Czech Language Exam for Residence (A2) and Citizenship (B1) in 2026

Which level you need: A2 for residence, B1 for citizenship

It depends on what you are applying for. For permanent residence (trvalý pobyt) a third-country national must prove a Czech-language exam at level A2. This requirement is set by Act No. 326/1999 Coll., Section 70 (zákon č. 326/1999 Sb. § 70), and the recognised exams are listed in Government Regulation No. 31/2016 Coll. (nařízení vlády č. 31/2016 Sb.). Level A1 has not been enough since 1 September 2021 — applications filed on or after that date require A2.

For citizenship (občanství) the bar is higher: you need a language exam at level B1 and, on top of that, a separate "Czech realities" (reálie ČR) exam covering the constitutional system, history and geography of the country. The realities exam is required only in the citizenship procedure — you do not take it for permanent residence. The legal basis is Act No. 186/2013 Coll. on Czech citizenship (zákon č. 186/2013 Sb.).

Exam structure and how it is scored

The A2 exam has a written and an oral part. The written part consists of reading (40 minutes, max 25 points), writing (25 minutes, max 20 points) and listening (about 40 minutes, max 25 points) — a written block worth up to 70 points in total. The oral part is speaking (15 minutes, max 40 points): you answer questions, ask for information, give a short independent talk based on pictures and react to everyday situations.

Here is the key rule for A2. The three written sections are scored together as one block of 70 points, and you must reach at least 60% — that is 42 out of 70. The oral part is scored separately and also needs 60% — that is 24 out of 40. If you fail either the written block or the oral part, you retake the whole exam, not just the part you failed.

The B1 citizenship exam likewise has written sections (reading comprehension, listening and a written task of roughly 150 words) plus an oral part, usually in pairs. You generally need 60% overall, but the threshold is not a flat 60% on every single section — in one of the written parts a lower share (around 50%) can be enough. Always confirm the exact scoring and the day-by-day schedule with the testing institution, because the citizenship exam day can run from morning to late afternoon. The B1 certificate has no expiry date.

Fees, registration and the new A2 format from 11 April 2026

The 2026 exam fees are fixed. The A2 exam for permanent residence costs 3 200 Kč. For citizenship, the B1 language exam costs 3 700 Kč, the standalone Czech realities (reálie ČR) exam 2 000 Kč, and both parts together 5 700 Kč. A CCE-B1 certificate can be accepted in place of the citizenship language part.

1. Register online via the official portal cestina-pro-cizince.cz, run with ÚJOP UK (ujop.cuni.cz).
2. When your turn comes, attend in person with a valid passport and confirm the binding registration.
3. Pay the exam fee in person when you confirm your registration (for citizenship, follow the institution's payment instructions).
4. Sit the A2 exam on its scheduled date — a Wednesday or Saturday from 9:00, about three times a month.
5. Collect your certificate (osvědčení) at the school or receive it by post within 30 days of the exam.

The exam fee is not the application fee

A frequent and expensive surprise: the language-exam fee is completely separate from the administrative fee (správní poplatek) you pay for the residence or citizenship application itself. You pay both.

• Permanent residence application: a správní poplatek of 2 500 Kč for adults (1 000 Kč for applicants under 15), under Act No. 326/1999 Coll. and the fee schedule in Act No. 634/2004 Coll.
• Citizenship application by an adult: a správní poplatek of 2 000 Kč (reducible in hardship cases to 500 Kč, and in some cases to 100 Kč), under Act No. 634/2004 Coll. and Act No. 186/2013 Coll.
• These application fees are on top of the exam fees (3 200 Kč for A2; up to 5 700 Kč for the citizenship language and realities exams).

Who is exempt from the exam

For permanent residence (the A2 exam) you are exempt if you fall into one of these groups:

• age: people under 15 or aged 60 and over;
• EU/EEA citizens (and, as a rule, UK citizens with lawful long-term status from before 31 December 2020 under the Withdrawal Agreement — verify individual cases);
• anyone who, in the 20 years before filing, studied in Czech at a Czech primary or secondary school for at least one uninterrupted school year, or at a university for at least one academic year;
• holders of a recognised equivalent Czech exam — in practice a Czech-language school-leaving exam (maturita z ČJ), a state language exam, the citizenship language exam, or CCE A2 or higher;
• people with a physical or mental impairment that prevents them from acquiring Czech.

How the exam fits your application, and where to get personal help

Timing differs between permanent residence and citizenship, and it is easy to trip up. For permanent residence the A2 certificate is a mandatory attachment, but in practice the office can accept the application when you already hold an exam booking and let you supply the certificate a little later — this is administrative practice, not a single statutory clause, so confirm the deadline with your specific office. For citizenship, both the B1 and the realities certificates must be in the pack at the moment you file.

Every case has its own details — a different residence type, a different filing date, a different exemption. If you are not sure which level you actually need, whether an exemption applies to you, or in what order to take the steps, describe your situation to the assistant Max in the Residento app. It will work through your specific case and tell you what to submit and when.

Preparation: courses, model tests and common mistakes

As a rough guide, A2 is reachable in about 3 to 6 months of intensive study (around 200–300 hours) and B1 in about 8 to 14 months (around 400–500 hours). Speakers of Slavic languages, including Russian speakers, usually get there faster — but knowing the exam format matters as much as the language level. These figures are general estimates, not official norms.

• Use the free model tests (modelové testy) on cestina-pro-cizince.cz and ujop.cuni.cz, and run through them several times so the format does not surprise you.
• The Integration Support Centres for Foreigners (integracnicentra.cz) in every region offer free or low-cost Czech courses and counselling.
• Non-profits such as InBáze, META, CIC (cicpraha.org) and SIMI also teach Czech for free or cheaply; many new permit holders attend an adaptation-integration course (adaptačně-integrační kurz).
• In the written part, watch your word count and structure; in the oral part, practise describing a picture and reacting to everyday situations.