TOPIK 1 Study Plan: 8 Weeks to Level 1 or 2

A TOPIK 1 study plan can run eight weeks, with daily 45-minute sessions on vocabulary, grammar and listening or reading, and timed mocks in weeks 4, 6 and 8. This schedule takes about 36 hours in total, suits learners who already read Hangul, and gives checkpoints for 80 points (level 1) and 140 points (level 2). The key success factor is keeping the daily 15-15-15 split, even on busy days.

Before you start

• Total time: 8 weeks, 6 days a week, 45 minutes a day, plus three longer mock days; about 36-40 hours.
• Difficulty: moderate for a level 1 target, demanding for level 2.
• Typical cost: the TOPIK I fee for your country; official past papers are free on topik.go.kr.
• Materials: four official TOPIK I past papers with audio and answer keys (diagnostic, half mock and two full mocks), a flashcard app or about 500 blank cards, a timer, printed answer sheets, a notebook for an error log, and one beginner course book (optional).
• Prerequisites: you read Hangul without sounding out each letter, and you know a few polite sentences such as 저는 학생이에요.

This page is the day-level schedule. The strategy behind it, with the reasons for each step, is on how to pass TOPIK 1; read that once, then come back here to follow the plan.

TOPIK 1 Study Plan: the Essentials

The TOPIK 1 study plan below has one fixed daily routine and five steps that change what goes into it. Every study day is 45 minutes split into three 15-minute blocks:

The fixed split matters more than the content of any single day. Learners who let vocabulary eat the whole session reach mock day knowing many words and no question types. The test, TOPIK I, has 30 listening questions in 40 minutes and 40 reading questions in 60 minutes, scored out of 200; the full structure is on TOPIK 1 exam format.

1. 01

   Step 1: Diagnostic Paper

   Baseline score and target level

   one 2-hour session before week 1

   TOPIK past PapersOfficial papers with audio and keys.

2. 02

   Step 2: Week 1

   120 words, 8 patterns, all early item types seen once

   45 minutes a day

   TOPIK 1 Vocabulary ListCore words by topic.

3. 03

   Step 3: Weeks 2-5

   About 480 words, 24 patterns, half mock in week 4

   45 minutes a day

   TOPIK 1 Grammar ListPatterns with examples.

4. 04

   Step 4: Weeks 6-8

   Two full mocks; final total above the target cut

   45 minutes a day plus mock days

   TOPIK Mock TestHow to sit and review a mock.

The steps follow in order, and the first one decides which target the rest of the plan aims at.

Step 1: Test Your Level with One past Paper

Sit one official TOPIK I past paper before week 1 and use the score to choose level 1 or level 2 as your target.

How: on the weekend before week 1, download a recent paper with audio and the answer key from topik.go.kr. Sit the listening section (40 minutes) and the reading section (60 minutes) with a timer, then mark it. Each section is worth 100 points, so the answer key's point values give you a total out of 200.

You'll know it worked when you have three numbers written down: your baseline total, your target cut score and your test date. Check registration windows on topik.go.kr and on the TOPIK exam dates page now, because they close weeks before the test.

Common mistake: skipping the diagnostic because "I know I am a beginner". Without a baseline, you cannot tell in week 4 whether the plan is working.

The official past papers are called 기출문제 (gichulmunje), a word worth knowing because Korean sites use it in menus and file names.

With a target chosen, the first week sets the habits for the next seven.

Step 2: Follow the Week 1 Schedule Day by Day

Follow the week 1 schedule exactly, so each block type and each TOPIK I item type has been met once by Saturday.

How: use the day table. Words come from the topic groups of the TOPIK 1 vocabulary list; patterns come from the TOPIK 1 grammar list. Question numbers refer to the paper you used in Step 1.

For listening, use the same three passes every time: answer once without the script, listen again with the script and underline what you missed, then play it a third time and speak along. For reading, set a timer for 90 seconds per question, the official average, then reread slowly and look up every word you guessed.

