Are you preparing for the citizenship exam (B1 exam = Czech language exam)? If yes, you are in the right place – I will explain what to expect and how it works so that you can pass the exam ideally on the first attempt and have the certificate in your hands as soon as possible, which you have to submit with your application to become a citizen of the Czech Republic.
You will find out which exam you need (and whether you need it at all), what the test looks like and what you have to know so that you have the best possible chance of passing. I will also give you some tips and advice on how to prepare and which common mistakes to avoid. You will even try a few tasks similar to those in the real exam.
I am writing all this from the perspective of a Czech language teacher for foreigners who has experience with preparing students for these exams, so I believe you are in good hands with me. Let’s get started! 🚶➡️
Citizenship exam – what is it like? And do I always need it?
If you want to obtain Czech citizenship, you have to know Czech (this is set out this law), specifically at level B1 or higher (as laid down here). This does not apply to you if you are younger than 15 or older than 65, or if you have survived 3 years of attending a Czech school (because it is clear that you probably would not manage that without Czech 🤭). There is also an exception for people with a physical or mental disability.
So you will most likely have to prove your level of Czech. The most direct and simplest option is to take the Czech language exam for citizenship (which this whole article is about), but there are also other equivalent options: a “general” certified language exam CCE B1 or higher, the school-leaving exam (maturita) in Czech, a final state exam at a university studied in Czech, or the state language exam.
You can probably quickly rule out some of these options as not easily available to you, so let’s have a closer look at the citizenship exam itself.
Czech at level B1 – what do I need to know?
Language testing and language levels are a complex topic, but briefly and in comparison with other levels (my colleagues in the field will probably hold me to my words and protest against this simplification, but I stand by it):
- A1: you won’t die,
- A2: you will survive,
- B1: you live (the level of the citizenship exam),
- B2: you enjoy life,
- C1–C2: you can do everything in the language (including lots of things many native speakers can’t manage).
With level A2 you can live in the Czech Republic and deal with all basic matters. With level B1 you can already do more: express your own opinion, describe an event, talk about your plans, etc.
It is definitely not a level you can reach by studying for three days before the exam or by relying only on improvisation… For the B1 exam, you already have to be friends with Czech – and Czech with you.
You can test how you are doing below, in the description of the individual parts of the exam.
What does the citizenship exam look like – test structure
Now is a good time to say that in order to obtain citizenship, besides the language exam for citizenship, you also have to pass the exam on Czech life and institutions. However, this exam is extremely friendly (compared to other countries), because you have the whole set of questions (there are 300 of them) available in advance, so the test (consisting of 30 questions) will not surprise you in any way.
You can take the exam on Czech life and institutions and the language exam either separately on different days or on the same day.
If you have both exams on the same day, you will first take the exam on Czech life and institutions.
The language exam has two parts:
- written part,
- oral part.
First you will take the written part, which consists of the following subtests:
- reading comprehension,
- listening comprehension,
- writing.
There is always a 15-minute break between these subtests.
After the end of the written part, you will wait for the oral part of the exam. The order of candidates in the oral exam is determined by a draw, so it may happen that you will wait a long time… Be prepared for this mentally and practically (a snack is a good idea).
Reading in the citizenship exam – test structure
In the reading part you will have 4 tasks with 25 questions worth a total of 25 points. How much time will you have? 50 minutes. You can work in any order you like; you do not have to proceed chronologically. Be prepared not to understand every single word and focus on practising the task types and the strategies that can help you.
Do you want to try one task right now? Sure, no problem. Try the task where you have to put parts of a text into the correct order. (The scoring for this task is a bit more complicated, so take the result here only as approximate.)
Writing in the citizenship exam – test structure
What does the writing part look like? For example like this – you always get two tasks, a questionnaire and an email.
