If you are learning Korean in Singapore, then you have to know about the TOPIK guidelines. Let us share what they are and how our Korean language classes can prepare you for the exams.

What is TOPIK?

TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) is an external exam conducted twice a year in Singapore, typically in April and October. The test is divided into two levels – TOPIK I and TOPIK II. TOPIK I consists of two grade levels, 1 and 2, whereas TOPIK II has four grade levels, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Participants will be graded on their Korean proficiency level. Their total score will determine which grade level they receive on their certificates.

Why should you take the TOPIK exams?

If you plan to migrate to Korea or apply for a Korean university, you will require a TOPIK certificate. This is because Korea’s immigration authority utilises a point-based system that grades potential applicants based on their language proficiency level. Therefore, you stand a much better chance of securing a long-term visa for study or work if you ace your TOPIK exams.

Additionally, it is vital to note that the TOPIK certification differs from the credentials obtained from your Korean language classes. Even though these certificates signify your completion of the respective Korean language courses, they may not be recognised internationally. However, you will not encounter this issue with a TOPIK certification, which is why it is highly sought after worldwide.

How to register for the TOPIK exams?

If you are learning Korean in Singapore and wish to take the TOPIK exams, you can register for the tests online through the Singapore Korean International School’s website. However, the exams are held at the school, so you are required to head down to the campus, which is located at 71 Bukit Tinggi Road.

The application fees are as followed:

Level	Fee (SGD)
TOPIK I (Grade 1 and 2)	$100*
TOPIK II (Grade 3 to 6)	$120*

* The application fees listed are subject to change. Please verify the latest costs with the Singapore Korean International School.

How to prepare for the TOPIK exams?

The best way to prepare for the TOPIK exams is to enrol yourself in a Korean language class. At ONLYOU Korean Language School, our syllabus is closely aligned with TOPIK exam guidelines. In addition, our teachers are part of the Korean Society of Bilingualism and the International Association for Korean Language Education. Therefore, they are constantly kept informed of the latest changes to the Korean syllabus.

Moreover, our teachers possess an in-depth understanding of the exam format. As a result, our group and private classes are specifically curated to ensure our students are well-equipped to take on the tests and pass with flying colours.

What are the benefits of taking the TOPIK exams?

Possessing a TOPIK certificate not only improves your chances of enrolling in a top Korean university or landing your dream job in Korea, but it also reduces the cost of your Korean language classes. That’s right; we incentivise our students to score well on their TOPIK exams by offering special rewards based on their obtained grades.

ONLYOU REWARDS SUMMARY

TOPIK grades		Reward amounts
Grade 2	────	$50 discount

Grade 3	────	$60 discount

Grade 4	────	$80 discount

Grade 5	────	$100 discount

Grade 6	────	$150 discount

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Students must meet the following eligibility criteria to qualify for the rewards:

1.	Students are required to participate in our lessons for more than 6 months prior to their exam dates.
2.	Current ONLYOU students as of the result announcement date.
3.	Students can apply for their rewards a second time when they receive a higher grade in future exams.
4.	Students can only claim the rewards twice.
5.	The reward must be redeemed within 6 months from the result announcement date.
6.	The reward can be split over consecutive terms. Grade 2: $25 discount for two consecutive terms Grade 3: $30 discount for two consecutive terms Grade 4: $40 discount for two consecutive terms Grade 5: $50 discount for two consecutive terms Grade 6: $50 discount for three consecutive terms

Hear from our students as they share how they prepared for the TOPIK exams

Were ONLYOU Korean lessons helpful in preparing for TOPIK?

Yes, ONLYOU lessons were very helpful in my preparation for TOPIK.

Focus on grammar: Examples of usage, how to form a sentence, compare/contrast with similar grammar, detailed explanations even for slight differences in grammar usage. Time was given for us to form our own conversation with the grammar learnt.

Writing assignments similar to TOPIK and a wide range of topics were covered. Homework feedback is also fast and efficient. 🙂

ONLYOU term test and TOPIK test have similar formats so it was good practice for me.

Besides attending lessons, did you do anything else to prepare for TOPIK?

Practice past year TOPIK papers.
Watch Korean drama and variety shows with Korean subtitles (to train listening and also learn new words/spelling)
Talk to Korean friends.
Read Korean books, starting with novels for elementary school students.

Were ONLYOU Korean lessons helpful in preparing for TOPIK?

Korean lessons were helpful to prepare for TOPIK, especially since each chapter is broken down to a theme with related vocabulary so it was easier to memorise vocabulary based on a topic rather than memorising words randomly.

It was also helpful that each chapter had only 3-4 new grammar rules that allowed me to familiarise myself with new grammar patterns at a steady pace and not be too overwhelmed while learning.

Besides attending lessons, did you do anything else to prepare for TOPIK?

