Korea has three families of Korean-language tests that foreign residents regularly confuse. Studying for the wrong one can cost months of preparation and produce a certificate that cannot satisfy your actual requirement.
Find your goal in the decision table below. Each row points to the exam that counts and the guide that goes deeper.
Decision table: your goal, your exam
| Your goal | Which exam counts | The key rule | Where to go deeper |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-2-7 residence visa points | TOPIK or KIIP, and KIIP scores higher | Both are graded in the same capped basic-competency item (기본소양), worth at most 20 points, so you cannot count both there. KIIP Stage 5 completion also earns a separate 10-point bonus in the bonus item (가점), which TOPIK does not. | TOPIK for Visa Points |
| F-4 Korean-heritage diaspora visa, 2-year multi-entry stay period | TOPIK Level 1 or higher, a KIIP pre-evaluation score of 21 or higher, a KIIP Stage 1 or higher completion certificate, or King Sejong Institute (세종학당) Elementary 1B or higher | Submitting any one of these four proofs supports the 2-year multi-entry stay period. Submitting none can limit the stay to 1 year. | TOPIK for Visa Points |
| F-5 permanent residency, basic-competency requirement (기본소양 요건) | KIIP | The Ministry of Justice names KIIP: pass the permanent residency comprehensive evaluation (영주용 종합평가) with 60 or higher, which you may sit after completing KIIP Stage 5 Basic or within two years of a KIIP pre-evaluation score of 85 or higher. Its Visa Navigator guide names no TOPIK route for general or points-based permanent residency. | KIIP Guide, KIIP vs TOPIK |
| Naturalization / citizenship (귀화) | KIIP | The Nationality Act Enforcement Rules Article 4 (국적법 시행규칙 제4조) lists six grounds for exemption from the naturalization comprehensive evaluation, including completing KIIP and scoring 60 or higher on the comprehensive evaluation (종합평가) within the last three years. TOPIK is not one of them. | KIIP and Naturalization Guide |
| University admission | TOPIK, KIIP completion, or King Sejong Institute course completion | Requirements are set per university and per department. There is no single government-mandated minimum level. Check the specific admission notice for your department. | TOPIK Guide |
| E-7-4 skilled-worker status upgrade (K-Point system) | Korean language ability is one scored item | Korean language ability is scored alongside skill level, age, and work experience in the E-7-4 points system (숙련기능인력 점수제). The criteria come from the annual skilled-worker selection plan (숙련기능인력 선발 계획). | E-7 Occupation Codes Guide |
| Scholarships (e.g. GKS/KGSP) | TOPIK | Read the current guideline for the specific scholarship and cycle you are applying to. | GKS Scholarship Guide |
| E-9 employment (manufacturing, construction, farming, fishing, and other permitted sectors) | EPS-TOPIK | EPS-TOPIK is a separate exam run by HRD Korea under the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Passing it is what registers you on the E-9 foreign jobseeker roster, and a TOPIK certificate does not substitute for it. | EPS-TOPIK Guide, EPS-TOPIK vs TOPIK |
The fork that matters most: for F-5 and citizenship, the route Korea names runs through KIIP
Korea's Ministry of Justice names KIIP as the route to the F-5 permanent residency basic-competency requirement (기본소양 요건). What you have to pass is the permanent residency comprehensive evaluation (영주용 종합평가), with a score of 60 or higher. You may sit it after completing KIIP Stage 5 Basic (70 hours), or within two years of scoring 85 or higher on the KIIP pre-evaluation (사전평가) without taking the Stage 5 course. The Ministry's own Visa Navigator guide names no TOPIK route for general or points-based permanent residency.
For naturalization, the Nationality Act Enforcement Rules Article 4 (국적법 시행규칙 제4조) lists six grounds for exemption from the naturalization comprehensive evaluation. Two of them are completing KIIP, and scoring 60 or higher on the comprehensive evaluation (종합평가) in the three years before you apply. The other four are being a minor, being aged 60 or over, qualifying under Nationality Act Article 7(1)(2) or (3), and any other special ground the Minister of Justice recognizes. TOPIK is not one of them.
If you have been studying TOPIK with permanent residency or citizenship in mind, check the Ministry of Justice guidance for your own category before you go further. For both goals, the routes Korea's own documents describe run through KIIP.
For the full F-5 language requirement and how KIIP fits in, see the F-5 Permanent Residency Guide and KIIP vs TOPIK: Which Path Gets You to F-5 or Citizenship.
Your TOPIK certificate converts directly into a KIIP starting stage
If you hold a TOPIK certificate, that work is not wasted when you start KIIP. The placement bridge at socinet.go.kr (사회통합정보망) converts a valid TOPIK score into a starting stage and skips all class hours below it.
The placement table (source: socinet.go.kr, 연계평가표, verified 2026-08-09):
| TOPIK level | KIIP starting stage |
|---|---|
| Level 1 (1급) | Stage 2 |
| Level 2 (2급) | Stage 3 |
| Level 3 (3급) | Stage 4 |
| Level 4, 5, or 6 | Stage 5 |
The practical outcome: a TOPIK Level 3 holder enters KIIP at Stage 4, skipping the 300 hours of Stage 1 to Stage 3 instruction. A Level 4, 5, or 6 holder enters at Stage 5 directly, which means Stage 5 Basic (70 hours) and the permanent residency comprehensive evaluation for the F-5 basic-competency requirement, plus Stage 5 Advanced (30 hours) and the naturalization comprehensive evaluation for the citizenship track.
For step-by-step instructions on applying for KIIP placement through your TOPIK certificate, see the KIIP Enrollment Guide.
