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TOPIK
Test of Proficiency in Korean
🗣️ General Korean Language Proficiency Pen-and-paper, held at centres both within Korea and abroad. ⏱ Valid: TOPIK certificates are valid for 2 years from the test date for most official purposes, including visa and immigration applications. Since 1997 ⚡ Scales sharply both within and between the two tests — TOPIK I's Level 1 assumes only basic vocabulary, while TOPIK II's Level 6 demands near-fluent reading, listening, and extended written argument, making overall…
🕐 Last updated: September 7, 2026
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Quick Summary

TOPIK is Korea's official Korean proficiency test, structurally split into two distinct exams rather than one continuous scale — TOPIK I, a shorter multiple-choice test covering only the two most basic levels, and TOPIK II, a longer three-section exam that adds a Writing component for the four higher levels, meaning a candidate needs to register for the correct one of the two rather than simply picking a difficulty setting within a single test. Scores convert directly into one of six certified levels with no separate pass/fail line or per-section minimum to clear independently, a notably more forgiving structure than JLPT's dual overall-plus-per-section requirement for a similarly uneven skill profile. Offered up to six times a year within Korea but only two to four times at most international centres, TOPIK results gate both Korean university admission and the Employment Permit System pathway used by foreign workers, making it relevant to academic and labor-migration contexts alike. Because TOPIK I and TOPIK II aren't simply easier and harder versions of the same content, confirming which specific test a target requirement actually names — before spending months preparing for the wrong one — matters more here than for most single-format proficiency exams.

📋 Exam Overview
🎯
Score Range
TOPIK I: 0 to 200; TOPIK II: 0 to 300
💳
Fee
$30 approx. (KRW 40,000 within Korea for TOPIK I; TOPIK II and international fees vary by location)
📅
Valid For
TOPIK certificates are valid for 2 years from the test date for most official purposes, including visa and immigration applications.
🖥
Mode
Pen-and-paper, held at centres both within Korea and abroad.
🗓
Frequency
Up to six times a year within Korea; two to four times a year at most international test centres
🏛
Conducted By
National Institute for International Education (NIIED), under the Korean Ministry of Education
⚡
Difficulty
Scales sharply both within and between the two tests — TOPIK I's Level 1 assumes only basic vocabulary, while TOPIK II's Level 6 demands near-fluent reading, listening, and extended written argument, making overall difficulty dependent on both which test and which level a candidate is aiming for.
🌍 Accepted By
Widely accepted by Korean universities as proof of language proficiency for degree admission, with most undergraduate programs requiring TOPIK Level 3 or higher and many graduate programs requiring Level 4 or higher.
Korea's official Korean proficiency test, run at a pace unmatched by most language exams — up to six domestic sittings a year, with a separate speaking track added on its own schedule
👤 Who Should Take This Exam?
Anyone needing recognized proof of Korean proficiency — for university admission in Korea, employment, or the Employment Permit System (EPS) work visa pathway — is the intended candidate for TOPIK, since it's the officially recognized standard for both academic and immigration purposes. TOPIK splits into two distinct tests rather than one continuous scale: TOPIK I covers only the two most basic levels through a shorter multiple-choice format, while TOPIK II spans the four higher levels through a longer exam that adds a writing component, so a candidate needs to pick the correct one of the two tests rather than simply choosing a level within a single exam. Because TOPIK is offered domestically in Korea up to six times a year but only two to four times at most international centres, candidates outside Korea specifically should confirm their local testing calendar well in advance rather than assuming the same frequency applies everywhere.
🎓 Education Level
General Proficiency, Levels 1-6 (split across TOPIK I and TOPIK II)
🌍 Accepted In
Recognized internationally including by Korean universities employers and immigration authorities and administered at over 300 test centres across more than 80 countries.
📝 Exam Structure & Format
Question Types
Both tests use multiple-choice for Listening and Reading, and TOPIK II layers a written-response task on top for its Writing section.
Language / Medium
Korean
Total Duration
TOPIK I runs 100 minutes; TOPIK II runs approximately 3 hours including a scheduled break.
Total Questions
TOPIK I: 70 questions (Listening and Reading combined); TOPIK II: 104 questions plus the Writing task (Listening, Reading, and Writing combined).
Sections
TOPIK I: Listening, Reading. TOPIK II: Listening, Reading, Writing
⚙️ More format details (timing, marking, equipment)See all ▾
Time Per Section
TOPIK I's two sections run within its 100-minute window; TOPIK II's three sections, including the scheduled break, span roughly 3 hours.
