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Vietnam to officially recognize Korean proficiency test scores

Published: 03 Feb. 2026, 17:28 Updated: 04 Feb. 2026, 17:50

The ″KPop Demon Hunters″ soundtrack album is on display at the Gwanghwamun branch of Kyobo Book Centre in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Jan. 23. [NEWS1]

Starting this year, scores from the Test of Proficiency in Korean (Topik) will be officially recognized in Vietnam’s High School Graduation Examination, part of the country's university admissions process.

Vietnam is the second region to formally use a Korean-language test for college entrance, following its adoption in Hong Kong in 2025.

Korea’s Ministry of Education and the National Institute for International Education said Tuesday that the Vietnamese government has decided to accept Topik scores into its university entrance screening.

In Vietnam, Korean has been recognized since 2021 as an elective foreign-language subject for the high school graduation exam, but students who chose Korean still had to take a separate Korean test at exam sites.

Under the new system, students who obtain Topik Level 3 or higher will be exempt from the Korean portion of the high school test. Their Topik results will be converted into a score that is recognized as a foreign-language grade and can be used for university admissions.

“The decision was influenced by local recognition of the exam’s administration standards and the reliability of its scores,” a ministry official said.

“Shin Ramyun Bunsik” in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Aug. 25. [NONGSHIM]

bb.q Gardenia branch, which specializes in delivery and takeout, has opened as a BBQ Smart Kitchen (BSK) outlet in Hanoi, Vietnam. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Vietnam’s high school graduation exam consists of two mandatory subjects — math and Vietnamese — plus two electives selected from nine subjects, including foreign languages, history and science. The foreign-language options include seven languages, including Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese and French.

Observers say the change also reflects a growing Korean wave in Vietnam.

Korean classes are currently offered at 169 elementary, middle and high schools in Vietnam, with about 33,000 students enrolled. Vietnam also has the largest number of overseas Topik test-takers, at around 85,000. Among international students studying at universities in Korea, about 75,000 are from Vietnam — the second-largest group after China.

Interest in Korean is not limited to Vietnam. Korean-language classes are currently offered at 2,777 elementary, middle and high schools in 47 countries, totalling about 235,000 students. Of those, 24 countries have adopted Korean as a regular second foreign language, and 11 include it in their university entrance systems.

[JOONGANG ILBO]

Vietnam head coach Kim Sang-sik of Korea celebrates with the Vietnam U-23 soccer team after defeating Indonesia during their final Asean U-23 Championship soccer match at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia on July 29, 2025. [AP/YONHAP]

Demand is also rising quickly at the university level. A report by the Modern Language Association found that the number of students taking Korean at U.S. universities increased by about 38 percent from 2016 to 2021, one of the largest jumps among major foreign languages.

Topik participation has also continued to grow worldwide, from 290,638 applicants in 2017 to 566,665 in 2025.

“The fact that Topik is being used in overseas university admissions shows that the standing of the Korean language and the credibility of Topik have risen that much,” said Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin. “We plan to expand cooperation with governments around the world to further promote Korean-language education overseas.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE HOO-YEON [[email protected]]