2025 TOPIK schedule announced with more internet-based exams, new global locations

The Ministry of Education announced the 2025 TOPIK schedule on Thursday, increasing the number of internet-based tests and expanding the test to seven additional countries.

A test taker marks answers for the TOPIK test [JOONGANG ILBO]

The Ministry of Education announced the 2025 TOPIK schedule on Thursday, increasing the number of internet-based tests and expanding the test to seven additional countries.

There will be 12 TOPIK tests held in 2025, up from the nine scheduled for this year.

The number of internet-based tests will rise to six next year, compared to just three this year. There will be six paper-based tests, the same as 2024.

The first paper-based test, scheduled for Jan. 19, 2025, will only be held in Korea. The remaining 11 tests will be available both in Korea and abroad.

In line with the increase in internet-based tests, more countries will begin administering the online version of TOPIK.

Seven additional countries — Romania, Malaysia, the United States, Vietnam, Thailand, Paraguay and Pakistan — will offer the internet-based TOPIK starting in 2025. Currently, only six countries — Korea, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, China and the Philippines — offer the internet-based test.

Three TOPIK Speaking tests will be held next year, the same number as this year. All of these speaking tests will only be administered in Korea.

The Education Ministry is also working on developing a digital test supervision system for TOPIK, along with a system that will enable automated scoring and question generation through computers.

"We will meet the rising demand for TOPIK by increasing both the number of tests and the countries offering them," said Park Sung-min, head of the Education Ministry's Office of Planning and Coordination. "We will also work toward creating a digital system for TOPIK, using AI to allow people to assess their Korean language proficiency anytime, anywhere."

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]