Polish B1 exam 2027: what changes from 1 January

Updated 3 November 2026

When do the changes take effect?

The act of 30 April 2026 (Dz.U. 2026 poz. 676) takes effect on 1 January 2027 (art. 13). The new levels for a certificate without an exam, based on a diploma or school certificate, have applied since 9 June 2026.

Checked on 2 November 2026 against the text of the act. Article numbers refer to the amended Polish Language Act; art. 3, 8 and 13 are articles of the amending act itself.

What changes: now and from 2027

What	Until 31.12.2026	From 1.01.2027
Adult group	from 18	from 16 (art. 11a ust. 3)
Fee cap, B1 and B2	€150	7% of the average wage, ≈ 646 zł*
Fee cap, C1	€180	9% of the average wage, ≈ 831 zł*
Certificate	€20	100 zł (art. 11a ust. 4c)
Re-marking the written part	21 days after the result	21 days, via NAWA, 20% of the cap, ≈ 129 zł for B1* (art. 11ha)
Registration	Commission database, via the centre	Commission database in the NAWA system (art. 11g ust. 2)

* A rough estimate — see below.

From what age can you take the exam?

There will be two groups (art. 11a ust. 3): candidates who have turned 16 on the exam day (A1–C2) and those who have not (A1–B2). At present the adult group starts at 18, and teenagers aged 14–17 have separate sessions.

How much will the B1 exam cost in 2027?

The exam centre still sets the price, but it may not exceed a percentage of the average wage for the third quarter of the previous year, as announced by the President of GUS (art. 11g ust. 5):

16+ group: A1–A2 — 6%, B1–B2 — 7%, C1–C2 — 9%;
under-16 group: A1–B2 — 4%.

For 2027 the basis is the Q3 2026 wage. As of 2 November GUS has not yet published it (it usually does so in November — see stat.gov.pl).

A rough estimate, not an official figure. Based on the Q2 2026 average wage (9,233.13 zł), the cap would be roughly 646 zł for B1 and B2 and roughly 831 zł for C1. The real cap will differ, and a centre may charge less. Ask your centre for the exact price.

A 100 zł certificate and a supplement with your percentage

The certificate comes with a supplement (suplement do certyfikatu, art. 11a ust. 4a) showing your result as a percentage, based on the points for the written and oral parts (art. 11h ust. 6). A supplement like this is already issued today (§ 28(2) of the regulation, Dz.U. 2025 poz. 217); now it is also written into the act. You pay 100 zł to the centre within 7 days of being told you passed (art. 11a ust. 4c). The Commission sends the certificates to the centre within 30 days of the centre transferring the fees (ust. 4d). So pay promptly — it decides when you get your certificate.

Can you challenge the mark for the written part?

Yes. Within 21 days of your result, apply to the Commission for your written paper to be re-marked, sending it to NAWA’s address (art. 11ha ust. 1). The fee is 20% of the maximum fee for that exam, paid in złoty to NAWA within 7 days (ust. 2) — roughly 129 zł for B1. It is re-marked by a Commission member or an expert who does not work at your centre (ust. 3, 5). You can also ask the centre to see your marked paper (art. 11c pkt 8).

What if you lose your certificate?

If it is lost or destroyed, you can get a duplicate: apply to the Commission via NAWA no later than 25 years after receiving the certificate; processing takes up to 60 days and the fee is 100 zł (art. 11a ust. 4b–4c, art. 11ab).

Registration in the NAWA system

The Commission’s candidate database runs on NAWA’s system (art. 11g ust. 2–2b), and your centre enters your data (ust. 3a). The registration procedure and deadlines will be set by a ministerial regulation (art. 11i) — keep an eye on certyfikatpolski.pl.

I’m taking the exam in March 2027. Which rules apply?

The transitional rule (art. 3): anyone entered in the database before 1 January 2027 sits the exam under the old rules. The registration date matters, not the exam date.

The 5–6 December 2026 session (B1) runs under the old rules, but registration has most likely closed or is closing now: centres enter candidates at least a month before the exam, i.e. by about 5 November.
The 6–7 March 2027 session (B1, B2): centre lists appear about 2 months ahead and entries are due at least a month before. Registration will most likely happen in 2027 — so the new fee cap, the 100 zł certificate and re-marking via NAWA.
If your centre is taking March bookings in 2026, ask when you will be entered in the database and which rules will apply to the fee and the certificate.

A certificate without an exam, based on a diploma

Such certificates were issued before too, but since 9 June 2026 new levels (art. 11a ust. 7) and a new lit. da in art. 11a ust. 4 have applied. The level depends on the document:

doctoral degree — C2; master’s degree — C1; bachelor’s degree — B2;
a Polish school or a school teaching in Polish — B2, including a school in another country issuing a certificate equivalent to the Polish matura (new lit. da);
certain forms of education abroad — B1.

Until the end of 2026 the fee is €20. From 2027 you apply via NAWA, the Commission decides within 60 days and the certificate costs 100 zł (art. 11aa ust. 1 and 8, art. 11a ust. 4c); earlier applications follow the old rules (art. 8). Check which diplomas qualify on certyfikatpolski.pl.

What stays the same

The exam has a written and an oral part (art. 11h ust. 3); the written part consists of modules: listening, reading, language structures and writing (ust. 4).
The act sets no pass marks. The format and pass rules (currently 50% for B1, 60% for B2 and C1 in each part) stay as they are unless the Commission announces otherwise.
The certificate does not expire; the 25 years apply only to applying for a duplicate.
This act does not change the requirements for citizenship and the karta rezydenta długoterminowego UE — see B1 for citizenship and the resident card.

How to prepare

The format is not changing, so you can start now. Zdałem, an independent trainer, has all five parts under timed conditions, writing assessed against the Commission’s criteria and speaking practice out loud. Start with the free diagnostic test: in about 10 minutes it shows your level and builds a plan up to your session.

Take the free diagnostic test B1 exam: sessions and registration

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