telc or the Polish state exam: which certificate do you need?

Legal position as of 18.10.2026.
For the EU long-term resident permit, either telc or the state certificate works — both at B1 or higher.
For studying in Polish, universities accept both too, usually from B2.
For Polish citizenship, telc is not accepted: you need the state certificate (at least B1) or a certificate from a school taught in Polish.
Details, the differences between the exams and the legal basis are below.

Short answer: what works for what

EU long-term resident permit — telc or the state exam, min. B1

The Act on Foreigners requires confirmed knowledge of Polish for this permit (art. 211 ust. 1 pkt 3 ustawy o cudzoziemcach). One accepted proof is a language certificate at B1 or higher from the list set by the Interior Ministry (MSWiA) regulation of 31 May 2023. The list includes:

• the Polish state language certificate,
• telc certificates,
• ECL certificates.

So since 24.06.2023 a telc certificate is accepted for the EU long-term resident permit (regulation, Dz.U. 2023 poz. 1076; Szczecin voivodeship office). Instead of a certificate you can also submit a certificate from a school in Poland taught in Polish, or a diploma from studies in Polish. A post-secondary school (szkoła policealna) certificate doesn't count.

In practice: if you only need the certificate for the resident permit, telc gives you more dates to choose from — different centres run it several times a month (telc dates and fees), while the state exam has a few sessions a year.

Studying in Polish — telc or the state exam, min. B2

Since 1 July 2025, applicants from outside the EU/EFTA admitted on foreign documents must prove knowledge of the language of instruction at B2 or higher. A science ministry regulation lists the accepted documents — for Polish, these include the state certificate, telc and ECL (MNiSW notice; list of documents).

Each university sets the details in its admission rules: the level can't be lower than B2, but it can be higher. Example: the University of Gdańsk lists telc among accepted certificates (UG, annex 3C). Check your university's and programme's requirements before you book an exam.

Polish citizenship — state exam only

To be recognised as a Polish citizen, you prove your Polish with the official (state) certificate at B1 or higher, a certificate from a school in Poland, or a certificate from a school abroad taught in Polish (art. 30 ust. 2 of the Act on Polish Citizenship). A post-secondary school certificate doesn't count. telc is not on this list, so it isn't enough for citizenship (Opole voivodeship office).

Draft amendments have been tabled in the Sejm (including a higher required language level), but as of 18.10.2026 the law requires B1. Check the current requirements with your voivodeship office before you apply.

We're also building a trainer for the state exam — coming soon. You can join the waitlist.

Karta Polaka

For the Karta Polaka, basic Polish is enough. The consul accepts, among others, a language certificate issued under the Polish Language Act (i.e. the state certificate) or a school or university certificate from Poland. If you don't have one, the consul assesses your Polish in a conversation. telc is not on the list of documents (gov.pl).

Work

The law doesn't name one certificate for all employers. If an employer asks for proof of your level, ask which document they expect: telc and the state exam both certify your level on the same scale (CEFR).

How the exams differ

Most changes to the state exam rules take effect on 1 January 2027: separate age groups (split at 16), a certificate with a supplement, more candidates per exam. The exam will still have a written and an oral part (NAWA; act, Dz.U. 2026 poz. 676).

How to choose: three questions

1. Are you planning to apply for citizenship? Then take the state exam. The state certificate also works for the resident permit, so one exam covers both.
2. Do you need the certificate only for the resident permit or for studies? Either works. Then dates and city decide: telc runs more often, the state exam is usually cheaper.
3. Not sure whether to aim for B1 or B2? With telc you don't have to choose — your result shows the level. For the state exam you pick the level in advance, so it's worth finding out where you are first.