A model sentence makes each pattern stick. On Thursday, for example, say this aloud until it is automatic:

The sentence shows 에 for time (주말에, "at the weekend") and 에서 for the place of an action (도서관에서, "at the library"). Reading items 34-39 test exactly this kind of choice.

You'll know it worked when you have 120 words in your deck, eight patterns you can say from memory, and you have tried each early item type at least once.

Common mistake: doing week 1 "in your head" without audio. TOPIK I listening is worth half the marks; play the sound for every card from day one.

Week 1 builds the routine. Weeks 2-5 fill it with the rest of the beginner core.

Step 3: Run Weeks 2-5 with Weekly Goals

Run weeks 2-5 with the same daily split, aiming at one measurable goal each week and a half mock in week 4.

How: keep 20 new words a day for weeks 2-4, then switch to review only in week 5. Add three or four new patterns a week until you reach about 24. Alternate block C between listening and reading, and move to later question numbers each week.

The week 4 half mock. On Saturday, sit the full listening section (40 minutes, all 30 questions) with a timer. On Sunday, sit reading questions 31-50 in 30 minutes. Mark both and write every wrong answer in your error log with its cause: word, grammar, misread instruction or time.

Checkpoint 1 (week 4): on a level 1 track, aim for at least 40% of items correct across both parts; on a level 2 track, at least 60%. Above the line, carry on. Below it, spend week 5's block C entirely on your weaker section.

An error log is called 오답 노트 (odap noteu), "wrong-answer notebook", by Korean students; it is the single most useful document in this plan.

You'll know it worked when your error log shows fewer "word" errors in week 5 than in week 4, and you can name the instruction phrase for each item type.

Common mistake: adding new grammar every day without review. By week 5, a pattern you saw once in week 2 is gone unless you said it aloud again.

The core is now in place; the last three weeks turn knowledge into points under time pressure.

Step 4: Run Weeks 6-8 with Mocks and Checkpoints

Run weeks 6-8 around two full timed mocks, using the days between them to fix the errors each mock reveals.

How: each mock replaces one study day and takes 100 minutes plus 30 minutes of marking. Use papers you have not seen, real timings (40 minutes listening, then 60 minutes reading, no break) and a printed answer sheet that you fill in as you go.

Checkpoint 2 (week 6): at least 80 points for a level 1 target, or about 125 for level 2. If you are far below, consider whether the target or the test date should change.

Checkpoint 3 (week 8): at least 10-15 points above your cut score, so about 90-95 for level 1 or 150-155 for level 2. The margin covers nerves and an unlucky paper on the day.

You'll know it worked when your final mock total clears the checkpoint 3 line. The full method for sitting and marking a mock is on TOPIK mock test, and where to find enough papers is on TOPIK past papers.

Common mistake: sitting the final mock the day before the test. A bad result then only adds stress, and there is no time to act on it. Sit it four to six days before.

How Do You Track the Plan?

Track the plan with one table filled in after every mock. The gap column tells you whether to stay on course.

A worked example: a learner targeting level 1 scores 46 on the diagnostic, about 38% at the half mock (just under the line), so spends week 5 on listening. The week 6 mock gives 84 and the final mock 96, which is 16 points above 80. The plan worked because the week 4 checkpoint triggered a change in time.

What Mistakes Derail Beginners?

The mistakes that derail beginners on this plan are about routine, not intelligence. Five are common, each with its fix.

1. Breaking the 15-15-15 split. Vocabulary feels productive, so it grows to fill the session. Fix: use a timer with three alarms.
2. Studying without sound. Half the marks are listening. Fix: audio on every card and every model sentence.
3. Skipping the checkpoints. Without them, a failing plan looks fine until test day. Fix: put mock dates in your calendar on day one.
4. Using only untimed practice. Untimed scores are usually higher than timed ones. Fix: every block C uses a timer.
5. Catching up on Sunday. Two missed days crammed into one long session break the spacing that makes memory work. Fix: move on, and absorb missed words into the next days' reviews.

