Eesti keele A2-taseme tasemeeksam
The Estonian A2 language exam, explained
The A2-level Estonian language proficiency exam — in Estonian, eesti keele A2-taseme tasemeeksam — is the state language exam organised by HARNO, the Education and Youth Board of Estonia. It has four parts: writing, listening, reading and speaking. Each part is worth 20 points, 80 in total, and you pass with at least 60% of the points provided that no single part scores zero.
- Writing · Listening · Reading · Speaking
- 4 Writing · Listening · Reading · Speaking
- 80 points
- 80 80 points
- is the pass mark
- 60% is the pass mark
Structure: four parts, 20 points each
The exam covers the four language skills separately. Writing, listening and reading are taken in one written block; speaking is held separately and is recorded.
| Osa | Practice | min | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirjutamine | Writing | 30 min | 20 pts |
| Kuulamine | Listening | ~30 min | 20 pts |
| Lugemine | Reading | 50 min | 20 pts |
| Rääkimine | Speaking | ~15 min | 20 pts |
| Total | 80 points |
Scoring and the pass mark
The A2 exam is scored out of 80 points. Passing requires at least 60% of the total — and no part may be left at zero.
- Each of the four parts is worth 20 points, for 80 points in total.
- The pass threshold is 60% of the total score.
- No single skill may score zero, even if your total is above the threshold.
- Reading and listening are scored against an answer key; writing and speaking are assessed against criteria — content coverage, length and clarity matter more than perfect grammar at A2.
How long the exam takes
The written parts run in a single block of roughly one hour and 50 minutes. Speaking is a separate, shorter session of about 15 minutes.
What each part asks you to do
The task types repeat from session to session, which is why practising the format is worth as much as studying vocabulary.
Lugemine · Reading
- Reply matching (A/B/C)
- Statements to short texts
- Notices and their meaning
- Longer text comprehension
- Gap-fill cloze
Kuulamine · Listening
- Three-option multiple choice
- True / false
- Short written answers
- Matching with distractors
Kirjutamine · Writing
- Information transfer from a card
- Short message, notice or invitation
- Word-count guidance
- Feedback against A2 criteria
Rääkimine · Speaking
- Picture description with follow-up questions
- Idea-card role play
- Question banks by theme
- Replay and compare
Practical details: cost, dates and registration
The exam itself is free. It runs four times a year and you register through the EIS system — registration closes on the first day of the month before the exam.
- Exam fee
- Free
- Sessions per year
- 4 (one per quarter)
- Registration
- EIS — eis.harno.ee
- Registration deadline
- 1st of the previous month
- Venues
- Tallinn, Tartu, Narva, Jõhvi
- Written part starts
- 10:00 sharp — latecomers are not admitted
- Results
- Within 40 days
- If you score under 45%
- You must wait 6 months to retake
How many people pass
HARNO publishes results every year. In 2025 the A2 exam had the highest pass rate of any level — but roughly one candidate in three still failed.
- sat the A2 exam in 2025
- 2,736 sat the A2 exam in 2025
- passed
- 1,885 passed
- pass rate
- 68.9% pass rate
Who needs A2 — and who needs B1
A2 and B1 are often confused, and applying at the wrong level wastes a whole quarter. The short version:
- Since 1 January 2026, applying for a temporary residence permit for settling permanently in Estonia requires completing the adaptation programme (basic module) and proving Estonian at A2 level.
- That requirement does not apply if your permit was issued before 1 January 2026 and you are extending it, if you applied before that date, if you were educated in Estonian, or on health grounds.
- B1 — not A2 — is the level required for long-term resident status (pikaajaline elanik) and for citizenship.
- Job requirements are set separately by regulation: A2 covers support and technical roles, while service and sales work with regular customer contact sits at B1.
How to prepare for the format
Most candidates lose points not because their Estonian is too weak, but because the task formats are unfamiliar: how many words a written answer needs, how matching tasks use distractors, how long you get to listen. Practising the exact formats removes that gap.
Practise these exact task typesThe facts on this page follow HARNO’s published A2 exam materials. exams.ee is an independent practice platform and not an official exam provider — always confirm current rules, dates and registration through official channels.