DELE Exam Preparation Course | Official DELE Examination Center

Habla Ya Spanish Schools in Boquete and Bocas del Toro, Panama are both official accredited DELE Examination Centers in Latin America by the Cervantes Institute of Spain, the worldwide authority for teaching Spanish as a foreign language. You can prepare for the DELE Exam at any of our Spanish schools and also take the exam at either of them. The DELE Diploma is the most widely internationally recognized certification that qualifies levels of competence and command of the Spanish language. To start preparing for the DELE Test you first need to know your actual Spanish level: please submit your Placement Test here. For more information about how to prepare the DELE Spanish Exam check out the account of former Habla Ya student Ariana Lopes about how she prepared and passed the C2 DELE Test. At both of our Spanish schools you can also obtain college credit.

Official DELE Exam Authority and Organizer: Instituto Cervantes

What is the DELE?

DELE stands for "Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera". These diplomas are the only officially accredited qualifications issued by the Ministry of Education, Social Policies and Sports of Spain that are administered internationally and recognized worldwide by private companies, chambers of commerce and public and private educational systems and centers, such as Habla Ya Spanish School in Boquete.

Who is in Charge of the DELE?

The DELE Spanish Exams are issued by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Social Policies and Sports. The DELE Diplomas are the single most important official qualifications that provide accreditation for the different levels of competence and command of the Spanish language. The Instituto Cervantes is the official governmental organization who promotes the Spanish language and is in charge of the DELE Spanish language exams. The University of Salamanca collaborates with the Instituto Cervantes in the development of the examinations and in the marking of the examination papers.

New to the DELE Exams? Learn more about who can enter the tests for the Diplomas in Spanish, what are they useful for, how to obtain sample copies of the the DELE Test and much more by visiting official website of the Diplomas in Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE) of the Instituto Cervantes.

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DELE Test Examination Levels for the Six DELE Diplomas

DELE Examination Levels

There are six (6) levels at which you can take a DELE Spanish Test:

Each student should aim to obtain a specific DELE Diploma taking into account his Spanish level

Certificado Elemental / Elementary Level (A1) - 60 hours of Spanish studies: this diploma attests to sufficient linguistic ability for a very basic range of the most commonly simple expressions used in the Spanish-speaking world and in order to satisfy immediate needs of a concrete type.
View course syllabus for the A1 DELE here...
Diploma de Principiante / Beginner Level (A2) - 120 hours of Spanish studies: this diploma attests to sufficient linguistic ability for understanding a basic range of the commonly simple and immediate relevance of expressions used in the Spanish-speaking world (basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).
View course syllabus for the A2 DELE here...
DELE Inicial / Intermediate Level (B1) - 180 hours of Spanish studies: this diploma attests to sufficient linguistic ability for understanding and responding appropriately in most normal day-to-day situations and for expressing desires and needs in a basic way.
View course syllabus for the B1 DELE here...
DELE Intermedio / Advanced Level (B2) - 280 hours of Spanish studies: this diploma validates sufficient linguistic ability to get by in average day-to-day situations in normal communication circumstances, which do not require specialized use of the language.
View course syllabus for the B2 DELE here...
Certificado Proficiente / Proficient Level (C1) - 380 hours of Spanish studies: at this level, users are expected to be able to use the structures of a language with ease and fluency. Users are able to adapt their language use to a variety of social situations, and express opinions and take part in discussions and arguments in a culturally acceptable way.
View course syllabus for the C1 DELE here...
DELE Superior / Superior Level (C2) - 780 hours of Spanish studies: this diploma accredits the necessary linguistic competence to integrate in situations requiring an advanced use of the language and knowledge of the cultural customs embedded within it.
View course syllabus for the C2 DELE here...

Which DELE Exam should you take?

Be sure to take the DELE examination at the appropriate level for you. When you prepare for the DELE Spanish exam at Habla Ya Spanish Schools, we will tell you what is realistically achievable in the time frame that you have available to get ready for the DELE Test and we'll make sure that you get your DELE Diploma. As of today, every single candidate that has chosen us to prepare their DELE Test has succesfully passed it. Please complete and submit your Online Placement Test and we will tell you how much time you need to be ready to pass each DELE Spanish Test.

Habla Ya Panama Levels	DELE Diploma	CEF *
Survival I	Certificado Elemental - Elementary Level	A1, 60 hours (3 Weeks)
Survival II	Diploma de Principiante - Beginner Level	A2, 60 hours (3 Weeks)
Conversational I	DELE Inicial- Intermediate Level	B1, 60 hours (3 Weeks)
Conversational II	DELE Intermedio - Advanced Level	B2, 100 hours (5 Weeks)
Fluency I	Certificado Proficiente - Proficient Level	C1, 100 hours (5 Weeks)
Fluency II	DELE Superior Superior Level	C2, 400 hours (20 Weeks)

* The amount of hours listed is the average time of instruction needed to complete each level according to CEF.

