The DELE is the official diploma for Spanish as a foreign language awarded by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, and Sport. Its levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) correspond to the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) .

The DELE diploma certifies a candidate's Spanish proficiency worldwide, regardless of the institution or method of study.

The DELE Spanish diploma is valid indefinitely and is internationally recognized.

The validity of DELE Spanish diplomas is indefinite, so if you have a DELE diploma issued before 2008 (the year the diplomas were updated), you do not need to retake the exam, for example, to prove your knowledge of Spanish for nationality purposes.

Current legislation ( Law 12/2015, of June 24 , and Law 19/2015, of July 13 ) that regulates the procedure for obtaining Spanish nationality by residence, establishes, among other requirements, that applicants must pass two tests designed and administered by the Cervantes Institute:

• The DELE Spanish diploma at level A2 or higher, which certifies a basic knowledge of the Spanish language, and

• The Spanish Constitutional and Sociocultural Knowledge Test (CCSE), which certifies knowledge of the Spanish Constitution and Spanish social and cultural reality.

The following are exempt from taking the DELE A2 or higher exam tests:

1. Nationals of Spanish-speaking countries or territories (provided that it is a nationality of origin and not acquired) ,

2. those under 18 years of age,

3. people with judicially modified capacity,

4. people who already have a DELE A2 diploma (or higher), and

5. People who already have a basic (A2), intermediate (B1) or advanced (B2) level certificate from the Official Language Schools.

The following may be exempt from taking the DELE exam, provided they provide proof of eligibility and the Spanish Ministry of Justice so decides:

• People who have official qualifications, completed in Spain and in Spanish, at an intermediate or higher level; and

• people who have completed Compulsory Secondary Education courses in Spain.

Partial dispensation

• People who cannot read or write

The applicant has two options to integrate their DELE diploma into their nationality file:

• authorize the Ministry of Justice to consult the DELE results at the Cervantes Institute.

• Provide a copy of your Spanish diploma, along with a copy of the legislative texts that govern Spanish Diplomas (Royal Decree 1137/2002 and Royal Decree 264/2008), which include the equivalencies of DELE diplomas in all their denominations, summarized below:

The DELE exam can be taken at any of the DELE examination centers recognized by the Cervantes Institute.

This list of Instituto Cervantes DELE examination centers can be found in the "Where" section of that portal.

Every year, the Cervantes Institute publishes the dates of the written tests for the DELE exam sessions.

The dates of these calls and the corresponding registration deadlines can be found in the "When" section of the portal.

Registration for the exams must be processed through the Cervantes Institute's designated channels within the established deadlines. Registration for the DELE exam can be done in two ways:

• Online, through this portal , in the case of candidates in Spain (for all levels except school).

• At each examination center, in the case of DELE exams taken outside of Spain.

Yes, since November 2015, anyone can register for the DELE exam, regardless of their nationality or origin.

If any of your personal data in your registration contains an error, you must request its correction as soon as possible from the Customer Service Department (SAU). You must create a request in the " Change of personal data " section, tell us what you need to change, and provide all possible information (name, surname, ID number, date of birth, email address, etc.) in the text field.

You must include the photo ID you will bring to the exam center to take the DELE exams. If you are taking the DELE A2 exam in Spain to obtain nationality through residency, you must register with your NIE (National Identity Document).

To make your payment electronically, you can use Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards.

The Instituto Cervantes does not request or store any information about your card; instead, it delegates this action to the Santander Elavon Merchant Services Virtual POS payment gateway.

• If you have registered in Spain:

Yes, you can request changes to your level, exam date, and/or exam center, provided that at the time of requesting the change, the registration period is still open for the exam session for which you registered, and that the exam session for which you wish to register has its own registration period open and has available places.

The change request must be made through the "Registrations" section of your private user area menu.

• If you do not take the exam in Spain:

You will not be able to change exam centers, but you can request a change of level or session at your exam center as long as registration is open for both the initial session and the session you wish to change to, and there are available places.

During the DELE level change process on the exam portal , the system will calculate the price difference. You must pay this difference through the enabled payment gateways.

