Results and the A2 exam certificate — what it contains and how long it is valid

The certificate of a passed language exam has no time limit on its validity and carries a single mark — one word from a four-point scale. You will find no percentages on it for reading, listening, writing or speaking. That surprises most people, and it is worth knowing before you settle down to wait for a detailed breakdown.

When the results come — and why there is no answer to that

Let us be direct about it: there is no nationally set deadline for announcing the result. The guidance of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of 27 October 2025, issued under § 54(4) of Act No. 404/2011 Coll., lays down who may examine, which skills are tested and the 70 % threshold — it does not lay down a deadline for issuing the certificate or a way of announcing the result.

What we do know about the procedure: the written part is marked by two independent markers, and only those who have passed the written part proceed to the oral part. It follows that you learn a certain part of the result on the day itself — otherwise you would not know whether you were going on to the oral part. When you get the certificate itself in your hand is a matter for the individual school. Ask about it when you register, not after the exam; if you are filing a residence application to a deadline, it is a material fact.

Any specific number of days you read elsewhere is one school's figure, not a rule for the whole of Slovakia.

How the result is expressed

The threshold is at least 70 % of the total points for the written and oral parts together. The guidance says so in as many words:

„Jazykovú skúšku úspešne absolvuje ten uchádzač, ktorý v rámci hodnotenia písomnej skúšky a ústnej skúšky získa minimálne 70 % z celkového počtu bodov, ktoré možno získať." ("A candidate passes the language exam if, within the marking of the written exam and the oral exam, he obtains at least 70 % of the total points obtainable.")

The result is then converted onto the four-point scale from Decree No. 321/2008 Coll.:

Percentage	Mark
100–90	výborný (excellent)
89–80	veľmi dobrý (very good)
79–70	dobrý (good)
69–0	nevyhovel (failed)

For the purpose you are taking the exam for, all three passing grades are equivalent: a certificate of a passed exam is a certificate of a passed exam. For a long-term residence application the foreign police require proof of Slovak at A2 level — not a particular grade.

⚠️ Some centres — the state language school in Bratislava, for instance — apply a stricter rule of their own and require 70 % separately from the written and from the oral part. That is their own arrangement, not the wording of the guidance, so always check the conditions directly where you register.

What the certificate contains

It is issued on a template published by the Ministry of Education and contains:

• one marking field — one word from the four-point scale,
• the level according to the Common European Framework of Reference (A2),
• a reference to § 17a(2) of Act No. 245/2008 Coll.

And now what is not on it: percentages for the individual skills. The official certificate does not state them. Some schools offer a more detailed report in addition — if you want such a breakdown (for example so that you know what to work on), you have to request it as an extra service, and not every school provides it.

It is worth mentioning that a special authorisation to administer state language exams is not required under the guidance — the ministry publishes certificate templates for schools that do not hold one as well. The school must, however, meet three conditions: be listed in the network of schools and school facilities, provide foreigners with tuition in Slovak as a foreign language in the current school year, and have teachers meeting the qualification requirements under Act No. 138/2019 Coll. and Decree No. 173/2023 Coll. Check that before you pay — a certificate from a school that does not meet the conditions is money wasted.

How long it is valid

The validity of the certificate is not limited in time.

One change bound up with that is worth attention. The amendment in force from 15 July 2026 (Act No. 128/2026 Coll.) only relaxes the obligation and expressly allows a certificate to be submitted even when it is more than 90 days old. At the same time the required level changes to "at least A2", so a certificate at a higher level of Slovak is recognised upwards, and from that date the exam may also be taken at a public university, not only at a language school.

Two things not to rely on:

• A certificate in Czech or another language. We have found no provision in the Act that would recognise it as a substitute. Check the specific document with the foreign police in advance.
• A confirmation of course attendance. It does not replace the exam. Only a certificate of having passed it is recognised.

What to do with the certificate next

The certificate is a document for an application for long-term residence — that is, for the status of a long-term resident of the EU — and the Act requires it for nothing else. Permanent residence, temporary residence (work, business, study, family reunification) and temporary refuge carry no language condition. If you registered for the exam for some other purpose, read first which residence permit the exam is really needed for.

Keep the original of the certificate and make a copy. Since its validity is unlimited, it is a document that may serve you years from now.

If you did not pass

The Act does not limit the number of attempts. What is repeated, and on what conditions, we cover in the article on retaking the exam. How the exam is marked and how it runs you will find in the article on marking; you can practise the format in the sample tests and in the exercises with AI feedback — that assessment is a practice aid, not an official exam result. Further questions are collected in our FAQ.

Where to check this

The marking rules and the certificate template are in the Ministry guidance, the statutory basis in Act No. 404/2011 Coll. and the grading scale in Decree No. 321/2008 Coll.. Confirm the deadline for issuing the certificate directly with the language school where you register, and the acceptability of a particular document with the foreign police.

We are not an examination centre or a law firm and we do not administer exams; this is not legal advice. Last verified 12 October 2026.