TOPIK Results: When They Come out and How to Check Scores

The TOPIK is run by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED, 국립국제교육원). Result dates and the way certificates are issued can change, so this page explains the process and points you to the official source for every date.

When Do TOPIK Results Come Out?

TOPIK results come out on a results date fixed for each session, usually several weeks after the test, and often around a month later for the paper test. The date is not a guess: NIIED publishes it in the year's schedule before registration opens, next to the test date. In Korean the event is called 성적 발표 (seongjeok balpyo), "results announcement".

To find your date, open the schedule on topik.go.kr, find your session (paper or IBT, in Korea or overseas) and read the results column. The TOPIK exam dates page links to the current schedule.

Plan around this published date, not around a typical gap. If a university deadline falls one week after the results date, you have one week to print and submit, which is tight but possible. If the deadline falls before the results date, you need an earlier session.

What Time Are TOPIK Results Posted?

TOPIK results are posted at a set time on the announcement day, stated in Korea Standard Time (KST, UTC+9). The official notice for the session gives the time. Convert it to your own time zone in advance, so you do not refresh the page for hours.

Two practical points help on the day:

• Expect traffic. Many candidates log in at the same moment, so the site can be slow for the first hour. Waiting an hour costs nothing; the result will not change.
• Prepare your details. Have your registration number and date of birth ready before the release time.

If the announcement time passes and results do not appear, check the notice board on topik.go.kr for a delay notice before contacting anyone. Delays are rare but are always announced there first.

Where Do You Check TOPIK Results?

You check TOPIK results on the official TOPIK website, topik.go.kr, in the results menu. The menu is labelled 성적 확인 (seongjeok hwagin), "results check", and the English version of the site uses an equivalent label.

NIIED does not post individual results on social media, and other websites cannot see your score. A site that asks for payment to show your TOPIK result is not the official service. Overseas host organisations sometimes help candidates who cannot access the site, but the official result is the one on topik.go.kr.

How Do You Check Your TOPIK Results Step by Step?

You check your TOPIK results in four steps, and it takes about five minutes once the results are live.

1. Open topik.go.kr and choose the results check menu (성적 확인).
2. Select the session you took, for example the test number and date shown on your admit card.
3. Enter your details: your registration number (수험번호, suheombeonho) and the personal details the page asks for, such as your date of birth. Logged-in users may see their sessions listed automatically.
4. Read and save the result. The page shows your section scores, total and level. Save or print the page, and note the date.

You'll know it worked when the page shows your name, the session and a total score. If you see an error, check that you selected the correct session; choosing the wrong test number is the most common reason a result "cannot be found".

What Do You Need to Check Your Results?

You need your registration number and the personal details used at registration. The registration number is printed on your admit card (수험표). Keep the admit card, or a photo of it, until you have your certificate.

If you registered through an overseas host by form, your registration number may have come from the host by email. Search your inbox for the admit card message.

What Does the TOPIK Score Report Show?

The TOPIK score report shows your scores in each section, your total score, the level (급) you achieved and the dates that matter for validity. It is the official record that universities and employers ask for.

The level depends only on the total score. The cut scores are 80 and 140 out of 200 for TOPIK I, and 120, 150, 190 and 230 out of 300 for TOPIK II, as explained on the TOPIK levels page. The report does not list individual questions you answered wrongly.

How Do You Read Your Section Scores?

Read your section scores as a map of where the next points will come from, not just as a verdict. A worked example shows how.

A TOPIK II candidate's report shows listening 64, writing 38 and reading 61. The total is 163, which is Level 4 (150-189). The candidate wants Level 5, which needs 190, so 27 more points are needed. Writing is 23 to 26 points behind the other sections, so improving writing is the fastest route.

Three patterns are common:

• Writing far below the other two. Typical for learners who studied mainly with apps and reading. Focus on question 53 and question 54 structure.
• Listening far below reading. Typical for learners who read a lot but hear little Korean. Add daily listening at test speed.
• All three close together, just under a cut score. Typical for steady learners. A timed mock test often reveals time management, not knowledge, as the problem.

The TOPIK score page explains how each section is marked, including the writing criteria.

How Do You Get the TOPIK Certificate?

You get the TOPIK certificate by printing or downloading your score report from the official site after results are announced. The Korean name is 성적증명서 (seongjeokjeungmyeongseo), "score certificate". For most purposes, the printed report from topik.go.kr is the certificate that institutions accept.

1. Go to the certificate or score report printing menu on topik.go.kr.
2. Select your session and enter your details.
3. Print to a printer or save as a PDF, following the page's instructions.
4. Check that your name, level and dates are correct.

Paper certificates by post have been offered in some cases and countries, and overseas hosts sometimes hand out printed copies. Whether this applies to you, and whether a fee is charged, is set by the official rules for your session and country. Check the notice on topik.go.kr or ask your host.

Can Someone Verify My TOPIK Certificate?

Yes. A university, employer or agency can check that a TOPIK certificate is genuine using the document number printed on it, through the verification service on the official TOPIK website. This is why a printed report from the official site is usually accepted without a stamp or a sealed envelope.

For you, this has two consequences. First, never edit a PDF of your report; a mismatch will show up during verification. Second, if an institution asks for a "certified copy", ask whether the official online verification is enough before paying for anything else. Many institutions describe their own preferred process on their admissions pages.

How Long Are TOPIK Results Valid?