Habla Ya: Levels at Habla Ya Spanish School
CEF: Common European Framework for Languages
DELE: Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera (the exams organised by the Instituto Cervantes to earn each DELE Diploma)

The first two exams (A1, A2) have four parts and the other four exams (B1, B2, C1 & C2) have five parts each. The main difference for each level is the difficulty and time available for each part. To pass each exam you have to pass each individual part. If you would like to know the exact contents for each level, please refer to our level system and course syllabus section.

The syllabus of our Spanish levels is built under the guidelines of the Common European Framework for Languages and because of this we know exactly how to help you improve each of the skills that you will need to face each part of each DELE exam. All our students hold an oral interview with our Academic Director and we ask them to complete and submit our Placement Test. In this way we know what you need to learn and in how much time you will learn it.

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2012 DELE Registration & Exam Dates, Examination Centers & Diploma Fees

When does the DELE take place?

The DELE Spanish Exam is arranged twice a year, in May and in November. In some places an additional DELE Spanish test is offered in August. The DELE Spanish Exam can be taken in nearly all major Spanish Universities and can also be taken in many countries abroad (including non Spanish speaking countries), such as in Panama with Habla Ya Spanish School Campus Boquete. Click here for specific examination dates.

How to Register for the DELE?

When you Sign Up & Register to prepare for the DELE Test at either of our Spanish Schools in Panama we will guide you throughout the entire process and make everything easy for you! If you have any questions before registering, please contact us!

To register for the test you will have to:

fill out a registration form provided by an approved DELE examination center (contact us to receive this form)
pay the fee for taking the exam (see fees below)
provide documentation to prove that you are not a citizen in a Spanish speaking country and hand in (or fax or email) all the required documentation to the approved examination center about two months before the examination date

Once you complete the above, you will be provided with documentation that you will have to show on the examination date.

Depending on your current Spanish level, and on the DELE Diploma you wish to obtain, preparation can take anything from 1 to 6 months.

Please submit your Placement Test to determine your current Spanish level and let us know which DELE Diploma you would like to get (if you are not sure, we can make a suggestion) and we will tell you how much time you will have to study for to be ready.

Preparation could start before or after registration for the actual exam depending on each individual case.

DELE Examination Dates and Registration Dates for 2012

Examination Dates	Registration Dates
May 25th and 26th	February 27th to April 20th *
August 24th (only B1, B2 and C1 Levels)	July 2nd to July 27th
November 9th and 10th	September 3rd to October 5th

* Specific start and end dates for registrations during February, March and April are country dependent. For a complete list of examination dates depending on specific countries please click here.

DELE Examination Fees in Panama for 2012

DELE Exam Level	A1 DELE	A2 DELE	B1 DELE	B2 DELE	C1 DELE	C2 DELE
Examination Fee *	$81	$100	$114	$136	$143	$152

* Prices are in U.S. Dollars. Rates above will depend on the current exchange rate of the Euro. Official registration requirements, exam prices by country, sample examination papers, official dates and examination centers can be looked up at the DELE's Official Website by the Cervantes Institute.

Habla Ya Spanish School Campus Boquete is an official DELE examination center in Panama. When students Sign Up & Register for a DELE Exam Preparation Course at either of our Spanish schools, we assist candidates so that they can present their DELE Test before leaving our country and we also advise on dates to start their Preparation Course in order to successfully pass it, as well as selecting the most convenient examination date for each applicant. We are more than willing to help you setup everything up, but you can also present the DELE Test when you return to your own country. We can also send you a list of examination centers near you but also feel free to contact the Spanish Embassy or Consulate within your country to seek the nearest examination center to you. Some students prepare for the DELE Exam Abroad at Habla Ya Spanish Schools, and then present the exam once they are back in their home country. Contact us and we will guide you, help you plan, prepare and pass the DELE Spanish Exam!

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Details for the DELE Exam Preparation Course

How will we prepare you for the DELE Exam?

The DELE Exam Preparation course at Habla Ya Spanish Schools is primarily offered through One to One Private Lessons taking 20 - 30 hours of private Spanish lessons per week.

Some students also join our Group 4 PLUS 2 Course (4 hours of group lessons + 2 hours or private lessons) and devote the extra hours of private lessons to prepare the DELE.

We asses each candidate's Spanish level through an Online Written Spanish Placement Test and an Oral Interview upon arrival. In this way we are able to determine which of the six DELE Exams you should take and how many hours of lessons in total (weeks) are required to achieve that level of proficiency.

Each DELE exam has five different parts, except the first two exams which each have four parts each. We will customize your DELE Exam Preparation Course to focus on those skills that you most need to work on, be it reading, writing, listening, grammar/vocabulary or speaking.

You can also prepare for the DELE Spanish Exam with Online Spanish lessons over video-conference. Special Online Courses and material to prepare for the DELE Spanish exam up to the B2 level (including the DELE Inicial and DELE Intermedio exams) are available. These courses provide practice for all papers, including models of written texts and compositions, videos of interviews of the oral section and useful tips for the exam. You can find more information about our Online Spanish Courses and our Online Spanish learning Platform here.

For more information about how to prepare the DELE Spanish Exam read the account of former Habla Ya student Ariana Lopes about how she prepared and passed the C2 DELE Test.

