DELE results come out about two months after the exam, except for the May and November sessions, which take about three. You get them by email (the address you gave when you registered) with your certificado de calificaciones (grade certificate) attached, and you can also download them from your private area on the Instituto Cervantes exams portal. If you get the APTO (pass), your digital diploma arrives in that same email.

I know the wait feels endless: you walk out of the exam and there's nothing left you can do about your grade. As an examiner, I'll tell you the real timeframes, how to read your certificate and what to do next, whether you pass or not.

When do DELE results come out?

The Instituto Cervantes gives an approximate timeframe of two months from the written tests for every session, except May and November, when it's about three months. Those are the biggest sessions of the year (almost 34,000 people registered in November 2025), and it shows.

This is when results were published in the latest sessions:

  • October 2025: results published on 19 December 2025.
  • November 2025: results published on 4 March 2026.
  • February 2026 (exam on 13 February): results published on 7 April 2026.
  • May 2026 (exam on 22 and 23 May): on 7 September the Cervantes confirmed that all the general exams had been published; the school versions came out afterwards, between 8 and 13 September.

When will the October and November 2026 results come out?

If previous years repeat, the October 2026 results should come out around the second half of December, and the November 2026 results between February and early March 2027. These are my estimates based on previous sessions: the official date is announced by the Instituto Cervantes in the news section of its exams website.

How will I know my results are out?

You don't need to check the website every day:

  • By email. The Cervantes notifies every candidate at the email address they gave when registering, with the grade certificate attached. Check your spam folder too.
  • In your private area on the Instituto Cervantes exams portal, logging in with your account. You can download your certificate there whenever you need it.

The certificate is electronically signed and carries a Código Seguro de Verificación (CSV, a secure verification code): a university, an employer or a public office can use it to check that your copy is genuine.

How do you read the DELE grade certificate?

This is where most people get confused, so let's take it slowly. The final grade can only be APTO (pass) or NO APTO (fail), but the certificate shows your score in each test, and that's what really gives you information.

From A1 to C1, the exam has four tests worth 25 points each, split into two groups:

  • Group 1: reading comprehension + written expression and interaction (50 points).
  • Group 2: listening comprehension + oral expression and interaction (50 points).

To get the APTO you need at least 30 points in each group. And the groups don't compensate each other. For example: if you get 18 in reading and 14 in writing, you have 32 in group 1 (passed). But if you get 12 in listening and 16 in speaking, you have 28 in group 2, and your overall result is NO APTO, even though you scored more than 60 points in total.

At C2 the exam has three tests, and you need at least 60% in each one of them.

If you want to understand what's assessed in each test, I explain it in how the DELE is graded.

I passed: when do I get my DELE diploma?

If you get the APTO, your diploma arrives in digital format, by email, together with your grade certificate. It's issued by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of Spain's Ministry of Education, and you can also download it from your personal area. And some good news: the DELE diploma doesn't expire.

Can I request a review of my DELE grade?

Yes. If you disagree with your grade, you can request a single review. Here's what you need to know:

  • Deadline: since the May 2026 session there's no common period for everyone. Each candidate has 30 days to purchase their review, counting from the day they received the email with their certificate.
  • Price: 60% of the exam fee (before discounts). With the 2026 fees in Spain, that's: A1, €67.20; A2, €82.80; B1, €103.80; B2, €122.40; C1, €135; C2, €144. It's refunded if your result changes from NO APTO to APTO.
  • What it includes: they check how the exam was run at your centre, verify your reading and listening answers, and a team of expert graders independently re-marks your writing and speaking (the speaking test, from the recording).
  • Answer: within three months at most from the close of the request period.
  • Careful: your grade can also go down. And they won't show you or give you back your exam.

My honest advice: a review makes sense if you fell just a few points short of 30 in a group and you feel one of the expression tests deserved more. If you're far from it, it's usually better to put that money and time into preparing well for the next session.

I failed the DELE: now what?

First, breathe. A NO APTO doesn't mean you don't know Spanish: it means that on that day, in that exam, you were short of points in one group. And your certificate tells you exactly where:

  • Check which group you failed: reading and writing, or listening and speaking?
  • Within that group, find the test with the lowest score. That's your weak spot.
  • Compare it with how you felt on exam day. Sometimes it matches and sometimes it's a surprise, and both give you information.
  • Prepare for the next session focusing on that test, while still practising the others in the real exam format.

You'll find the next sessions in DELE exam dates 2027, and registration, step by step, in how to register for the DELE.

Are the parts I passed kept if I fail?

No. The DELE doesn't carry over any test or group from one session to the next. If your result is NO APTO (fail), at the next session you have to sit all the tests again, even the ones you passed last time. And there's no free second attempt: you register again for a session that offers your level and pay the exam fee again. That's what the Instituto Cervantes' official FAQ says.

Don't confuse it with the CCSE for Spanish citizenship: there, each registration does include a second attempt if you fail or don't show up. With the DELE, it doesn't.

What to do while you wait for your results

  • Don't try to rebuild the exam in your head. It won't change your grade and it only feeds anxiety.
  • Don't compare yourself with people who sat the exam with you: every exam and every speaking test is different.
  • If you need the DELE for Spanish citizenship, university or a job, get the rest of your paperwork ready in the meantime.
  • If you're going for the next level (or want a plan B), start preparing now: don't wait for your results.

Frequently asked questions about DELE results

How long do DELE results take?

About two months from the written tests, and about three in the May and November sessions.

Where can I see my DELE results?

They arrive by email with the certificate attached, and they're also in your private area on the Instituto Cervantes exams portal.

What score do I need to pass the DELE?

From A1 to C1, at least 30 out of 50 points in each of the two groups (reading and writing; listening and speaking), which don't compensate each other. At C2, at least 60% in each of the three tests.

How much does a DELE grade review cost?

60% of the exam fee before discounts. It's refunded if the review changes your result from NO APTO to APTO.

Are the parts I passed kept if I fail the DELE?

No. If you get a NO APTO, at the next session you have to retake all the tests, including the ones you passed, and pay the registration fee again.

Does the DELE diploma expire?

No. The DELE diploma has no expiry date.

Will I get a paper diploma?

Your diploma arrives in digital format, by email, together with your grade certificate, and you can download it from your personal area.

In short

  • Results come out about two months after the exam, and about three in May and November.
  • They arrive by email and are in your private area on the Cervantes portal.
  • From A1 to C1 you need 30 out of 50 points in each group; at C2, 60% in each test.
  • If you pass, your digital diploma arrives in the same email.
  • A review must be requested within 30 days, costs 60% of the exam fee, and your grade can go up or down.

If you're waiting for your results and already thinking about the next session (just in case, or because you're going for the next level), my online courses by level prepare you task by task, from an examiner's point of view. If you're not sure about your level, start with the free level test. And if you'd like deadline reminders and resources before each session, join the newsletter 💌.

¡A por el DELE! 🇪🇸