Polish B2 exam: who needs it and how it differs from B1

Updated 3 November 2026

How B2 differs from B1: the short version

Higher pass mark: 60 % in each of the five parts instead of 50 %.
Longer written part: about 4 hours of working time instead of 3 h 10 min.
More writing: about 300 words per set instead of 200.
Stricter on language: in writing, range and accuracy give 30 of 40 points, against 20 of 30 at B1.

The structure is the same: Rozumienie ze słuchu, Rozumienie tekstów pisanych, Poprawność gramatyczna, Pisanie and Mówienie. We describe B1 preparation in detail in B1 in a month — most of that advice works for B2 too.

B1 and B2 side by side

What	B1	B2
Rozumienie ze słuchu	25 min	30 min
Rozumienie tekstów pisanych	45 min	60 min
Poprawność gramatyczna	45 min	60 min
Pisanie	75 min	90 min
Mówienie	about 15 min	about 15 min
Pass mark in each part	50 %	60 %
Writing: words per set	about 200	about 300
Writing: maximum points	30 (10 + 10 + 10)	40 (10 + 16 + 14)

Times and word counts follow past Commission exams; word counts allow ±10 %. Speaking times for B2 are a guide: check the exact values at certyfikatpolski.pl.

The 60 % pass mark: the key difference

The “pass mark in every part” rule works at B2 just as at B1: there is no average, and strong parts cannot carry a weak one. But the margin is smaller: at B1 you can get half of a part wrong, at B2 only 40 %.

So “understanding most of it” is not enough for B2. You need consistency: aim for at least 65–70 % in every part on B2 practice tests, so that nerves or an unfamiliar topic on the day do not push you below 60 %. If you fail, you retake the whole exam — see if you failed the exam.

Writing at B2: more words, stricter on language

As at B1, you choose one set of two topics — part a and part b — and write both texts. The total per set is fixed: about 300 words at B2. The short part-a text can be much longer than at B1 — between 30 and 150 words in past exams.

The three criteria are the same: wykonanie zadania, środki językowe and poprawność językowa. The weights differ: at B1 each criterion is worth 10 points, at B2 it is 10, 16 and 14. So at B2 two thirds of the writing score is for language: varied vocabulary, complex structures and accuracy. A simple correct text scores lower at B2 than at B1. For a worked example of marking by the criteria, see B1 writing sample.

What makes B2 harder in content

The CEFR describes B2 as the level where you understand the main ideas of complex texts, including on abstract topics, and can explain and support your point of view. In practice:

Texts: longer and denser, more opinion and journalism, fewer everyday notices.
Grammar: on top of B1 topics — confident use of participles, the passive voice, impersonal forms, reported speech and verbal nouns.
Register: you need to tell formal from informal style and keep to it in writing and in the dialogue.
Speaking: not only describing and narrating, but arguing, comparing options and disagreeing.

These topics are in our exercises: participles, passive voice, impersonal forms, reported speech, verbal nouns. The B1 topic list is in B1 grammar.

Who needs B2?

Citizenship and EU long-term resident card: the law requires at least B1, so B2 also works, but it is not required. Details in certificate for citizenship and resident card.
Future citizenship rules: the government is preparing a draft (UD491) that would require B2 for citizenship. It is only a draft, not law: B1 applies today.
Studying in Polish: many universities ask for B2, but each university or faculty sets its own requirement — check with them.
Work: the employer sets the level. If a job ad says B2, ask which certificates they accept.

B1 or B2: which one to take?

If you need the certificate for citizenship or a resident card and are applying in the coming months, take B1: it is enough and the pass mark is lower.
If you are applying later or a university requires B2, consider B2: a B2 certificate also meets today’s B1 requirement.
Not sure of your level? Take the B2 diagnostic test and one timed B2 test in each part. Consistently 65–70 % or more in every part — you can prepare for B2. Around 60 % or less in even one part — B1 is the safer choice.

If you fail B2, you do not get a B1 certificate instead: it is a separate exam. So “trying B2 just in case” is risky when any certificate of B1 or above would do.

When to take B2 and how much it costs

The next B2 sessions for adults: 6–7 March 2027, 24–25 April 2027 and 12–13 June 2027. At the 5–6 December 2026 session B2 runs only for children and teenagers; adults can take only B1 in December. Dates follow the Commission’s announcement of 29 October 2026 — check them at certyfikatpolski.pl.

You register through an exam centre. The centre must enter you into the Commission’s database at least one month before the exam, and its own deadline is usually earlier.

The fee cap is the same for B1 and B2: in 2026 it is at most €150, and the centre sets the exact price. From 1 January 2027 the cap for both levels is 7 % of the average wage, roughly 646 zł, and the certificate costs 100 zł. Details in 2027 changes.

How to prepare for B2

Start with the B2 exam page and the B2 level section: all parts and tests in one place.
Do timed tests in each part: listening, reading, grammar, writing, speaking. Aim for 65–70 % in every part.
Write full 300-word sets in 90 minutes and check yourself against the three criteria. At B2, pay special attention to varied vocabulary and linking words.
Two or three weeks before the session, take the full B2 mock exam and the B2 official Commission samples with the answer key.

B2 mock exam Take the diagnostic test All about the B2 exam

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Zdałem is an independent trainer, not affiliated with Państwowa Komisja. Rules change: before registering or filing documents, check certyfikatpolski.pl