No. The difference is not refunded if the new level chosen is priced lower.

Yes. As a general rule, you have 14 calendar days from the date of registration to request a refund of the amount paid.

As long as you're within that deadline, if you've registered to take the exam in Spain, simply provide all your details through the Instituto Cervantes Customer Service portal and select the "Request a refund" option.

If you have registered to take the exam in any other country, you must request a refund from your exam center.

The Cervantes Institute provides DELE candidate guides that include basic information on the description and administration of the DELE exam tests.

On the day of the DELE exam session, three DELE exam tests (Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, and Written Expression and Interaction) are administered starting at 9:00 a.m. at all exam centers worldwide. If, due to extraordinary circumstances, the Instituto Cervantes decides to change the exam administration times, it will notify all registered candidates well in advance.

The Oral Expression and Interaction test can be taken on the day of the written exam, or on days before or after, or at a time set by the exam center, so candidates should be alert to the call from their exam center.

Yes, it is the candidate's responsibility to ensure they know the exact date, time, and location of all DELE exam tests they have registered for. Therefore, they should contact the exam center to confirm their contact information and the details of their exam session.

It is essential to comply with each and every one of the following instructions to access the examination room:

• Location: You must appear at the DELE examination center where you have registered at the address where your examination center has summoned you through the examination notice.

• Day and time: You must appear at the test center on the day you have registered and at the time scheduled by the test center, according to the local time zone of the test center.

Before the test begins, candidates must be identified, for which their documentation will be checked and their photograph taken.

Candidates are advised not to enter the exam room with personal belongings (bags, backpacks, electronic devices, etc.), as they will be asked to leave them in a designated area out of reach during the test administration. The exam center is not responsible for the loss of such personal belongings.

Candidates will receive instructions on how to administer the test from the test administration staff. Candidates are required to strictly follow the test center's instructions for taking the test.

See the infographic "What documentation should you bring on the day of the DELE exam?"

The examination center will contact each candidate prior to the exam to confirm the details of the call: the location of the exams, the dates and times of the DELE oral and written tests, etc.

Candidates must attend the exam at the time and place scheduled by their examination center, providing them with the following documentation:

1. The registration receipt given to you at the test center or sent to your email address by the online registration system.

2. The official photo ID presented at registration or your passport, both originals. For European Union citizens, you can also submit the original national ID from your country of origin, even if it is not the one used for registration.

3. The official exam notice, which you will have received from the examination center, includes information about the location, date, and time of the written and oral tests.

• Special case . For candidates taking the DELE A2 exam in Spain :

  • It will be essential to present the original TIE and passport to be able to access the tests.

Citizens from the European Union may replace their TIE (not their passport) with the original national identity card from their country of origin or the residence card of a family member of an EU citizen. They may also enter with an original passport and an EU citizen registration certificate, which includes their NIE (Foreigner Identification Number) without a photo.

• Exceptional situations in the special case:

Only one of the two original documents mentioned above (TIE/passport) could be accepted in the following cases:

1. Theft or loss : Must be accompanied by the original police report. The report must be filed within four months.

2. Renewal : Must be accompanied by the original renewal/appointment document. The date of this document cannot be older than 4 months.

3. Court retention : must be accompanied by original supporting document.

4. Visa application retention : must be accompanied by the original visa application supporting document.

Stateless candidates must provide the following documentation:

1. The registration receipt given to you at the test center or sent to your email address by the online registration system.

2. Foreigner Identification Card (TIE) or residence permit that includes the NIE number, which is the official photo ID document that proves the candidate resides legally in Spain.

3. Original document proving your statelessness status.

4. The official exam notice, which you will have received from the examination center.

Candidates with refugee status must provide:

1. The registration receipt given to you at the test center or sent to your email address by the online registration system.

2. Original Foreigner Identification Card (TIE) or residence permit bearing the NIE number, which is the official photo ID document proving the candidate's legal residence in Spain. The back of the card indicates their refugee status, and if they need to leave Spain, they will be issued a travel document (similar to a passport).

3. The official exam notice, which you will have received from the examination center.

Undocumented foreign candidates must provide:

1. The registration receipt given to you at the test center or sent to your email address by the online registration system.

