Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE)

Now you can speak Spanish... not only have you learnt and improved your language level, you have also encountered Spanish culture and customs, basic elements in getting to know a country. So, if you wish, now is the right moment to take the official DELE certificate, the Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera, which recognizes and proves your level of Spanish, and with which you will improve your curriculum vitae.

The Diploma in Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE) is an official qualification certifying the student's level of competence and command of the Spanish language. It is awarded by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education and is recognised throughout the world by private companies, Chambers of Commerce and public and private teaching establishments. This Diploma is especially useful in educational and professional fields as it opens up promotion opportunities and entrance into the education system both in Spain and over 100 other countries where the exam is held.

These exams are usually held in May and November every year.

International recognition

The DELE Diplomas are internationally recognized and enjoy great prestige not only among public and private educational institutions and authorities, but also in the business world and chambers of commerce. They constitute a guarantee in assessing and evaluating linguistic competence in the Spanish language.

In many countries, the DELE Diplomas have been adopted by educational authorities and accredited schools as a complement to their own evaluation systems. They are useful to facilitate promotion at work and access to education, both in Spain and in the other countries where the tests are taken.

General conditions and requirements

Candidates wishing to take the examinations leading to the Diplomas in Spanish as a Foreign Language must meet the following requirements:

1. When registering, candidates must prove that they are citizens of a country in which Spanish is not an official language.
2. Citizens of Spanish-speaking countries resident in countries where Spanish is not an official language may register if they meet at least two of the following conditions:

· Spanish is not the mother tongue of one of the candidate's parents.
· Spanish was not the first language learned.
· Spanish is not the candidate's usual language of communication.
· The candidate has not studied all or part of their primary or secondary education in Spanish.

The candidates mentioned in section 2 above must declare, in writing, that they meet at least two of these conditions. If they do, the candidates must complete the sworn declaration available in the file attached at the bottom of this page, and submit this together with the rest of the documents.

Registration procedures

Registration for the tests must be effected at a DELE examination centre within the period established for each examination session. The following documents are necessary to register for the tests:

· Registration form, duly completed, which can be obtained at the examination centres or by downloading the file attached at the bottom of this page.
· Original and photocopy of a photo ID that includes the following information: identity, nationality, place and date of birth. Information declared by candidates on the registration form must correspond with that on the ID.
· Documents accrediting payment of the registration fee.
· Signed declaration, when appropriate, of fulfilment of at least two of the conditions described in section 2 under General Conditions.

Instituto Cervantes may administer the examinations for Diplomas in Spanish as a Foreign Language under special conditions to those candidates who, due to being in conditions of confinement or having some kind of disability, are unable to sit these exams under the conditions set forth in the guidelines.

Rights of Registration

The Rights of Registration can be paid for either cash, check, making a deposit or a credit transfer (specifying 'DELE registration' and the level). The Examination Centre can determine other means of payment.

 

Once the registration fee is paid, if the candidate renounces to the registration during the registration period or in the following 10 calendar days (5 days for the examination in August), he/she has the right to have the fee totally refunded. Should he/she renounces in the 10 days following termination of the established cancellation period (5 day for the examination in August), he/she will be refunded only 50% of the paid fee.

 

The paid fee as registration includes the issue and shipping of the diploma. The fees fixed in each country and examination centres as 'rights of registration' must be consulted in the appropriate examination centre or the suitable Instituto Cervantes abroad.

Required Documentation

The candidates must take the exam with:

1. A stamped copy of the registration form.
2. Passport or identification submitted in the registration process.
3. The official notice of the examination that the examination centre had sent to the candidate.

Levels

There are six Diplomas in Spanish as a Foreign Language: Each one of them is awarded after passing the corresponding examination.

This is the list of DELE Diplomas with the corresponding levels proposed by the Council of Europe and those of the Common European Framework of Reference:

Levels DELE

 

Diploma in Spanish	Framework of Reference	Level
Diploma in Spanish Level A1	A1	Breakthrough
Diploma in Spanish Level A2	A2	Waystage
Diploma in Spanish Level B1 (formerly Beginner) Diploma in Spanish Level B1 for Schools	B1	Threshold
Diploma in Spanish Level B2 (formerly Intermediate)	B2	Vantage
Diploma in Spanish Level C1	C1	Effective Operational Proficiency
Diploma in Spanish Level C2	C2	Mastery

 

Level A1

This Diploma is the first of the six learning levels proposed in the Common European Framework of Reference of the Council of Europe.

