DELE A2 and CCSE in Spain – learning Spanish, the citizenship tests and the regional languages
Last updated 25 September 2026Rules checked every MondayOfficial sourcesSources & methodology →
Spanish citizenship by residence depends on two exams: the DELE A2 language diploma and the CCSE test on the Constitution and Spanish society. Here is who must take them, what they cost in 2026, when the last sessions of the year are, and where to learn Spanish, Catalan or Basque for little money.
If you are working towards Spanish citizenship, you will usually need the DELE A2 and the CCSE, and the calendar is tight this autumn. Registration for the 13 November 2026 DELE session – the last in 2026 that offers A2 – closes on 30 September. The CCSE runs on 29 October (register by 8 October) and 26 November (register by 5 November). And from the 2026-27 course year, the Basque Country offers up to four years of Basque classes, to B1, for a single payment of €120.
Both exams are designed and run by the Instituto Cervantes. This part covers the tests and where to learn the languages; part 15 covers the citizenship application itself.
Do you need the DELE A2 and CCSE for Spanish citizenship?
In most cases, yes. Under Ley 19/2015, you prove your integration by passing two tests: a Spanish-language exam – the DELE diploma at level A2 or higher – and the CCSE, on the Constitution and on Spanish society and culture. You also need legal, continuous residence immediately before you apply, for a period set by the Código Civil (Civil Code).
| Your situation | Legal residence needed |
|---|---|
| General rule | 10 years |
| Recognised refugee | 5 years |
| National of origin of an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal; Sephardic Jews | 2 years |
| Born in Spain, or married to a Spanish citizen for one year, among other cases | 1 year |
Source: Código Civil (Civil Code), read 23 September 2026.
The Ministry of Justice currently lists the application fee at €104.05. Take the exams in good time: the CCSE certificate stays valid for nationality applications for four years from issue.
Who is exempt from the DELE A2 and CCSE?
| Group | DELE A2 | CCSE |
|---|---|---|
| Nationals of countries where Spanish is an official language | Exempt | Required |
| Holders of the Spanish ESO (compulsory secondary) graduate title | Exempt | Exempt |
| Applicants under 18 | Exempt | Exempt |
| People whose legal capacity has been modified by a court | Exempt | Exempt |
| People who cannot read or write | Adapted oral test only, after a partial dispensation | Ask the Ministry of Justice for a dispensation |
Source: Ley 19/2015, Real Decreto 1004/2015 and Instituto Cervantes, read 23 September 2026.
The countries whose nationals skip the DELE are Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Equatorial Guinea, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela. The adapted DELE A2 is held only at exam centres in Spain, and passing it gives a certificate valid for nationality rather than a DELE diploma.
DELE A2 and CCSE in 2026: dates, fees and format
| Detail | DELE A2 | CCSE |
|---|---|---|
| Fee for exams in Spain | €138 | €85, covering up to two attempts |
| Remaining 2026 sessions | Friday 13 November (Saturday 17 October: registration closed) | 29 October and 26 November (24 September: registration closed) |
| Registration deadline | 30 September 2026 | 8 October and 5 November 2026 |
| Registration for 2027 opens | 18 November | 23 November 2026 |
| Good to know | Refund on request within 14 calendar days of registering | Results about 20 days after the test |
Source: Instituto Cervantes, read 23 September 2026.
What the CCSE looks like
The CCSE has 25 multiple-choice or true/false questions in five tasks and lasts 45 minutes. You pass with 15 correct answers (60 per cent), and wrong answers are not penalised. Of the questions, 60 per cent cover government, legislation and citizen participation; the other 40 per cent cover Spanish culture, history, society and everyday life, including administrative procedures. It is written in contemporary peninsular Spanish and held only in Spain. You register and pay online by card after creating an account on the Instituto Cervantes exams website. You must be over 16, and nationality applicants must register with their NIE (foreigner identity number).
Which languages are official in each region of Spain?
Castilian (Spanish) is the official language of the whole State, and the Constitution gives every Spaniard the duty to know it. Spain's other languages are also official in their own autonomous communities under their Statutes of Autonomy. In Catalonia, for example, Catalan is the language normally used by the public administration.
| Region | Official alongside Castilian | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Catalonia (Barcelona) | Catalan; also Occitan, called Aranese in the Val d'Aran | Catalan is normally the language of teaching |
| Comunitat Valenciana (Valencia) | Valencian | Everyone has the right to be taught Valencian and in Valencian |
| Balearic Islands | Catalan | The islands' own language |
| Basque Country | Basque (euskera) | All inhabitants have the right to know and use both languages |
| Navarre | Basque, only in the Basque-speaking areas | Castilian is the official language of the region |
| Galicia | Galician | Galicia's own language |
Source: Spanish Constitution and the Statutes of Autonomy, read 23 September 2026.
