No, you can't take the DELE online. It's an in-person exam: the written papers are done on paper at an exam centre and the speaking test is face to face, with two examiners in the room. What you can do online is register, check your results, download your diploma and, of course, prepare.

And a warning before we start: if someone offers you “the DELE online from home”, be suspicious. The official DELE is run by the Instituto Cervantes on fixed dates at exam centres. Here's where it's held, how to find your centre and what option exists if you need an exam you can take remotely.

Why can't you take the DELE online?

Because the exam is in person from start to finish:

  • The written papers (reading, listening and writing) are done on paper, at the centre, with everyone at the same time and strict timings.
  • The speaking test is in person. There are always two examiners in the room: the interviewer, who talks with you, and the assessor, who listens and scores. I'm telling you from the other side of the table: there's no video-call version.
  • The dates are fixed. The DELE has specific exam sessions each year, and not every level is offered in every session. You don't pick a day and time like with other exams.

Which parts of the DELE are online?

Everything that happens before and after the exam:

Where can you take the DELE?

At Instituto Cervantes centres and accredited exam centres (universities, language schools and academies), in Spain and in many other countries: more than a thousand worldwide.

To find yours if you're sitting the exam in Spain:

  1. Go to the Instituto Cervantes online shop and choose your country and city.
  2. Click “Ver DELE” and choose your level and exam session.
  3. Choose your region (and province, if you like) and click “Buscar”: you'll see the centres with places for that session.

Outside Spain, ask the Instituto Cervantes in your country or your nearest exam centres. Two things worth checking with the centre before you pay: what day the speaking test is (it can be the same day as the written papers or a different day, even before) and whether there are places left, because centres fill up before registration closes.

What do I need to bring on exam day?

  • Your original ID document, the same one you used to register.
  • Your registration receipt.
  • The exam notice your centre sends you, with the place and time of each paper.

Is there an official Spanish exam you can take online?

The SIELE, another Instituto Cervantes exam, is taken on a computer. It's normally done at an exam centre, but in 2021 the Instituto Cervantes launched a remote SIELE option, on your own computer with the centre supervising live. If you're interested, ask a SIELE centre in your country whether they offer it.

But the SIELE isn't the DELE: it's a multi-level exam (you don't choose a level), its certificate is valid for five years (the DELE never expires) and it isn't accepted for Spanish citizenship, which requires the DELE A2 or higher. I compare them in DELE vs SIELE: differences and which one to choose.

What about “DELE online tests”?

When you search for a “DELE online test”, what you'll find are level tests and practice exercises, not the official exam. They're really useful for knowing where you stand before you register. You can start with my free level test: in a few minutes you'll know your level and which exam suits you.

Frequently asked questions

Can I do the DELE speaking test by video call?

No. The speaking test is in person, at the exam centre, with an interviewer and an assessor in the room.

Can I take the DELE A2 for citizenship online?

No. It's the same DELE A2, with the same four in-person papers. What is online is registration and, afterwards, checking your results.

Is there an unofficial “DELE online”?

Some websites use the DELE name to sell courses or practice tests, and that's fine if they're upfront about it. But the DELE diploma is only awarded by the Instituto Cervantes after you pass the in-person exam. If someone promises you the diploma without an exam, or an “exam from home”, it isn't official.

When are the next DELE exam sessions?

There are seven sessions in 2027, and registration opens on 18 November 2026. All the dates by level are in DELE exam dates 2027.

Can I prepare for the DELE online?

Yes, and that's how lots of people do it. The key is to practise with the exam format and out loud, not just study grammar.

In short

  • You can't take the DELE online: it's in person, on paper, with a face-to-face speaking test.
  • It's held at Instituto Cervantes centres and accredited centres, more than a thousand worldwide.
  • Registration, results, the diploma and preparation are all online.
  • If you need a remote exam, the SIELE has a remote option, but it isn't valid for Spanish citizenship.

If you're going for the DELE, my online courses for each level let you prepare from home with strategies for every paper, commented examples, a community, a Q&A chat and group calls. And if you'd like reminders before every registration deadline, join the newsletter 💌.

¡A por el DELE! 🇪🇸