TOPIK Score to Level
Turn a TOPIK I or TOPIK II total score into the level it awards.
165 of 300 falls in the 150–189 band. The level comes from the total alone — there is no minimum per section.
A weak section can be offset by a strong one, since only the total decides the level. TOPIK I does not include a writing paper.
TOPIK awards a level from your total score, not from a separate exam per level. TOPIK II is out of 300: 120 earns Level 3, 150 Level 4, 190 Level 5, and 230 Level 6. A total of 165 therefore awards Level 4.
Two tests, six levels
The Test of Proficiency in Korean comes in two papers. TOPIK I is the beginner test, scored out of 200 across listening and reading, and awards Level 1 or Level 2. TOPIK II covers everything above that, adds a writing paper for a total out of 300, and awards Levels 3 through 6.
You do not choose a level — you choose a paper, and the level follows from the score. Someone sitting TOPIK II and scoring 145 receives Level 3, while 155 on the same paper receives Level 4. This makes the choice of paper the main strategic decision: sitting TOPIK II and scoring below 120 awards no level at all.
Only the total counts
Unusually among major language tests, TOPIK sets no minimum per section. A weak writing score can be fully offset by strong listening and reading, and the level depends purely on the sum. That makes the writing paper — often the hardest for candidates — less decisive than its difficulty suggests, though it still carries a third of the marks on TOPIK II.
Worked example: 165 on TOPIK II
Add the sections, then read the band:
- 1 Note which paper you sat. TOPIK II here, which is scored out of 300 across listening, writing, and reading.
- 2 Add the three section scores. Each section is worth 100 points, giving a total of 165 in this example.
- 3 Find the band. Level 4 runs from 150 to 189, so 165 falls inside it.
- 4 Read the level. The certificate is issued for Level 4 — the threshold most graduate programmes and E-series visas ask for.
- 5 Check what you needed. Reaching Level 5 would require 190, another 25 points.
TOPIK score bands
Total-score cutoffs for each level. There is no minimum per section — the total alone determines the result.
| Paper | Total | Level awarded | Score band |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOPIK I | out of 200 | Level 1 | 80–139 |
| TOPIK I | out of 200 | Level 2 | 140–200 |
| TOPIK II | out of 300 | Level 3 | 120–149 |
| TOPIK II | out of 300 | Level 4 | 150–189 |
| TOPIK II | out of 300 | Level 5 | 190–229 |
| TOPIK II | out of 300 | Level 6 | 230–300 |
Which level you actually need
Level 3 is the usual minimum for everyday functioning and some vocational visas. Level 4 is the workhorse: it is commonly required for graduate admission, for many employment visas, and by Korean companies hiring foreign staff. Level 5 and 6 are for undergraduate degrees taught in Korean, professional licensing, and naturalisation routes.
Because the requirement is nearly always stated as a level rather than a score, the practical target is the threshold immediately below the level you need — 150 for Level 4, 190 for Level 5. Scoring 189 and 150 produce very different certificates for a one-point difference in the band above.
A note on CEFR: TOPIK levels are frequently lined up with CEFR A1 through C1, but this is a convention used by universities and language schools rather than an official mapping published by the test administrator. Where an institution asks for a CEFR level, check whether they accept TOPIK and at which level, rather than converting it yourself.