Level-A1 DELE examination (DELE A1) enables students to access the Spanish-speaking world, improves their academic education and provides them with confidence to continue advancing towards the other levels.

This Diploma accredits that students will be able to use elementary language in communication situations involving immediate needs or very common everyday matters.

DELE A1 is, therefore, an internationally recognized certification tool that connects people from their first contact with Spanish and evaluates their level in Spanish from the beginning of their studies.

The DELE A1 examination consists of different tests, organized in two groups:

· Group 1 (Reading and writing skills): Reading comprehension (45 minutes) and written expression and interaction (25 minutes).
· Group 2 (Speaking skills): Listening comprehension (20 minutes) and oral expression and interaction (15 minutes).

A "passing" grade is required for each of the group of tests that a candidate sits during the same examination session.

The maximum possible score on the examination is 100 points. A minimum score of 33 is necessary for each of the two groups in order to receive an overall "passing" grade.

The final grade is either PASS or FAIL.

 

Level A2

Level-A2 DELE examination (DELE A2) is the second step after accessing the language of Spanish-speaking countries.

This Diploma accredits that students can understand commonly-used everyday phrases and expressions related to areas of experience especially relevant to them (basic information about themselves and their families, shopping, places of interest, occupations, etc.).

The DELE A2 examination consists of different tests, organized in two groups:

· Group 1 (Reading and writing skills): Reading comprehension (60 minutes) and written expression and interaction (50 minutes).
· Group 2 (Speaking skills): Listening comprehension (35 minutes) and oral expression and interaction (15 minutes).

A "passing" grade is required for each of the group of tests that a candidate sits during the same examination session.

The maximum possible score on the examination is 100 points. A minimum score of 33 is necessary for each of the two groups in order to receive an overall "passing" grade.

The final grade is either PASS or FAIL.

 

Level B1

Level-B1 DELE examination (DELE B1) certifies that candidates already have a level of Spanish which places them at a slightly higher than beginner level.

This Diploma accredits language users' capacity to:

1) Understand the main points of texts spoken and written in standard varieties of Spanish that are not excessively local, provided that they involve well-known topics related to work, studies or everyday life.
2) Deal with most situations and contexts involving these uses.
3) Produce simple, coherent texts about well-known topics or issues of personal interest, such as describing experiences, events, wishes, plans, and aspirations, or expressing opinions.

The DELE B1 examination consists of different texts, organized in three groups:

· Group 1: Reading comprehension (40 minutes) and written expression (50 minutes).
· Group 2: Grammar and vocabulary (40 minutes).
· Group 3: Listening comprehension (30 minutes) and oral expression and interaction (10 minutes).

A "passing" grade is required for each of the group of tests that a candidate sits during the same examination session.

The maximum possible score on the examination is 100 points. A minimum score of 70% is necessary for each group in order to receive an overall "passing" grade.

The final grade is either PASS or FAIL.

 

Level B1 FOR SCHOOLS

Level-B1 DELE examination (DELE B1 for Schools) is the Diploma that certifies the linguistic competence in Spanish of school pupils between the ages of 12 and 17; it is integrated into formal education. It certifies level B1, but its contents have been adapted for school pupils.

Level B1 for Schools accredits language users' capacity to understand and react appropriately to everyday situations and to communicate needs and wishes in a basic manner.

The B1 for Schools examination is only held in May.

The DELE B1 for Schools examination consists of different tests, organized into three groups:

· Group 1: Reading comprehension (40 minutes) and written expression (50 minutes).
· Group 2: Grammar and vocabulary (40 minutes).
· Group 3: Listening comprehension (30 minutes) and oral expression and interaction (10 minutes).

A "passing" grade is required for each of the group of tests that a candidate sits during the same examination session.

The maximum possible score on the examination is 100 points. A minimum score of 70% is necessary for each group in order to receive an overall "passing" grade.

The final grade is either PASS or FAIL.

