Which official certificates prove Catalan, Valencian, Galician or Basque?

Terms used

• Junta Qualificadora de Coneixements de Valencià — The Junta Qualificadora de Coneixements de Valencià (JQCV) is the Valencian body that issues official Valencian certificates.
• CELGA — CELGA is the Galician language certificate, issued in levels 1 to 5 by the Xunta de Galicia.
• EGA — EGA is the Basque government's certificate of Basque proficiency, a high-level proof of the language.
• HABE — HABE is the Basque body for adult Basque teaching, which also issues language certificates.
• Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas — The Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas are Spain's state language schools, teaching languages at set levels.

Key rules

• No national certificate: Each region issues its own certificates, so use the one from the region whose language you need.
• Level names: Catalonia uses B1 to C2, the Balearics and Valencia A2 to C2, and Galicia CELGA 1 to 5.
• University certificates: A university level certificate counts only if your region's equivalence order lists it.
• Older certificates: If your certificate is old or renamed, ask the issuing body whether it is still accepted.

Recent renamings, school offers and university equivalences vary and change, so confirm them with the issuing body or the office asking for the certificate.

The short answer

Each region with its own language runs its own certificate system. There is no single national certificate. Pick the one issued by the region whose language you need, and check that the body asking for proof accepts it.

The comparison table below sets the systems side by side. The notes here explain who issues what.

Catalan in Catalonia

The Direcció General de Política Lingüística, part of the Catalan government, issues the certificates. The levels are B1, B2, C1 and C2. A 2021 reform simplified the levels to these four and replaced the older names. If you hold an older certificate, check with the issuing office how it maps to the current levels.

Catalan in the Balearic Islands

The Junta Avaluadora de Català runs the exams, and the certificates run from A2 to C2. Balearic certificates were updated, and A2 was added.

Valencian

The Junta Qualificadora de Coneixements de Valencià (JQCV) issues the certificates, under the Valencian government. Levels run from A2 to C2. In recent years the names were updated to the European level names. Certificates from the Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas are accepted by the JQCV as equivalents.

Galician

The Secretaría Xeral de Política Lingüística of the Xunta de Galicia issues the CELGA certificates, from CELGA 1 to CELGA 5. CELGA stands for Certificado de Lingua Galega. Galicia has changed its structure in recent years. If you hold an older certificate, ask the Secretaría Xeral whether it is still valid.

Basque

There are two main routes. EGA (Euskararen Gaitasun Agiria) is issued by the Basque government and is the best-known proof of a high level. HABE is the adult Basque teaching body, and it issues its own certificates. Both have stayed largely unchanged.

What the Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas do

The Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas are the state language schools. What they offer varies by region and by school, usually at B1, B2, C1 and C2.

• Basque Country: they offer Basque courses and certification.
• Galicia: they teach Galician from B1 to C1, with recognition by the Xunta.
• Valencia: their certificates count as equivalents for the JQCV.
• Catalonia: they mainly teach Catalan through the Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística rather than certifying it themselves.

Ask your local school which levels it offers and whether its certificate is accepted for your purpose.

Universities

Universities do not generally issue the main official certificates. Degrees in the language, from universities in Catalonia, Valencia, Galicia and the Basque Country, are accepted as proof in public competitions.

Some universities also give their own level certificates, for example the Universitat de València, the University of the Basque Country and the Universidade de Santiago. Your community accepts these only if they appear in its equivalence order. Check that list before paying for an exam.

Before you book an exam

1. Ask the body requiring the proof which certificates and levels it accepts.
2. Check the exam dates and fees with the issuing body.
3. Keep the original certificate. The documents block below lists what to have ready.

Regional language certificates compared side by side

Five regional systems issue language certificates. Their levels line up with the same European scale (A2 to C2), but the names and issuing bodies differ.

Older names you may see

• Catalonia: the older names map to the same levels. Intermedi is B1, suficiència is C1 and superior is C2. The older suficiència 1 is B2.
• Valencian Community: the older Mitjà is B2 and the older Superior is C1.
• Galicia: the CELGA number is the level, so CELGA 4 is C1 and CELGA 5 is C2.
• Basque Country: EGA is the C1 certificate. HABE certificates are separate and run by a different body.

Using the table

• Compare by the European level (B1, B2, C1, C2), not by the certificate name.
• The Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community are the only systems here with an A2 certificate.
• If you hold an older certificate, ask the issuing body in the table for its current equivalence table before you rely on the level.

Documents you need

• Catalan certificate (B1, B2, C1 or C2) from the Direcció General de Política Lingüística of the Generalitat de Catalunya, for Catalonia.

• Catalan certificate (A2 to C2) from the Junta Avaluadora de Català, for the Balearic Islands.

• Valencian certificate (A2 to C2) from the Junta Qualificadora de Coneixements de Valencià (JQCV).

• Galician CELGA certificate (CELGA 1 to 5) from the Secretaría Xeral de Política Lingüística of the Xunta de Galicia.

• Basque EGA certificate from the Basque Government, or a HABE certificate from the adult Basque teaching body.

• University degree in the language, or a university level certificate listed in your region's equivalence order, where a call accepts it instead.

Frequently asked questions

Do the Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas certify regional languages?

Yes, the Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas in Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands teach the co-official language, but the levels offered (B1 to C2) depend on the school. In Valencia, their certificates are accepted by the JQCV as equivalents. In Catalonia, the main route is the Generalitat's own certificates.

Do universities issue official regional language certificates?

No, universities generally do not issue the main official certificates. Their language degrees are accepted as proof in public competitions. A university's own level certificate counts only if it appears in your region's equivalence order.

Were any regional certificates renamed or changed recently?

Yes, Catalonia simplified its levels to B1, B2, C1 and C2 in 2021 and replaced older names. The Valencian JQCV certificates now use the standard A2 to C2 level names, and the Balearic certificates added Catalan A2. If you hold an older certificate, ask the issuing body how it maps to the current levels.