A state certificate in Polish at level B1 or above, obtained by passing an exam, can be used both for EU long-term residence and for recognition as a Polish citizen. TELC and ECL can be used for EU long-term residence. However, they do not replace a state certificate for recognition as a Polish citizen.
An exam is not always necessary. A document confirming graduation from a qualifying school or university may also prove your knowledge of Polish. Check the type of document and the language of instruction. For a post-secondary school, also check when you graduated and when the proceedings began.
The legislation and information about exam providers were checked on 12 October 2026.
EU long-term residence and citizenship: different language requirements
First, establish which procedure you need the document for. The list of acceptable evidence is broader for EU long-term residence than for recognition as a Polish citizen.
- EU long-term residence: the language requirements are set out in Article 211(1)(3) and (3) of the Foreigners Act. The list of acceptable evidence is supplemented by the Regulation of the Minister of the Interior and Administration of 31 May 2023. This permit is separate from a permanent residence permit.
- Recognition as a Polish citizen by the voivode: Article 30(2) of the Polish Citizenship Act refers to the official certification under Article 11a of the Polish Language Act or a qualifying school graduation document. This is a different procedure from the granting of citizenship by the President of Poland.
Legal basis: Article 211 of the Foreigners Act and Article 30 of the Polish Citizenship Act. This guide covers the language requirement. A certificate alone does not replace the other requirements of the relevant procedure.
Which B1 certificates are accepted in 2026?
| Exam or document | EU long-term residence | Recognition as a Polish citizen |
|---|---|---|
| State B1 certificate obtained by passing an exam | Yes | Yes |
| State B2, C1 or C2 certificate obtained by passing an exam | Yes | Yes |
| TELC B1/B2 Dual with a confirmed result of at least B1 | Yes | No |
| ECL certificate in Polish at B1 or above | Yes | No |
| B1 statement from a university meeting the conditions of the Regulation | Yes, subject to the conditions explained below | Not as a standalone equivalent of a state certificate |
The document and the confirmed result matter, rather than the name of the course. Simply attending classes or taking an exam is not enough. For TELC B1/B2 Dual, the result must confirm that you achieved at least B1.
State certificate: one exam for both procedures
If you plan to apply for EU long-term residence first and recognition as a Polish citizen later, the state B1 exam provides a document that can be used in both cases. You do not need to choose the more difficult B2 exam for this reason. The minimum required level is B1.
The exam is conducted by an authorised centre. The official certificate is issued by the State Commission for the Certification of Proficiency in Polish as a Foreign Language (Państwowa Komisja do spraw Poświadczania Znajomości Języka Polskiego jako Obcego).
The state certificate rows refer to documents obtained by passing an exam. A state certificate can also be obtained without an exam on the basis of graduation from a qualifying school or university. In that case, check whether the basis on which it was issued allows you to use it in your procedure. We explain this in the FAQ below.
TELC, ECL and university statements for EU long-term residence
TELC and ECL are listed in the annex to the Regulation of the Minister of the Interior and Administration of 31 May 2023, Journal of Laws, item 1076. The certificate must cover Polish at level B1 or above. This list applies to EU long-term residence, rather than recognition as a Polish citizen.
The Regulation also allows a statement issued by a university after passing classes or completing another form of education in Polish as a foreign language. All three conditions must be met:
- the issuer is a university approved to admit foreign nationals under Article 144(4) of the Foreigners Act, or a university exempt from this requirement which has not been prohibited from admitting foreign nationals;
- the document confirms proficiency in Polish at level B1 or above under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages;
- the statement was issued after passing the classes or completing the specified form of education.
A statement from just any language school does not meet these requirements.
When can school graduation replace the B1 exam?
A graduation certificate from a school with Polish as the language of instruction may be an alternative to the exam. For EU long-term residence, the Act allows a school in Poland, excluding a post-secondary school (szkoła policealna). This may be a primary school, a former lower secondary school (gimnazjum) or basic vocational school, a first- or second-stage sectoral vocational school, a technical secondary school (technikum) or a general secondary school (liceum), including adult schools.
You need a school graduation certificate. Attending classes, completing one school year, a vocational course or a vocational qualification diploma does not replace this document. If the certificate does not specify the language of instruction, obtain an additional statement from the school.
