Polish Language Certificate Without an Exam — Who Qualifies After the 9 June 2026 Change
Not everyone has to sit the state exam to hold a certificate of Polish as a foreign language. If you completed a degree or secondary school in Poland, wrote a PhD in Polish or spent years in a Polish community school abroad, you can get the same state certificate on application. Since 9 June 2026 new rules apply: every document now carries a fixed level. Here is who qualifies, which level you get and how the application works — explained by a B1 exam specialist.
Short answer
The state certificate without an exam is available to people who completed a degree or a PhD in Polish at a Polish university, passed the matura at a Polish school, or finished a Polish-medium school abroad. Since 9 June 2026 (Act of 30 April 2026, Journal of Laws 2026 item 676) the level on the certificate depends on the document: C2 for a PhD, C1 for a master's degree, B2 for a bachelor's degree or the matura, B1 for Polish community schooling abroad. You apply through the NAWA system, the fee is the equivalent of 20 euro, and the decision takes about 120 days. A post-secondary school, postgraduate studies, language courses and TELC or ECL certificates do not qualify.
Who can get the certificate without an exam — and at which level
The certificate is issued by the State Commission for the Certification of Proficiency in Polish as a Foreign Language — the same body that runs the exams. The legal basis is Article 11a(4)(2) of the Polish Language Act. Since 9 June 2026 each category has a fixed level:
| What you have | Level on the certificate |
|---|---|
| PhD — dissertation written and defended in Polish at a Polish university | C2 |
| Second-cycle or long-cycle master's degree taught in Polish at a Polish university | C1 |
| First-cycle degree (bachelor's, engineer's) taught in Polish at a Polish university | B2 |
| Polish secondary school completed with the matura certificate (świadectwo dojrzałości) | B2 |
| Polish-medium school abroad whose school-leaving certificate includes a Polish language exam result | B2 |
| European School — European Baccalaureate with a result in Polish as a first language | B2 |
| Polish-medium school abroad without a Polish exam on the certificate (secondary education) | B1 |
| Polish lessons at a Polish community organisation abroad for at least 11 years (Saturday school, parish school, community school) | B1 |
For most foreigners living in Poland the first three rows matter: a PhD and university degrees. If you completed a degree programme taught in Polish at a Polish university, you are entitled to a C1 (master's) or B2 (bachelor's) certificate without an exam.
What changed on 9 June 2026
- The level depends on the document. Until now secondary-school graduates received a B1 certificate. A matura passed in Poland now gives B2. A PhD gives C2, a master's degree C1, a bachelor's degree B2, and the Polish-community routes without a Polish exam on the certificate — B1.
- Bachelor's and master's degrees are now separate. They map to two different levels: B2 and C1.
- A route for the Polish diaspora was added. At least 11 years of Polish lessons at a community organisation abroad, confirmed by a Polish consul, gives a B1 certificate.
- Applications submitted before 9 June 2026 are processed under the previous rules. The new rules apply to applications submitted on or after that date.
The change points the same way as the 30 June 2026 reform of residence and citizenship rules: the state wants the document proving your Polish to match real proficiency, and it is closing the shortcuts. Which permits require the certificate is covered in the guide to Polish language requirements for residence and citizenship.
Who does NOT get the certificate without an exam
This is the part that matters most to people asking about this route. The following do not give a certificate without an exam:
- post-secondary schools (szkoła policealna) and postgraduate studies — the Commission excludes them explicitly;
- degrees in Poland taught in English — what counts is the language of instruction, not the country of the university;
- degrees abroad, including Polish philology at a foreign university;
- language courses — language schools, university language classes, preparatory courses for foreigners, even with a certificate of level;
- TELC, ECL and other commercial exams — the Commission does not convert them into the state certificate;
- years of working or living in Poland — practical fluency is not a document.
If you are in one of these groups, there is exactly one way to the state certificate: passing the state certificate exam.
How to apply — step by step
- Create an account in the NAWA system. Applications for a certificate without an exam are submitted only electronically, through the IT system of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA). The Commission publishes a PDF guide on certyfikatpolski.pl.
- Attach a digital copy of one document: the PhD diploma, the degree diploma together with the diploma supplement, the school certificate, or the document confirming completion of Polish community schooling. Foreign documents — with a translation.
- The diaspora route needs more: a certificate from a Polish consul confirming at least 11 years of Polish lessons, the school certificates for those 11 years, and, if any are missing, a statement from the school head.
- Wait for the Commission's decision — about 120 days. The Commission decides at sessions held according to an annual schedule, so an application filed just after a session waits for the next one.
- Pay after the decision. The fee is the equivalent of 20 euro in Polish zloty. Payment details arrive by e-mail once the application is approved, not before. The Commission asks you not to send a payment confirmation.
- Receive the certificate — issued within 30 days of the payment being booked.
Count the time. From application to document in hand it realistically takes 5–6 months. If you need the certificate for a residence or citizenship application with a fixed date, apply to the Commission now — the process cannot be expedited.
Is this certificate enough for the immigration office?
Yes. A certificate issued without an exam is the same state document the Commission issues after a passed exam — same template, same legal force. It is accepted:
- for recognition as a Polish citizen (at least B1 required),
- for the EU long-term resident permit (at least B1 required),
- at universities and in recruitment wherever official proof of Polish is required.
Every no-exam route gives B1 or higher, so the level always meets the official requirement. One practical note: graduates of Polish universities often do not know they are entitled to the certificate and register for the B1 exam instead. That is wasted money and time — the diploma gives B2 or C1 without an exam.
Don't qualify? The exam remains — and it is doable
Most people who land on this page have neither a Polish degree nor a Polish matura. For them the way to the certificate is the state B1 exam. Three things worth knowing at the start:
- B1 is the first available level. There are no state exams at A1 or A2 for adults — the schedule covers B1, B2, C1 and C2.
- Five parts, at least 50% in each. Listening, reading, grammar, writing and speaking are scored separately. Excellent speaking cannot make up for weak writing.
- Next sessions: 5–6 December 2026 (registration opened on 5 October) and 6–7 February 2027. In big cities places run out within hours of registration opening.
The exam format, fees, public requirements and the typical traps are described in the complete guide to the Polish B1 state exam.
Prepare for B1 with a specialist
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Book a free intro callFrequently asked questions
Does a Polish university diploma replace the B1 exam?
Yes, if the programme was taught in Polish at a Polish university. A bachelor's or engineer's degree gives a B2 certificate, a master's degree gives C1. You simply apply to the Commission with the diploma and its supplement.
Is a certificate obtained without an exam enough for citizenship?
Yes. It is the same state certificate, accepted for recognition as a citizen and for the EU long-term resident permit. Every no-exam route gives at least B1, which is the level required there.
I applied before 9 June 2026. Which level will I get?
The one under the previous rules — the Commission processes such applications on the old basis. The new level assignment applies to applications submitted from 9 June 2026.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
The equivalent of 20 euro in zloty, payable only after a positive decision. About 120 days for the decision and up to 30 days for the certificate after the payment is booked.
I have a TELC B1 certificate. Will the Commission convert it into the state one?
No. Commercial certificates are not converted into the state certificate. TELC and ECL are accepted for the EU long-term resident permit, but not for citizenship — there you need the state certificate, either from the exam or from one of the routes described above.
Source: certyfikatpolski.pl (State Commission for the Certification of Proficiency in Polish as a Foreign Language), the Polish Language Act of 7 October 1999 as amended by the Act of 30 April 2026 (Journal of Laws 2026 item 676). Legal status as of 3 September 2026.