16 October 2026
As demand for Korean tests grows, a new exam is broadening access. But will more colleges recognize it? How is SKA different from Topik? The cost, duration and registration of the tests Which one carries more weight? Will the gap between the two tests narrow?
Korea JoongAng Daily - Daily News from Korea
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The Sejong Korean Language Assessment offers free testing and an integrated speaking section, but Topik remains more widely recognized by universities and employers.
For more than two decades, the Test of Proficiency in Korean (Topik) has been the benchmark for international residents seeking to demonstrate their Korean-language proficiency, with scores used for university admission, scholarship and visa applications, as well as employment.
But as more international students and professionals pursue academic and career opportunities in Korea, access to the test has become a concern for some learners. Demand sometimes outstrips available spots, with securing a test slot often likened to competing for K-pop concert tickets.
In response to growing demand, the number of alternatives is also expanding.
Universities are being given greater flexibility in administering their own language proficiency tests, while the Sejong Korean Language Assessment (SKA), developed by the King Sejong Institute Foundation, has been expanding the number of test centers and testing opportunities available to learners overseas.
Introduced in 2022, SKA drew a record number of 6,424 test takers last year, nearly three times the 2,207 recorded in its first year.
As the test expands, its differences from Topik in recognition, test format and accessibility offer a basis for assessing its potential as an alternative for Korean learners.
While the regular Topik exam covers listening, reading and writing, speaking is tested through a separate component, Topik Speaking. SKA, however, combines all four skills in a single test, which could particularly appeal to learners who want their speaking ability reflected in their overall proficiency assessment.
"One of the reasons why I took the SKA is that I'm more confident in speaking and that counts into my overall score," Ngoc Khanh, a 21-year-old Vietnamese college student, said in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily.
For learners like Ngoc, who are more confident with their speaking ability, Topik's separate speaking test might seem like another good alternative.
Or at least it would if it were more accessible.
While SKA is offered at more than 70 King Sejong Institutes worldwide, Topik Speaking has not been administered overseas since its introduction in 2022, leaving learners abroad with virtually no opportunity to take the test.
For many people taking a Korean-language proficiency test to study or work in Korea, Topik Speaking is therefore an unrealistic option, making SKA's inclusion of speaking significant.
The two assessments also use different approaches to measuring Korean language ability.
According to the official descriptions of the two tests, Topik is based more on academic and career-related materials, while SKA is designed to measure Korean communication skills in everyday life, with questions based on real-world settings.
That difference is reflected in the types of questions on each test as well.
A review of official sample questions and released materials shows that Topik's reading section frequently asks test takers to match information in academic passages, interpret graphs and understand the meaning of newspaper headlines.
While SKA also tests comprehension and inference, its questions more often place those skills in everyday situations, including picture-based questions and questions about the location or situation of a conversation.
"Comparing the two tests, as I'm now preparing for Topik, I think the clearest distinction is the reading section," she said. "Topik's reading passages use a lot of vocabulary used in college classes, while SKA uses daily vocabulary."
"So, SKA just came off as more suitable for me, because I'm more confident with daily conversation and casual reading," Ngoc added.
The two tests differ in their schedules, registration procedures and fees.
The 2027 Topik schedule, announced on Sept. 29, includes 15 administrations: six paper-based tests, six internet-bas...
For more than two decades, the Test of Proficiency in Korean (Topik) has been the benchmark for international residents seeking to demonstrate their Korean-language proficiency, with scores used for university admission, scholarship and visa applications, as well as employment.
But as more international students and professionals pursue academic and career opportunities in Korea, access to the test has become a concern for some learners. Demand sometimes outstrips available spots, with securing a test slot often likened to competing for K-pop concert tickets.
In response to growing demand, the number of alternatives is also expanding.
Universities are being given greater flexibility in administering their own language proficiency tests, while the Sejong Korean Language Assessment (SKA), developed by the King Sejong Institute Foundation, has been expanding the number of test centers and testing opportunities available to learners overseas.
Introduced in 2022, SKA drew a record number of 6,424 test takers last year, nearly three times the 2,207 recorded in its first year.
As the test expands, its differences from Topik in recognition, test format and accessibility offer a basis for assessing its potential as an alternative for Korean learners.
While the regular Topik exam covers listening, reading and writing, speaking is tested through a separate component, Topik Speaking. SKA, however, combines all four skills in a single test, which could particularly appeal to learners who want their speaking ability reflected in their overall proficiency assessment.
"One of the reasons why I took the SKA is that I'm more confident in speaking and that counts into my overall score," Ngoc Khanh, a 21-year-old Vietnamese college student, said in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily.
For learners like Ngoc, who are more confident with their speaking ability, Topik's separate speaking test might seem like another good alternative.
Or at least it would if it were more accessible.
While SKA is offered at more than 70 King Sejong Institutes worldwide, Topik Speaking has not been administered overseas since its introduction in 2022, leaving learners abroad with virtually no opportunity to take the test.
For many people taking a Korean-language proficiency test to study or work in Korea, Topik Speaking is therefore an unrealistic option, making SKA's inclusion of speaking significant.
The two assessments also use different approaches to measuring Korean language ability.
According to the official descriptions of the two tests, Topik is based more on academic and career-related materials, while SKA is designed to measure Korean communication skills in everyday life, with questions based on real-world settings.
That difference is reflected in the types of questions on each test as well.
A review of official sample questions and released materials shows that Topik's reading section frequently asks test takers to match information in academic passages, interpret graphs and understand the meaning of newspaper headlines.
While SKA also tests comprehension and inference, its questions more often place those skills in everyday situations, including picture-based questions and questions about the location or situation of a conversation.
"Comparing the two tests, as I'm now preparing for Topik, I think the clearest distinction is the reading section," she said. "Topik's reading passages use a lot of vocabulary used in college classes, while SKA uses daily vocabulary."
"So, SKA just came off as more suitable for me, because I'm more confident with daily conversation and casual reading," Ngoc added.
The two tests differ in their schedules, registration procedures and fees.
The 2027 Topik schedule, announced on Sept. 29, includes 15 administrations: six paper-based tests, six internet-bas...