For recognition as a Polish citizen, Article 30(2) lists a graduation certificate from a school in Poland and a graduation certificate from a school abroad with Polish as the language of instruction. The authorities also require evidence of the language of instruction. A Polish address alone is not enough to assess the document.
Graduation from a school abroad may also be relevant for EU long-term residence. The school must teach in Polish and correspond to a school specified in Polish legislation, excluding an equivalent of a post-secondary school. A translation of the document and confirmation of the type of institution may be required.
Is a university degree taught in Polish sufficient?
For EU long-term residence, Article 211(3) expressly provides for this option. It covers university studies in Poland and studies taught in Polish at a qualifying university abroad. If the diploma does not specify the language, attach a diploma supplement or a statement from the university.
A programme taught entirely in English does not meet this condition simply because the university is located in Poland.
For recognition as a Polish citizen, the provision refers to a “school graduation certificate” and does not list a university diploma separately. However, university graduation documents are accepted in administrative practice. For example, the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Office states that the language of instruction and examinations must be confirmed, for example by a diploma supplement.
Prepare your diploma, supplement and, if necessary, a statement confirming the language of your studies and examinations. Check the requirements of the competent voivode, especially if your programme was taught in several languages. Not every diploma from a Polish university automatically replaces a certificate.
Post-secondary schools, residence and citizenship in 2026
For a new application submitted from 1 July 2026, a post-secondary school graduation certificate alone does not prove the required language level. This applies to both procedures, including where the school was completed before the legislation changed.
An exception may apply to older cases. The Act of 4 April 2025, Journal of Laws, item 622 links it to the graduation date and the date on which the proceedings began. Check which period applies to your case:
1. Proceedings initiated before 1 July 2025
If the proceedings had been initiated and had not been concluded by a final administrative decision by 30 June 2025, the previous provisions apply to the extent specified in the amendment. For citizenship, this follows from Article 15(1), and for EU long-term residence from Article 30(1).
A later decision date does not, in itself, deprive the document of its relevance.
2. Proceedings initiated from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026
A certificate confirming graduation from a post-secondary school by 30 June 2025 could still prove language proficiency in proceedings initiated during this period. The legal basis is Article 15(2) for citizenship and Article 30(2) for EU long-term residence.
For EU long-term residence, Article 30(3) also covers graduation by that date from a school abroad equivalent to a post-secondary school, with Polish as the language of instruction. A decision issued after 30 June 2026 does not, in itself, exclude these transitional provisions.
3. New applications from 1 July 2026
You need another acceptable document, such as a qualifying certificate or a graduation certificate from another type of school. An earlier post-secondary school graduation date is not enough.
Illustrative example: you graduated from a post-secondary school in May 2025. The certificate could be relevant in proceedings initiated in May 2026. On its own, it is insufficient for a new application submitted in October 2026.
Can you obtain a B1 certificate after applying for EU long-term residence?
There are arguments for submitting the certificate during the proceedings. However, the authorities are not obliged to wait for a planned exam.
Article 211(1) links the required period of residence to the time before the application is submitted. It contains no equivalent restriction on when the language document must be obtained. This supports assessing a certificate submitted before the decision is made.
This argument is supported by the duties to investigate the case, collect evidence and assess it under Articles 7, 77 § 1 and 80 of the Code of Administrative Procedure. This is an interpretation of the legislation, with no guarantee of the outcome. We do not present it as an issue conclusively settled by the Supreme Administrative Court (NSA).
Submitting a previously obtained certificate and only passing the exam during the proceedings are different situations. The authority may issue a decision before you obtain the document and refuse your application if you have not demonstrated that you meet the language requirement.
- do not assume that the time before a decision will be enough to study, take the exam and receive the certificate;
- respond to requests from the authorities and comply with the deadlines set;
- once you receive the document, submit it to your case file promptly.
Where can you take the B1 exam in Gdańsk and Pomerania?
- State B1 exam: University of Gdańsk, Akademia Języka Polskiego and Akademia Vitas in Gdańsk, and Pomeranian University in Słupsk.
- TELC: the University of Gdańsk and Akademia Języka Polskiego in Gdańsk, and OPEN MIND in Słupsk.
