Galician CELGA certificates: which level for which purpose

Terms used

• CELGA — CELGA is the Certificado de Lingua Galega, the Xunta de Galicia's official certificate of Galician at five levels.
• Diario Oficial de Galicia (DOG) — The Diario Oficial de Galicia is the Xunta's official gazette, where exam calls and registration windows are published.
• PAU — The PAU is the university access exam taken after Bachillerato.
• Bachillerato — The Bachillerato is the two-year upper secondary school stage that comes before university.

Key rules

• Level: Sit the level your employer or course names, and no higher.
• Registration: You register online, and only during the window announced in the DOG call.
• Fee: You pay a fee for each level, and it can change every year.
• Alternatives: A Galician degree, older course certificate or EOI certificate may replace CELGA if the requiring body accepts it.

Which CELGA level do you need?

Pick the level your job or course asks for. Do not sit a higher one than you need. CELGA 1 is A2, CELGA 2 is B1, CELGA 3 is B2, CELGA 4 is C1 and CELGA 5 is C2.

Ask the employer, the public body or the university which level they require. Many posts and courses name the level in their call or entry rules. If they ask for "CELGA 4", that means C1.

Who issues CELGA

The Xunta de Galicia issues the certificate through its language policy office, the Secretaría Xeral de Política Lingüística. The same office runs the exams. The certificate is the standard proof of Galician for work and study in Galicia.

Exam sessions and registration

Exams are held in set sessions, usually a few times a year. Spring or early summer and autumn are the common slots, and some years add extra sessions. All levels are normally offered in each session.

You register online through the Xunta's electronic procedures system. The registration window is announced in the call published in the Diario Oficial de Galicia (DOG). Watch for that call, because the window can be short. The timeline below shows the order of steps.

Fees

You pay a public fee for each level you sit. The fee is set every year, and some people qualify for an exemption or a reduction. Check the current amount, the dates and whether you qualify with the Secretaría Xeral de Política Lingüística before you register.

Other ways to prove Galician

You may not need to sit CELGA at all. Galicia also accepts these as proof:

• A Galician-language university degree, such as Filología Galega or Galician and Portuguese studies.
• The older Curso de Iniciación or Curso de Perfeccionamento de Lingua Galega certificate.
• A Galician certificate from an Official Language School (EOI) at the matching level.
• In some cases, a pass in Galician in the Bachillerato or in the university access exam (PAU).

The Xunta revises this list of equivalences from time to time. Before you rely on an older qualification, ask the body that requires the proof whether it accepts it for your purpose and level. The decision and documents below help you choose.

Choosing between options

Do you sit a CELGA exam or use a qualification you already hold as proof of Galician?

• Sit the CELGA exam: You hold no Galician qualification, or the one you have does not match the level your purpose asks for.

• Use a Galician-language university degree: You studied Filología Galega or Galician and Portuguese studies.

• Use an Official Language School certificate: You hold an EOI Galician certificate at the matching level.

Use what you already hold if the current Xunta validation order recognises it at the level you need; otherwise sit the CELGA exam for that level.

Timeline and deadlines

• Look for the call published in the Diario Oficial de Galicia (DOG): before each exam session, as the call sets the registration window

• Register online through the Xunta's electronic procedures system and pay the fee for your level: during the registration window announced in the call

• Sit the exam for your level: in a set session, typically a few times a year, commonly spring or early summer and autumn

Check the current dates, registration window and fees with the Secretaría Xeral de Política Lingüística.

Documents you need

• A CELGA certificate at the level your purpose asks for, issued by the Xunta de Galicia through its language policy office (CELGA 1 to 5).

• As an alternative to CELGA, a Galician-language university degree such as Filología Galega or Galician and Portuguese studies.

• As an alternative, the older Curso de Iniciación or Curso de Perfeccionamento de Lingua Galega certificate.

• As an alternative, a Galician certificate from an Official Language School (EOI) at the matching level.

• In some cases, proof that you passed Galician in the Bachillerato or in the university access exam (PAU).

Frequently asked questions

Where do I register for a CELGA exam?

You register online through the Xunta's electronic procedures system, during a window announced in the call published in the Diario Oficial de Galicia (DOG), the region's official gazette. Watch for that call before you plan travel or study time.

Do I pay a fee for each CELGA level?

Yes, a public fee applies for each level you sit, and the amount is set every year. Some people get an exemption or a reduction, so ask the language policy office whether you qualify.

Can I prove my Galician without sitting a CELGA exam?

Yes, Galicia accepts other qualifications as proof of Galician, such as a Galician-language university degree or an Official Language School (EOI) Galician certificate at the matching level. Check the current validation order before relying on one.