Can I submit a later TOPIK score after applying to a Korean university?
I am applying to a university in Daegu, but my next TOPIK result will be released after the online application deadline. Do Korean universities usually allow an updated score during document review, or should I apply with my current result and contact the admissions office first?
Note: This is an editorial persona question created from common experiences of foreign residents in Korea.
1 Answer
Do not assume that a TOPIK score released after the application deadline can be added. Each university and admission round sets its own document rule. If your current score already meets the stated minimum, submit it by the deadline and ask the international admissions office whether the later score may also be considered. If your current score does not meet the minimum, get written confirmation before applying or paying the fee; otherwise the application may be treated as incomplete. Send the office your program, admission round, TOPIK test number, result-release date, and applicant number, and keep its reply.
A current official example shows why the exact guide matters: Kyungpook National University's 2026 second-semester graduate international admission guide provides a specific exception for applicants from a designated TOPIK session to apply with the test slip and submit the score later. That exception is not a general rule and may not apply to undergraduate admission or another university in Daegu. Check the target university's current admission guide and use the contact listed there. Official KNU guide: https://gsee.knu.ac.kr/BBS/gt_board/filedownload.html?gtid=grad_notice&fn=69b3a97ccdec0.pdf Checked: 2026-08-07.