DELF B2 in Morocco: the complete guide, from registration to exam day

The DELF B2 is an official diploma in French as a foreign language, awarded by the French Ministry of Education and run by France Éducation international, and it is valid for life. In Morocco you sit it through the Institut français network (for Tiznit and the Souss, the nearest centre is in Agadir). There are four papers, each marked out of 25: you need at least 50/100 overall and no less than 5/25 in any single paper.

It is also one of the certificates Campus France Morocco accepts. This guide covers the exact format, how it differs from the TCF, and a week-by-week preparation plan.

What exactly is the DELF B2?

The CEFR splits language ability into six levels: A1 and A2 (basic user), B1 and B2 (independent user), C1 and C2 (proficient user). The DELF covers A1 to B2, the DALF covers C1 and C2.

Each diploma stands on its own, so you can register straight for B2. The tout public version is for ages 16 and over, the junior version for 12 to 17 year olds at school, and Campus France Morocco states that both carry the same value.

In practical terms, B2 means you can:

• defend an opinion with arguments and examples;
• weigh up the pros and cons of a solution;
• follow a lecture and take notes.

So reading French well is not enough: the exam also asks you to write an argued text and to debate out loud in front of examiners.

The DELF B2 exam format

The exam has three group papers taken back to back (2 hours 30 minutes in total), and one individual paper in front of two examiners.

To pass, you need at least 50/100. A mark below 5/25 in any one paper means you fail, even if your total is above 50: your weakest paper matters as much as your average.

Since the reform that began in 2020, the comprehension papers use multiple-choice questions. In listening, long recordings are played twice and short ones once. Practise on the official sample papers from France Éducation international, which follow the current format.

Results come out within two months at most, with a provisional certificate first and then the official diploma.

Where and how to take the DELF B2 in Morocco

The DELF and DALF are run by the Institut français du Maroc network: Agadir, Casablanca, El Jadida, Essaouira, Fès, Kénitra, Marrakech, Meknès, Oujda, Rabat, Tangier and Tétouan. There is no centre in Tiznit: for candidates from the province and the south of Souss-Massa, the nearest is the Institut français in Agadir, in the Talborjt district.

1. Check the session calendar before you build your study plan: dates, fees and registration deadlines change every session.
2. Register online or at the front desk. If you qualify for a reduced fee (the Institut offers one, for example, to students on its courses), you register in person.
3. On the day, arrive 30 minutes early with your ID, your exam notice and a black or blue pen.

Up-to-date details are on the Institut français d'Agadir certifications page.

DELF B2 and studying in France: what Campus France asks for

To apply through Campus France Morocco (the Études en France platform), a French language certificate is compulsory unless you are exempt: TCF tout public, DELF B2 or DALF C1/C2. Campus France Morocco recommends a DELF B2, a DALF or a TCF score of at least 400 points to cope properly with studies in France.

Be careful: having studied in French is not enough on its own. The official list of exemptions mainly covers holders of a French, Belgian or European baccalaureate, and it states that students from the international sections, French option, are not exempt. Even if you are exempt, a university can still ask for a certificate: check your case on the Campus France Morocco exemptions page.

Three useful nuances:

• For a first-year licence (bachelor's) or an architecture school, which go through the demande d'admission préalable, the TCF version used is the TCF DAP; DELF B2 holders are exempt from it.
• Some programmes, particularly master's degrees, ask for C1.
• For a programme taught entirely in English, an English test is what counts: see our comparison of IELTS and TOEFL in Morocco.

While you wait for results, the exam notice or payment receipt is accepted when you submit your file. These rules can change, so reread the Campus France Morocco certification page in the year you apply. And if your plans are not settled yet, start with our article on career guidance after the bac in Morocco.

DELF or TCF: which one should you take?

The DELF is a diploma: you pass or you do not. The TCF is a test: you cannot fail it, you get a level from A1 to C2, with a certificate valid for two years.