An expert rule of thumb: a plan you follow at 80% beats a perfect plan you abandon in week 3. If a day goes wrong, do block A only; ten minutes keeps the habit alive.

Which Shorter or Longer Versions Exist?

The eight-week plan compresses or stretches with the same daily structure. Choose the version that matches your weeks to test day and your baseline.

Can I Follow the TOPIK 1 Plan on Weekends Only?

Yes, but stretch it to about 10-12 weeks and keep a short daily review. Two 2-hour weekend sessions give the same weekly hours as the standard plan, but memory needs spacing, so add 10 minutes of flashcards on weekdays. Use each weekend session as three blocks of about 40 minutes, keep the mocks on weekend mornings, and expect slower vocabulary growth than the daily plan.

Resource Checklist for the Plan

The plan needs only a few resources, most of them free. Tick each one before week 1.

• Official TOPIK I past papers (기출문제) with audio and answer keys from topik.go.kr: at least four: one for the diagnostic and the week 1 drills, one for the half mock, and two unseen papers for the full mocks.
• Vocabulary by topic: the TOPIK 1 vocabulary list, or the matching TOPIK 1 vocabulary flashcards with audio.
• Grammar patterns: the TOPIK 1 grammar list, with one model sentence per pattern.
• A timer with three alarms (15, 30 and 45 minutes).
• Printed answer sheets for every mock.
• An error log (오답 노트): a notebook or spreadsheet with columns for question number, type, cause and fix.

How Long Does the Plan Really Take?

The plan takes about 36-40 hours over eight weeks: 45 minutes on 6 days for 8 weeks is 36 hours, plus about 4 extra hours for the diagnostic and mock days. This is an editorial estimate for a learner who already reads Hangul and knows basic sentences.

Complete beginners need more. Learning Hangul well usually takes a few weeks on its own, and the first polite sentences a few more, which is why the 12-week version exists. Time also depends on your first language: speakers of languages that share vocabulary with Korean often move faster through the word lists. These are typical patterns, not promises, so trust your checkpoints over any estimate.

What This Plan Does Not Cover

This plan prepares you for TOPIK I only: listening and reading at levels 1 and 2. It does not teach writing or speaking, which TOPIK I does not test, and it does not replace a full beginner course if you want to speak Korean in daily life. For level 3 and above, a TOPIK II plan with writing practice is needed. Registration steps and fees are on topik.go.kr.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Do TOPIK 1 in 4 Weeks?

Yes, if your diagnostic paper scores above about 60 and you aim for level 1. Use the 4-week version: 60-75 minutes a day, 30 new words a day for two weeks, a half mock in week 2 and full mocks in weeks 3 and 4. From zero, four weeks is rarely enough for 80 points.

What If I Know Hangul Only?

Use the 12-week version. Spend the first four weeks on polite present and past sentences, the main particles and about 300 everyday words, at 30-45 minutes a day. Then start the 8-week plan at week 1. Knowing Hangul is the right starting point; the extra weeks give you sentences to read.

Do I Need a Tutor?

No. TOPIK I tests only listening and reading, so self-study with official past papers, audio flashcards and a grammar list covers everything it measures. A tutor helps if you lose motivation or keep misunderstanding a grammar point. One session after each mock, reviewing your error log, gives the best value for the cost.

What Are the Best Resources?

The best resources are the official TOPIK I past papers on topik.go.kr, because they show the real item types, audio speed and timing. Add a topic-based vocabulary list with audio, a beginner grammar list with model sentences, a timer and an error log. Commercial books help but are optional for TOPIK I.

The TOPIK 1 Study Plan in One Paragraph

This TOPIK 1 study plan gives you eight weeks of 45-minute days split into vocabulary, grammar and listening or reading, a diagnostic paper before week 1, a half mock in week 4, full mocks in weeks 6 and 8, and checkpoints that tell you whether to stay on course. Aim to finish 10-15 points above 80 for level 1 or 140 for level 2. Your next step is finding enough official papers: continue with TOPIK past papers, or browse every preparation page in TOPIK preparation.