What TOPIK Level Do You Need? University, Visa and KIIP Rules

There is no single "TOPIK level for a visa". Korean immigration uses TOPIK in different ways for different statuses. Sometimes it is a hard minimum, sometimes points on a scale, sometimes a way to skip part of KIIP. For permanent residency, TOPIK no longer satisfies the language requirement at all. Universities set their own rules on top of that.

Everything below is as of October 2026. It is taken from the Ministry of Justice's status-by-status manuals posted on HiKorea (the visa manual dated 1 September 2026 and the stay manual dated 18 September 2026), from Socinet, the ministry's KIIP site, and from Study in Korea. The ministry itself warns that the manuals are updated when guidelines change but that uploads can lag. Before you apply, confirm with the Immigration Contact Center on 1345 or on HiKorea.

The short answer

University admission

Study in Korea, the government's portal for international students, says that for universities "generally, a TOPIK level 3 or higher is required", and that the level varies by university. Language proof is required for both admission and graduation, under rules each university or department sets. English-taught programmes ask for English scores instead. Depending on the school, KIIP completion or a KIIP pre-assessment score, or a King Sejong Institute certificate, may also be accepted.

Universities also reward higher levels. Pusan National University, for example, lists tuition scholarships for international freshmen admitted with TOPIK 4, 5 or 6. Students who move up to level 4 or above after enrolling can claim a ₩400,000 TOPIK scholarship, up to three times. Check your own university's international office page; these are school rules, not national ones.

Universities under stricter visa screening

The stay manual sets national minimums for one group: students from designated countries entering a university placed under strengthened visa screening (비자심사강화대학). For them it requires TOPIK 2 for associate degrees, TOPIK 4 for bachelor's degrees and above, TOPIK 3 for arts and physical education departments, and TOPIK 2 for non-degree exchange students. KIIP and King Sejong equivalents are accepted. If this could apply to you, ask your university's international office directly.

D-2 students: part-time work

Part-time work on a D-2 visa needs a permit, and the hours depend on your Korean level. The table below has applied since July 2023:

If you meet the Korean requirement, weekends and vacations have no hour limit. Students at certified universities, or with top grades or top Korean scores, can work 30 weekday hours (35 for postgraduates). Part-time work in manufacturing is normally off-limits to students but is allowed with Korean at level 4 or above. English-track students can use TOEFL 530 (iBT 71), IELTS 5.5, CEFR B2 or TEPS 601 instead.

Language trainees on D-4-1 can apply for part-time work only after six months on that status, and the permit is limited to one workplace.

D-10 job-seeker visa

The general D-10-1 visa uses a points table. You need 60 out of 190, including at least 20 from the basic items. Korean is worth up to 20 points:

KIIP equivalents score the same. Two exemptions matter to TOPIK holders. Graduates of a Korean university switching to D-10 for the first time skip the points test anyway. And graduates of a Korean university within three years of their degree are exempt if they hold TOPIK 4 or above (or have passed the KIIP interim evaluation at the end of level 4). Part-time work while on D-10 is also tied to level 4: it is open to Korean-university graduates within three years of their degree who hold TOPIK 4 or KIIP level 4 (manufacturing jobs accept only the KIIP route).

E-7: professional jobs and E-7-4

There is no single TOPIK rule for E-7. The visa manual sets conditions job by job, and where an occupation has a Korean condition it is written into that occupation's entry. Overseas online sales staff, for example, must hold TOPIK 3 or above.

The E-7-4 skilled worker status, which long-term E-9, E-10 and H-2 workers can switch to, is points-based (K-point E74). You need 200 out of 300, and the Korean item has a floor of 50 points:

So TOPIK 2 is the minimum and level 4 earns the full 120. The manual includes a temporary concession until 31 December 2026: applicants who reach 150 points without Korean can be approved on condition that they meet the Korean requirement by their first extension.

F-2-7 points-based residence

F-2-7 needs 80 points out of 170. "Basic knowledge", meaning Korean ability, is worth up to 20:

KIIP stages score the same. There is one difference: KIIP level 5 completion earns a further 10 bonus points, and TOPIK has no equivalent bonus. If you are close to 80, KIIP can be worth more than a higher TOPIK. See KIIP levels and what completing it gives you.

F-5 permanent residency: TOPIK does not count

This is the most common misunderstanding. For general permanent residency (F-5-1), points-based permanent residency (F-5-16), their spouses, and F-5-10, the stay manual's basic-knowledge requirement is met by:

• completing KIIP level 5, or
• scoring 60 out of 100 in the comprehensive evaluation for permanent residency or naturalization.

TOPIK level 4 counted only for applications made by 31 March 2019. Socinet confirms that since 21 September 2018 permanent residency applicants must complete KIIP or pass the comprehensive evaluation. TOPIK still helps indirectly, because it places you higher in KIIP (see below). The evaluation itself is explained in the KIIP comprehensive evaluation for permanent residency.

F-6 marriage visa

The foreign spouse has to show basic Korean communication unless exempt. The visa manual's checklist accepts any one of several documents. A TOPIK certificate at level 1 or above is one of them (IBT included). Others include a King Sejong Institute certificate for beginner 1A and 1B (120+ hours), a degree in Korean, or proof of at least a year living in Korea. Without any of these, the embassy assesses you directly.

KIIP: how TOPIK skips levels

Socinet's linked-course page sets out the official placement:

TOPIK 1 counts as completing KIIP level 1, a 100-hour course. Holders of TOPIK 4–6 go straight into level 5, the Korean society course. To use it, sign up on Socinet, then submit the linked-assessment application form with a valid TOPIK certificate to your immigration office or a KIIP operator. They assign the level through Socinet. Holders of TOPIK 1 to 3 then complete the remaining Korean language and culture levels and pass the KIIP interim evaluation (중간평가) before they can enter level 5. The alternative route is the KIIP pre-assessment.

Validity: the two-year problem

A TOPIK result is valid for two years from the results date. The ministry's points tables accept TOPIK only until the expiry printed on the certificate. KIIP stage completion and interim or comprehensive evaluation passes are accepted with no expiry. KIIP pre-assessment scores last two years. If you are planning a long route, for example D-2 to D-10 to E-7 and later F-2-7, a TOPIK result from your second year of university will have expired by the time you need it. Reprinting the certificate does not extend it; checking and printing your TOPIK certificate shows where the expiry date appears.

Before you apply

• Find your exact status code (for example D-2-2, E-7-4, F-5-1); rules differ by sub-code
• Check the TOPIK expiry date against your application date
• If both TOPIK and KIIP are options, compare how many points each earns
• Read the current manual on HiKorea (공지사항 → 체류자격별 통합 안내 매뉴얼)
• Call 1345 (Immigration Contact Center) or book a visit to your immigration office to confirm

The TOPIK centre lists "obtaining residence visas such as permanent residency and employment" among the official uses of the test. That remains true for many statuses, though not for F-5. Plan your level against the specific status you are aiming for, not against a general rule of thumb.