B1 exam results and collecting your certificate

From the exam to the certificate – timeline

The path from the exam to the certificate has several stages, and their deadlines come from the regulation on the exams. You will find general information about the exam in the guide to the B1 exam.

In practice, then, you usually get information about your result soon after the exam, and you wait longer for the certificate itself. It is worth asking at registration how the centre passes on results and certificates (in person, by post, by e-mail) – see what else to ask the centre.

What is on the certificate and in the supplement

The certificate of proficiency in Polish is issued by the State Commission. It contains your first name(s) and surname, date of birth, proficiency level, number, place and date of issue, and the signature of the chair. The document is printed on security paper, with, among other things, a watermark and elements visible in UV light.

The supplement to the certificate gives the exam result as a percentage – overall and separately for each part:

• listening comprehension,
• grammatical accuracy,
• reading comprehension,
• written production,
• oral production.

The supplement is useful when you want to show detailed results, for example to a university or an employer. In official matters, such as citizenship or EU long-term resident status, what counts is the level confirmed by the certificate.

How to read the result in the supplement

The supplement shows a percentage for each part, so it is worth reading not only to check whether you passed the exam. The results also tell you what to work on next – for example before the B2 exam.

Such a result means a passed B1 exam, but also a clear hint: before you register for B2, work on grammar and writing. Read how to prepare for B2.

Viewing your paper and re-assessment

If the result surprised you, you can view a copy of your exam paper. You submit the request at the centre that organised the exam, within 21 days of receiving information about the result – the centre is obliged to let you see the copy.

The Polish Language Act also provides for the written part to be checked again by the State Commission. You submit the request to the Commission within 21 days of receiving information about the result, and the fee for considering it is 20 € (or the equivalent in zlotys). The Commission assesses the paper again according to the same scoring rules and informs you of the result. Check the current way of submitting the request on certyfikatpolski.pl.

If you do not pass – what next

A failed exam is most often a problem with one part, not the whole level – at B1 you have to pass each of the five parts with at least 50%. Before you register again, read the results in the information from the centre and plan your study around the weakest part.

1. Find the part below the threshold. If it was grammar, start with our overview of exam grammar; if writing – with the guide to writing.
2. View your paper. Looking at a copy of your paper will show where you lost points – e.g. whether the essay was too short or did not answer the prompt.
3. Choose the next session with a margin. Sessions with level B1 are held five times a year – check the upcoming dates.
4. Test yourself before retaking. A mock exam with a teacher's assessment will show whether the weaker part is already above the threshold – then you can go into the session with more peace of mind.

Changes from 2027

From 1 January 2027, you pay the centre 100 zł for issuing the certificate after a passed exam. The request for the written part to be checked again is then submitted through NAWA, and the fee is 20% of the fee limit for the given exam. If the certificate is destroyed or lost, you also submit the request for a duplicate through NAWA (fee 100 zł). See all the changes to the exam.