How the Czech A2 and B1 language exams work
4 min read
The Czech A2 exam is taken for permanent residency, while the B1 exam (together with a separate civics exam) is taken for citizenship — these are two different exams for two different purposes, not two levels of the same test.
Below is exactly what each exam consists of, how long it takes, how it's scored, and how many points you need to pass.
The exams at a glance
- A2 — required for permanent residency (trvalý pobyt). Four sections (reading, writing, listening, speaking), a single exam day, run by a network of authorized schools coordinated by the National Pedagogical Institute of the Czech Republic (NPI ČR).
- B1 — required for citizenship (státní občanství). It's actually two separate exams: the B1 language exam (reading, listening, writing, speaking) and a separate exam on Czech civics/realia (reálie) — 30 questions about the state, geography, and history. Both are administered by the Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies of Charles University (ÚJOP UK).
- The two exams do not substitute for one another — A2 doesn't replace B1 and vice versa. Unlike in some other countries, there's no choice between competing certifiers here: there's one official path per purpose.
A2 — the exam for permanent residency
The legal basis is Government Regulation No. 31/2016 Sb., as amended (amendments 199/2021 Sb. and 282/2023 Sb.). The exam is delivered nationwide by a network of roughly 29 authorized schools coordinated by NPI ČR.
| Section | Time | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 40 min | 25 items across 5 task types |
| Writing | 25 min | a form, 3 open questions, and an email (min. 35 words) |
| Listening | approx. 40 min | 25 items across 5 task types |
| Speaking | 15 min | Q&A, 2 role-plays, a picture-story narration, a situation-negotiation task, plus phonetics |
Pass rule: the written sections are scored together — you need at least 60% of the pooled 70 points (i.e. a minimum of 42 points) across reading, writing, and listening combined, and at least 60% of the 40 speaking points (i.e. a minimum of 24 points). It isn't a separate 50% threshold per section — it's two pooled gates, one written and one spoken.
The exam fee is 3,200 CZK (covering the whole exam), and it can be taken a maximum of three times per calendar year. A fail means retaking the entire exam, not just the section that didn't pass.
Official source: cestina-pro-cizince.cz — the A2 exam
B1 — the exam for citizenship
Act No. 186/2013 Sb. on Czech Citizenship, §14, requires proof of Czech language knowledge at level B1 plus civics knowledge — this rule has been in force since 1 January 2014, so it's not a recent addition. Both exams are administered by ÚJOP UK (the Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies of Charles University).
The B1 language exam
| Section | Time | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 50 min | 25 |
| Listening | 30–35 min | 25 |
| Writing | 60 min | 25 |
| Speaking (in candidate pairs) | 15–18 min | 25 |
Speaking is done in a pair with another candidate and is scored across three components: an individual speaking task, interaction between the pair, and pronunciation (phonology).
Pass rule: generally 60% overall and 60% on each subtest. One of the written subtests may carry a somewhat lower passing threshold — the exact mechanism is worth confirming on ÚJOP UK's current page, since it can change.
The Czech civics (reálie) exam
This is a separate exam from the language part — 30 minutes, 30 multiple-choice questions, each drawn from a different topic in a publicly published bank of roughly 30 topics (about 16 on civic/institutional topics, 7 on geography, 7 on history and culture). Passing requires at least 18 out of 30 points (60%).
Official sources: ÚJOP UK — the citizenship application exam and the specification of the Czech civics exam.
Check ÚJOP UK's page directly for the current fee, dates, and list of exam venues — those details change over time, so we've deliberately left out numbers that could go stale.
Why A2 and B1 aren't interchangeable
The A2 exam certifies the language knowledge needed for permanent residency. The B1 exams (language plus civics) certify the knowledge needed for citizenship. A higher B1 level does not automatically replace A2, and vice versa — these are two separate legal requirements, run by two different administrators under two different sets of rules. If you're dealing with permanent residency, you need A2; if you're dealing with citizenship, you need B1 and reálie together.
Where to practice
Before sitting the real exam, it helps to get familiar with its structure ahead of time. On this site you'll find free sample tests in the real exam format and AI-graded writing and speaking practice. If you're just starting to learn Czech, check out the course from scratch.
Fees, dates, and lists of exam venues can change over time. Before registering, always check the current conditions on the official pages of cestina-pro-cizince.cz (A2) and ÚJOP UK (B1 and reálie). This text is not legal advice.