DADIC Diplomas
Instituto Cervantes teaching accreditation diplomas (DADIC) are valid indefinitely and enjoy broad national and international recognition; furthermore, they are backed by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.
There are three DADIC diplomas from the Instituto Cervantes:
- Autonomous DADIC. It certifies that the holder possesses the basic competencies required to professionally teach Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE) for general purposes.
- Expert DADIC. AIt certifies that the teacher holding it can effectively carry out their teaching duties in various Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE) teaching and learning contexts, actively participating in the institution where they work.
- Trainer DADIC. It certifies that the holder is able to plan, develop, analyze, and adjust actions for the training and professional development of teachers or future teachers of Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE).
The Autonomous DADIC diploma
The Autonomous DADIC is a diploma that certifies that the teacher has acquired the basic skills for the professional practice of the teaching Spanish as a foreign language (ELE) for general purposes.
The teacher who has obtained this diploma:
- Can take responsibility for her own group without the need of a tutor or supervisor.
- Is autonomous in making decisions related to the management of the language teaching, learning and assessment process.
- Is able to apply the techniques and models learned during her training.
- Has the criteria to adapt her teaching style to different contexts.
- Is able to critically review her own performance and improve it.
The Autonomous DADIC is aimed at all persons over 18 interested in certifying the professional teaching competence described above. Non-Spanish-speaking candidates must have accredited, at least, a B2 level of Spanish, through a DELE diploma or SIELE Global certificate.
In any case, candidates for the Autonomous DADIC exam are recommended to:
- be in possession of a University degree
- have basic training and minimal experience in teaching Spanish or other foreign languages; and
- for non-Spanish-speaking candidates, have accredited a C1 level of Spanish proficiency.
The Autonomous DADIC exam
- Upcoming exam dates: July and October 2026
- Enrolment: Interested candidates must register by writing to acsyd@cervantes.es at least three weeks before the expected day of the exam..
- Fee: 969.00AU$
To obtain the Autonomous DADIC Diploma, it is mandatory to pass two examination tests. The exam has the following structure:
| TEST | TASK | GOAL | DURATION | SCORE (MAX) | SCORE (MIN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching performance with students | Delivery of a class session by the candidate | Assess the candidate's teaching competence |
60 minutes | 60 points | 30 points |
| Pause | That the candidate thinks and links her performance with the theory | 30 minutes minimum |
|||
| Interview with two examiners | Analysis of the teaching performance | Assess the candidate's reflective competence and potential development | 30 minutes | 40 points | 20 points |
| OVERALL SCORE OF THE EXAM | 100 POINTS | 50 POINTS |
| TEST | Teaching performance with students |
|---|---|
| TASK | Delivery of a class session by the candidate |
| GOAL | Assess the candidate's teaching competence |
| DURATION | 60 minutes |
| SCORE (MAX) | 60 points |
| SCORE (MIN) | 30 points |
| TEST | Pause |
| TASK | |
| GOAL | That the candidate thinks and links her performance with the theory |
| DURATION | 30 minutes minimum |
| SCORE (MAX) | |
| SCORE (MIN) | |
| TEST | Interview with two examiners |
| TASK | Analysis of the teaching performance |
| GOAL | Assess the candidate's reflective competence and potential development |
| DURATION | 30 minutes |
| SCORE (MAX) | 40 points |
| SCORE (MIN) | 20 points |
| TEST | OVERALL SCORE OF THE EXAM |
| TASK | |
| GOAL | |
| DURATION | |
| SCORE (MAX) | 100 POINTS |
| SCORE (MIN) | 50 POINTS |
Preparation resources (in Spanish):
- Capacidades y acciones clave del profesor de lenguas en fase inicial de desarrollo (pdf), which describes the skills and actions of the teacher that will be evaluated in the Autonomous DADIC exam;
- Las especificaciones del examen DADIC autónomo (pdf);
- La Guía del examen DADIC Autónomo (pdf). The guide includes a description of the structure of the exam and the tests that comprise it, the grading scales of the two tests (teaching performance and interview with the candidate) and the grading system.