Negative Marking
No
Calculator Allowed
No — TOPIK tests Korean language proficiency only, with nothing quantitative on either test.
Scratch Paper
Rough-work space sits within the test booklet itself, useful in particular for planning the TOPIK II Writing task.
Breaks Allowed
TOPIK II includes a scheduled break between sections; TOPIK I's shorter 100-minute format runs without one.
Home Edition
No — TOPIK is administered only at physical test centres.
📑 Section Details
TOPIK I, covering Levels 1-2, tests only Listening and Reading through multiple-choice questions, with no writing component at all, reflecting its role as the beginner-level test. TOPIK II, covering Levels 3-6, adds a dedicated Writing section requiring short answers and an extended essay-style response, on top of longer and more complex Listening and Reading sections — a structural jump that makes TOPIK II a meaningfully bigger test than TOPIK I rather than just a harder version of the same format.
🎯 Scoring System
Score Range
TOPIK I: 0 to 200; TOPIK II: 0 to 300
Good / Passing Score
There's no separate pass/fail threshold — TOPIK I's 200-point and TOPIK II's 300-point scales each convert directly into one of the six certified levels based on where the total score falls, with no result below Level 1…
See all ▾
There's no separate pass/fail threshold — TOPIK I's 200-point and TOPIK II's 300-point scales each convert directly into one of the six certified levels based on where the total score falls, with no result below Level 1 on TOPIK I or Level 3 on TOPIK II considered a certified pass on that specific test.
How Scoring Works
TOPIK I is scored out of 200 combining Listening and Reading, with 80 or more needed for Level 1 and 140 or more for Level 2. TOPIK II is scored out of 300 combining Listening, Reading, and Writing, with Level 3 starting at 120, Level 4 at 150, Level 5 at 190, and Level 6 at 230 — meaning a candidate's specific numeric score, not a separate pass/fail line, is what determines which of the six levels actually appears on the certificate.
🏆 Minimum Scores for Top Universities
Korean universities requiring TOPIK for admission typically set a specific level rather than a raw score above the minimum for that level — many undergraduate programs want at least Level 3, while more competitive or graduate programs often expect Level 4 or higher. Because a score sitting just above a level's cutoff still earns that level's full certificate, a candidate close to the boundary of a required level has an incentive to aim comfortably past it rather than scraping the minimum, given how score-sensitive competitive program admissions can be even within the same certified level.
📊 Section / sub-scoresSee all ▾
Writing
Assessed only within TOPIK II, combining short-answer and extended essay-style responses into the overall 300-point total.
Speaking
Assessed through a separate TOPIK Speaking test, scored out of 200 across six tasks and reported entirely independently of TOPIK I or TOPIK II.
Listening
Broken out on both TOPIK I and TOPIK II, each contributing to that specific test's overall total.
Reading
Also broken out on both tests, alongside Listening, feeding into whichever total applies.
All Sub-Scores
Both tests break out Listening and Reading individually, and TOPIK II adds Writing as its own separately reported component on top.
🔼 Score Improvement
NIIED does not publish a standardized retake-improvement figure for candidates reattempting TOPIK to reach a higher level.
💳 Registration & Fees
Fee (USD)
$30 approx. (KRW 40,000 within Korea for TOPIK I; TOPIK II and international fees vary by location)
~ approx. equivalent
Fee (INR)
Approximately ₹2,600 equivalent for TOPIK I at the domestic Korean rate; international centre pricing may differ.
~ approx. equivalent
Other
The separate TOPIK Speaking test carries its own fee (KRW 80,000 within Korea) on top of whichever written test a candidate also sits.
📝 Register Now →
📋 Policies (rescheduling, cancellation, verification, waivers)See all ▾
⏰ Register in Advance
Registration windows open roughly one to two months ahead of each sitting, varying by country and specific test centre.
🔄 Rescheduling Policy
TOPIK dates are fixed nationally and internationally with no individual rescheduling option; a candidate unable to sit must register for the next available sitting.
❌ Cancellation Policy
The fee is committed the moment registration is confirmed, with no refund route afterward.
🔍 Score Verification
No formal individual rescoring process exists, since TOPIK's multiple-choice sections are machine-scored and Writing is centrally assessed by NIIED-appointed evaluators without a per-candidate appeal option.
↩ Reinstatement Policy
No
📅 Exam Dates & Schedule
📆 Available Months
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
🔁 Frequency
Up to six times a year within Korea; two to four times a year at most international test centres
📊 Results Declared
Results are typically released within 1-2 months of the test date, depending on the specific sitting.
🔄 Retake Policy
TOPIK I or TOPIK II can both be retaken as many times as needed to reach a required level — there's no attempt cap.
