STATE COMMITTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF POLISH LANGUAGE AS A FOREIGN ONE – HOW TO GET IT?

Probably, every entrant, who is going to study at Polish university and on Polish program, is aware with the fact that it is important to know Polish language. Both public and private universities in Poland require the confirmation of knowing the language at certain level.

Usually, private universities accept any certificate which shows that a candidate had finished a Polish language course. As for the public universities, they are more demanding, because they accept only certificates of B1-B2 levels, and which were issued by the State Certificate Committee. Although you speak Polish very well, but do not have a certificate, in order to check your knowledge of language, university can arrange its own exam or an interview on Skype.

So, how does this certificate look like and how to get the certificate of Polish language as foreign one, issued by the State Certificate Committee?

In order to get the certificate, you need to pass the exam organized by the State Certificate Committee. Państwowy egzamin certyfikatowy z języka polskiego jako obcego (State certificated exam from Polish language as a foreign one) is held to determine the competence of knowing the Polish language. The exam is independent from the organizations which educated the candidates, educational programs, materials and methods of education. Notice that only this certificate is recognized in Poland and in the whole world; with it you will easily enter any Polish university.

For the first time state certificated exam from Polish language as foreign one was held in Poland and other countries in 2004. This exam is organized at least 3 times per year: in spring, summer, and autumn. The exam is held in different countries, such as Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, USA, and others. Any foreigner could take this exam, no matter where and how he/she was learning Polish.

Exam has 3 levels:
• Intermediate (В1),
• Upper-intermediate (В2),
• Mastery (С2).

These skills are evaluated during the exam:
• Listening;
• Grammar;
• Writing;
• Reading;
• Oral speech.

Exam is consisting of two parts: written and oral. Both parts could be on one day, or first one could be on one day and second part next day. The written part lasts 225 minutes and includes 4 tasks: listening, grammar, reading, and writing. Oral part mainly consists of 2-3 tasks, namely, to describe some situations, and to tell own opinion. For all tasks candidate can get 200 points. In order to pass the exam, you need to pass 60% from each part.

This exam is requiring payment. The cost of taking the exam for B1 level is 60 EUR, for B2 is 80 EUR, and for C2 is 100 EUR. Also, if you have passed the exam, you need to pay for the certificate. The cost of certificate is 20 EUR.

We would like to inform you that the exam from Polish language as foreign one is not easy, and if you decided do take it, you must treat it seriously, because in case you do not pass the exam, the retake could be only after 1 year.