TOPIK study

TOPIK — how much do you need to know?

TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) measures how well you understand and read Korean, with multiple-choice questions. Unlike the naturalization interview, you do not speak — you listen and choose, read and choose. Levels 1 and 2 share one test paper, TOPIK I, and your score decides the level.

The test format and level cut-offs on this page were checked in September 2026. Fees, test dates and visa recognition rules change often — check the current values at topik.go.kr and HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr).

01About the test

Two tests, six levels

TOPIK I is levels 1 and 2
The beginner test. Listening and reading only — no writing, no speaking. It is the first goal for people starting Korean.
TOPIK II is levels 3 to 6
The intermediate and advanced test, with writing added. Used for university admission and professional jobs. This program covers TOPIK I.
Speaking is a separate test
The TOPIK Speaking test is held separately. It does not count toward your TOPIK I score.

02Test format

30 listening, 40 reading, all multiple choice

Listening: 30 questions · 40 min · 100 points
Reading: 40 questions · 60 min · 100 points
Question type: All four-choice. Nothing to write
Total: 70 questions · 100 min · 200 points

Each question number has a fixed task: 1–4 choose the right reply, 34–39 fill in the blank, and so on. Practicing by type makes the real paper feel familiar.

03Levels

Your score decides the level

Level 1

80–139 points

You understand and read the essentials of daily life: greetings, introducing yourself, shopping, asking directions. About 800 words and basic grammar get you there.

Level 2

140–200 points

You handle everyday public places: phone calls, appointments, the post office, the bank. You need 1,500–2,000 words and slightly longer texts.

Both levels take the same paper. Even if you aim for level 1, the test is the same 70 questions — do well and you get level 2.

TOPIK has six levels, 1 through 6. The exam comes in two papers: levels 1 and 2 are TOPIK I (this exam), and levels 3 to 6 are TOPIK II. TOPIK II includes a writing section and has more questions.

Exam levels and grades

TOPIK I

Level 1 · Level 2

Listening 30 + Reading 40 · 200 points

Level 1 from 80 · Level 2 from 140

The exam this program covers

TOPIK II

Levels 3 to 6

Listening 50 + Writing 4 + Reading 50 · 300 points

Level 3 from 120 · 4 from 150 · 5 from 190 · 6 from 230

Question counts and scores are taken from the official TOPIK site (topik.go.kr).

04Where it is used

For people preparing for naturalization or a visa

Marriage immigrant (F-6) visa
The Korean language requirement is met with TOPIK level 1 or higher, or a beginner course at a designated institution. It is waived with a Korean-language degree, a year or more of stay in Korea, a shared foreign language between spouses, or a child born to the couple.
KIIP level placement
With a TOPIK level you skip the placement test: level 1 places you in KIIP stage 2, level 2 in stage 3. That skips the early stages on the road to residency and naturalization.
Points for residency and work
The F-5 residency and F-2 points systems and some work visas count your Korean level as points. Higher levels earn more.
The work permit route (E-9) is a different exam
Coming as a foreign worker means sitting EPS-TOPIK, a separate test run by HRD Korea. Its questions and its application are different from this exam (epstopik.hrdkorea.or.kr). This program does not cover it.

Level 2 is what changes your KIIP starting stage and your points. The Korean requirement for a marriage visa (F-6) is met at level 1 — people often say level 2 is needed, but the standard is level 1.

Requirements and points change when the rules change. Before applying, check the current values on HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) and Socinet (socinet.go.kr).

05This program

Learn by unit, drill by type, measure with a mock test

1
Unit lessons
Each level has topic units. Within a unit you go vocabulary → grammar → listening questions → reading questions. Memorize the words, see the pattern, then answer questions that use exactly those words.
2
Practice by type
Pick one of the paper's 16 question types and repeat it. Weak at blanks? Do only blanks. Weak at ordering? Only ordering.
3
Mock test
30 listening and 40 reading questions in real test time. At the end you get a score, an estimated level and accuracy by type.
4
Records
Unit progress and wrong answers are kept. Get a wrong one right and it drops off by itself.

Start with level 1

Study level 1 Study level 2

This guide is compiled from public sources. Susu Korean is not affiliated with the National Institute for International Education or the Ministry of Justice. Questions are original practice items modeled on the real test types.