⏰ Register By
Registration windows open roughly one to two months ahead of each sitting, varying by country and specific test centre.
✅ Eligibility & Access
🎂 Age Limit
Age isn't restricted in either direction.
🎓 Education Required
TOPIK I's Level 1 assumes no prior study, so the series stays accessible all the way from complete beginners to advanced learners.
🛂 Citizenship
Any non-native Korean speaker can register, including Korean heritage speakers who never studied the language academically.
📍 Test Centers
As of early 2026, TOPIK is offered at 314 test centres across 87 countries, including 54 centres within South Korea itself.
More on accommodations, ID, and special versionsSee all ▾
🪪 ID Required
A candidate needs a valid passport or government photo ID to get past the door of the test centre.
♿ Accessibility
Documented disabilities are accommodated through the specific test centre, arranged before the exam date.
🔀 Special Versions
A separate TOPIK Speaking test exists on its own schedule and fee, distinct from the standard TOPIK I and TOPIK II written tests.
📐 Subject Variants
TOPIK I and TOPIK II are registered and sat as two entirely separate tests, each with its own fee, format, and set of certifiable levels.
🤝 Disability Accommodations
A candidate with a documented disability requests accommodations through the specific test centre, ahead of the exam date.
🗓 Exam Day Guide
✅ What to Bring
The registration-issued admission ticket, alongside a valid passport or government photo ID.
🚫 Prohibited Items
Reference materials and dictionaries, phones and other electronics, and anything the test itself hasn't explicitly cleared.
📋 Exam Day Rules
Punctual arrival with valid ID is expected, and the centre's own secure-testing procedures — personal electronics banned — apply from there.
After the exam: score reporting and deliverySee all ▾
⏱ Score Reporting
Typically 1-2 months after the test date, depending on the specific sitting.
📤 Score Sending
Getting the certificate to wherever it's needed is a step the candidate has to take on their own.
🎓 Score Recipients
Just the candidate — no university, employer, or immigration authority receives it automatically.
📚 Preparation Guide
🗓 Avg Prep Months
7 months
Because TOPIK I and TOPIK II are structurally different tests rather than the same exam at different difficulty settings, the first real preparation decision is confirming which one actually matches a target requirement, since studying for the wrong one wastes significant time given how differently the two are structured. TOPIK II's added Writing section in particular requires dedicated essay-structuring practice that TOPIK I candidates never need to build at all.
💡 Top Tips & Tricks
Since TOPIK II's Writing section is graded on structure and coherence as much as grammar, practicing a clear, repeatable essay template — introduction, development, conclusion — tends to produce more consistent scores than writing freely each time without a structural plan. Because TOPIK is offered more frequently within Korea than at most international centres, candidates based outside Korea specifically benefit from confirming their local sitting calendar well before committing to a target date.
Full study plan, resources, and common mistakesSee all ▾
📅 Study Plan
For TOPIK I, steady vocabulary and grammar building paired with timed multiple-choice practice covers most of what the test requires, typically over a few months. For TOPIK II, that same foundation needs to extend into structured essay-writing practice under real time constraints, since Writing is graded on organization and argument development, not just grammatical accuracy — a skill most candidates need dedicated months to build rather than picking up during general study.
📖 Recommended Books
The official TOPIK guide books published by NIIED, alongside widely used series like Sogang Korean and EPS-TOPIK-specific guides for the employment pathway, form the standard preparation base.
🏫 Popular Prep Courses
Sogang Korean Language Education Center and Talk To Me In Korean both offer TOPIK-specific preparation courses aligned with each test's format.
📱 Popular Prep Apps
Naver Papago and dedicated TOPIK prep apps offering past-paper practice are commonly used alongside general Korean-learning apps.
✅ Official Practice Tests
NIIED publishes official past TOPIK papers for both TOPIK I and TOPIK II on its official website. — Free — NIIED's official past papers carry no cost.
🆓 Free Online Resources
NIIED's official TOPIK website provides free past papers and sample questions for both TOPIK I and TOPIK II.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Registering for TOPIK I when a target requirement actually specifies TOPIK II (or vice versa) is a surprisingly common and entirely avoidable mistake, given how differently structured the two tests are. Treating TOPIK II's Writing section like a grammar test rather than an argument-structuring exercise is another frequent gap, since strong grammar alone doesn't compensate for a poorly organized response.
💡 EduAtlasHub Exclusive Insights
🔍 Insider Tips
In the listening section, read the multiple-choice options before the audio starts to anticipate the context and keywords. This saves critical processing time.
