B1 certificate examination for individuals applying for Polish citizenship

Source: http://certyfikatpolski.pl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=103:opaty&catid=1:aktualnosci&Itemid=143&lang=en

Polish Citizenship Act, as published in the Journal of Laws of 2012, item 161, has introduced the requirement that individuals applying for Polish citizenship should have their knowledge of Polish certified. A certificate issued by the State Commission for the Certification of Proficiency in Polish as a Foreign Language and awarded as a result of passing a certificate examination is a document attesting the level of proficiency in Polish.

State Commission conducts examinations at the following levels of proficiency (according to CEFR): Threshold (B1), Vantage (B2) and Mastery (C2).

Individuals applying for the award of Polish citizenship are required to hold acertificate issued as a result of passing a B1 examination in Polish.

State certificate examinations in Polish as a foreign language are designed to determine competences in Polish regardless of the materials and methods with the use of which a candidate has learnt Polish. Proficiency in Polish is determined as the ability to understand contemporary Polish in speaking and writing and the ability to use Polish in speaking and writing.

In order to pass the examination you need to obtain at least 24 points out of the maximum of 40 points in each of the five elements of the examination:

A. Listening Comprehension

B. Grammar in Use

C. Reading Comprehension

D. Writing

E. Speaking

It often happens so that candidates have difficulties with obtaining the sufficient number of points for writing and listening comprehension. The latter skill requires divisibility of attention and mastering the techniques of quick reacting and listening at the same time. Therefore, before taking the examination, you should become acquainted with information posted in: How to Prepare for the Examination section, and most of all in theSample Tests section. Revision tasks posted on the website are suggested to individuals who have no experience in solving language tests. When preparing for the examination, it is recommended to read printed publications available in majority bookshops, such as model revision tasks and tests entitled Bądź na B1.