The placement test (사전평가) decides your starting level. Here's what it looks like, how it's scored, and how to prepare so you don't start lower than you need to.
Before you take a single KIIP class, you'll sit a placement test called the 사전평가 (sa-jeon-pyeong-ga). It's a one-time test that determines which KIIP level you're assigned to. Score well, and you can skip months of classes. Score poorly, and you start from the beginning.
The test costs ₩38,000 per attempt, and it only runs on fixed dates — 8 rounds in 2026. Retakes are also restricted once you've been assigned a level and started classes. So every attempt counts. Don't go in unprepared. Your result stays valid for 2 years.
It is not a pass/fail test. There's no "failing." Every score maps to a level. The question is whether you land at the level that matches your real Korean.
The level test has two parts: a written test and a speaking test.
60 minutes. 50 questions: 38 multiple-choice on Korean (vocabulary, grammar, reading), 10 multiple-choice on Korean culture, plus 2 short-answer prompts. Worth 75 of 100 points. Questions start easy and get progressively harder.
10 minutes, after the written portion. 5 questions covering reading aloud, comprehension, and conversation, scored by two evaluators in groups of five examinees. Worth 25 points. If your speaking score is below 3, you'll be placed in Level 0 regardless of your written score.
Important: The speaking test can override your written score. Even if you ace the written section, a very low speaking score means you start at Level 0. Don't ignore speaking practice.
Your written score (out of 75) and speaking score (out of 25) are added together. Your total out of 100 determines your placement level.
| Total score | Placement |
|---|---|
| 0 – 2 (or speaking below 3, regardless of written) | Level 0 |
| 3 – 20 | Level 1 |
| 21 – 40 | Level 2 |
| 41 – 60 | Level 3 |
| 61 – 80 | Level 4 |
| 81 – 100 | Level 5 |
Bonus: Score 85 or higher and you can sit the comprehensive test for permanent residency (영주용 종합평가) directly, without taking any classes. This is the official scoring table published by the Korea Immigration Service Foundation (kiiptest.org).
The written test covers material across all KIIP levels, roughly in order of difficulty. Early questions cover Level 1 and 2 content, the middle section covers Level 3, and the final questions cover Levels 4 and 5. Don't forget the 10 Korean culture questions — daily life, customs, and how things work in Korea.
Focus on basic sentence structure: the polite ending -아요/어요, particles like 은/는, 이/가, and 을/를, basic past tense -았/었어요, and everyday vocabulary like numbers, days, family terms, and common verbs.
Everything above, plus: connective grammar like -(으)면 (if), -(으)니까 (because), -는데 (background/contrast). You'll need modifier forms like -는, -(으)ㄴ, and -(으)ㄹ. Vocabulary should include topics like health, transportation, shopping, phone calls, and workplace basics.
Add reported speech (-다고 하다 and its variations), passive and causative forms, complex connectors like -어 가지고, -는 대신에, -기 위해서. Reading passages get longer and include topics like Korean society, news, and culture.
Levly covers this. Levels 1 through 3 in the app include all the grammar and vocabulary listed above. If you work through the lessons before your test, you'll have a solid foundation for at least a Level 3 placement.
These come from KIIP community forums and from people I've talked to who've taken the test. Avoiding these can save you a full level.
Skipping speaking practice. This is the most common regret. People study grammar and vocab but never practice speaking out loud. If you freeze during the speaking test, your placement drops, regardless of how well you did on the written section.
Running out of time on writing. The 2 writing prompts are at the end. Some people spend too long on multiple-choice and rush the writing section. Budget at least 10 minutes for writing.
Guessing on everything above your level. If you're aiming for Level 3, focus on getting those questions right rather than guessing on Level 5 material. Getting lower-level questions wrong hurts more than leaving hard ones blank.
Not reading the passage carefully. The reading comprehension section has passages of 3 to 5 sentences. The answers are in the text. Read the whole passage before answering.
Be honest about your current Korean. Can you hold a 5-minute conversation? Can you read a paragraph and understand most of it? Your honest self-assessment tells you which grammar and vocab to focus on.
Work through grammar patterns starting from Level 1 basics and moving up. Don't jump to advanced patterns before you've locked in the fundamentals. Particles, tenses, and connectors are the backbone of every question on the test.
The test uses vocabulary related to daily life, public services, health, transportation, work, and Korean culture. Flashcards help. So does studying vocabulary in context.
Even if you know all the words individually, reading comprehension requires practice putting it together. Read short Korean texts about everyday topics.
Read Korean sentences aloud every day, even for 10 minutes. Practice answering simple questions about yourself: where you're from, what you do, what you did yesterday.
You'll take the test at a designated testing center. Both CBT (computer-based) and PBT (paper-based) formats are available. CBT is offered on weekdays at select locations. PBT is available on weekends in most regions.
Registration tip: Test slots fill up fast, especially for CBT. Registration opens at 9:00 AM on the posted date through socinet.go.kr. Have your login ready and don't refresh the page mid-registration.
What to bring: Your Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증) and a pen. For CBT, you'll use a computer provided at the center. For PBT, you'll use a paper answer sheet.
Results: Scores are typically available on Socinet within 1 to 2 weeks. You'll see your assigned level and can then register for classes at that level.
Levly's structured KIIP lessons cover Levels 1 through 3. Vocabulary flashcards, grammar explanations, and practice quizzes. Level 1 is free.
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