lang test and to the free tests from RFI and TV5Monde.

This plan assumes that your French is already at CEFR level B2, so you can read newspaper articles and follow a discussion. It counts on five to eight hours of study a week. For DALF C1, add one or two weeks to each phase, because the synthesis, a neutral summary of several documents, and the essay need more practice.

1 Measure your starting point in weeks 1 and 2

Sit a complete sample exam under exam timings. France Éducation international provides sample papers, marking grids and a candidate handbook for free. Score each part and note your weakest one.

2 Train your weak skills in weeks 3 to 6

Listen to French news or podcasts every day and read opinion pieces in the press. Write one argumentative text of 250 words each week and have it marked against the grid.

3 Practise the speaking test in weeks 7 to 9

Practise the full routine with 30 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of exam. You present a topic from a short document and then defend your point of view.

4 Sit mock exams in weeks 10 and 11

Take two complete mock exams with a time limit. Many exam centres offer practice sessions in listening and reading that, according to FEI, use original exam papers under exam conditions.

5 Consolidate in week 12

Check the venue, time, ID and the date of the speaking test, which may fall on a different day.

Eight points help you spot an online course that prepares you for DELF or DALF with practice, feedback and mock exams.

1. The course states the target level and checks your starting level with a placement test.
2. The exercises follow the current format of France Éducation international, the public exam body, including the new multiple-choice tasks for A1 to B2.
3. Teachers mark your texts with the official grid and explain the points.
4. You practise the speaking test live, ideally with a teacher who is a licensed examiner.
5. The course includes at least two complete mock exams with a time limit.
6. Groups are small enough for every person to speak in every lesson.
7. The provider states price, hours and duration up front and keeps the course fee separate from the exam fee.
8. The provider does not promise that you will pass, because the centres' juries mark independently.

Six mistakes in DELF and DALF, the official French diplomas, can be avoided with good planning.

1. You register for a level that is too high. A narrowly missed B2 gives you no diploma.
2. You neglect one part of the exam. Fewer than 5 out of 25 points in one part costs you the whole diploma.
3. You write fewer words than the minimum. A text that is too short does not fully complete the task and loses points.
4. You add your own opinion to the DALF C1 synthesis. The synthesis summarises the documents neutrally, and your opinion belongs in the second text.
5. You waste the preparation time before the speaking test. At B2 you have 30 minutes and at C1 one hour to note an outline with an introduction, two or three arguments and a conclusion.
6. You miss the registration deadline or forget your ID. Without valid ID, the centre will not admit you to the exam.

After the DELF or DALF exam, a jury marks your papers. The exam centre gives you the result once the jury has confirmed it. If you pass, you receive a diploma that is valid for life. If you fail, the centre can give you a transcript of your marks. Single parts are not carried over, so if you resit, you take the whole exam again.

You show the diploma to universities, employers and authorities as proof. Many learners use a passed DELF B2 as the starting point for DALF C1, because the tasks build on each other.

If you plan to study in France, combine DALF C1 preparation with a course in academic writing in French. The synthesis, a neutral summary of several sources, and the argumentative essay match typical university tasks.