The Estonian B1 exam
The state B1 proficiency exam (tasemeeksam) is run by Haridus- ja Noorteamet (Harno). In short: what it consists of, how many points you need and how to prepare.
Checked against Harno materials in October 2026. Rules can change — check the Harno website before you register.
At a glance
- Parts
- writing, listening, reading, speaking
- Points
- 25 per part, 100 in total
- Pass mark
- 60 of 100 (60%), and no part may score 0
- Written part
- 2 hours
- Speaking
- with another candidate and an examiner, about 15 minutes
- Cost
- free
What the exam consists of
The exam starts with writing, then listening and reading. The speaking part is on the same day, 15–20 minutes after the written part. The sample tasks below come from the official Harno booklet; the real exam uses other topics.
Writing (kirjutamine)
35 min25 pts- Task 1: fill in a questionnaire or write a note — about 50 words. For example, leave your colleagues a message: why you have to leave work early, at what time, who will cover for you and how to reach you.
- Task 2: a story on a given topic or a personal letter — about 100 words. For example, write about someone new you met: where you met, where they live and work, what they are like, what their hobbies are.
- Write in joined-up handwriting (not printed letters): anything unclear counts as a mistake.
Listening (kuulamine)
≈ 35 min25 pts- Task 1: choose one of three options (A, B or C) — a picture or a word — to match what you hear.
- Task 2: answer multiple-choice questions (A, B or C).
- Task 3: write a word or a number in a gap.
- Task 4: decide whether a statement is true (A) or false (B), for example about a radio programme on running for health.
Reading (lugemine)
50 min25 pts- Four tasks. In the Harno booklet they are: match each situation with the right advertisement (one advertisement may fit several situations), answer multiple-choice questions on a text, and fill the gaps of a text with the right words.
- The sources are newspapers, magazines and reference texts.
Speaking (rääkimine)
≈ 15 min25 pts- Task 1 (≈ 6–7 min): answer the examiner’s questions on a topic (for example “Travel”) and discuss them; you give an opinion and back it up.
- Task 2 (≈ 4–5 min): a role-play dialogue with your partner — for example, you decide together what to take on a trip to the seaside. You ask for and give information and reach an agreement.
- Answers are recorded and the second marker listens to the recording.
How many points you need
- Each part is marked out of 25, 100 in total.
- You pass with at least 60% — that is, 60 points.
- No part may score 0: 60 points with a zero in one part is a fail.
- If you score below 45% (or miss the exam without a good reason), you can retake it no earlier than six months later. There is no such limit if you cancel your registration at least 4 working days before the exam.
Registration, dates and results
- Register in the exam information system EIS (eis.harno.ee) or through the eesti.ee portal. You can also fill in an application and send it to info@harno.ee.
- Registration closes on the 1st of the month before the exam.
- The exam is free of charge.
- Exams are held once a quarter in Tallinn, Tartu, Narva and Jõhvi; in Pärnu if enough people register.
- Results arrive within 40 days. With 60 points or more you get a digital certificate, which you can see on eesti.ee and in EIS.
- You can appeal the result within 30 days to the Harno appeals committee.
- An exception: a person aged 65 or over applying for Estonian citizenship is exempt from the writing test (essay) and takes three parts — listening, reading and speaking. This applies only to B1 and only for citizenship; if you need B1 for work, you take the whole exam. Choose the matching option when you register.
On the day
- The exam starts at exactly 10:00 and latecomers are not admitted. Arrive 15–20 minutes early.
- Bring a valid document: an ID card, passport or residence permit. A driving licence is not accepted.
- Take off your watch (smartwatches too) and switch your phone off — they stay in a designated place until the end of the written part.
- Dictionaries, textbooks, phones and earphones are not allowed. If help from others is found during marking, the paper gets 0 points.
- Write with a black or blue pen and correct by crossing out the whole word; correction fluid is banned. Write multiple-choice answers in printed capital letters (A, B, C); if you mark several answers, it counts as wrong.
Exam topics
The B1 tasks rest on the 15 thematic blocks of the Harno handbook “Iseseisev keelekasutaja”: about yourself and others, education, profession and work, services, daily life and home, health, free time, shopping, food, relations between people in society, politics and current events, economy and law, nature and weather, culture and languages, travel. The B1 topics on this site follow the same blocks, plus intermediate grammar.
How to prepare
- Work through B1 grammar: the impersonal, the quotative, the -des and -mata forms, the past conditional, verb government, subordinate clauses.
- Learn words by the 15 blocks and check yourself with the exercises straight away.
- Write short texts: a 50-word note and a 100-word story or letter; check your cases and word order.
- Listen to Estonian every day: radio, podcasts, news, announcements on public transport.
- Practise speaking aloud: give an opinion and back it up, agree on a plan or a purchase with a partner.
- Look at the official Harno booklet with sample tasks and the sample written paper with the examiners’ comments.
Frequently asked questions
How many points do you need to pass the Estonian B1 exam?
You need 60 points out of 100, that is 60%. Each of the four parts — writing, listening, reading and speaking — is marked out of 25, and no part may score 0.
How much does the B1 exam cost?
The exam is free of charge.
How do I register for the B1 exam?
Through the exam information system EIS (eis.harno.ee) or the eesti.ee portal. Registration closes on the 1st of the month before the exam.
How long is the B1 exam?
The written part takes 2 hours: writing 35 minutes, listening about 35 minutes, reading 50 minutes. The speaking part is about 15 minutes, on the same day.
Can I use a dictionary in the exam?
No. Dictionaries, textbooks, phones, smartwatches and earphones are not allowed.
Do people over 65 have to take the writing part?
A person aged 65 or over applying for citizenship is exempt from writing (the essay) and takes listening, reading and speaking. This is only for B1 and only for citizenship.
When and where do I get the results?
Within 40 days of the exam. With 60 points or more you get a digital certificate, available on eesti.ee and in EIS.
When can I retake the B1 exam?
If you scored below 45% or missed the exam without a good reason — no earlier than six months later. If you cancel your registration at least 4 working days before, there is no limit.
How can I prepare for the B1 exam for free?
Work through the B1 topics on this site, take the B1 test and look at the official Harno booklet with sample tasks.