Besides Korean lessons I found practising past TOPIK papers that I found online as well as memorising words from a TOPIK Vocabulary Handbook to be helpful in understanding some of the harder questions.

Were ONLYOU Korean lessons helpful in preparing for TOPIK?

Yes, very helpful 😀 Personally, learning through the lessons is much more effective for me than to do self-learning.

The clear class structure made it so that I consistently made progress with every lesson. It also helped me to keep track with what I was learning so that practice and revision would be a lot easier to do.

I was able to ask the teacher questions, and she could correct me when I made a mistake, so that I wouldn’t make the same mistake during the exam. If I were to learn Korean by myself, I wouldn’t know where to start/what I would need to know/what I didn’t know.

Of course, the classes were fun and interesting so I didn’t get bored and it was easier to pay attention.

Besides attending lessons, did you do anything else to prepare for TOPIK?

I practiced with my Korean friends by messaging them in Korean almost everyday.
I watched a lot of KBS/SBS programmes and vlogs (with subtitles) to see how people conversed in real life.
I also tried to read books and Instagram posts just to practice my reading as well.

Were ONLYOU Korean lessons helpful in preparing for TOPIK?

The TOPIK practices and frequent speaking opportunities during lessons have helped prepare me for the TOPIK exam.

In addition, my teacher gives good advice and always explains clearly whenever i made a mistake.

Besides attending lessons, did you do anything else to prepare for TOPIK?

I always watch Korean shows and read articles once awhile so I think that has helped maintain me in an environment that constantly uses the Korean language.

TOPIK aims to set a Korean Language learning path for those who do not speak Korean as their native tongue, and to promote the Korean language by officially evaluating their Korean Language proficiency.

Overseas Koreans and foreigners who do not speak Korean as their mother tongue

Those learning Korean language and those with intentions to apply for local universities.
Those with intention to join/work for domestic/overseas Korean companies and public organizations.
Koreans who study or graduated overseas.

TOPIK results are valid for two(2) years from the time of test result announcements.

National Institute for International Education (NIIED), Ministry of Education.

Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) participants taking the Korean language course
Entrance into Korean Universities as a non-native Korean Speaker
Employment in companies and public institutions in both Korea and abroad
Aquisition of a Korean Language Instructor certification as non-native Korean speaker
Obtaining permanent residency or other specific Visa types in Korea
For use in the ‘Korea Immigration and Integration Program’ operated by the Ministry of Justice

Please view the table in landscape mode on your mobile device.

Test Type(level): TOPIK I(novice), TOPIK II(intermediate and advanced)
Level: Level 1 ~ Level 6(from basic to advanced)
The level is determined by the total scores achieved in the respective test type, and range of total scores for each level is as follows:

Type	TOPIK I			TOPIK II
Level	Fail	Level 1	Level 2	Fail	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6
Score Range (ponits)	0 ~ 79	80 ~ 139	140 ~ 200	0 ~ 119	120 ~ 149	150 ~ 189	190 ~ 229	230 ~ 300

Test type	Test period	Test section (duration)	Test item type	Number of test item	Range of score	Total score
TOPIK I	1st	Listening(40mins)	Multiple-choice	30	0~100	0~200
TOPIK I	1st	Reading(60mins)	Multiple-choice	40	0~100	0~200
TOPIK II	1st	Listening(60mins)	Multiple-choice	50	0~100	0~300
	1st	Writing(50mins)	Supply type	4	0~100
	2nd	Reading(70mins)	Multiple-choice	50	0~100

※Test Item Type Description

Multiple-choice : Selecting 1 answer among the 4 choices.
Supply type question(writing part)
- Sentence completion type : 2 questions total
- Essay type
  - I descriptive essay ranging from 200-300 letters (including spaces) for intermediate level.
  - I argumentative essay ranging from 600-700 letters(including spaces) for advanced level.

Need Help

Questions	Evaluation Category	Evaluation Details
Sentence completion (2 test items)	Content and Task Achievement	Is the response accurately comprehensible? Is the response appropriate to the requirements of the task?
Sentence completion (2 test items)	Language Use	Does the response reflect correct use of vocabulary and grammar?
Essays (1 test item)	Content and Task Achievement	Is the reponse appropriate to requirements of the task? Is the response relevant to the topic? Does the response elaborate the topic and task in a detailed and meaningful way?
	Coherence and Cohesion	Does the response demonstrate clear and logical structure? How organized is the response? Does the response include the use of appropriate written devices to ensure coherent, cohesive progress and logical connection of the presented ideas?
	Language Use	Does the response demonstrate appropriate syntactic and lexical variety? Does the response reflect an accurate use of vocabulary choice and grammar? Does the response use the right register in accordance with purpose and function of the task?