E-9 employment: EPS-TOPIK, not TOPIK
EPS-TOPIK (고용허가제 한국어능력시험) is not a variant of TOPIK. It is a separate exam administered by HRD Korea (한국산업인력공단) under the Ministry of Employment and Labor, not NIIED under the Ministry of Education. It tests workplace Korean relevant to the Employment Permit System, not general Korean proficiency. Its result is a position on Korea's foreign jobseeker roster (구직자명부), not a language certificate you hold.
The process runs in sequence: you take EPS-TOPIK in your home country before coming to Korea, your score places you on the roster, a Korean employer selects you from that roster, and then the visa is issued. The exam named at the first step of that sequence is EPS-TOPIK, not TOPIK.
Current EPS-TOPIK exam scales (as of 2026; verify at epstopik.hrdkorea.or.kr before registering):
| Exam | Questions | Points | Duration | Passing floor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General EPS-TOPIK | 40 | 100 | 50 min | 60 (manufacturing); 45 (most other sectors); 30 (fishing special track) |
| Special EPS-TOPIK (returning workers) | 40 | 200 | 50 min | 120 |
You may see an "80 of 200" figure in older guides. It does not describe either exam HRD Korea currently publishes.
For the full EPS-TOPIK process and what to do after passing, see EPS-TOPIK Guide and EPS-TOPIK vs TOPIK: Different Exams, Different Purposes.
F-2-7 visa points: the same capped item, plus a bonus only KIIP earns
The F-2-7 residence visa uses a points system (점수제) to determine eligibility. Korean-language ability is one scoring item in this system. The current table is Attachment 2 of Ministry of Justice Notice No. 2025-408 (법무부고시 제2025-408호), in force since 24 October 2025.
TOPIK and KIIP are graded in the same capped basic-competency item (기본소양), which is worth at most 20 points. One row covers both credentials: TOPIK Level 5 or higher and KIIP Stage 5 each score 20, Level 4 and Stage 4 score 15, Level 3 and Stage 3 score 10, Level 2 and Stage 2 score 5, and Level 1 and Stage 1 score 3. You cannot count both credentials inside that item.
KIIP goes further. The separate bonus item (가점), worth at most 40 points, lists KIIP Stage 5 completion as a bonus worth 10 points in its own right, and TOPIK has no entry in that item. So KIIP Stage 5 completion is worth 30 F-2-7 points in total where TOPIK Level 5 or higher is worth 20. If you already hold a TOPIK certificate, completing KIIP Stage 5 still adds 10 points.
For the F-4 Korean-heritage visa language proof rules, see TOPIK for Visa Points.
University admission: the school sets the rule, not the government
No Korean government regulation sets a mandatory minimum TOPIK level for university admission. The NIIED official study-abroad portal, studyinkorea.go.kr, states that language proof requirements for admission and graduation are set by each university and by each department.
For Korean-taught programs, that portal says applicants typically submit a TOPIK score report (PBT or IBT format). Depending on the university, two other forms may also be accepted:
- A KIIP completion certificate or pre-assessment score
- A King Sejong Institute (세종학당) course-completion certificate
The "Level 3 for undergraduate, Level 4 for graduate" benchmark that appears widely online is an informal figure, not a national rule. Some departments set a lower requirement, some set a higher one, and some accept KIIP completion or Sejong Institute certificates in place of TOPIK.
Before planning your test schedule around a specific level, read the current admission notice for the department you are applying to, not a general benchmark from a secondary source.
Jobs and E-7-4 skilled-worker status: Korean language is one scored item
The E-7-4 skilled-worker status upgrade uses a points system (숙련기능인력 점수제) run by the Ministry of Justice. Korean language ability is one of the items it scores, alongside skill level, age, and work experience.
The criteria come from the annual skilled-worker selection plan (숙련기능인력 선발 계획). Read the plan for the cycle you are applying in, not a bracket copied from an earlier year.
For how the points are counted, see the E-7 Occupation Codes Guide, which carries the primary Ministry of Justice citation. Check that guide against the selection plan for the current cycle rather than relying on any bracket stated here.
Scholarships: read the program-specific guide
The Global Korea Scholarship (GKS/KGSP) is administered by NIIED (국립국제교육원), the same Ministry of Education body that runs TOPIK. The NIIED study-abroad portal lists GKS applications among the uses of a TOPIK score.
For GKS TOPIK thresholds and the full application process, see GKS Scholarship Guide. Read the requirement in the guideline published for the cycle you are applying to. For a comparison of other Korean university scholarships, see Korean University Scholarships Guide.
How the three exam families compare
| TOPIK | KIIP | EPS-TOPIK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run by | NIIED, Ministry of Education | Ministry of Justice | HRD Korea, Ministry of Employment and Labor |
| Produces | A level certificate (1 to 6) | Stage completion records and evaluation scores | A position on the E-9 foreign jobseeker roster |
| Scored in the F-2-7 points table (붙임 2) | Yes, in the basic-competency item | Yes, in the same item, plus a Stage 5 bonus | Not listed |
| Named as a route to the F-5 basic-competency requirement | No | Yes, Stage 5 completion | No |
| Named in the naturalization exemption grounds (국적법 시행규칙 제4조) | No | Yes, KIIP completion | No |
| Listed as university language proof by studyinkorea.go.kr | Yes, the typical submission | Yes, depending on the university | Not listed |
| Route to the E-9 foreign jobseeker roster | No, only a bonus on the Special exam | No | Yes |
| Where you take it | Korea or overseas test centers | In Korea, at KIIP operating institutions | In your home country before arriving on E-9 |
FAQ
See the FAQ entries in the frontmatter above. They cover: the TOPIK vs KIIP difference, EPS-TOPIK substitution, F-2-7 points and stacking, KIIP stage placement from TOPIK, university admission minimums, King Sejong Institute acceptance, and EPS-TOPIK passing scores.