The Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) Center of the National Institute for International Education (NIIED) provides the matters to be observed by those taking the TOPIK exam on the official website and the test identification slip. Test-takers who fail to comply with these rules will be restricted from taking the exam for two or four years and have their exam scores nullified or canceled, as prescribed in Article 13 (Handling of Violations and Test-Taking Restrictions) of the Basic Operating Regulations for the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK). So please check the rules and regulations posted on the website and other notices in advance.
What to bring on the day of the exam
- ID card (See Exam Rules > ID Card)
Entry Time and Exam Room
- Those taking the TOPIK I exam must be in the test room by 9:20 a.m. (will not be allowed in after 9:20 a.m.)
- Those taking the TOPIK II exam must be in the test room by 12:20 p.m. (will not be allowed in after 12:20 a.m.)
TOPIK I (Morning)
TOPIK II (Afternoon)
Information on the Exam (Rules)
- ·You are not allowed to use any electronic devices (incl. wearable devices such as a smart watch) during the exam (incl. the break). If you get caught using an electronic device, it will be considered as a violation.
- ·On the day of the exam, make sure to arrive in the exam room 40 minutes before the start of the exam and sit at the desk assigned to you. Be sure to follow the invigilator’s instructions. (You cannot take the exam at any other test centers aside from the one you selected at the time of registering for the exam.)
- ·Keep your ID card on top of your desk during the exam.
- ·Do not place any other objects, aside from your ID card and exam paper, on top of your desk during the exam. Otherwise, it will be considered as a violation. (Do not place your test identification slip on the desk either.)
- ·If you have requested a refund, you will not be able to take the exam, regardless of whether you have received a refund or not. (If you take the exam anyway, the score you receive will be nullified.)
- ·It is your responsibility to manage your time during the exam, and you must stop writing when the time ends. (In the case of the listening section, you must mark the answer sheet while listening to the audio. No additional time will be provided at the end of the listening section. In the case of the TOPIK II exam, you must work on the listening section during the first period and the writing section during the second period. If you get caught working on another section, it will be considered as a violation.)
- ·Normally, test-takers are not allowed to leave the exam room until the end of the exam. However, if it is unavoidable, you may ask for permission from the invigilator and leave the room quickly. (If you leave in the middle of the exam, an official score will not be given.)
- ·If you need to leave the exam room to urgently use the bathroom, etc. during the exam, you must cooperate with the invigilator who may monitor you to prevent violations.
- ·If you are absent during one of the two periods of the TOPIK Ⅱ exam, you will be treated as an absentee. (A person who is absent in the first period will not be allowed to take the exam during the second period.)
- ·Do not engage in any behavior (making noise, eating food, etc.) that would distract other test-takers, etc.
- ·Smoking is not permitted in the test center. Practice care so as to not damage the facilities.
- ·Anyone who does not follow the invigilator’s instructions or cheats on the exam may be asked to leave or have his/her score nullified or canceled. He/she may also be restricted from taking the exam for two or four years.
Information on ID Check
- ·You must bring your test identification slip and an ID card that meets the requirements (e.g. passport, foreigner registration card) on the day of the exam. Otherwise, you will not be able to take the exam. A student card or a photograph of an ID card is not acknowledged as an ID card.
- ·Make sure to cooperate with the invigilator during the ID check. Otherwise, you will be deemed to have violated the rules.
- ·If your identity cannot be clearly verified, you will be classified as an “unidentified person” and may be asked to provide additional proof of identity.
Information on Prohibited Items
- ·If you bring any of the prohibited items listed below into the exam room, you must hand it to the invigilator before the start of the first period.
Information on Filling out the Answer Sheet
- ·See
on the Tips for the Day of the Exam page
- ·Those who violate the rules will have their score nullified and may be restricted from taking the TOPIK exam for 2 or 4 years depending on the type of violation committed. Leaking/distributing exam questions, taking the exam on behalf of someone else, forging the score report, etc. are punishable by law.
(For more detailed information, go to Exam Rules > Violations)
Validity Period for Test Scores
- ·TOPIK exam scores are valid for 2 years from the date of announcement.
Prohibition of Unauthorized Distribution of Exam Questions
- ·TOPIK exam questions are copyrighted works, and unauthorized leakage, reproduction, and distribution thereof is strictly prohibited by law in recognition of the creativity of the copyright holders (i.e. authors). Illegal leakage or distribution is punishable by law, and violators will be restricted from taking the exam in accordance with Article 13 (Handling of Violations and Test-Taking Restrictions) of the Basic Operating Regulations for the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK).