Polish B1 Exam Registration and Fees, Step by Step

How much the B1 exam costs

Each centre sets its own fee, but the law caps it (Opłaty za egzamin):

On top of that, the Commission charges the złoty equivalent of €20 for issuing the certificate. Formally the centre pays it for each candidate who passes (Commission FAQ), so some centres include it in the price and others ask you to pay it separately. Check your centre’s terms.

Who runs the exam

The exams are set by the State Commission for the Certification of Proficiency in Polish as a Foreign Language (Państwowa Komisja, certyfikatpolski.pl). It approves the sessions, sends out the papers and issues the certificates. The exam itself is held by accredited centres (ośrodki egzaminacyjne), which take registrations and payments and run the exam day (certyfikatpolski.pl).

Our school does not run the exams or register candidates — we prepare people for them. That is why this article relies on official sources only.

Sessions: how often, and where to find the timetable

Sessions take place several times a year, at weekends. The Commission publishes the next year’s timetable in advance, usually about three months before the first exam of the year (Commission FAQ). For 2027, 5 sessions have been announced, with adult B1 at every one (checked on 12 October 2026).

We deliberately do not copy session dates into this article: they change, and an outdated date is worse than none. The current timetable is always here: session dates on certyfikatpolski.pl.

Where to find the list of centres

Before every session, the Commission publishes a list of centres (Lista ośrodków), about 2 months before the exam. That is also when centres open registration. For each centre the list gives the city, the levels and a registration link (Rejestracja na egzamin).

The list is drawn up anew for every session. A centre that ran the spring session may skip the autumn one, and centres occasionally withdraw from a session already announced — the Commission posts a notice when that happens. Always open the latest list.

Warsaw has by far the most centres, followed by Poznań, Kraków, Łódź, Lublin, Wrocław and Szczecin.

How to choose a centre

• When the speaking part is held. The written part is on one day; centres schedule the speaking part themselves, on the same or the next day. If you are travelling far, ask whether you can do everything in one visit — some centres allow it on request.
• Cancellation and refunds. Each centre has its own rules. One university, for example, refunds in full if you cancel 33 or more days ahead, 60% at 21–32 days and nothing later (Uniwersytet Rzeszowski rules); another centre does not refund at all. Read the rules before paying.
• ID on the day. You need photo ID, and some centres ask for more — Politechnika Białostocka, for instance, asks for a passport and a second photo ID.

When registration opens

Registration opens no earlier than 2 months before the exam, when the Commission publishes the list of centres for that session (Rejestracja na egzamin). Each centre sets its own registration and payment deadlines. Session dates are on certyfikatpolski.pl; how to choose a centre is above. Every session and when the centres open registration: our B1 exam calendar.

Five steps to register

1. Choose a session. Look at the timetable and count the weeks you have for preparation. If the exam is under two months away and you are still at A2, a later session is the honest choice.
2. Open the latest list of centres and pick one. The registration link is in the list.
3. Fill in the centre’s form. Enter your details exactly as in your passport, in Latin letters: they go onto the certificate, and you are responsible for getting them right (e.g. Uniwersytet Rzeszowski rules). If you need special arrangements (extra time, large print), say so now and attach medical documents (candidates with special needs).
4. Pay on time. The centre gives its bank details and deadline — sometimes only a couple of days after your form is accepted, and your place counts only once the money arrives. The sender usually pays the transfer fees.
5. Wait for the confirmation. Before the exam, the centre e-mails the address, times and details of the speaking part. Keep it, and check which documents to bring.

Common registration mistakes

• Waiting for a convenient moment. Popular centres fill up in the first days.
• A typo in your name or date of birth. Correcting a certificate later is much harder.
• Missing the payment deadline. An unpaid form usually does not count as a registration.
• Registering with no time to spare. The certificate does not arrive straight away — if you need it by a set date, read about results and the certificate.

Can I take the exam abroad?

Sometimes, but there are few centres abroad and they do not take part in every session: the latest list had 1 (Görlitz (KoKoPol), Germany). Most candidates take the exam in Poland.

After registering: time to prepare

Registration usually leaves you about two months. Use them on your weakest module, and read what happens on exam day so nothing surprises you.