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Definition

DELF and DALF, explained

Two names, one ladder. Between them they cover all six CEFR levels, and unlike a test result, what you earn does not expire.

Checked August 8, 2026

DELF / DALF, in one paragraph

The DELF and the DALF are official French-language diplomas awarded by the French Ministry of Education. The DELF covers A1 to B2 as four separate diplomas and the DALF covers C1 and C2. You choose a level, sit that exam, and the diploma you pass is valid for life.

The short version

Awarded by
The French Ministry of Education, with France Éducation international running the exams.
Diplomas
DELF A1, A2, B1 and B2, then DALF C1 and C2. Each is independent of the others.
Validity
For life. France Éducation international states the diploma is valid without a time limit.
Passing
50 out of 100 across four papers of 25 points each, with a minimum of 5 out of 25 on each paper.
Papers
Three group papers, listening, reading and writing, plus an individual speaking paper in front of two examiners.

What they are

Official diplomas, harmonized on the levels of the Council of Europe's framework and recognized worldwide. They are aimed at adults and older teenagers who want their French recognized for personal or professional reasons, and there are Prim, junior and school versions whose tasks use themes suited to younger candidates.

DELF or DALF

They are not competing options: they are two halves of the same ladder. The DELF covers the first four levels, A1 through B2. The DALF picks up at C1 and C2. Comparing them is like comparing the lower and upper halves of a staircase, which is why this page covers both rather than pitting them against each other.

How an exam is built

Every level has four papers, each marked out of 25, giving a total out of 100. You need 50 to pass, and a mark below 5 on any single paper eliminates you regardless of the total. At B2 the papers are listening in 30 minutes, reading in one hour, writing in one hour and 20 minutes of speaking after 30 minutes of preparation. At C1 they are listening in 40 minutes, reading in 50 minutes, writing in two and a half hours, and 30 minutes of speaking after an hour of preparation.

Why people take them

Because the proof is permanent and widely understood. France Éducation international states the DELF B2 gives access to French nationality, and that the DELF B2, and increasingly the DALF C1, give access to French, European and francophone universities and to some grandes écoles. Depending on the level, it also strengthens a CV for work in a French-speaking company.

How they differ from the TCF

The TCF is a test: one sitting, six possible levels, a result that expires after two years and no pass mark. A DELF or DALF is a diploma: you commit to a level, you pass or you do not, and what you pass is yours for life. Which one you need is decided by the procedure or the institution asking, not by which is better.

Sources

Everything above is what the organization behind the term publishes about it, read on the date shown. None of it is our interpretation.

Questions people actually ask

Which level should I register for?

The one you can actually pass, since choosing the level is part of the exam. If you are unsure between two, the safer move is to check your current level first and register for the one below your ceiling rather than gamble on the higher paper.

Does a DELF or DALF expire?

No. France Éducation international states the diploma is valid for life. An institution can still ask for recent evidence of your level, which is a different thing from the diploma expiring.

Which one do I need for French nationality?

France Éducation international states the DELF B2 gives access to French nationality. What a specific procedure requires in a given year is set by that procedure, so read its own wording before you register.

Will a DELF get me into a French university?

France Éducation international states the DELF B2, and increasingly the DALF C1, open the door to French, European and francophone universities and some grandes écoles. The establishment sets its own requirement, so check its admissions page for your program.

Where does the free Fennec360 exam fit in?

It gives you a CEFR level in French in about 50 minutes, free, which is a cheap way to see which DELF level is realistic before you register for one. It is not a diploma and does not replace one.

Not sure which level you are at yet?

Take a free CEFR exam and find out. About 50 minutes, four languages, no appointment and no card.

Take the free exam

Our exam gives you a CEFR level and a certificate anyone can verify. It does not replace any official exam.