Where can you learn Spanish – or a regional language – for little money?
Start with the public system. In the Comunidad de Madrid, the Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas (EOI, official language schools) teach Spanish as a foreign language – one of 21 languages on offer – face to face, blended or at a distance, from A2 to C2, generally from age 16. For 2026-27, applications for regular courses closed on 22 June and for the academic and professional Spanish courses on 11 September; classes run from 8 September 2026 to 25 June 2027. External candidates can also sit the EOI certificate exams, generally registering in April for exams in June.
| Where | Course | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Comunidad de Madrid – EOI | Spanish as a foreign language, A2 to C2 | €222 or €250 a course, depending on length; 50 % off for general-category large families |
| Comunidad de Madrid – EOI | Certificate exam for external candidates | €75 plus a €19 administrative fee |
| Catalonia – Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística (CPNL), 2026-27 | Catalan, Inicial (A1) and Bàsic (A2) | Free |
| Catalonia – CPNL, 2026-27 | Catalan, Elemental (B1) to Superior (C2) | €68 (B1), €141 (B2), €262.67 (C1), €245.50 (C2); 50 % and 70 % reductions exist |
| Basque Country – HABE, network of 106 euskaltegis | Basque, beginner to B1, with the Euskara Bonua | €120 once, for up to four years |
Source: Comunidad de Madrid, CPNL and HABE (Basque Government), read 23 September 2026.
HABE also points newcomers to AISA, a programme for people who have just arrived in the Basque Country. If you have applied for or been granted international protection and live in the state reception system, language and literacy classes can be part of your reception phase, under Real Decreto 220/2022. For Galician, ask the Xunta de Galicia (regional government) about courses.
What to do now
| Step | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check your residence period and whether you are exempt from either test | Now |
| 2 | Create an account on the Instituto Cervantes exams website and register for the DELE A2 on 13 November | By 30 September 2026 |
| 3 | Register for the CCSE with your NIE | By 8 October (29 October session) or 5 November (26 November session) |
| 4 | If you miss these, plan for 2027 | Registration opens 18 November (DELE) and 23 November 2026 (CCSE) |
| 5 | Enrol on a public course: an EOI in Madrid, the CPNL in Catalonia or a euskaltegi in the Basque Country | Check each provider's calendar – Madrid's EOI windows for 2026-27 have closed |
| 6 | Keep your CCSE certificate for the application | Valid for four years from issue |
Source: Instituto Cervantes and Comunidad de Madrid, read 23 September 2026.
Official sources
The official pages this guide is based on, read 23 September 2026. Links open the authority’s own website.
- BOE – Ley 19/2015, disposición final séptima · boe.es
- BOE – Código Civil, art. 22 · boe.es
- Instituto Cervantes – Precio de la prueba CCSE · examenes.cervantes.es
- Instituto Cervantes – Cómo es la prueba CCSE · examenes.cervantes.es
- Instituto Cervantes – Cuándo es la prueba CCSE · examenes.cervantes.es
- Instituto Cervantes – Cómo inscribirse / A quién se dirige (CCSE) · examenes.cervantes.es
- Instituto Cervantes – Calificaciones de la prueba CCSE · examenes.cervantes.es
- Instituto Cervantes – A quién se dirige (CCSE and DELE pages) · examenes.cervantes.es
- Instituto Cervantes – Tabla de precios DELE 2026 (PDF) · examenes.cervantes.es
- Instituto Cervantes – Cuándo es el DELE · examenes.cervantes.es
- Instituto Cervantes – A quién se dirigen los DELE · examenes.cervantes.es
- BOE – Constitución Española, art. 3 · boe.es
- BOE – Estatuto de Autonomía de Cataluña (LO 6/2006), art. 6.1–6.2 · boe.es
- BOE – Estatuto de Autonomía del País Vasco (LO 3/1979), art. 6 · boe.es
- BOE – LORAFNA (LO 13/1982), art. 9 · boe.es
- BOE – Estatuto de Autonomía de Galicia (LO 1/1981), art. 5 · boe.es
- BOE – Estatuto de Autonomía de la Comunitat Valenciana, art. 6 · boe.es
- BOE – Estatuto de Autonomía de las Illes Balears (LO 1/2007), art. 4 · boe.es
- Comunidad de Madrid – Enseñanzas de Idiomas (EOI) ( · comunidad.madrid
- CPNL – Preus dels cursos de català 2026-2027 · cpnl.cat
- HABE (Basque Government) – news of 10 September 2026 · habe.euskadi.eus
- BOE – Real Decreto 220/2022 (Reglamento del sistema de acogida de protección internacional), art. 19 · boe.es
Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice for your individual situation. Check with the authority named above before you act – rules change, and your case may differ.