2027 TOPIK set at 15 tests: TOPIK 110 on Jan. 10 in Korea only, registration from Dec. 8; overseas starts with March IBT, April PBT; 5-year ban planned for proxy test-taking, forged ID

The 2027 TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) will be held 15 times in total: 6 paper-based tests (PBT), 6 internet-based tests (IBT) and 3 TOPIK Speaking tests. The first test of the year, the 110th TOPIK PBT, will take place on Sunday, Jan. 10, in Korea only, with registration running from Tuesday, Dec. 8, to Monday, Dec. 14. The 17th IBT on Feb. 20 is also in Korea only. The first test overseas candidates can take in 2027 is the 18th IBT on Saturday, March 20, and overseas PBTs begin with the 111th TOPIK on April 10–11. The Ministry of Education and the National Institute for International Education (NIIED) announced the “2027 TOPIK Administration Plan” on Sept. 29, along with a plan to strengthen measures against cheating that applies a 5-year ban from taking the test to proxy test-taking (impersonation), leaking test papers and forging ID, and a plan for an AI-based overhaul in 2029.

12 reading, listening and writing tests in 2027

All registration periods are based on Korea. Overseas registration periods are set separately by the local test administering agency in each country, so overseas candidates should check their local agency’s notices.

The 111th through 114th PBT sessions are scheduled over two days, Saturday and Sunday. Score release takes about 4 to 8 weeks for the PBT and about 3 weeks for the IBT. Scores for the 111th PBT in April will be released on May 31, about 7 weeks after the test, and scores for the 114th PBT in October on Dec. 9, about 8 weeks later.

3 TOPIK Speaking tests, in Korea only

The TOPIK Speaking test will again be held on a regular basis only in Korea in 2027. A second pilot of the Speaking test overseas will be pursued separately in 2027, with regular administration overseas planned from 2028. Speaking test dates coincide with the IBT sessions held on the same days (the 18th on March 20, the 19th on June 12 and the 21st on Oct. 23).

Check against university admission timelines

Scores for the 110th TOPIK will be released on Feb. 4, and scores for the 17th IBT on March 12. Students preparing for March 2027 admission should first check their target school’s document deadline against the score release date. For September 2027 (fall semester) admission, the 18th IBT in March (results April 9), the 111th PBT in April (results May 31) and the 112th PBT in May (results June 24) are the first options from spring onward.

For students taking the test overseas, the first chance is the 18th IBT on March 20. The IBT is held in 12 countries, so in countries where it is not offered, the 111th PBT in April will be the first overseas test. Language trainees staying in Korea can use the 110th TOPIK on Jan. 10 and the 17th IBT on Feb. 20.

Cheating sanctions to rise to 5 years; accepted IDs to be narrowed mainly to original passports and alien registration cards

The Ministry of Education decided to treat proxy test-taking, leaking test papers and forging ID as a “very serious obstruction of business” and impose the maximum penalty, a 5-year ban from taking the test. Until now, the longest ban was 4 years. The ministry also decided to block candidates from submitting language scores to universities while a ban is in effect. It plans to write cheating-related provisions directly into the Higher Education Act and fully revise the penalty standards in the Enforcement Decree, dividing them into minor and serious misconduct. A ban on using AI devices such as AI glasses will also be stated explicitly.

Test site operations will change as well. To prevent proxy test-taking, the ministry decided to keep accepted IDs to a minimum, such as the original (physical) passport and alien registration card. Radio-frequency detectors that pick up Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals from AI glasses have already been deployed to test sites in Korea and will be supplied to overseas test sites in 2027. To prevent cheating that exploits time differences between countries, dissimilar test papers will be used in each time zone. The ministry also decided to switch score reports from a system in which applicants print and submit them themselves to one in which reports are sent directly to institutions through the TOPIK website. The Ministry of Education decided to push ahead immediately with improvements to test operations, including cheating prevention.

AI item writing and scoring from 2029, TOPIK Home Test phased in

The Ministry of Education will form a “TOPIK Reform Committee” and present a plan for a new test system by June 2027. After a pilot in 2028, the revamped system is scheduled to apply from 2029. A system that uses AI to automatically generate and score test items will be built, but all AI output must be reviewed by experts. The “TOPIK Home Test,” taken at home, will also be introduced gradually from 2029, starting with lower levels that are not directly used for study abroad or residence. In 2027, the ministry will call for submissions of 2,000 or more TOPIK items.

Testing opportunities will also expand. Test sites in Korea will be added, mainly in the Seoul metropolitan area, and group testing will be supported at schools with many students with migrant backgrounds, among others. Overseas, small-scale administration for fewer than 10 candidates will also be pursued. TOPIK applicants rose from 421,812 in 2023 to 493,287 in 2024 and 566,665 in 2025. In 2026, 564,606 people applied through September, 10% more than in the same period a year earlier. In 2025, 566,000 people in 89 countries applied.

What to check before you apply

• Overseas candidates should check the registration period set by their local test administering agency: the registration periods in the table are based on Korea.
• The 110th TOPIK on Jan. 10 and the 17th IBT on Feb. 20 are in Korea only: you cannot apply from overseas.
• Have your original passport or alien registration card ready: the ministry decided to keep accepted IDs to a minimum, centered on these.
• Choose a session by working backward from the date you need your scores: PBT score release can take close to 8 weeks at most.
• If you need a Speaking score, plan around the in-Korea test dates (March, June and October).

TOPIK levels and how to register are covered in the TOPIK level and registration guide, and the advance notice on cheating at the 108th TOPIK and current sanction standards in the TOPIK 108 cheating article. Schedules and rules are based on the Sept. 29 announcement by the Ministry of Education and NIIED.