2. The original photo ID card.

3. The official exam notice, which you will have received from the examination center.

Non-literate A2 candidates in Spain:

To take their adapted DELE exam, non-literate candidates must present the authorization resolution from the Ministry of Justice on the day of the exam. Exam centers will verify the validity of this official document using its secure verification code (CSV).

Candidates will be admitted to the examination room after providing valid identification. Candidates wearing a hat, cap, veil, or burqa will not be permitted to enter the examination room. These must also be removed for pre-exam photography.

Taking a photo and entering the room with a headscarf will be permitted, only if the face is uncovered and the ears are exposed to verify that the person is not wearing any prohibited device.

The examination center may ask the candidate to leave other items at the entrance: cell phones, electronic watches, laptops, and other digital devices, which, for security reasons, will not be allowed to enter the examination room.

The testing center will email each candidate their appointment. Candidates should check the test dates and times in advance.

• For DELE written tests, adherence to the schedule and punctuality requirements is mandatory. Only under special circumstances may the center administer the written tests to candidates at a different time than the scheduled time.

• In the case of DELE oral tests: if for any reason the candidate cannot attend these tests on the scheduled day and time, it will be the examination center's prerogative to reschedule the appointment.

If the candidate does not show up for the tests, he or she will automatically be classified as "Did Not Show Up."

Candidates must request a complaint form from their test center and complete it with details of the incident on the day of the test administration. The test center will be directly responsible for handling these types of complaints.

Yes, you will be able to enter. Candidates who present the originals of either of these two documents will be admitted to the examination room.

As stated in the DELE exam registration terms and conditions, which candidates accept at the time of payment, payment for the DELE diploma registration fee for a session only allows for one opportunity to take the exam on the selected session date.

As a general rule, failure to appear for the exams at the designated time and place will not entitle a candidate to a refund of the registration fee paid, nor to use it for other DELE exam sessions, except in duly justified cases of particular seriousness.

three months. The Instituto Cervantes, which strives to have scores ready as quickly as possible, informs candidates via email and the exam portal as soon as the scores are published.

Once the scores are published, all candidates will be able to access their certified grade certificates in their private space on the Instituto Cervantes portal. Candidates who obtained an overall grade of "Pass" will also receive the corresponding diploma, which they can collect at their examination center approximately three months after their scores are published.

It is not possible to provide scores to candidates prior to their publication date.

To obtain the DELE diplomas, candidates must complete all exam tests and achieve the required score in each group of tests (DELE A1-C1 exams), or in each test (DELE C2 exam).

Only in the case of candidates with total hearing impairment are exemptions from the Listening Comprehension or Oral Expression and Interaction test permitted, as indicated in the Special Conditions section.

No. Candidates who are unsuccessful in a DELE exam must re-register for the DELE exam and therefore pay the established fee.

Yes, you must retake all DELE exams, even if you had passed any of the tests in a previous session.

To be graded "Pass" on the DELE exam and obtain the diploma, you must complete all the tests.

All candidates will have the right to make any complaints they consider to the Instituto Cervantes through the Instituto Cervantes' electronic headquarters .

The legally established deadline for resolving complaints and requests for grade review is three months, although the Instituto Cervantes strives to shorten this period as much as possible.

Yes. The certification includes a secure verification code that allows you to verify the authenticity of your paper copy.

Yes, it is possible, but only if you have given explicit permission to do so to those institutions.

The Cervantes Institute accredits examiners, but their subsequent participation in DELE exam sessions is the responsibility of the DELE examination centers themselves, which propose the constitution of their examining panels.

We advise examiners who are not teachers at an Instituto Cervantes center to contact the examination center or centers closest to their place of residence and provide them with their profile, training level, and availability.

No, an examiner can only grade DELE exams for the levels for which they are accredited. Currently, the DELE examiner accreditation system includes the following courses:

• Accreditation of DELE examiners: A1 and A2

• Accreditation of DELE B1 and B2 examiners

• Accreditation of DELE C1 and C2 examiners

• Accreditation of DELE A2/B1 examiners for schoolchildren