Test Type	Level	Linguistic Competence
TOPIK I	Level 1	Able to carry out basic conversations related to daily surviving skills such as self-introduction, purchasing, ordering food, etc., and understand the contents related to very personal and familiar subjects such as himself/herself, family, hobby, weather and the like. Able to create simple sentences based on a basic vocabulary of approximately 800 words and possess understanding of basic grammar. Able to understand and compose simple and useful sentences related to everyday life.
TOPIK I	Level 2	Able to carry out simple conversations related to daily routines such as making phone calls and asking favour, as well as using public facilities in daily life. Able to use about 1,500 to 2,000 vocabulary and understand personal and familiar subjects in certain order, such as paragraphing. Able to use formal expression and informal expression accordingly, respective to the situation.
TOPIK II	Level 3	Able to carry out daily routine, with fair use of public facilities and able to socialize without significant difficulty. Able to express or understand social subjects familiar to oneself, as well as specific subjects, based on paragraph. Able to understand and differentiate written language and spoken language based on their distinctive basic characteristics.
	Level 4	Able to use various public facilities, socialize, and carry out some degree of ordinary work. Able to understand easy parts in news broadcasts and newspapers. Able to understand and use the expressions related to social and abstract subjects relatively correctly and fluently. Able to understand social and cultural subjects, based on the understanding of Korean culture and frequently used idiomatic expression.
	Level 5	Able to perform linguistic function to some degree which is necessary for research and works in professional fields. Able to understand and use the expressions related to even unfamiliar aspects of politics, economics, society, and culture. Able to use the expression properly, depending on formal, informal, spoken/written context.
	Level 6	Able to perform linguistic function necessary to the research and works in professional fields relatively correctly and fluently. Able to understand and use the expressions related to even unfamiliar subjects of politics, economics, society, and culture. Able to experience no difficulty in performing the functions or conveying the meaning, although the proficiency has not reached full native speaker proficiency.

Please view the table in landscape mode on your mobile device.

Test No.	Korea	Americas, Europe, Africa	Asia and Oceania
74^th examination	February 7(Sun), 2021
75^th examination	April 11(Sun), 2021	April 10(Sat), 2021	April 11(Sun), 2021
76^th examination	May 16(Sun), 2021
77^th examination	July 11(Sun), 2021		July 11(Sun), 2021
78^th examination	October 17(Sun), 2021	October 16(Sat), 2021	October 17(Sun), 2021
79^th examination	November 14(Sun), 2021

Test No.	Period	Method for Application	Remark
75^th examination	-	Online application(Individual, group application)	Will be carried out in Singapore
78^th examination	12 July(Mon) 9:00 ~ 26 July (Mon) 16:00

Test No.	Period	Method for Application	Remark
74^th examination	December 8(Tue), 2020 ~ December 14(Mon) 18:00(7 days)	Online application(Individual, group application)	For Korea application only
75^th examination	January 29(Fri), 2021 ~ February 3(Wed) 18:00(6 days)
76^th examination	March 10(Wed), 2021 ~ March 15(Mon) 18:00(6 days)
77^th examination	May 21(Fri), 2021 ~ May 27(Thu) 18:00(7 days)
78^th examination	August 3(Tue), 2021 ~ August 9(Mon) 18:00(7 days)
79^th examination	September 7(Tue), 2021 ~ September 13(Mon) 18:00(7 days)

Test No.	74^th examination	75^th examination	76^th examination	77^th examination	78^th examination	79^th examination
Result announcement date	March 8(Mon), 2021	May 20(Thu), 2021	June 30(Wed), 2021	August 19(Thu), 2021	November 25(Thu), 2021	December 23(Thu), 2021

TOPIK

All About TOPIK Singapore

What is TOPIK?

Why should you take the TOPIK exams?

How to register for the TOPIK exams?

The application fees are as followed:

How to prepare for the TOPIK exams?

What are the benefits of taking the TOPIK exams?

ONLYOU REWARDS SUMMARY

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Hear from our students as they share how they prepared for the TOPIK exams

Were ONLYOU Korean lessons helpful in preparing for TOPIK?

Besides attending lessons, did you do anything else to prepare for TOPIK?

Were ONLYOU Korean lessons helpful in preparing for TOPIK?

Besides attending lessons, did you do anything else to prepare for TOPIK?

Were ONLYOU Korean lessons helpful in preparing for TOPIK?

Besides attending lessons, did you do anything else to prepare for TOPIK?

Were ONLYOU Korean lessons helpful in preparing for TOPIK?

Besides attending lessons, did you do anything else to prepare for TOPIK?

TOPIK General Information

Objectives of TOPIK

Eligibility criteria

Overseas Koreans and foreigners who do not speak Korean as their mother tongue

Validity

Administrator

Usability of examination

Type and Level

Testing Sections Breakdown

Evaluation of Written Test Items

Linguistic Competence for Each TOPIK Level

Date of examination

Application period (based on Singapore)

Application period (based on Korea)

Result announcement date