What is the DELE?

The Diplomas in Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE) were established in 1988 by the Spanish Ministry of Education (Royal Decree 826/88). These official qualifications certify an individual’s proficiency in Spanish and are awarded by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of Spain’s Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport.

​

The DELE exams assess all variants of the Spanish language, and all are considered valid for obtaining the diploma.

Designed in alignment with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the DELE exams provide an international standard for measuring Spanish proficiency. The CEFR guidelines ensure an objective and practical method for determining the level of competence required at each stage of learning and evaluating exam results.

​

In collaboration with the Instituto Cervantes, the University of Salamanca plays a key role in developing the exam materials and grading the tests that lead to the DELE Diplomas.

​

The DELE Diplomas are available at the following levels, in accordance with the CEFR:

​

• Diploma in Spanish - Level A1 E​

• Diploma in Spanish - Level A2/B1 E

• Diploma in Spanish - Level A1

• Diploma in Spanish - Level A2

• Diploma in Spanish - Level B1

• Diploma in Spanish - Level B2

• Diploma in Spanish - Level C1

• Diploma in Spanish - Level C2​

​

The DELE Diplomas were created as part of broader efforts to promote the Spanish language and culture internationally. You can find more information on the DELE here.