⭐ Unique Features
Splitting the six proficiency levels across two structurally different tests — TOPIK I's shorter, writing-free format for beginners and TOPIK II's longer format with an added Writing section for intermediate through advanced levels — is a design choice not shared by comparable single-test proficiency exams like JLPT, which assesses all five of its levels through one consistent test structure. Its domestic testing frequency is also unusually high for a national language exam — up to six sittings a year within Korea — a pace that gives Korea-based candidates a genuinely different retake rhythm than the one or two annual sittings typical of comparable proficiency tests elsewhere.
🎓 How This Score Impacts Your Application
TOPIK results directly determine eligibility for Korean university admission and are a required component of the Employment Permit System pathway used by many foreign workers seeking employment in Korea, making it relevant to both academic and labor-migration contexts. Because TOPIK is offered up to six times a year within Korea, a candidate based there facing a specific level requirement generally has more frequent retake opportunities than international candidates working around a more limited local schedule.
More insights: country notes, comparisons, myths, examiner tipsSee all ▾
🌍 Country-Specific Notes
Administered at over 300 test centres across more than 80 countries, with testing frequency notably higher within Korea itself than at most international locations — a scheduling difference worth factoring in for candidates applying from outside Korea.
⚖️ Comparison with Alternatives
Unlike JLPT, which enforces an independent minimum in every individual section on top of an overall passing mark, TOPIK converts a single continuous total score directly into a certified level with no separate per-section floor to clear, making an uneven skill profile somewhat less punishing on TOPIK than it would be on JLPT for a similarly-scored candidate. Compared to HSK's per-level separate-exam model, where a candidate registers individually for each of six levels, TOPIK's two-test structure means far fewer separate registrations are needed to progress from complete beginner through advanced proficiency.
🆕 Recent Changes
NIIED has left the TOPIK I/TOPIK II split and the level-conversion scoring system untouched recently, with its actual changes limited to question content updates and expanding international test centre availability.
🔜 Upcoming Changes
TOPIK's format and scoring don't show signs of a structural change in upcoming cycles.
🧐 Myths vs Facts
TOPIK I and TOPIK II get treated as simply easier and harder versions of the same test more often than they should be — they're structurally different exams, and TOPIK II adds an entire Writing section that TOPIK I doesn't have at all, not just harder versions of the same question types. TOPIK also doesn't enforce per-section minimums the way JLPT does, despite that assumption being common; its single continuous score converts directly into a level with no separate section floor to independently clear.
📋 Post-Exam Steps
Once results arrive, a candidate should confirm their certified level against the specific requirement their target university, employer, or immigration pathway actually set, since TOPIK II levels in particular can vary widely in what different institutions consider sufficient. A candidate targeting the Employment Permit System pathway specifically should verify current EPS-TOPIK score requirements separately, since those can differ from general university admission thresholds.
🎯 Score Uses Beyond Admission
Beyond university admission, TOPIK is a required or heavily weighted component of Korea's Employment Permit System for foreign workers, and specific levels are referenced by Korean employers and certain visa categories as proof of workplace-ready Korean proficiency.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the TOPIK score valid?+
TOPIK certificates are valid for 2 years from the test date for most official purposes, including visa and immigration applications.
How much does the TOPIK cost?+
$30 approx. (KRW 40,000 within Korea for TOPIK I; TOPIK II and international fees vary by location)
How often can I retake the TOPIK?+
TOPIK I or TOPIK II can both be retaken as many times as needed to reach a required level — there's no attempt cap.
When are TOPIK results declared?+
Results are typically released within 1-2 months of the test date, depending on the specific sitting.
Which universities accept the TOPIK?+
Widely accepted by Korean universities as proof of language proficiency for degree admission, with most undergraduate programs requiring TOPIK Level 3 or higher and many graduate programs requiring Level 4 or higher.
Is a calculator allowed in the TOPIK?+
No — TOPIK tests Korean language proficiency only, with nothing quantitative on either test.
How should I prepare for the TOPIK?+
Because TOPIK I and TOPIK II are structurally different tests rather than the same exam at different difficulty settings, the first real preparation decision is confirming which one actually matches a target…
📝
Register for TOPIK
Korea's official Korean proficiency test, run at a pace unmatched by most language exams — up to six domestic sittings a year, with a separate speaking track added on its own schedule
Register Now →
📊 Quick Facts
Official Site →
Conducted ByNational Institute for International Education (NIIED), under the Korean Ministry of Education
Year Started1997
CategoryGeneral Korean Language Proficiency
Emailhttps://www.topik.go.kr/
Last UpdatedSeptember 7, 2026
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