Overview
TOPIK, the Test of Proficiency in Korean, measures how well a non-native speaker understands and uses Korean. It is run by South Korea's National Institute for International Education (NIIED), an agency under the Ministry of Education.
Korean universities use TOPIK results for admission to degree programmes taught in Korean, employers in Korea use them as proof of language ability for hiring and work visas, and Korean immigration uses them as part of several residence and visa routes. TOPIK is separate from EPS-TOPIK, a shorter test run by the Ministry of Employment and Labor only for foreign workers applying for an E-9 work permit; the two are not interchangeable.
Who can apply
TOPIK has no nationality, age or educational requirement. Anyone who is not a native Korean speaker can register. Test takers inside Korea register through the official NIIED system; test takers in other countries register through the Korean Education Centre, Korean embassy, Korean Cultural Centre or another institution designated for that country, since the exact process and local fee differ by country.
Levels
TOPIK is offered as two separate tests, each with its own paper (and its own sections, time and fee); a candidate chooses one.
TOPIK I (Levels 1-2)
The beginner test. It covers Listening and Reading only. Level 1 corresponds to basic survival Korean: greetings, simple daily-life questions and short, simple sentences. Level 2 adds the ability to handle everyday conversations on familiar topics and use common Korean in simple real-life situations.
TOPIK II (Levels 3-6)
The intermediate-to-advanced test. It covers Listening, Reading and Writing. Level 3-4 is the intermediate band: coping with everyday life without much difficulty, and using basic language for work. Level 5-6 is the advanced band: understanding and producing Korean on unfamiliar, specialised and professional topics, including academic and news material.
Exam pattern
| Test | Sections | Time | Questions | Total score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOPIK I | Listening, Reading | 100 minutes (Listening 40, Reading 60) | 70 multiple-choice (30 Listening, 40 Reading) | 200 |
| TOPIK II | Listening, Reading, Writing | About 180 minutes with a short break | 104 items: 50 Listening MCQ, 50 Reading MCQ, 4 Writing | 300 |
TOPIK II Writing has four tasks: two short fill-in-the-blank items worth about 10 points each, one short piece of 200-300 characters worth about 30 points, and one longer argumentative essay of 600-700 characters worth about 50 points, scored on content, organisation, vocabulary and grammar.
TOPIK is offered as a paper-based test (PBT) in most countries and, since November 2023, also as an internet-based test (IBT) at centres that support it; both versions keep the same sections and level structure for TOPIK I and TOPIK II.
Marking and results
Listening and Reading are marked by machine; Writing is marked by human raters against published criteria. Levels are awarded from the total score on each test:
| Test | Level | Score band (out of total) |
|---|---|---|
| TOPIK I | Level 1 | 80-139 (of 200) |
| TOPIK I | Level 2 | 140-200 (of 200) |
| TOPIK II | Level 3 | 120-149 (of 300) |
| TOPIK II | Level 4 | 150-189 (of 300) |
| TOPIK II | Level 5 | 190-229 (of 300) |
| TOPIK II | Level 6 | 230-300 (of 300) |
A score below the Level 1 (TOPIK I) or Level 3 (TOPIK II) cut-off is unrated. Paper-based results are usually released about 5 to 7 weeks after the test date; internet-based results come out sooner, in around 2 to 3 weeks. A TOPIK certificate is valid for 2 years from its results-announcement date, not the test date, and universities, employers and immigration offices generally only accept a certificate that is still inside this window.
Important dates
For 2026, NIIED is running TOPIK paper-based tests on 5 dates: 12 April (11-12 April for most overseas centres), 17 May, 4-5 July, 17-18 October and 15 November. Internet-based sessions run on 6 dates across the year: 28 February, 21 March, 13 June, 12 September, 24 October and 28 November. Not every date or format is offered in every country, and registration for each session closes several weeks before the test; confirm the exact dates and the registration window for a given country with the local test centre.
Fees
Fees are set in the local currency by each country's test-administering body and differ from country to country.
For 2026, inside Korea the NIIED fee is 40,000 KRW for TOPIK I (PBT), 55,000 KRW for TOPIK II (PBT), 70,000 KRW for TOPIK I (IBT) and 95,000 KRW for TOPIK II (IBT). In India, the Korean Cultural Centre lists the 2026 fee as ₹1,200 for TOPIK I and ₹1,500 for TOPIK II. Fees in other countries are set independently by the local administering body; check the fee for a specific country with that country's test centre before registering.
How to apply
Find the designated TOPIK administering body for the country of residence (NIIED directly in Korea; a Korean Education Centre, embassy, Korean Cultural Centre or appointed partner institute elsewhere).
Register online within that body's announced registration window for the chosen session, selecting TOPIK I or TOPIK II and, where offered, PBT or IBT.
Submit the required details and documents: a recent passport-style photo, a signature image and a valid photo ID.
Pay the local fee once registration is confirmed, and keep the payment confirmation.
Download or collect the admission card closer to the test date, and check the assigned test centre and reporting time.
Preparation tips
Learn Hangul and basic sentence patterns thoroughly before attempting TOPIK I; both its sections depend on reading comprehension speed.
For TOPIK II, practise Listening and Reading under real time pressure, since both run back to back with large question counts.
Practise Writing questions 51-54 separately: drill the short fill-in-the-blank items first, then build up essay length and structure for the 200-300 and 600-700 character tasks.
Review official and past TOPIK papers to get used to question phrasing and timing, then sit a full timed paper close to the real exam date.
What is the difference between TOPIK I and TOPIK II?
TOPIK I is the beginner test (Levels 1-2) and covers only Listening and Reading, out of 200 marks. TOPIK II is the intermediate-to-advanced test (Levels 3-6) and adds Writing, out of 300 marks. A candidate sits one or the other, not both, in a single session.
Is TOPIK the same as EPS-TOPIK?
No. TOPIK is run by NIIED under the Ministry of Education and is used for study, general employment and visa purposes. EPS-TOPIK is a separate, shorter test run by the Ministry of Employment and Labor only for foreign workers applying for an E-9 work permit; an EPS-TOPIK pass does not count as a TOPIK level.
How long is a TOPIK result valid?
2 years from the date results are announced, not from the test date. Most universities, employers and immigration offices in Korea only accept a certificate that is still within this 2-year window.
Does the TOPIK fee stay the same everywhere?
No. Each country's administering body sets its own local fee. For 2026, Korea charges 40,000 to 95,000 KRW depending on test and format, while India charges ₹1,200 for TOPIK I and ₹1,500 for TOPIK II. Check the fee for a specific country with that country's official test centre.