Exam preparation
The DELF B2 junior and its school version, for teenagers: the same papers and value as the adult DELF, with topics suited to young people. Who can take it, how to register and how to prepare.
By Équipe DELF B2 · · 8 min read
The DELF B2 junior is the version of the DELF B2 designed for teenagers. It assesses the same level, with the same papers and the same marking as the adult DELF B2 (tout public), but its documents cover topics that interest young people. There is also a school version, run with schools. This guide explains who each version is for, how the papers work, how to register in France and abroad, and how to prepare.
The DELF junior/scolaire is an official diploma issued by the French Ministry of Education and run by France Éducation international. Like the adult DELF, it has four independent diplomas: A1, A2, B1 and B2. It is designed for teenagers, French or foreign, and its exercises cover only topics that interest them, for example school, hobbies, social media, the environment or city life.
The key point: the diploma has the same value as the adult DELF, and the exam version is not shown on the diploma. A DELF B2 earned at secondary school is exactly the same DELF B2 as an adult's. It is valid for life.
Both versions assess the same skills, with the same categories of topics. Only the setting changes.
France Éducation international does not set a precise age. Centres often state 12 to 18, such as the Institut français in the UK or the Alliance Française in Calgary. For younger children, the DELF Prim covers levels A1.1 to A2.
The format is identical to the adult DELF B2: three group papers and one individual paper with two examiners. The official DELF B2 junior/scolaire page gives the details:
| Paper | Length | Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | 30 min | / 25 |
| Reading | 1 h | / 25 |
| Writing (250 words minimum) | 1 h | / 25 |
| Speaking (talk then debate) | 20 min, after 30 min preparation | / 25 |
To pass, you need at least 50 points out of 100 and at least 5 out of 25 in each paper. A score below 5 in a single paper fails the whole exam. In writing, the argued text can be a letter, a forum post or an article; in speaking, the candidate defends a point of view, then debates with the examiner.
As with the adult exam, two formats of the comprehension papers are used in official sessions. The number of exercises and question types vary, but neither format advantages candidates.
In France, the DELF scolaire is for recently arrived pupils whose first language is not French, who have been in the French school system for less than four years and take French-as-a-second-language classes. Regional education authorities run two sessions a year in secondary schools, and registration is free for families. More than 36,000 pupils took it in 2024.
Note: this school session covers only levels A1, A2 and B1. For 2027, the official Bulletin officiel sets the papers on Tuesday 11 May and Thursday 3 June 2027. A secondary-school student aiming for B2 in France must therefore register for a junior or adult session at an approved centre, as an adult would. Our DELF B2 registration guide explains the steps.
Outside France there are two routes. If your school has an agreement, it registers its pupils for the school session. Otherwise, you register yourself for a junior session at the nearest Institut français or Alliance Française. Dates and fees depend on the centre. Two examples checked in October 2026:
Register early: deadlines often fall one to two months before the written papers, and places are limited at most centres.
Getting the DELF B2 before leaving school is a real advantage: the diploma is valid for life and, according to France Éducation international, it can make it easier to enter university in France, Europe or a French-speaking country, as well as some grandes écoles. B2 is indeed the level most French universities require. Taking it during secondary school, while you use French every day, saves you from preparing it later in a rush for an application.
To understand what this level means, read our post on the French B2 level, and our guide to the six DELF DALF levels to place B2 among the other diplomas.
Since the papers are the same, every DELF B2 resource applies. Only the topics change: practise on subjects that matter to teenagers, such as screens, school, sport or ecology.
Before registering, check your level with our free B2 level test, then practise with our DELF B2 tests in the exam format.
There is no ideal age, but there is a good moment: when the level is solid and the exam serves a goal. Many students take it at secondary school, one or two years before applying to university, so they have the diploma in hand for the application. Others take it earlier, after a stay or a year at a French-speaking school, to certify a level they have reached.
The smart move is to take a full mock exam three to four months before the target session. Above 60 points out of 100, registering is reasonable. Between 45 and 60, plan a few weeks of targeted preparation. Below that, aim for B1 first, then B2 the following year.
The centre sends a notice with the address, the time and often the date of the oral. On the day, the student brings the original of their ID and something to write with. The three group papers run back to back for 2 h 30, so a good night's sleep and a snack help. The oral takes place the same day or a few days later, depending on the centre.
Results usually arrive several weeks after the session. The centre first issues a certificate of achievement, which is enough for most applications, then the official diploma. Keep both safe and make copies: universities will ask for them later. If the result is not a pass, the marks for each paper show exactly what to work on before the next session. You can register again for a later session at the same centre or at another approved centre, in France or abroad.
For a teenager, the exam takes organisation: choosing a date, registering, preparing four papers on top of schoolwork. Parents can help find the centre and the deadlines, and plan the journey on the day of the written papers. The French teacher is best placed to judge the student's real level and recommend the right session.
At home, the most useful practice is simple: listen to the radio or watch videos in French, read one article a week and discuss it, and regularly write a 250-word argued text. These small daily habits matter far more than a whole textbook read in one go the night before the exam.
The DELF B2 junior is the same diploma as the adult DELF B2, with topics for teenagers and the same lifelong value. The DELF scolaire is the school-run version, but in France it stops at B1: for B2, register at an approved centre. Prepare for the DELF B2 junior as you would for the adult exam, with mock exams and a clear method for writing and speaking.
Yes. France Éducation international states that the junior/scolaire diploma has the same value as the adult (tout public) diploma, and the exam version is not shown on the diploma.
The papers and topics are the same. Only the setting changes: the DELF scolaire is run with schools, the DELF junior by an exam centre for teenagers who register individually.
No: in France the DELF scolaire is offered to pupils whose first language is not French at levels A1, A2 and B1. For B2, a teenager registers for a junior or adult session at an approved centre.
France Éducation international says "teenagers" without a fixed age. Centres often state 12 to 18; under 12, there is the DELF Prim (up to A2).
No. The format, timing and marking are identical to the adult exam. Only the topics of the documents are chosen to interest young people.
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