How levels are decided
Your level is based on total score. Within the test you took (TOPIK I or II), reaching the cut-off below earns that level.
| Test | Level | Total score |
|---|---|---|
| TOPIK I (200 max) | Level 1 | 80 or more |
| Level 2 | 140 or more | |
| TOPIK II (300 max) | Level 3 | 120 or more |
| Level 4 | 150 or more | |
| Level 5 | 190 or more | |
| Level 6 | 230 or more |
Below the cut-off you receive a score but no level. Results are valid for two years from the announcement date.
What each level means
- Level 1
- Survival Korean: introducing yourself, shopping, ordering food. About 800 words and basic grammar.
- Level 2
- Everyday tasks such as phone calls and requests, using public facilities. 1,500–2,000 words; formal vs. informal speech.
- Level 3
- No difficulty in daily life and most public settings; can write and speak about familiar social topics in paragraphs.
- Level 4
- Can handle general work tasks, understand plain news and newspaper articles, and discuss social and abstract topics fairly accurately.
- Level 5
- Language needed for research or professional work in a specialised field; understands politics, economy, society and culture.
- Level 6
- Accurate and fluent performance in professional contexts, close to native-speaker comprehension and expression.
Where it is used
- University admission: usually level 3+ for undergraduate entry, level 4+ to graduate (varies by university)
- Employment and visas: professional visas, points for residence (F-2) and permanent residence (F-5), naturalisation
- Scholarships such as the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)
Picked a target level? → Check where you stand with the free questions, then measure your score on full past papers.
Official details are governed by the latest announcements at topik.go.kr. topik.go.kr