TOPIK (Topic) in Korea is a standardized test to evaluate foreigners’ Korean language skills. The exam consists of six stages, from beginner level 1 to advanced level 6, and consists of listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
Korean proficiency test for foreigners and other non-Korean speakers. It is divided into TOPIK I (1st and 2nd grades) and TOPIK II (3rd to 6th grades), and writing (=writing), reading, and listening are out of 100 points, respectively. TOPIK has been organized by the Korea Academic Foundation for two years since 1997 and the Korea Curriculum Evaluation Institute for 12 years from 1999 to 2010, and has been conducted by the National Institute of International Education (formerly the International Education Promotion) since 2011. For reference, Koreans living in Korea can also apply for TOPIK if they pay for it. However, there is no place to use it with your specifications. If you want to become a person who teaches Korean to non-native Korean students, you need to see TOPIK in person. TOPIK exams are generally held in April and October every year, and test takers are allowed to participate in the tests at national and overseas test sites. The validity period of the test results is two years.
The test is very important for those who wish to study, get a job, or immigrate to Korea. This is because there are many universities and companies that require foreign applicants to submit TOPIK grades. The TOPIK test is also a way to show an individual’s Korean language skills and helps improve his or her job competitiveness.
The test grade is level 6, which is as follows:
TOPIK Level 1 (Initial): You can understand and use basic Korean in your daily life, and the number of vocabulary is approximately 1,500.
TOPIK Level 2 (Intermediate): You can understand and use simple Korean, speak basic Korean necessary for daily life and communication, and have about 2,500 vocabulary words.
TOPIK Level 3 (Medium and Advanced): You can understand and use Korean with some difficulty, have simple conversations such as work and learning, and have about 4,000 vocabulary words.
TOPIK Level 4 (Advanced): You can understand and use Korean at a considerable level, have work or academic conversations, and have about 6,000 vocabulary words.
TOPIK Level 5 (Advanced): You can understand and use very difficult Korean, talk in a professional field, and have about 8,000 vocabulary words.
TOPIK Level 6 (Top Level): You can understand and use Korean with a very high level of difficulty, talk in high-level professional fields, and have more than 10,000 vocabulary words.
Of course, the amount and ability of the above specific words are just a reference and cannot be defined.
The passing scores of each level of test are as follows:
TOPIK Level 1: A total of 200 points, 100 points based on acceptance
TOPIK Level 2: A total of 200 points, 120 points based on acceptance
TOPIK 3rd grade: Out of 300 points in total, 150 points based on acceptance
TOPIK Level 4: A total of 300 points, 180 points based on passing
TOPIK Level 5: Out of 300 points, the acceptance standard score is 200 points
Level 6: A total of 300 points, 240 points for passing
In Korea, it is implemented six times a year in January, April, May, July, October, and November, and only a part of it is implemented overseas, but it is conducted two to five times depending on the region. As of 2019, 101,617 people applied for TOPIKI, 82,562 people applied, 74,828 people passed, and 274,254 people applied for TOPIK II, 217,506 people applied, and 133,645 people passed. It has become one of the language qualification tests with considerable international recognition. You can take the exam not only in Korea but also abroad. Tests are being conducted in 323 regions in 87 countries, including South Korea. There are two types of questionnaires: Type A and Type B, which are conducted on Saturdays in regions other than Asia, and Type B is conducted on Sundays in Asia.
With level 5, international students can take classes at universities to some extent in Korean, and with level 6, they can easily take difficult classes. Level 3 can make it difficult to take classes at university. However, in the actual educational field, many international students with insufficient academic performance are coming in because only level 3 can be admitted. However, students with similar language grammar to Korean grammar, such as Mongolia, Japan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, tend to take classes well even if they are level 3.
