Key facts
| TOPIK I, paper | Listening 30 items (40 min) + reading 40 items (60 min). 70 items, 100 minutes, 200 points, one session [1] |
|---|---|
| TOPIK II, paper | Session 1: listening 50 items (60 min) + writing 4 items (50 min). Session 2: reading 50 items (70 min). 104 items, 180 minutes, 300 points [1] |
| TOPIK Speaking | 6 tasks, 30 minutes, 200 points, computer only, answers recorded through a headset [1] |
| Where | Paper test and IBT are both taken at designated test sites. TOPIK cannot be taken at home. [8] |
| Results (2026) | IBT 20 days after the test, Speaking 23 days, paper test 32 to 53 days [2] |
Which sections are on TOPIK I and TOPIK II?
TOPIK I has two sections, listening and reading, each worth 100 points. TOPIK II has three, listening, writing and reading, each worth 100 points, with listening and writing in the first session and reading in the second.
| Test | Session | Section | Items | Minutes | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOPIK I | 1 | Listening | 30 | 40 | 100 |
| TOPIK I | 1 | Reading | 40 | 60 | 100 |
| TOPIK II | 1 | Listening | 50 | 60 | 100 |
| TOPIK II | 1 | Writing | 4 | 50 | 100 |
| TOPIK II | 2 | Reading | 50 | 70 | 100 |
TOPIK I totals 70 items in 100 minutes for 200 points; TOPIK II totals 104 items in 180 minutes for 300 points, with a break between the sessions during which you may not leave the building. TOPIK I runs in the morning and TOPIK II in the afternoon, so a site that offers both lets you take both on the same day.
What kinds of questions are on the test?
Listening and reading items are four-option multiple choice. TOPIK II writing has two sentence-completion items (51 and 52) and two compositions: about 200 to 300 characters for question 53 and 600 to 700 for question 54.
TOPIK II listening and reading items are worth 2 points each. TOPIK I items vary: on the 52nd test's answer key, listening items were worth 3 or 4 points and reading items 2 or 3, adding up to 100 per section. Writing is weighted: questions 51 and 52 are 10 points each, question 53 is 30 and question 54 is 50. See the writing guide.
Answers go on a machine-read sheet with the double-ended sign pen handed out at the site: the thick end fills one circle per item (two marks or a partial mark scores 0), the thin end is for writing inside the answer box. Text outside the box earns no points.
How is the computer-based TOPIK (IBT) different?
The IBT tests the same skills on a desktop computer at a designated test centre. It has fewer items, no break, different score scales (400 and 600), some on-screen item types, typed writing, and results in about three weeks instead of five to eight.
| Paper test (PBT) | Computer test (IBT) | |
|---|---|---|
| TOPIK I items and time | 70 items, 100 min | 52 items, 70 min |
| TOPIK II items and time | 104 items, 180 min, two sessions | 63 items, 125 min, no break |
| Score scale | 200 (TOPIK I), 300 (TOPIK II) | 400 (TOPIK I), 600 (TOPIK II) |
| Writing | 4 items on paper | 3 items, typed |
| Item types | Multiple choice, written answers | Multiple choice, word and sentence insertion, drag-and-drop ordering, typed answers |
| Results in 2026 | 32 to 53 days after the test | 20 days after the test |
| Fee in Korea 2026 | 40,000 KRW (I), 55,000 KRW (II) | 70,000 KRW (I), 95,000 KRW (II) |
| Countries | Korea and 89 countries (Oct 2025) | 13 countries in 2025, 17 planned for 2026 |
The IBT has the same legal status, levels and two-year validity as the paper test. The first regular IBT in Korea was held on 18 November 2023. The 2026 IBT countries are Korea, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, China (Hong Kong only), the Philippines, Romania, Malaysia, the USA (Guam only), Vietnam, Thailand, Paraguay and Pakistan, with Nepal, Laos, Bahrain and India planned to join; Japan, Russia, Kazakhstan, mainland China and the mainland USA were not on the list.
The IBT is not a home test: you sit at a test centre, there is no break, and anyone who leaves the room gets no score. In Korea, IBT registration runs only through topik.go.kr. Take the IBT if you need the result fast and live in an IBT country; take the paper test for more sittings and a lower fee in Korea. Either way, practice under the real time limits before the test. IBT cut-offs are in the levels and scores guide; dates for both formats are in the test dates guide.
What is the TOPIK Speaking test?
TOPIK Speaking is a separate 30-minute computer test with six tasks, scored out of 200 and reported as its own level from 1 to 6. You listen through a headset and record your answers into a microphone.
- Answer a question
- Role-play from a picture
- Tell a story from pictures
- Complete a conversation
- Interpret data and explain
- Give an opinion
Preparation and answer times per task were published in the 2023 guide (from 20 s and 30 s for task 1 up to 70 s and 80 s for tasks 5 and 6). The fee in Korea is 80,000 KRW, with three rounds in 2026, reported as Korea only. The Speaking test does not replace TOPIK I or II, so check that your institution accepts it before you register.
What are the rules on test day?
Bring a valid original ID and your admission ticket, arrive before check-in closes, hand in every electronic device before the first session, and stay in the room until the end. Leaving mid-test means no score.
- Check-in times differ by country and year (Japan 2026: 09:30 for TOPIK I, 12:30 for TOPIK II; Los Angeles closes entry 30 minutes before the start). Follow your admission ticket. Late arrivals cannot enter.
- A device with AI translation or writing functions, or a disguised camera or recorder, voids the test and bars you from TOPIK for two years; impersonation bars you for four.
- Corrections: correction tape for multiple choice; two lines or your own tape for writing. Test sites stopped supplying tape from the 68th test (12 January 2020).
How does TopikIQ mirror the exam format?
TopikIQ's full mock exams follow the section order and time limits of TOPIK I and TOPIK II, and the daily practice covers reading, listening and writing with an explanation for every question in your language.
The free plan includes 20 practice questions a day in sessions of 10 at every level, mistake review and 3 AI tutor chats a day, and a signed-in free account can try one full mock exam. Mock exam scores are estimates, not official results; the questions are original, not past exam papers; TopikIQ is not affiliated with NIIED.
Related guides: What is TOPIK?, TOPIK II writing, how to prepare.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take TOPIK online or at home?
No. Both the paper test and the IBT are taken in person at designated test sites. A home test was announced as a plan in 2024 but had not launched as of 28 September 2026.
Is there a break during TOPIK II?
On paper, yes: there is a break between session 1 (listening and writing) and session 2 (reading), and you may not leave the building. The IBT and the Speaking test have no break.