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TOPIK I tests Listening and Reading only, out of 200 points total, with Level 1 starting at 80 points and Level 2 at 140. TOPIK II adds a Writing section alongside Listening and Reading, is scored out of 300 points, and splits into four levels: Level 3 at 120, Level 4 at 150, Level 5 at 190, and Level 6 at 230. In short, TOPIK I measures beginner ability while TOPIK II covers everything from intermediate through advanced.
| Level | Passing score | Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOPIK I | 1 | 80 | 200 |
| TOPIK I | 2 | 140 | 200 |
| TOPIK II | 3 | 120 | 300 |
| TOPIK II | 4 | 150 | 300 |
| TOPIK II | 5 | 190 | 300 |
| TOPIK II | 6 | 230 | 300 |
TOPIK I is built around two sections — Listening and Reading — and the two combined give you a score out of 200 points. It's designed to measure basic, everyday Korean: the kind of language you'd need to introduce yourself, order food, or follow simple instructions. There's no writing component at this level, so you're only asked to recognize and understand the language, not produce it.
TOPIK II expands the test in two ways. First, it adds a Writing section, so you're now tested on Listening, Writing, and Reading together. Second, the scoring scale grows to 300 points, reflecting the wider range of ability the test is meant to capture — from solid intermediate Korean up through advanced, near-fluent use. Because writing is judged on content and expression rather than simple right-or-wrong answers, TOPIK II asks more of test-takers than just recognizing the correct choice.
Beyond the subjects tested, TOPIK I and TOPIK II are treated as separate exams from registration through to the score report — you pick one or the other when you sign up, not both at once, and each produces its own certificate. For details on registration windows, fees, or upcoming test dates, checking the official TOPIK site directly is the reliable way to go, since those specifics can shift from cycle to cycle.
Each TOPIK exam can produce more than one level, and where your score lands decides which one you receive. On TOPIK I, scoring 80 points or higher out of 200 earns you Level 1, and 140 or higher earns Level 2. Score below 80, and you don't receive a level for that sitting.
TOPIK II works the same way but with four possible levels instead of two. You need 120 points out of 300 for Level 3, 150 for Level 4, 190 for Level 5, and 230 for Level 6. Because all four levels come from the same exam, your Listening, Writing, and Reading scores are added together first, and that combined total is what gets compared against the cutoffs — a stronger section can help offset a weaker one elsewhere.
Missing a cutoff doesn't mean starting over from scratch. TOPIK I and TOPIK II are both offered on a recurring basis, so you can register again for the same test and aim for the level you fell just short of, using your previous score as a rough guide to where you need to improve.
Which exam to register for really comes down to what you already know and what you need the score for. If you're still working through beginner-level vocabulary and haven't produced much written Korean yet, TOPIK I is the realistic target, and Level 2 is a common benchmark for basic visa or admission requirements that only ask for entry-level proof.
If you're aiming for university admission, a scholarship, or a job that expects solid working Korean, TOPIK II is almost always what's required, and most programs specify a minimum level such as Level 3 or Level 4. It's worth checking the exact requirement for your program or employer directly on their official page, since minimum levels vary by institution and aren't standardized across the board.
One more thing worth weighing: you can't skip straight to a level, only to the test that produces it. If you're unsure whether you're ready for TOPIK II, it usually makes more sense to look honestly at your reading and listening comprehension, and whether you can write a short paragraph in Korean, rather than guessing based on how long you've studied.
TOPIK I is built on a vocabulary base of around 982 words — essentially the core, high-frequency words you'd pick up in a beginner course. That's a manageable list, and it's realistic to actively study most of it before test day.
TOPIK II draws from a much larger pool. The cumulative vocabulary tested across TOPIK II levels reaches up to 5,965 words, a dramatically larger list than what TOPIK I covers. That gap is the main reason students who pass TOPIK I comfortably still find TOPIK II a real step up — it's not just longer passages or trickier grammar, it's a genuinely bigger vocabulary to recognize and use.
Practically speaking, this means the move from TOPIK I to TOPIK II is less about relearning grammar and more about steadily expanding your word bank. Spacing out vocabulary study over several months, rather than cramming right before the exam, tends to be what actually closes a gap this size.
Yes. TOPIK I and TOPIK II are separate, independent exams, and you can register for TOPIK II directly regardless of whether you've ever taken or passed TOPIK I.
It tests a wider range of ability and adds a Writing section, so it's generally more demanding — but how hard it feels really depends on your current level relative to what each test expects.
If your score falls below 80 on TOPIK I or below 120 on TOPIK II, you don't receive a level for that sitting, though your raw score is typically still reported.
Start with the specific level requirement of your school, employer, or visa application — that target should decide which test you sit, not the other way around.
Updated: 2026-09-04