TOPIK 108 Guide: October 2026 Exam Dates, Registration, and Exam Vocabulary

Registration for the 108th TOPIK — the Test of Proficiency in Korean — opens right now, from August 4 to 10, 2026, with the exam itself on October 17–18 and results out December 10. If you are aiming for a Korean university, a job, or a visa, this is the round to sign up for. Below are the dates that matter, how the test is structured, and the exam-day Korean vocabulary that will make the whole process feel a lot less intimidating.

Key dates and what TOPIK actually is

TOPIK is the official Korean proficiency test, and the numbers work like this: the exam (시험, si-heom) is on October 17–18, 2026, registration is August 4–10, and results come out December 10. There are two versions. TOPIK I covers listening and reading and is scored out of 200 points; TOPIK II adds writing and is scored out of 300. Your total score decides your level, or 급수.

The pattern you will see everywhere is 접수 기간 (registration period) followed by 시험 날짜 (exam date). Miss the 접수 window and you wait for the next test. One point that trips up first-timers: 접수 and 등록 both get translated as “registration,” but 접수 is the act of submitting your application, while 등록 leans more toward being enrolled or on the roster. For TOPIK you will mostly hear 접수 during that early-August window, so that is the word to watch for on the official notice.

Exam-day vocabulary

On the day itself, a handful of words carry you from the door to the answer sheet. The most important thing to bring is a 신분증 — you cannot sit the exam without ID.

So the flow reads naturally: 접수 → 응시 → 성적 발표 → 합격. Learn those four and you can follow any TOPIK announcement. A quick tip on the sections: TOPIK I keeps things gentle with just 듣기 and 읽기, while TOPIK II asks you to actually produce Korean in the 쓰기 section — which is why the second exam is worth 300 points instead of 200. Knowing which version you are sitting tells you exactly what to practice, and it also explains why your 성적 slip lists different components depending on the test.

How we help you prepare

Here is the part that connects TOPIK to everyday study: our whole site is built around the same six levels TOPIK uses. Our flashcard decks are grouped by TOPIK level, so if you are targeting level 3, you can drill exactly the words that show up at that band — start with the TOPIK 1 flashcards and climb. Not sure where you stand yet? The Korean level test gives you a quick read on your current 급수 so you register for the right round. And to fill gaps before the reading section, our vocabulary lists line up with the same levels — one clean grammar note to remember is that 준비하다 (jun-bi-ha-da, to prepare) takes 을/를, as in 시험을 준비해요 (I’m preparing for the exam). Register in August, prepare through the fall, and you will be ready when October comes.