Failing an exam: retakes and when to sit them before filing

Key rules

• Attempts: You can retake as many times as you need, with no waiting period.
• Fee: Each retake is a new registration with the full fee.
• Validity: A CCSE pass and a DELE diploma do not expire for a nationality application.
• Before filing: Both results must be in hand before you file.

You can retake as often as you need

There is no limit on attempts and no waiting period, but each retake means registering and paying the fee again. You can sign up for any later session that has seats.

What a retake costs

Every retake is a new registration, so you pay the full fee again. For the CCSE the fee was 124 euros in 2025. For the DELE A2 the fee for nationality purposes at the Instituto Cervantes was about the same, and accredited centres set their own prices. Fees are revised, so check the current price when you register.

How soon you can sit again

The wait depends only on the calendar. The CCSE is usually offered most months, with some gaps. The DELE A2 runs on set dates, roughly monthly or less often, depending on the centre. Check the Instituto Cervantes calendar for the exact dates before you plan.

If you failed the DELE A2, you sit the whole exam again, not just the part you failed. Marks from the parts you passed do not carry over.

Your results must be in hand before you file

A CCSE pass and a DELE diploma do not expire for a nationality application, and both must be in hand before you file. So a pass today is still good if your filing is months away. The diploma must be issued by the Instituto Cervantes.

How to time your retakes

• Book your first attempt early, so you have room for a second one.
• If you fail, register for the next session straight away. Seats can run out.
• Allow time after the exam for the result to be issued.
• File only once you hold both results.

The planner below helps you line up exam dates against your filing date.

Plan your exam dates against your filing date

Work backward from your filing date

Pass both exams first, then file. Start with the exam that takes longest to produce a document, which is the DELE, and plan the CCSE around it.

Both results never expire for a nationality application, and both must be in hand before you file. So there is no reason to wait. An early pass costs you nothing.

Step 1: Fix your filing date

Pick the earliest date you could file, once your other documents are ready. Every date below counts back from it.

Step 2: Place the DELE A2 first

• The diploma usually arrives 3 to 6 months after the exam. Online results come 2 to 3 months after the exam.
• A certificate of your result can usually be obtained earlier. Ask the centre whether it will do for your filing.
• Plan on the full 6 months unless you have confirmed that. Your DELE exam should then be at least 6 months before your filing date.
• DELE sessions are spread across the year, typically January/February, April, May, July, October and November. Some centres offer fewer.

Step 3: Place the CCSE

• Results usually come 3 to 4 weeks after the exam, and you can download the certificate once you pass.
• Sessions are normally monthly, usually on a Thursday, with no session in August.
• Plan the CCSE at least 2 months before filing. That leaves room for the results wait and a small margin.

Step 4: Add booking time

• Registration closes a few weeks before each exam. Seats in big cities can go within days of opening.
• Register as soon as the calendar opens, commonly one to two months before the exam date.
• Dates and windows differ by year and by centre, so check the current calendar with Instituto Cervantes before you fix anything.

Step 5: Leave room for a retake

• You can retake as soon as the next session has seats. There is no waiting period, but you register and pay again each time.
• A CCSE retake costs you about a month. A DELE retake can cost you several months, because sessions are further apart and the diploma wait starts again.
• If your filing date is firm, book the DELE first and leave a full extra DELE cycle before filing.

A quick check

Count back from your filing date:

1. Subtract 6 months for the DELE diploma. That is the latest DELE exam date.
2. Subtract 1 to 2 months before that for registration. That is when to book.
3. Subtract 2 months for the CCSE. That is the latest CCSE exam date.
4. If any date has already passed, move your filing date later rather than rushing a seat.

What to watch out for

• Every retake costs a full fee: Each new registration for the CCSE or the DELE A2 is charged in full, so repeated attempts add up quickly. The CCSE fee was 124 euros in 2025, and DELE A2 prices vary by centre and country. Prepare properly before each attempt, and compare prices between the Instituto Cervantes and accredited centres before you register.

• Failing one DELE A2 group means sitting the whole exam again: You cannot retake just the group you failed, and a group you passed does not carry over. You pay the fee and sit every part again. Practise both groups, not only your weaker one, before you book the retake.

Frequently asked questions

Can I retake only the DELE A2 group I failed?

No, you cannot retake only the group you failed, because DELE exams have to be sat again as a whole. You register again and take the full exam. Marks from a group you passed do not carry over.

How much does a CCSE or DELE A2 retake cost?

A CCSE retake costs the full fee again, which was 124 euros in 2025. The DELE A2 also charges a full new fee, and at the Instituto Cervantes it was about 124 euros in 2025 for nationality purposes. Accredited centres set their own prices, so compare before you book.

How often can I find a session for a CCSE or DELE A2 retake?

The CCSE is usually offered most months, with some gaps, while the DELE A2 runs on set dates that are monthly or less often depending on the centre. Your options are limited only by the calendar and free seats. Look at the calendar for both exams before you plan your filing date.