If you would like to work more time on improving your conversational skills, then you should consider signing up for our Group 4 PLUS course, and devote the extra hours of One to One Spanish Private Lessons to work on the rest of the skills necessary to get the DELE Diploma.

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Start Dates for DELE Exam Preparation Course at Habla Ya

As the DELE prepration course is given through private lessons the course can start almost whenever you want it to

When to start your DELE Preparation Course?

A DELE Exam Preparation Course can be arranged to start whenever you want to, but our advice is to start preparing for your DELE exam with at least 2 months of anticipation before your examination date, although this also depends on your specific Spanish level and on the specific DELE Cervantes Diploma you want to achieve.

Please submit your Placement Test before registering for the DELE exam and we will let you know your current Spanish level and help you decide which of the 6 DELE exams you should take and when you should take it.

Habla Ya Spanish School Campus Boquete is an Official DELE Examination Center in Panama. When students Sign Up & Register for a DELE Exam Preparation Course at either of our Spanish schools in Boquete or Bocas del Toro, we assist candidates so that they can present their DELE Test before leaving our country and we also advise on dates for them to start their Preparation Course in order to successfully pass it, as well as selecting the most convenient examination date for each applicant.

If we consider that there is not enough time to prepare for the DELE Test that you have already registered for we will unfortunately not be able accept your application for our DELE Exam Preparation Course.

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Course Rates for DELE Test Preparation Course

The cost for the DELE course is the same as any other course: you pay for each hour of class

From $11.50 - $15 p/hour for Private Lessons

The amount of hours you will end up purchasing is the exact amount of hours that you will need to prepare for your DELE Test and get your DELE Diploma. You can choose to have between 4 - 6 hours of One to One Spanish lessons per day.

You can also sign up for our Group 4 PLUS 1 or 2 course and devote the additional private lessons to your DELE studies.

When considering how many of hours to sign up for, take into account the specific level that you should complete in your DELE Preparation Course in order to successfully pass your DELE Test. In order to determine your current Spanish level, please submit your Placement Test.

For the first level test (DELE A1) you should study for 60 hours if you don't know any Spanish. The second DELE Test (DELE A2) requires 60 hours more of Spanish studies after the first level test (120 hours from not knowing any Spanish). The third DELE Test (DELE B1), requires an additional 60 hours of lessons (180 hours in total). The fourth DELE level (DELE B2) test requires an additional 100 hours after the third level test (280 hours in total). The fifth DELE Exam (DELE C1) requires an average of 380 hours in total (an additional 100 hours after the fourth level). And to prepare for the last DELE Test (DELE C2), and be considered just as a native, the average amount of hours needed is an additional 400 hours (780 hours in total). To have a clear idea about this you can consult the above table.

Rates to prepare for the DELE Exam through Private Spanish Lessons

	Amount of Weeks
Hours per week	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	each extra week
10	$195	$355	$515	$675	$835	$995	$1155	$1295	$1455	$1595	$1725	$1875	$155
15	$275	$515	$755	$995	$1225	$1455	$1655	$1875	$2075	$2275	$2435	$2625	$215
20	$355	$675	$995	$1295	$1595	$1875	$2135	$2395	$2625	$2875	$3095	$3375	$275
25	$435	$835	$1225	$1595	$1950	$2275	$2565	$2875	$3165	$3495	$3795	$4125	$335
30	$515	$995	$1455	$1875	$2275	$2625	$2975	$3375	$3755	$4125	$4525	$4875	$395

Rates to prepare for the DELE Test through our Group 4 PLUS Course

	Amount of Weeks
Type of Course	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	each extra week
Group 4 PLUS 1	$345	$655	$935	$1195	$1375	$1635	$1895	$2125	$2355	$2575	$2795	$3025	$250
Group 4 PLUS 2	$435	$795	$1155	$1475	$1755	$2075	$2395	$2695	$2995	$3275	$3525	$3795	$315

Prices are in U.S. Dollars. At Habla Ya we know that it's not easy to pay for something that you haven't seen, in a far distant country, miles and miles away: that is why you can PAY UPON ARRIVAL! No deposit required. But please remember to Sign Up & Register! Please note that there is no separate registration fee for our Spanish courses. Rates include: registration, level test, class materials and handouts, wifi internet connection at the school, certain cultural & social activities and access to all of the school's facilities. A textbook for your level is included when you sign up for at least 40 hours of lessons, and a course certificate is included when you sign up for at least 60 hours of lessons. Any of our six textbooks (for our six levels) can also be purchased for $10.

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Panamanian National Holidays

The DELE Exam Preparation Course can be arranged to start on any date except on public holidays. The following Panamanian national holidays are observed by our Spanish school.

2012
January	February	April	May	November	December
1 New Years Day 9 Martyrs Day	20 Monday Carnival 21 Tuesday Carnival	5 Holy Thursday 6 Holy Friday	1 Labor Day	3 Separation Day 4 Flag Day 10 Grito de la Villa 28 Separation Day	8 Mothers Day 24 - 25 Christmas Celebrations 31 New Years Eve