FAQ - Polish B1 exam, EU long-term residence and citizenship
Is TELC B1 enough for recognition as a Polish citizen?
No. A TELC certificate alone does not establish that you meet the language requirement for recognition as a Polish citizen. You need another acceptable document, such as a state certificate at B1 or above obtained by passing an exam. See the comparison of accepted documents.
Is TELC B1 accepted for EU long-term residence?
Yes. The TELC certificate must cover Polish and confirm a level of at least B1. For TELC B1/B2 Dual, the result achieved matters, rather than simply taking the exam. The legal basis is the Regulation of the Minister of the Interior and Administration of 31 May 2023.
Is ECL B1 accepted for EU long-term residence?
Yes. An ECL certificate in Polish at B1 or above is on the list of acceptable evidence for EU long-term residence. However, it does not replace the official certification required for recognition as a Polish citizen.
Does graduating from a vocational school exempt you from the B1 exam?
A graduation certificate from a qualifying vocational school, sectoral vocational school or technical secondary school may prove your knowledge of Polish if it meets the statutory conditions concerning the school and the language of instruction. A vocational course or a vocational qualification diploma alone is not enough. We explain the requirements for both procedures in the section on school graduation.
Can a university degree taught in Polish replace a B1 certificate?
For EU long-term residence, a degree from a programme taught in Polish is provided for in the Act. For recognition as a Polish citizen, such documents are accepted in administrative practice; the authorities may require a supplement or a statement confirming the language of studies and examinations. Simply studying in Poland, for example entirely in English, is not enough. Check the detailed requirements for university diplomas.
Is a post-secondary school certificate sufficient for a new application in 2026?
For a new EU long-term residence or recognition as a Polish citizen application submitted from 1 July 2026, a post-secondary school graduation certificate alone does not prove the required language level. This also applies if you graduated before the legislation changed. For older proceedings, check the dates and transitional provisions.
Does a child need to take the B1 exam?
For EU long-term residence, a child who is under 16 on the application date does not need to prove knowledge of Polish. For recognition as a Polish citizen, a separate application concerning the child is possible when a parent already holds Polish citizenship (including following its restoration) and the child is still a foreign national. The child’s legal representatives submit the application. In this procedure, the child does not need to prove B1 proficiency. However, the child must reside in Poland on the basis of a permanent residence permit, an EU long-term residence permit or the right of permanent residence. The legislation also requires the consent of the other parent if that parent does not hold Polish citizenship. This is separate from a child being covered by their parent’s recognition as a citizen. Being under 16 does not provide a general exemption in recognition as a citizen proceedings. Legal basis: Article 7, Article 30(1)(4) and (5) and (2), and Article 32(1).
Can you pass the B1 exam after applying for EU long-term residence?
There are arguments for taking into account a certificate obtained and submitted during the proceedings, but this is an interpretation of the legislation with no guarantee of the outcome. The authorities are not obliged to wait for the exam and may refuse the application if you do not demonstrate that you meet the language requirement before the decision. See the explanation of submitting the certificate later.
Does a TELC preparation course provide a certificate?
A preparation course itself is not a TELC exam. Before enrolling, check whether the offer includes the exam, what result the document confirms and who issues it. Do not confuse a course attendance statement with a language certificate.
What should I check if I already have a state certificate obtained without an exam?
Check which school or university qualification formed the basis for the certificate. Not every document obtained without an exam is governed by the same rules. For example, Article 13 of the Act of 4 April 2025 concerns certain certificates issued on the basis of school graduation and possession of a matura certificate. It links their use for recognition as a Polish citizen to proceedings initiated from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. The dates of the certificate application, its issue and the start of citizenship proceedings therefore also matter when assessing the document.
How should you start preparing your documents?
- Choose the procedure: EU long-term residence or recognition as a Polish citizen. Do not use the document checklist for one procedure in place of the other.
- Check what you already have: a language certificate, school certificate or university diploma. Identify the issuer, the confirmed level or the language of instruction. Obtain a supplement or a statement if necessary.
- Check exceptions and dates: especially for a post-secondary school or a certificate issued without an exam. For ongoing proceedings, also check requests from the authorities and deadlines.
- If you need an exam, choose the right one: if you are considering both procedures, consider the state B1 exam. Confirm the type of exam and session availability before enrolling.