Guide · DELE
DELE exam preparation in Granada
The DELE (Diplomas of Spanish as a Foreign Language) is the official certificate of the Instituto Cervantes: recognised worldwide, with no expiry date, valid for universities, work and paperwork. Here is what it really looks like, level by level, and how we prepare you for each test from Granada.
The DELE level by level
| Level | Certifies | Papers | Approx. length |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Basic user (breakthrough) | 4 papers | ~85 min + oral |
| A2 | Basic user (waystage) | 4 papers | ~105 min + oral |
| B1 | Independent user (threshold) | 4 papers | ~125 min + oral |
| B2 | Independent user (vantage) | 4 papers | ~130 min + oral |
| C1 | Proficient user · mediation (2024) | 4 papers | ~180 min + oral |
| C2 | Mastery · mediation (2024) | 3 papers | ~185 min + oral |
Every exam measures four skills (reading, listening, writing and speaking). Since 2024, C1 and C2 also include mediation (summarising and integrating texts) and “use of language”.
What is the DELE for?
It is the official, permanent diploma that certifies your level of Spanish. Spanish universities ask for it to enrol you, companies to hire you, and public administrations for residence or nationality procedures (for nationality, DELE A2 or higher is required, together with the CCSE test).
Unlike other certificates, it does not expire: you earn it once and it stays with you for life.
The big change: mediation (2024)
Since 2024, C1 and C2 assess mediation: listening to or reading one or several sources and conveying the essentials in your own words —summarising, evaluating and integrating information— just as you do in real life and at work. It is the skill that catches out anyone preparing with old material.
“Use of language” (grammar and vocabulary gap-fills) is also integrated into the comprehension papers. Our material is already updated to these formats.
How the Clinic prepares you, skill by skill
We don’t cram “for the exam”: we train each skill in the real DELE format.
- An initial diagnosis that places your CEFR level (A1–C2) and detects your real areas to improve.
- Writing: compositions with the exact DELE tasks (letter, opinion article, mediation) and their official length, corrected instantly by AI and then by your teacher.
- Grammar and “use of language”: Grammar Surgery for your recurring error, plus grammar and vocabulary pharmacies.
- Listening: the Listening Lab, with real audio, and exam-style listening comprehension.
- Speaking: missions across Granada and La Doctora, the AI tutor, to get you genuinely talking.
- Mock exams: your teacher generates DELE tests by level with texts from here (the Alhambra, tapas, flamenco) and from current events.
Quick questions
Is the Clinic an official DELE exam centre?Abrir ▾Cerrar ▲
No. We prepare you; the exam is taken at the Instituto Cervantes official examination centres (in Granada, the UGR Modern Languages Centre is a usual venue). We help you choose a session and arrive ready.
Which DELE level suits me?Abrir ▾Cerrar ▲
Take the free level test first: it places your real level from A1 to C2. From there, the diagnosis and treatment adapt to the level you are sitting.
How long does it take to prepare a level?Abrir ▾Cerrar ▲
It depends on your starting point and how much you practise, but moving up one band (say B1 to B2) usually takes months of steady work. The key is a daily habit, not cramming.
Is the material updated to the 2024 mediation?Abrir ▾Cerrar ▲
Yes. The writing tasks and the C1 and C2 mock exams include mediation and use of language as assessed since 2024.
Start by knowing your level
Take the free level test and, if you decide to go for it, check the full programme with phases and prices.
Mock exams and materials of our own making, based on the official DELE format (Instituto Cervantes). They do not replace the official exam nor reproduce its papers.