Where to Take the Polish B1 Exam: Centres and Sessions

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We deliberately do not copy session dates into this article: they change, and an outdated date is worse than none.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

• Price. The law sets only a maximum — €150 for adult B1 — and each centre sets its own fee (exam fees). Compare a few.
• 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.
• Special arrangements. If you need extra time or another adjustment, say so when you register and attach medical documents; one centre asks for this at least a month in advance (candidates with special needs).

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.

Next step

Picked a centre? Move on to registration and fees, step by step. If the session is still a while away, start with the exam format.