Which Korean exam certificate should you take in 2026?

TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) is run by NIIED (National Institute for International Education). TOPIK I covers beginner Levels 1-2 through listening and reading. TOPIK II covers intermediate-to-advanced Levels 3-6 and adds writing. Paper-based and internet-based sittings exist; register on the official TOPIK site and keep the score report for the validity window your destination recognises.

TOPIK Speaking is a separate speaking evaluation with its own registration, schedule, and level scale. A Speaking result does not replace TOPIK I or TOPIK II unless the checklist explicitly accepts it. Sit Speaking when a school, employer, or scholarship asks for spoken evidence, not because you assume it upgrades a reading score.

KIIP (Korea Immigration and Integration Program) is the Ministry of Justice integration track on Socinet. Completion certificates and stage records matter for many permanent-residence and naturalisation planning checklists. KIIP mixes Korean language with Understanding Korean Society hours. It is not a portable general proficiency score for every HR desk.

Universities and many Korean-taught degree tracks ask for a named TOPIK level on admission or graduation lists. Study in Korea guidance also notes that some schools may accept KIIP pre-assessment or completion, or King Sejong course proof, but only when that institution says so. Employers and public-sector screens often want TOPIK by name for work Korean. Immigration manuals on HiKorea may list TOPIK scores, KIIP stages, or both as language evidence for specific status codes.

Build the language first through classes and daily use: learn Korean. Then print the exact checklist line before you pay exam fees. A friend’s Level 4 printout for an F-2 subcategory does not prove your F-5 or student route uses the same rule.