New rules in force since 1 July 2026
Rainbow Edu language school in Łódź. We teach in person, one-to-one, in duets and in small groups. We prepare you for the state certificate examination at B1 and B2 level, from your first word to a passed exam.
A post-secondary school certificate is no longer enough
Since 1 July 2026, a post-secondary school leaving certificate can no longer be used in proceedings for Polish citizenship or for an EU long-term resident permit. Two routes remain: a state certificate at level B1 or higher, or a diploma from studies taught in Polish.
See exactly what changedEach one has a different language threshold and a different deadline. We start with the one that applies to you.
EU long-term resident permit or recognition as a Polish citizen
In both proceedings the authorities require proof of Polish at level B1 or higher. For a citizenship application, only the state certificate or a diploma from Polish-taught studies is accepted.
University admission
Third-country candidates applying on the basis of documents issued abroad must present proof of the language of instruction at level B2 or higher. Graduates of Polish schools holding the Polish matura are exempt.
Starting from zero
Before B1 there has to be a foundation. We teach the language you use at the doctor, at the office, at work and at your child’s school. It is the same path that leads to the certificate a year or two later.
This section is for people who want to understand the basis, not just be told that “you need a certificate”. The verification date is given at the end of the section.
EU long-term resident permit
B1 or higher
How you can prove it
state certificate, diploma from Polish-taught studies, leaving certificate from a school in Poland
Recognition as a Polish citizen
B1 or higher
How you can prove it
only the state certificate or a diploma from Polish-taught studies
University admission based on foreign documents
B2 or higher in the language of instruction
How you can prove it
a document confirming knowledge of the language the programme is taught in
| Proceeding | Required level | How you can prove it |
|---|---|---|
| EU long-term resident permit | B1 or higher | state certificate, diploma from Polish-taught studies, leaving certificate from a school in Poland |
| Recognition as a Polish citizen | B1 or higher | only the state certificate or a diploma from Polish-taught studies |
| University admission based on foreign documents | B2 or higher in the language of instruction | a document confirming knowledge of the language the programme is taught in |
Until 30 June 2026
Until then, many people proved their Polish with a post-secondary school leaving certificate. It was the cheapest and fastest route, with no exam to sit.
Since 1 July 2026
That route is now closed. In citizenship and EU long-term resident proceedings the post-secondary certificate is no longer accepted. Anyone who was counting on it now has to pass the state exam.
A presidential bill extending the minimum period of uninterrupted residence required for recognition as a Polish citizen from three to ten years is under way. It is a bill, not binding law, but many of our students are bringing their exam plans forward because of it.
A third-country national applying to a Polish university on the basis of documents issued abroad must present proof of the language of instruction at level B2 or higher. Holders of the Polish matura are exempt. If the programme is taught in Polish, that means Polish at B2.
The dates are set by the State Commission. Pick a session and we will show you when registration opens and how much time is left.
Exam date
17 October 2026
Registration opens on
17 August 2026
Time left
11 weeks
Whether you can be ready for this session depends on the level you start from. Someone at A2 may need a few months, someone starting from zero needs far longer. We do not guess: we run a free placement test and tell you plainly whether this session is realistic or whether the next one is the better target.
Book a free placement testThe certificate is issued solely by the State Commission for the Certification of Proficiency in Polish as a Foreign Language. No language school, ours included, can issue it. What we do is prepare you for the exam.
You need at least 50 percent in every module of the written part and at least 50 percent in the oral part. One weak module fails the whole exam, which is why the course works on all five rather than on speaking alone.
The exam is always taken on site, at a centre authorised by the Commission. There are two in Łódź, so you do not have to travel.
Uniwersytet Łódzki, Wydział Filologiczny
ul. Pomorska 171/173, Łódź
Społeczna Akademia Nauk
ul. Sienkiewicza 9, Łódź
The levels available in a given session and the registration dates are announced by the State Commission. Check them on the official exam website before you register for a session.
Official exam website, certyfikatpolski.plThree levels, three different goals. Each one runs in person at our rooms in Łódź Retkinia, one-to-one, in a duet or in a small group. Evening and weekend slots, built around people who work.
Everyday life, work, officialdom
One-to-one, duet or group
EU resident card, citizenship
One-to-one, duet or group
University admission
One-to-one, duet or group
The price depends on the number of hours and the size of the group. Write to us through the form and we will send the current price list and the next start dates.
Prices for one-to-one and duet classes, gross, per single class. The range depends on the teacher’s experience and the level you work at.
45 minutes
60 minutes
90 minutes
| Class length | One-to-one | Duet, per person |
|---|---|---|
| 45 minutes | PLN 100 to 130 | PLN 70 to 75 |
| 60 minutes | PLN 100 to 140 | PLN 75 to 85 |
| 90 minutes | PLN 150 to 200 | PLN 100 to 130 |
A duet is a class for two people at a similar level: couples, siblings, friends, two people from the same company. Group exam preparation is priced separately, because it depends on the number of hours and the size of the group. Write to us through the form and we will send the group price list and the next start dates.
Course provider
This is the school’s own offer, not an intermediary. Classes are taught by Rainbow Edu teachers, you sign the contract with the school and you settle payments with the school. Same team, same rooms and same price list as the rest of the offer.
We also teach English, German, Spanish, Italian, French and Korean, we prepare students for Cambridge exams and we run school tutoring.
See the full offer at rainbow.edu.plAn employee without a residence card is an employee you are about to lose. A Polish course ending in a B1 certificate is the cheapest way to keep your team in the company for longer.
Ask about a corporate courseIf something is missing here, write to us through the form. We reply the same working day.
No. The certificate is issued solely by the State Commission, after you pass the state exam. Our course prepares you for that exam and ends with a mock exam, not with an official document. Anyone promising you a certificate without the state exam is misleading you.
For an application for recognition as a Polish citizen, the state certificate or a diploma from Polish-taught studies is what counts. For the EU long-term resident permit, some voivodeship offices list a broader set of documents. Because that scope varies and has changed with recent amendments, confirm it with your own office before paying for any exam.
From A2 to B1 is usually a few months of regular study. From zero to B1, plan realistically for one to two years, depending on how much time you can give it and whether you already speak a Slavic language. In your first class we run a placement test and tell you plainly how long your path will take.
The exam is taken on site at a centre authorised by the Commission. There are two in Łódź: the University of Łódź at Pomorska 171/173 and Społeczna Akademia Nauk at Sienkiewicza 9. The fee is the equivalent of EUR 150, converted at the National Bank of Poland rate. You pay it directly to the centre, not to us.
Registration opens two months before the session and places can run out. That is why the course should start earlier than the registration. The planner above works out both dates for the session you choose.
We teach Polish for foreigners in person only, at our rooms in Retkinia or at your place. That is a deliberate choice: progress is faster face to face, the oral part of the exam is a conversation with a person, and the exam itself is taken on site at a centre in Łódź anyway.
In Polish, from the first class, because that is the fastest way to learn. In beginner groups we translate key terms as well, and you can handle all administrative matters with the office in Polish or English.
With the form below. Tick “I have a question”, write a few sentences about yourself, and we will arrange a free placement test and tell you which group fits.
We reply the same working day. Your message goes straight to the Rainbow Edu school office in Łódź.