KIIP Comprehensive Evaluation: Format and Passing Score

Finishing level 5 doesn't mean you're done with the Social Integration Program. One hurdle is still ahead: the final exam, known as the comprehensive evaluation (KINAT). You need to pass it to get your completion certificate, and that certificate is what gets used later in the naturalization process.

What the comprehensive evaluation does — the last threshold

If the pre-evaluation decides where you start, the comprehensive evaluation sits at the opposite end. Only people who have finished level 5 (basic plus advanced) — the last level of the program — can sit it, and passing it is what counts as completing the program.

What it covers — written, essay, and oral

The comprehensive evaluation for naturalization has three parts. It doesn't stop at a written multiple-choice test — you also write a short passage and speak.

• Written — 36 multiple-choice questions (14 worth 1.5 points + 22 worth 2 points), 65 points
• Essay — write on a given topic in 200 characters or fewer, 10 points
• Oral — speaking, explaining, and conversation, about 10 minutes. Two test-takers are evaluated together by two examiners, 25 points

Passing score — 60 out of 100

Written, essay, and oral add up to 100 points, and 60 or more is a pass. Doing well in only one part isn't enough — the total decides.

If you fail

Retaking the comprehensive evaluation raises the same questions as the pre-evaluation — how many times you can retake it, whether you pay the fee again. Sources disagree on the exact conditions, so they aren't listed here. One thing several sources agree on: failing the comprehensive evaluation doesn't remove you from the program — you can retake level 5's classes and try again. Check the exact conditions on Socinet (socinet.go.kr) or the Korea Immigration Foundation (kiiptest.org) before applying.

What actually comes up in the oral section

The oral section has a format similar to the naturalization interview — you answer out loud in front of examiners. The content is different, though. Reports from test-takers suggest questions often ask for your own opinion rather than facts about Korean society.

• Giving your opinion on Korean reunification
• Explaining types of hanok by roof material
• Explaining what an expression like '미운 정 고운 정' means

The actual questions vary from sitting to sitting. The examples above come from test-takers' own accounts, so take them as illustrations, not a fixed list.

Preparing — put the weight on the oral section

The written and essay parts draw from a fixed range, so the more you prepare, the higher your score climbs. The oral section doesn't work that way — you have to work out your own thoughts in Korean, out loud, on the spot. Just like the pre-evaluation's oral section, the gap between what you know and what you can actually say becomes your score here too. Practising speaking Korean out loud beforehand helps more for this exam than solving one more round of written practice questions.

This article is not legal advice. The test structure, scoring, and retake conditions change over time. Before applying, check the current guidance on Socinet (socinet.go.kr) or the Korea Immigration Foundation (kiiptest.org).