The DELF and DALF diplomas are the official French proficiency certifications from France’s Ministry of Education, and each one certifies a single CEFR level. This converter totals your four component marks, applies the official pass rules, and tells you exactly which CEFR level a passing result represents.
How it works
Every level is marked out of 100, divided into four equally weighted components of 25 marks: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. There are two conditions to pass. First, your total must reach at least 50 out of 100. Second, and easy to overlook, you must score at least 5 out of 25 on every single component. A strong total cannot rescue a component below the 5-point floor, so the tool checks both rules and tells you which, if either, you missed.
The CEFR mapping is fixed rather than calculated. DELF certifies the lower four levels (A1, A2, B1, B2) and DALF the top two (C1, C2). Passing the diploma for a level is itself the proof of that CEFR level, which is why institutions accept the diploma name directly.
The two-rule pass system in detail
Many candidates focus only on the total and miss the component minimum. The scoring works like this:
| Check | Threshold | Effect of failing |
|---|---|---|
| Overall total | At least 50 out of 100 | Fail regardless of component scores |
| Each component | At least 5 out of 25 | Fail even if total is above 50 |
Both rules must be satisfied simultaneously. The component minimum exists to ensure genuine competence across all four skills — you cannot graduate DELF B2 while being unable to produce coherent written French.
What each DELF/DALF level means in practice
| Diploma | CEFR Level | Practical description |
|---|---|---|
| DELF A1 | A1 Beginner | Basic phrases, simple interaction |
| DELF A2 | A2 Elementary | Routine tasks, familiar topics |
| DELF B1 | B1 Intermediate | Manages most travel and daily situations |
| DELF B2 | B2 Upper-Intermediate | Independent user; understands complex texts |
| DALF C1 | C1 Advanced | Fluent, flexible, nuanced expression |
| DALF C2 | C2 Mastery | Near-native precision and comprehension |
DELF B2 is the most commonly required level for university admission in France and for many French-taught programmes worldwide. DALF C1 is typically requested for postgraduate study or professional accreditation in French-speaking countries.
The 5-point trap — a worked example
Suppose you sit DELF B2 and score 22 in reading, 20 in listening, 4 in writing, and 18 in speaking. Your total is 64, comfortably over 50, yet you fail — writing is below the 5-point minimum. This is the most common way candidates are surprised by a fail, and it happens disproportionately in writing and speaking where nerves and exam conditions matter most.
To avoid this: track your practice scores per skill, not just your total. If any component is trending below 8 out of 25 in practice, treat it as a risk and give it deliberate focus in the weeks before the exam. The gap between 5 and 8 is your safety margin.
Lifetime validity
Unlike IELTS or TOEFL — which expire after two years — a passed DELF or DALF diploma is valid for life. There is no need to re-sit the exam for renewal. Some institutions have their own policies requesting a recent result, but the diploma itself has no expiry built into it. This permanence makes passing it a one-time investment in a recognised credential.