ECL, telc or the state exam – which B1 certificate to choose

Which certificate the office will accept – comparison

A document accepted in one matter is not always enough in another – so before you register for an exam, check what you will need the certificate for. We describe how the state exam works in the guide to the B1 exam.

The sign "–" means that this situation is not described in this overview – check it in the regulations for the given matter. You will find the detailed requirements in our guides to Polish for citizenship and EU long-term resident status.

Citizenship: only a state certificate or a school certificate

For recognition as a Polish citizen, the Polish Citizenship Act refers to the certificate issued under the Polish Language Act, that is, the State Commission certificate. ECL and telc certificates are not such a certificate. Since 1 July 2025 a post-secondary school certificate is not enough either.

If your goal is citizenship, the choice is therefore simple: you prepare for the state exam and register for one of the State Commission's sessions.

EU long-term resident: the choice is wider

For a residence permit for an EU long-term resident, confirmed knowledge of Polish at least at level B1 is required, and the list of documents is set by a regulation of the Minister of the Interior and Administration (the list). Besides the state certificate it includes, among others, ECL and telc.

Position after 30 June 2026: ECL, telc, the university certificate and the qualifications of a sworn translator are still on the list. Only the acceptance of post-secondary school certificates has expired – they were accepted only in proceedings initiated by 30 June 2026.

How to choose if your situation is more complicated

The most doubts are had by people who need resident status today and plan citizenship in a few years. A few questions will help you:

1. Will I submit a citizenship application within a few years? If so, the state certificate will save you a second exam.
2. When do I need the document? Check the nearest state exam sessions and compare them with the dates of the other exam you are considering.
3. How much does it cost? Check the fee limits for the state exam; the fees for ECL and telc are set by their organisers.
4. Where can I take it? Each exam has its own network of centres – check which one is available to you on the chosen date.

The task formats, duration and marking rules of ECL and telc are set by their organisers, so check them with the organiser before registering. The skills tested by all B1 exams – listening, reading, writing and speaking – are, however, the same.

Four typical situations – which certificate to choose

The same questions come back in different variants. Here are four situations that students come with most often:

I only need a residence permit for an EU long-term resident

Any document of at least B1 from the list is enough – state, ECL or telc. Choose the exam whose date and centre suit you best.

EU long-term resident status first, citizenship in a few years

Choose the state certificate. For resident status it will be accepted, and for citizenship you will not have to take a second exam.

Citizenship through marriage to a Polish citizen

The required period of residence is shorter (2 years), but the language requirement remains the same: a state certificate of at least B1 or an appropriate school certificate.

Permanent residence on the basis of the Karta Polaka, then citizenship

For the Karta Polaka itself B1 is not required – basic knowledge assessed in a conversation is enough. For a citizenship application (possible already after one year of permanent residence on this basis), however, you need a state certificate of at least B1 or a school certificate.

Preparation: what is common and what differs

At level B1 each of these exams tests coping independently in everyday life and at work: understanding an announcement or conversation, writing a letter, talking about your plans. The differences concern mainly the task format and marking. The state exam has a separate grammatical accuracy part and requires at least 50% of the points in each of the five parts.

That is why the order of preparation is similar: first a solid B1 level, then training in the format of the specific exam. In the B1 course the programme prepares you for the state exam, and the skills you gain will be useful in every exam on the list. At a trial lesson we will check how far you are from B1 and how quickly you can prepare.