TOPIK: Test of Proficiency in Korean
Test of Proficiency in Korean, or TOPIK, managed and supervised by the National Institute for International Education-NIIED to assess the Korean language proficiency of the non-native speakers. The NIIED works under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The TOPIK tests the ability of non-native speakers for expression and comprehension of the Korean language and is conducted in domestic as well as overseas locations.
TOPIK Test Dates
The test is offered six times annually (Jan, Apr, May, Jul, Oct, Nov) within South Korea and less often to people studying Korean in other countries.
TOPIK Test Format and TOPIK Test Level
TOPIK I (Beginner)
Section-No. of Items
- Listening - 30
- Reading - 40
Time Limit (Min.)-100
Total Score - 200
Level (Score)
Level 1 (80 - 139)
Level 2 (140 - 200)
TOPIK I IBT (Beginner)
Section-No. of Items
- Listening - 30
- Reading - 30
Time Limit (Min.)-85
Total Score - 400
Level (Score)
Level 1 (132~207)
Level 2 (208~400)
TOPIK II (Intermediate to Advanced)
Section-No. of Items
- Listening - 50
- Reading - 50
- Writing - 4
Time Limit (Min.)-180
Total Score - 300
Level (Score)
Level 3 (120~149)
Level 4 (150~189)
Level 5 (190~229)
Level 6 (230~300)
TOPIK II IBT (Intermediate to Advanced)
Section-No. of Items
- Listening - 40
- Reading - 40
- Writing - 3
Time Limit (Min.)-150
Total Score - 600
Level (Score)
Level 3(204~261)
Level 4(262~330)
Level 5(331~411)
Level 6(412~600)
TOPIK Speaking (Beginner to Advanced)
Section-No. of Items
- Speaking - 6
- Time Limit (Min.)-30
Total Score - 200
Level (Score)
Level 1 (20~49)
Level 2 (50~89)
Level 3 (90~109)
Level 4 (110~129)
Level 5 (130~159)
Level 6 (160~200)
Usage of TOPIK
The TOPIK test is used by the Educational Institutions in South Korea for their admission procedure. It is one of the components for admittance to Universities and Colleges in South Korea. With this test, the institutions get to know the Korean language proficiency of the applicants. Besides, it is also used for job-seeking purposes, immigrant visa application, and government college scholarships and other academic activities.
TOPIK Eligibility Criteria
Following students are eligible to appear for the tests-
- International Students and Overseas Korean students whose native language is not Korean
- Job Seekers in Korea and overseas
TOPIK Testing Sites
There are 314 testing centers, with 54 in South Korea and the remaining are in 87 countries. TOPIK is available in the following countries and districts: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Jordan,Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Poland, Russia, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine, USA, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Examination times are divided into three time zones: China and marginal states (China, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore and Brunei; which shares the same time zone of UTC 8), Korea and Japan (which shares the same time zone of UTC 9), and other countries (which follows local time of a specific country). In India, TOPIK test is conducted in 5 cities - New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ranchi, and Manipur.
TOPIK Contact Details
Tel : 82-2-3668-1331
Fax : 82-2-741-7408
Website : www.topik.go.kr