TOPIK results are valid for two years from the results announcement date, according to the official TOPIK website. The validity period (유효 기간, yuhyo gigan) is shown on the score report. After it ends, most universities, employers and agencies ask for a new result.

A worked example: results announced in late May 2026 are valid until late May 2028. If you plan to apply for a programme in 2028, check whether your result will still be valid on the application deadline, not just on the day you start preparing. The full explanation, including what "expired" does and does not mean, is on the does TOPIK expire page.

What If Something Looks Wrong with Your Result?

If something looks wrong with your result, first check the basics, then contact the official channel quickly. Most "wrong" results turn out to be the wrong session or a misread scale.

1. Check the session. Make sure you opened the result for the session you actually took.
2. Check the scale. A TOPIK I total is out of 200, a TOPIK II total out of 300. 120 on TOPIK II is Level 3, not a fail.
3. Check your name and details. Spelling errors in your name should be reported, because they affect the certificate.
4. Contact the right office. In Korea, contact the TOPIK office through the official site. Overseas, contact your host organisation, which works with NIIED.

Whether a score can be re-checked, and in what time window, is decided by the official rules for your session. Act within days, not weeks. TOPIK writing is marked by trained raters against set criteria, so a re-mark request needs a concrete reason, not only disappointment with the score.

What If You Lost Your Registration Number?

If you lost your registration number, you can usually still find your result. If you registered with an account on topik.go.kr, log in and open your application history; the registration number and session are listed there. If you registered through an overseas host, search your email for the admit card or confirmation message, or ask the host to confirm the number.

Prevent this next time with one habit: take a photo of your admit card on the day you print it and save it in the same folder as your payment receipt.

What If You Did Not Reach a Level?

If you did not reach a level, your total was below the lowest cut score of your test: under 80 on TOPIK I, or under 120 on TOPIK II. You still have section scores, and they show where to work. There is no penalty for retaking, and many candidates reach their level on a second attempt.

Use this decision rule. If you took TOPIK II and scored under about 100, consider TOPIK I next time, where you would likely receive Level 2. If you scored between 100 and 119, stay with TOPIK II and focus on the weakest section. Then register for the next suitable session; the steps are on the page about registering for the next session, and practice material is on the TOPIK past papers page.

Do Overseas Candidates Get Results at the Same Time?

Overseas candidates usually get results on the results date published for their own session, through the same official website. Overseas sessions may be held on different days from sessions in Korea, so their results dates can differ too. Your host organisation may announce the date locally, but the official schedule on topik.go.kr is the reference.

Printed certificates handed out by hosts can arrive later than the online result. If you need proof quickly, print the online score report yourself rather than waiting for a paper copy.

What Should You Do While Waiting for Results?

While waiting for results, keep studying at a lighter pace and prepare the paperwork you will need. The weeks between the test and the results date are useful time, not dead time.

1. Write down what you remember about the test on the evening of the test day: which question types took longest, which section ran out of time and which topics surprised you. This note is more useful than your memory a month later.
2. Score yourself roughly against a past paper of similar level, so the result does not shock you either way.
3. Prepare the submission. Find the exact document each institution wants (printed report, PDF upload or verification number) and the deadline.
4. Look at the next session. If you are near a cut score, note the next registration period now. Waiting until the result arrives can mean missing that window.

The common mistake is stopping all study after the test. If you need a retake, a month without practice puts you further from the cut score than you were on test day.

How Do You Submit a TOPIK Result to a University or Employer?

You submit a TOPIK result by sending the score report in the form the institution asks for, usually a printed copy or a PDF upload, sometimes with the document number for online verification. TOPIK does not send results on your behalf.

Check the result date as well as the level. An institution may require that the result is still valid on the application deadline or on the start date, and the two can be months apart.

How Should You Plan Applications around TOPIK Results?

Plan applications by working back from the deadline to the results date. Write down three dates for each target: the application deadline, the results date of the session you want, and the date your result would expire. Then check that the results date comes before the deadline with at least a week to spare.

If you are unsure what level you need, read about the level your goal requires before choosing a session. A Level 3 result that arrives on time is more useful than a Level 4 that arrives too late.

The Bottom Line on TOPIK Results

TOPIK results appear online on the results date published for your session, usually several weeks after the test, and you check them on topik.go.kr with your registration number. Two points matter most: plan applications around the published results date, and remember that a result is valid for two years from that date. For the wider exam, return to the TOPIK exam guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I See the Correct Answers after the Test?

Not for every session. NIIED publishes some past papers with answer keys on the official TOPIK website, but not all sessions are released, and your own answer sheet is not returned. Your score report shows section totals, not a list of the questions you got wrong.

Are IBT Results Announced on a Different Date from Paper Results?

Each session has its own results date, and IBT and paper sessions are listed separately in the schedule on topik.go.kr. An IBT result can come on a different day from a paper result because the sessions are on different dates. Always read the results date next to your own session.

Will My Result Be Sent to My University Automatically?

No. TOPIK results are not sent to universities or employers automatically. You print or download your score report and submit it yourself, following the institution's instructions. Many institutions can check a certificate's authenticity with the issue number printed on it, using the verification service on the official site.

Can I Print My TOPIK Certificate More than Once?

Usually yes, while the result is valid. The score report can be printed from the official site after logging in or entering your details, so you can print a new copy for each application. Check the current printing rules on topik.go.kr, and keep a saved copy as a file as well.