Language Proficiency Tests for French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch Universities

How local-language proof works

When a European degree is taught in the local language, the university asks you to prove your level — usually expressed as a CEFR level (A1 to C2) — with an accepted official certificate. Each country has its own recognised exams.

This guide covers the non-German, non-French tests: Italian, Spanish and Dutch. The French DELF, DALF and TCF and the German tests are covered in their own guides. The decisive detail in every case is which certificate your specific programme accepts and at what level — always confirm on the official admission page.

Italian — CILS, CELI and PLIDA

Italy recognises several official Italian-as-a-foreign-language certifications. The main ones are CILS (run by the University for Foreigners of Siena), CELI (University for Foreigners of Perugia) and PLIDA (the Dante Alighieri Society). Each reports results on the CEFR scale.

Italian universities state which certificate(s) they accept and the level required for local-language programmes. Verify the accepted certification and level for your course on the university's official page and on the test provider's site.

• CILS — University for Foreigners of Siena
• CELI — University for Foreigners of Perugia
• PLIDA — Dante Alighieri Society
• All report results on the CEFR scale

Spanish — DELE and SIELE

For Spanish, the two best-known official certificates are the DELE (Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera), awarded by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of Spain's Ministry of Education, and SIELE (Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española), a multi-level electronic test. Both map to CEFR levels.

Note that some Spanish regions use a co-official language (such as Catalan, Galician or Basque) alongside Castilian Spanish; a programme there may reference that language too. Confirm the accepted certificate and level on the university's official admission page.

• DELE — official diplomas (Instituto Cervantes, on behalf of the Ministry of Education)
• SIELE — multi-level electronic Spanish test
• Both report results against CEFR levels
• Some regions also use a co-official language

Dutch — NT2 and CNaVT

For Dutch-taught study in the Netherlands (and Flanders), the Staatsexamen NT2 (the state exam in Dutch as a second language) is the standard proof for higher education, with Programma II being the level typically associated with university study. The CNaVT (Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal) is another recognised certificate, offered at several CEFR-linked profiles.

Which exam and level a Dutch-taught programme requires is set by the university. Check the official admission page and the test provider for the current requirement.

• Staatsexamen NT2 — the Dutch state second-language exam
• NT2 Programma II is generally the higher-education level
• CNaVT — recognised certificate at several CEFR-linked profiles
• University sets the exact exam and level required

Choosing and booking the right test

Work backwards from your target programme: read its admission page, note the required CEFR level and the exact certificate(s) it accepts, then book that test directly with the official provider. Booking the wrong country's or wrong level's exam wastes time and money.

Processing times, sittings and fees vary by provider and location, and requirements change between intakes. Verify everything on the official test and university sites before you register — and treat any figure you remember as something to re-check.

• Read the programme's required CEFR level first
• Note exactly which certificate(s) it accepts
• Book directly with the official test provider
• Re-check sittings, fees and validity for the current intake