 

Level B2

This Diploma accredits language users' capacity to:

Understand the gist of complex spoken and written texts, including those about abstract topics, presented in diverse varieties of Spanish, or of a technical nature, especially if they are about specialized areas of knowledge with which they are familiar.
Interact with all types of speakers, with sufficient fluency and spontaneity, so that communication does not constitute an effort for either interlocutor.
Produce clear and detailed texts about diverse topics, including those involving dialectic analysis, debate or defending a point of view.

The DELE B2 examination consists of different tests, organized into three groups:

· Group 1: Reading comprehension (60 minutes) and written expression (60 minutes).
· Group 2: Grammar and vocabulary (60 minutes).
· Group 3: Listening comprehension (30 minutes) and oral expression (10-15 minutes).

A "passing" grade is required for each of the group of tests that a candidate sits during the same examination session.

The maximum possible score on the examination is 100 points. A minimum score of 70% is necessary for each group in order to receive an overall "passing" grade.

The final grade is either PASS or FAIL.

Level C1

Since November 2011 the Level-C1 DELE examination (DELE C1), which was launched in November 2010, changes and improves the format of its tests.

The DELE C1 guarantees that the progress of the student in the language has been a success, and certifies more than an advanced level of Spanish.

This diploma certifies sufficient linguistic competence to:

Understand a wide variety of long, quite demanding texts, as well as recognise implicit meanings in them.
Express themselves fluently and spontaneously, without any obvious effort to find the right words.
Use the language flexibly and effectively for social, academic, and professional purposes.
And be able to produce clear, well-structured, detailed texts on topics having a certain level of complexity, with correct use of mechanisms for organising and articulating a cohesive text.

The DELE C1 examination consists of four tests, classified in two groups (Group 1: Test 1 and test 3. Group: 2: Test 2 and test 4):

· Test 1: Reading comprehension and use of language (90 minutes).
· Test 2: Listening comprehension and use of language (50 minutes).
· Test 3: Integrated skills. Listening comprehension and written expression and interaction (80 minutes).
· Test 4: Integrated skills. Reading comprehension and oral expression and interaction (20 minutes) (and 20 minutes for preparation).

A "passing" grade is required for each of the tests that a candidate sits during the same examination session.

The maximum possible score on the examination is 100 points. A minimum score of 33 is necessary for each of the two groups in order to receive an overall "passing" grade.
The final grade is either PASS or FAIL.

Level C2

In November 2011, the Level-C2 DELE examination (DELE C2) changed its format to comply with the Common European Framework of Reference.

DELE C2 is the highest and most advanced of the six learning levels established in the Common European Framework of Reference. It certifies the level of Mastery.

The DELE C2 certifies sufficient linguistic competence to perfectly handle any kind of situation, proving a spontaneous capacity of adaptation to any context, with a great deal of semantic and grammatical precision. The language users express themselves fluently, with a high degree of specialization and complexity.

The DELE C2 examination consists of three tests:

· Test 1: Use of language, reading and listening comprehension (90 minutes).
· Test 2: Integrated skills: Listening and reading comprehension, and written expression and interaction (150 minutes).
· Test 3: Integrated skills: Reading comprehension and oral expression and interaction (20 minutes) (and 30 minutes for preparation).

A "passing" grade is required for each of the tests that a candidate sits during the same examination session.

The maximum possible score on the examination is 100 points, and a minimum score of 70% for each of the three tests is necessary.

The final grade is either PASS or FAIL.

Results

The results are at the disposal of the students through the web of the Instituto Cervantes approximately two months after completion of the examination. The Instituto Cervantes shall issue individual notifications of results, which shall be immediately forwarded to the candidates through the examination centres where they registered.

Instituto Cervantes cannot provide information on candidates' results before the scheduled publication date.

Candidates are responsible for keeping their postal data updated at their respective examination centres until they correctly receive all the documents referring to the examinations. (DELE Online Results)

Complaints and review

PFor information regarding the procedure to request review of the tests and to make complaints, please download the document .

Sample examination papers and audio materials

For all the levels, Instituto Cervantes has the DELE diplomas and previous period sample examinations at the applicants disposal. They are available in PDF and audio formats.(Link)

 

Results of the examination session of May and November 2011

	Enrolled students	Passed	% Passed
MAY 2011	136	97	71.32%
NOVEMBER 2011	84	61	72,62%
TOTAL	220	158	71,81%