Failed the Polish B1 Exam — What Happens Next and How a Resit Works
4 min read
Nobody fails the Polish state B1 exam "in general" — people fail on one module. An adult must score at least 50% in each written module separately, and at least 50% in the oral part. It is not an average: 100% in reading will not rescue 47% in grammar. Which means a failed exam is usually a problem with one specific skill, not proof that you "don't know Polish".
That is good news, because one skill can be fixed deliberately — far faster than "all of Polish" can.
First: identify the module that stopped you
Before you plan anything, answer one question: where exactly did the points run out?
| Module | Points | Threshold (adult B1) |
|---|---|---|
| Listening comprehension | 30 | 15 |
| Reading comprehension | 30 | 15 |
| Grammatical correctness | 30 | 15 |
| Writing | 30 | 15 |
| Speaking (oral part) | 40 | 20 |
If you were a little short in one module, the next attempt is a few weeks of work on that one part. If you missed the threshold in three or four, that is a signal that the foundation is too low and you should go back to systematic study rather than book the next session and hope. An honest plan for that second case: the eight-week study plan.
The fastest way to find out for yourself is to work through every part in the exam format: sample tests and writing and speaking with AI feedback.
Can you resit just one module? What we do not know
This is the most-asked question, so let us be precise: in the official materials this article rests on, there is no published procedure for resitting a single module. The passing conditions, the session dates and the fees are all published — but there is no announced rule saying that a failed module is retaken on its own, with your points from the other modules carried over.
So we neither claim such a resit exists nor claim it does not. The cautious planning assumption is that another attempt means registering for a whole session again and paying again — and if you need a definite answer, put that question to your exam centre or to the State Commission before you register. It is a single question that may be worth several hundred złoty.
We also found no published limit on the number of attempts — nothing in the materials available to us says the number of tries is capped.
When you can sit it again
The state exam runs in five sessions a year (Saturday–Sunday), and B1 for adults is available at every one of them — so the next chance is usually two to three months away, not a year.
| 2026 sessions | |
|---|---|
| 14–15 February | 25–26 April |
| 27–28 June | 17–18 October |
| 5–6 December |
Keep two other timings in mind: registration opens about two months before a session, and the certificate itself then takes about 5–6 months. If you need the document for an official application, a failed exam pushes the whole case back by half a year plus the gap between sessions — which is exactly why it pays to sit it early, with slack. Full schedule: B1 exam dates.
What a second attempt costs
Budget for the full fee: about 643 PLN for adult B1 plus about 86 PLN for issuing the certificate — roughly 730 PLN. These are statutory maximum rates; some centres charge less, and the złoty figure is revised over time. Confirm it on the fees page before you register.
A plan for the next attempt
- Name one weak part and give it half of your total study time. The rest only has to not slip.
- Practise against the clock. A great many "failed" points are unfinished points, not wrong ones.
- Register early — seats in popular centres run out.
- Do one full-format run before the session: all modules, one day.
- If grammar stopped you, start with grammar in the B1 exam; if speaking did, start with the oral part.
What sets apart the people who pass first time is collected in how to pass the B1 exam on your first attempt. Questions about which certificates are accepted: the FAQ.
Rules, dates and fees are set annually and can change — confirm them on certyfikatpolski.pl and with your centre, and confirm resit rules directly with the centre or the State Commission. This is not legal advice; confirm residence or citizenship requirements with the voivodeship office handling your case.