How the DELE exam works: levels, booking, cost and results

Key rules

• Validity: A passed DELE diploma is valid for life, though some institutions may still ask for a recent certificate.
• Levels: Choose one of six levels, A1 to C2, and check that your centre offers it at the session you want.
• Centre: Register only through an accredited centre, and bring the same ID you registered with to the exam.
• Deadline: Each centre sets its own registration closing date, so ask early.

What DELE is

DELE is the official Spanish-language diploma issued by the Instituto Cervantes. You sit it at an accredited centre on fixed dates. Once you pass, the diploma is valid for life.

Levels

There are six levels, from A1 (beginner) to C2 (near-native): A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. Pick the level that matches what you can do now, not the one you hope to reach.

There are also versions for schoolchildren (escolar). DELE A1 escolar exists, and so does A2/B1 escolar for ages 12 to 17. If you are applying for a child, ask the centre which version fits. Adults sit the standard exams.

Sessions and registration deadlines

DELE runs on fixed dates, set each year by the Instituto Cervantes. Sessions are normally in January or February, April, May, July, October and November. Not every level is offered at every session, so check this before you plan.

Registration usually closes a month or more before the exam. Each centre sets its own window, so ask your centre for its closing date and register early.

Where to register

You register through an accredited centre. These include Instituto Cervantes centres and many universities and language schools in Spain. Choose the centre, level and session, then complete the registration form online or in person. You will need valid ID or a passport.

Payment methods and fees vary by centre. Card or bank transfer is most common. Ask the centre for the exact fee for your level.

After you pay, the centre sends a confirmation and an exam-call letter. The steps, documents and checklist below walk you through the rest.

Results and validity

You get your result online. Your diploma has no expiry date. Some institutions may still ask for a recent certificate, so check what the office or university you are applying to wants.

If you fail, miss your session or lose your certificate, see the section below on what to do.

Booking and sitting a Spanish exam, step by step

• Choose your exam, level and centre: Before you start, at least 6 weeks before the session for DELE

• Check the session dates and which levels are offered. DELE runs on fixed dates, normally January or February, April, May, July, October and November. SIELE runs on set dates several times a month in many places: Before you register

• Register through an accredited centre (DELE) or online through the SIELE website, with your ID or passport: DELE registration usually closes 4 to 6 weeks before the exam; SIELE usually 2 to 4 weeks before. Popular centres fill earlier

• Pay the fee by the method your centre accepts, usually card or bank transfer: At registration, within the registration window

• Keep your confirmation and exam-call letter and read any centre rules: After payment, before the exam

• Sit the exam with the original ID you used to register, your confirmation and a pen or pencil (a rubber too for DELE). Leave phones and smartwatches outside the room: On exam day, arriving before the start time because late candidates are generally not admitted

• Get your SIELE result online: Within about three weeks of the exam

• Get your DELE result online on the Instituto Cervantes site: About two to three months after the exam

• Collect your DELE diploma from the exam centre or have it forwarded: Normally several months after the exam

• If you cannot attend, contact your registration centre about cancelling or moving to another session: As early as possible, within the centre's deadline before the exam

Documents you need

• Valid ID or passport, to present when you register with the accredited centre and to bring to the exam.

• Exam-call letter and registration confirmation, which the centre sends after you register and pay.

Checklist

• Check which levels the centre offers at the session you want.

• Ask the centre for its registration closing date and register before it.

• Pay the fee by the method your centre accepts, usually card or bank transfer.

• Keep your confirmation and exam-call letter.

• Bring your valid ID or passport to the exam.

What if you fail, miss the session or lose your certificate?

The way back depends on the exam body. DELE and SIELE each have their own rules, so first check which one you registered for.

If you fail DELE

You must register and pay again for a later session and sit the whole exam again. A single group cannot be retaken. To pass you need at least 30 out of 50 points in each of the two groups, and the result is then Apto. If you fall short in either group, there is no diploma. You can re-sit as many times as you like. The A1 school version and some other modalities are set up differently, so ask your exam centre if you took one of those.

If you fail or want a better SIELE result

Register for a new sitting through the SIELE website or an authorised exam centre, and pay the fee again. A new sitting gives you a new certificate with new scores. You can only register once your earlier results are out. Ask SIELE or your centre whether you can retake a single module and how long you must wait.

If you miss your session

This applies to both exams. If you do not turn up, you generally lose the fee. A refund is possible only in specific cases, such as documented illness or force majeure.

If you know in advance that you cannot go, act before the deadline. Contact the centre where you registered. For SIELE, you can also contact SIELE itself. A move to another session or centre is possible only within the deadlines and only if the centre allows it. A charge may apply. Deadlines and conditions differ by centre and country, so ask the centre as soon as you know there is a problem.

If you lose your certificate

• DELE: Ask the Instituto Cervantes for a duplicate diploma, through the DELE diploma office or the centre where you sat the exam. Send your application with proof of identity. A fee may apply.
• SIELE: The certificate is digital and stays in your account on the SIELE website. Valid for five years, it can usually be downloaded again. If you cannot get it, contact SIELE support.

Before you pay anything, ask the Instituto Cervantes (DELE) or SIELE for the current steps and any fee.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take every DELE level at every session?

No, not every DELE level is offered at each session, so check the level you want against the session you plan to sit. The exact dates are set each year by the Instituto Cervantes. Ask your chosen centre which levels it runs on which dates.

How long before the exam does DELE registration close?

DELE registration usually closes a month or more before each session, and the window differs between centres. Check the closing date with your centre as soon as you pick a session. Book early so you do not miss it.

Is there a DELE exam for schoolchildren?

Yes, there are DELE versions for schoolchildren: DELE A1 escolar, and DELE A2/B1 escolar for ages 12-17. Adults sit the standard exams at A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. Ask your centre which version fits the candidate.