Go for the DELF B2 if your level is already stable and you want proof that never expires. The TCF suits you better if you are not sure you will reach B2, or if you are applying once in the short term. The risk with the DELF: below 50/100, or below 5/25 in one paper, no diploma.

How to prepare for the DELF B2: an 8 to 12 week plan

This plan assumes a solid B1. If not, stretch the phases rather than sitting the exam too early.

Start with a diagnosis

Do a full official sample paper, timed and without a dictionary. Mark the comprehension sections with the answer key, then ask someone at an advanced level to assess your writing and speaking. Your weakest paper sets your priorities, because that is where the risk of an eliminating mark lies.

The week-by-week plan

On 8 weeks, squeeze phases 2 to 4; on 12, lengthen phase 3. Aim for 45 to 60 minutes a day rather than one long weekend session: testing yourself sticks better than rereading (Roediger and Karpicke, 2006), and spaced sessions beat a single block (Cepeda et al., 2006). See also our effective study methods.

Listening

Read the questions before the recording starts, then work out who is speaking, what position they hold and in what tone. Jot down key words and figures, not sentences. Listen to a little French radio or a podcast every day, at normal speed.

Reading

Split your time across the exercises and never get stuck on one question. Practise on editorials and opinion pieces from the French-language press, Moroccan or French: you have to separate facts from the writer's view.

Writing

You are asked to argue a point of view: a contribution to a debate, a formal letter, a review article, a report. The marking grid looks in particular at whether you followed the instructions (type of text, reader, at least 250 words), the register, the argument and coherence.

A simple method: ten minutes of planning, an introduction that sets out the issue and your position, two or three paragraphs with one argument and one example each, a concession, a conclusion, then ten minutes of checking.

Speaking

You draw two topics and choose one, each built on a short prompt document. After 30 minutes of preparation, the sustained monologue lasts around 5 to 7 minutes: theme, central question, announced plan, and your view backed by examples. Then the examiner pushes back in a debate where you have to qualify, concede and defend your position.

Practise against a timer, and do not write out your monologue: a plan and key words are enough, or you will end up reading instead of speaking.

Common mistakes among Moroccan candidates

These mistakes come up often with candidates schooled in Morocco:

• An essay instead of an argument: a memorised opening ("De nos jours..."), then a list of ideas with no clear position.
• The wrong register: "tu" in a formal letter, missing polite formulas.
• Repeated linking words: "par contre" or "en plus" everywhere, and hardly any concession ("certes... mais", "bien que", "même si").
• Endless sentences strung together with "et", sometimes modelled on Arabic or darija.
• Under-practised speaking: many candidates read French well but rarely speak it, and the monologue turns into reading notes aloud.
• Ignoring the word count: under 250 words, the instructions are not met and it costs marks.

If you would rather have support, ApexLingua, the language programme at ApexTiz in Tiznit, prepares learners for the DELF and DALF on the real exam format: a short placement test, plenty of speaking corrected out loud, in groups of 15 at most or one-to-one, on site or by video. ApexTiz is not an exam centre: you still sit the DELF at the Institut français. If you are self-disciplined, the official papers and this plan may be all you need. See our foreign languages programme.

Frequently asked questions

Is the DELF B2 valid for life?

Yes. DELF and DALF diplomas are valid for life and recognised worldwide, whereas a TCF certificate is only valid for two years.

How long does it take to prepare for the DELF B2?

From a solid B1, 8 to 12 weeks at around an hour a day is a realistic timeframe. Below that, allow several months to consolidate the basics first.

Can you take the DELF B2 without the B1?

Yes. Each DELF diploma is independent. Do an official sample paper under real conditions first to check that B2 is the right level for you.

Is the DELF B2 enough for Campus France?

Yes, Campus France Morocco accepts it just like the TCF tout public or the DALF, and it exempts you from the TCF DAP for a first-year licence. Each institution can still ask for more, sometimes C1 for a master's.

What happens if you fail the DELF B2?

You do not get the diploma, but you can register again for a later session. Find the paper that cost you the most marks and focus your preparation there.