Review on Dele Exams

The DELE or Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language are official titles which certify test takers' level of understanding and command of the Spanish language, and which are granted by the Instituto Cervantes in the name of the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport of Spain. DELE exams follow the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) of the Council of Europe and are held for six language levels: A1-A2-B1-B2-C1-C2. This Spanish Exam Preparation Program will give you study tips for exams and prepare you to successfully pass the DELE Exam, the only officially recognized Spanish certificate intended for non-Spanish speakers. Most don Quijote schools are official DELE examination centers. This DELE exam preparation program is designed for students looking for an official and internationally recognized certification of their Spanish proficiency level. This is particularly important for those students who wish to study at a Spanish university or work in a Spanish speaking country.

Students will attend an Intensive preparation program focused on passing the exam. In the program, you will review past DELE exam questions, learn exam techniques and receive insider tips from experienced DELE teachers. This program takes place 2 or 4 weeks before the official exam dates and consists of 20 weekly classes. Don Quijote is an official DELE exam center. Students can choose to add private DELE classes to their DELE 20 Program should they need extra exam preparation support. With don Quijote, over 80% of our students pass their DELE exam successfully the first time they take the exam. We offer the DELE 20 Preparation Course for each language level examined (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2). The program duration is 2 or 4 weeks and consists of 20 weekly classes aimed at preparing you for the upcoming exam. The program dates are right before the exam dates. You can attend a DELE preparation course at any don Quijote school in Spain or Latin America. Dates and annual fees for the DELE exams are established annually by the Instituto Cervantes. Exam fees are the same at any exam center.

Instituto Cervantes requires each student to fulfill personally their own application and pay for their exam fee ahead of time. The final deadline to sign up to the exam is generally a month before the exam date. The DELE Exam follows the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) of the Council of Europe and is held for six language levels: A1-A2-B1-B2-C1-C2. At don Quijote, we are very experienced at preparing students for this exam. The 5 language skills that are evaluated through each exam level are reading comprehension, written expression, listening comprehension, grammar and vocabulary, and oral expression.

A1 Exam Format

The A1 diploma certifies that the student is able to communicate using Spanish in a basic way in everyday situations. This exam is made up of different parts organized into 2 groups:

Group 1: Reading comprehension (45 minutes, 4 tasks) and written expression and interaction (25 minutes, 2 tasks).

Group 2: Listening comprehension (20 minutes, 4 tasks) and oral expression and interaction (15 minutes).

A2 Exam Format

The A2 diploma certifies that the student can understand commonly used, everyday phrases and expressions. This exam is made up of different parts organized into 2 groups:

Group 1: Reading comprehension (60 minutes, 5 tasks) and written expression and interaction (50 minutes, 2 tasks).

Group 2: Listening comprehension (35 minutes, 5 tasks) and oral expression and interaction (15 minutes).

B1 Exam Format

The B1 diploma certifies that the student can understand the idea of clear texts, deal with most situations that occur while traveling in areas where Spanish is spoken, produce simple and coherent texts about familiar topics and describe experiences, events, wishes, and hopes.

This exam is made up of 4 parts:

Reading comprehension (70 min)

Listening comprehension (40 min.)

Written expression and interaction (60 min.)

Oral expression and interaction (30 min: 15+15)

B2 Exam Format

The B2 diploma certifies that the student can interact with native speakers, produce clear and detailed texts about diverse topics and understand the ideas of complex texts about both concrete and abstract topics.

This exam is made up of 4 parts:

Reading comprehension (70 min.)

Listening comprehension (40 min.)

Written expression and interaction (80 min.)

Oral expression and interaction (40 min: 20+20)

C1 Exam Format

The C1 diploma certifies that the student can understand a wide variety of lengthy texts and grasp their implicit meaning, express themselves fluently and spontaneously, use Spanish flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes, and produce clear, well-structured and detailed texts about topics of some complexity.

This exam is made up of 4 parts:

Reading comprehension and use of language (90 minutes, 5 tasks).

Listening comprehension and use of language (50 minutes, 5 tasks).

Integrated skills. Listening comprehension and written expression and interaction (80 minutes, 2 tasks).

Integrated skills. Reading comprehension and oral expression and interaction (20 minutes) (and 20 minutes to prepare).

C2 Exam Format

The C2 diploma certifies that the student is proficient in Spanish and has the linguistic competence to communicate effectively in any situation, proving the ability to spontaneously adapt to any context, with a high degree of precision.

This exam is made up into 3 parts: Use of language, reading, and listening comprehension (105 minutes, 6 tasks).

Integrated skills: Listening and reading comprehension, and written expression and interaction (150 minutes, 3 tasks).

Integrated skills: Reading comprehension and oral expression and interaction (20 minutes) (and 30 minutes to prepare).