2014 TOPIK Test Announcement

1. TOPIK Introduction

TOPIK, or Test of Proficiency in Korean is a Korean language test offered four times annually (in Jan, Apr, Jul, Sept) to foreigners in Korea and twice annually (Apr, Sept) to people studying Korean in other countries. TOPIK is administered by the National Institute for International Education

TOPIK takes place twice per year in April and September. The level of proficiency is divided into six grades. S-TOPIK is made up mostly of multiple questions and a composition that total up more then 100 questions which should be completed within 90 minutes. Its total score is 400. B-TOPIK which focuses on practical Korean is made up of 120 questions and given 90 minutes also. Its full score is 400, too.

The test is also to measure and evaluate their Korean language skills and utilize for in-Korean colleges for higher education and job-seeking related companies Korean needed. Of course it will be regret not to mention for someone who love K-pop.

Now 123 places in 39 countries worldwide conduct the test 4 times a year and numbers who have taken the test was exceeded more than 450,ooo people in 2011.

TOPIK is held in UKM, Malaysia twice a year around in April and October.

2. TOPIK Test Subject

1. Types of Exam Test

• Test of Proficiency In Korean(TOPIK)
• The former B-TOPIK (Business TOPIK) no longer be adminstered from 2011

2. Exam Levels and Difficulties

• Exam Difficulties :  Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced
• Exam Levels           :  6 Levels (Level 1~6)

Difficulty	Elementary		Intermediate		Advanced
Level	1	2	3	4	5	6
Determination of Level	Level is determined according to test result within given difficulty

3. Evaluation Area and Material Distribution

• Evaluation Areas : 4 areas(Vocabulary.Grammar, Writing, Listening, Reading)
• Score Distribution : 100 points per area, 400 total

4. Question Composition

Section	1st section			2nd section		Total
Area	Vocabulary/ Grammar	Writing		Listening	Reading	4 Areas
Type of questions	Multiple Choice	Written Answers	Multiple  Choice	Multiple Choice	Multiple Choice	Multiple Choice / Written Answers
Number of Questions	30	4~6	10	30	30	104~106
Score	100	60	40	100	100	400

5. Types of Problems

• Multiple Choice (4 Choices)
• Written Answers (Writing)
• Complete Sentence/Paragraph, Writing Sentences/Paragraphs: 4~6 questions
• Short Essay Writing  (Elementary: 150~300 letters, Intermediate: 400~600 letters, Advanced: 700~800 letters)

6. Evaluation Content by Level

Level		Qualification
Beginner	Level 1	Able to basic language functions such as introducing oneself, purchasing products, ordering food, and expressing and understanding private and familiar topics. Able to generate simple sentences using a 800-word basic vocabulary and beginner grammar. Able to form and understand potential, everyday language.
	Level 2	Able to express language functions such as phone calls, asking favors, and using public facilities such as post offices and banks. Able to use a 1500~2000-word vocabulary to understand and express paragraphs involving private and friendly topics. Know how to use language in separate situations - official and unofficial situations.
Intermediate	Level 3	Having no difficulty in language functions needed in living an everyday life, using various public facilities and maintaining social relationships. Able to understand and express familiar, specific social topics in units of paragraphs. Able to understand and express basic characteristics of colloquial and written Korean.
	Level 4	Able to perform functions needed in using public facilities, maintain social relationships and carry out normal functions. Able to understand plain content in the new or newspaper columns. Able to fluently understand and express social and abstract themes. Able to understand and express social and cultural context based on an understanding of widely used idiomatic expressions and representative Korean culture.
Advanced	Level 5	Able to express language functions needed in research and work in fields of expertise to a certain extent. Able to use language skills in unfamiliar themes such as politics, economics, society and culture. Adequately able to use language in official and unofficial context, and in colloquial and literary context.
	Level 6	Able to fluently and perfectly express language functions needed in research and work in fields of expertise. Able to use language skills in unfamiliar themes such as politics, economics, society and culture. Has no difficulty in language functions or language expressions to a near-native extent.

7. Range of Evaluation in the Writing Section

Range of Evaluation		Content of Evaluation
Task and Content Achievement		Evaluation on how testee comprehensively includes required content and accomplishes tasks.
Writing Structure Development		Evaluation on how testee uses appropriate paragraph structure and conversation mechanics to structure language cohesively.
Language Usage	Vocabulary	Evaluation on how fluently and correctly vocabulary is used
	Grammar	Evaluation on how fluently and correctly grammar is used
	Spelling	Evaluation on the correctness of spelling
Sociolinguistic Register		Evaluation of the usage of proper register according to the features of the writing genre

3. Grading Method & Result

1. Pass and Fail Scores

Difficulty	Levels	Pass Score	Fail Score
Beginner	Level1	50 or above	Lower than 40
	Level2	Over 70	Lower than 50
Intermediate	Level3	50 or above	Lower than 40
	Level4	Over 70	Lower than 50
Advanced	Level5	50 or above	Lower than 40
	Level6	Over 70	Lower than 50

2. Test Result Announcements

• Test scores will be announced when application is received, TOPIK website
• Test results will be announced at the TOPIK website(www.topik.go.kr) and individual score reports
• When checking through the website, you must know the test number (e.g. if you took the 4th test, 4) application number and birth date.