At first glance it is clear that you need to have typical phrases for emails/letters well practised. It is also good, as part of your preparation, to write, write and write so that you learn to express your ideas and opinions and especially to use a wider range of vocabulary and grammar… In the B1 exam it is no longer enough just to write without mistakes; you also have to proactively show grammar and vocabulary that belong to level B1 and prove to the examiners that you deserve the B1 certificate.
Altogether you can get up to 25 points for these two tasks.
Listening in the citizenship exam – test structure
And what about listening in the exam? Similar to reading, you will have 4 tasks worth a total of 25 points. The listening part lasts 30–35 minutes.
Do you want to try it as well? As you wish, try the following task (task 3).
First you have time to read the questions:
Listen to this short report (listen to it twice) and then fill in the quiz above. Good luck!
Speaking in the citizenship exam – test structure
The oral exam has 3 tasks and again you can get a maximum of 25 points for this section.
Probably the most surprising and important information for you is that the exam is taken in pairs (yes, this creates room for candidates to have different conditions, but unfortunately this unequal system is still used in this exam).
The exam consists of the following tasks:
- monologue about yourself: you briefly introduce yourself, say who you are and what you do + you will get several follow-up questions,
- dialogue with the examiner: you draw two cards with topics, choose one card (and therefore 1 topic), then you get a card with two pictures related to the topic and a related confronting question, which is the start of your dialogue,
- dialogue with another candidate taking the B1 exam: together you look for a solution to a common question/problem, for example you agree on a trip together or on a present for a friend.
Besides how you complete the individual tasks, your overall oral interaction and whether your pronunciation is correct are also assessed.
Exam scoring
How many points do you need in order to pass the exam? The key number you are interested in is 60 %. You need 60 % overall and also 60 % in each subtest (in reading, writing, listening and speaking). You can have one weaker part of the exam and get at least 50 %, but the total number of points for the whole exam still has to be at least 60 % (so if you have one weaker subtest, you have to compensate for it with points in another subtest).
If you do not manage to pass one part of the test, you have to repeat the whole test.
If you manage to pass the test, you will receive the long-awaited certificate, which is valid for life.
FAQ
Is the citizenship exam free?
No, the exam is not free — you have to pay a fee (almost CZK 4,000).
Is the citizenship exam difficult?
Honestly, yes, the exam is difficult. It’s not the kind of test you can pass effortlessly without preparation or by using some secret tricks, and you definitely need to know Czech to pass it.
If you can communicate in everyday situations, have listened to and read some Czech, and have thoroughly practiced writing, your chances are good.
But don’t underestimate the importance of practice and mental preparation — the exam is designed so that even for a B1-level speaker, it’s not a walk in the park. For example, you’ll probably come across words you don’t know.
Is the citizenship exam the same as the exam for permanent residence?
No, these are two different exams at two different levels. For permanent residence, level A2 is enough (which you can prove either with the official A2 exam or any other exam at least at level A2).
But for citizenship, you must demonstrate Czech at level B1 (proven by the citizenship exam or another exam at least at level B1).
There is a big difference between the two exams.
Is the citizenship exam the same as the CCE B1 exam (Certified Czech Exam at B1)?
No, it’s not. The format and evaluation are different.
However, both exams are at the same language level, and both are accepted for citizenship purposes.
Can I take the citizenship exam online or remotely?
No, that’s not possible — the exam is always taken in person.
If I pass the citizenship exam, is my citizenship guaranteed?
Unfortunately, no. Proving your Czech language level is not the only requirement for citizenship.
You need to submit many other documents, and the authorities also assess whether you could be considered a security risk to the state (yes, really).
That said, most applications are approved.
(For example: in 2023, 144 applications were rejected and citizenship was granted in 4,426 cases.)
How to prepare?
You have several options. You can prepare on your own using textbooks, in a group course or in individual lessons. If you are interested in an individual course, write to me! And if you have friends who also want to take the exam, write to me as well; I will be happy to open a group course so that you can prepare for the exam together. 😊🧑🏫
