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Czech with an internationally recognised quality mark until 2031. CCE exam successfully passes audit again

Knowledge of Czech is essential for foreigners in Czechia for study, work and everyday life. In some situations, they also need to officially demonstrate their knowledge of the language, for example, when applying for permanent residence or Czech citizenship. One option is the Certified Czech Language Examination for Foreigners (CCE)®, which has once again successfully passed an international audit and retained its ALTE Q-Mark, valid until July 2031.

The CCE examination is developed and administered by the Research and Testing Centre of the Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies (UJOP) of Charles University. It is intended for people whose first language is not Czech and is available at five levels, from A1 to C1. The examination can be taken both in Czechia and at a network of examination centres abroad, including in Japan, Poland and Serbia. The certificate issued after successfully passing the examination can be used as proof of Czech language proficiency for study and employment. It can also be used to demonstrate the required level of language proficiency when applying for permanent residence or Czech citizenship.

A Czech examination among internationally audited language examinations

ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe) is an international association of organisations involved in language assessment. Its members include Cambridge Assessment English, Goethe-Institut and France Éducation international, and its quality assurance system covers examinations in a range of European languages, including English, German, French, Spanish and Italian.

The ALTE Q-Mark confirms that an examination has undergone an independent audit and meets international requirements for high-quality, reliable and fair language assessment. CCE has once again retained the mark for all five levels – A1, A2, B1, B2 and C1. Following the successful audit, the ALTE Q-Mark for CCE will remain valid until July 2031.

The audit also covered the new format of the CCE speaking examination, which is based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), its Companion Volume, and the needs of examination users. Since the beginning of 2026, the speaking component at all five levels has been conducted in the new format online from an examination centre.

The successful audit therefore confirms that, even following this significant change, CCE continues to meet international standards for language assessment. For candidates and institutions that recognise the certificate, the Q-Mark provides independent confirmation of the examination's quality and its suitability for demonstrating Czech language proficiency in important study, employment and everyday-life situations. For schools, public institutions and employers, the Q-Mark provides assurance that the results presented by applicants are reliable.