Mandatory first step to create your official participant profile with your ARC

• Create an individual account on the official Socinet portal (socinet.go.kr) using your Alien Registration Card (ARC).
• Ensure your English name matches your passport and ARC identically.
• The account grants access to placement test scheduling, study center selection, attendance logs, and completion certificates.

Placement assessment assigning you to Level 0 through 5, or direct level assignment via TOPIK

• Book the Pre-evaluation assessment via the official test schedule (standard fee: 38,000 KRW).
• Scoring tiers: 0–20 pts (Level 0/1), 21–40 pts (Level 2), 41–60 pts (Level 3), 61–80 pts (Level 4), and 81–100 pts (Level 5).
• Valid TOPIK linkage: TOPIK 1 assigns Level 2, TOPIK 2 assigns Level 3, TOPIK 3 assigns Level 4, and TOPIK 4+ qualifies directly for Level 5.

Structured Korean language coursework from beginner to intermediate proficiency

• Level 0 (Foundation): 15 hours (Hangul alphabet, basic phonetics, survival greetings).
• Levels 1 & 2 (Beginner 1·2): 100 hours each (daily routine, shopping, banking, public facilities).
• Levels 3 & 4 (Intermediate 1·2): 100 hours each (workplace communication, administrative tasks, expressing viewpoints).
• Minimum 80% attendance is strictly required in each class to qualify for the advancement test.

Mandatory evaluation after completing Level 4 to qualify for Level 5

• Evaluates Korean linguistic competency acquired through Levels 1–4 (reading, listening, vocabulary, grammar, and speaking interview).
• Scoring 60 points or above qualifies you to advance to Level 5 (Understanding Korean Society).
• Passing Level 4 confers significant merit points in visa point systems such as F-2-7 and F-2-R residence tracks.

Core Korean civic education covering constitution, law, history, economy, and culture

• Basic Course (기본과정 - 70 hours): Required for all participants and permanent residency (F-5) applicants.
• In-depth Course (심화과정 - 30 additional hours): Mandatory for applicants pursuing Korean naturalization (귀화).
• Curriculum covers constitutional rights and duties, judicial processes, modern Korean history, and social welfare structures.

Final comprehensive exam for permanent residency (F-5) completion or citizenship naturalization

• Conducted in two tracks: Permanent Residency track (영주용) and Naturalization track (귀화용).
• Exam components: multiple-choice questions, short-answer subjective questions, and a face-to-face oral interview (구술시험).
• Scoring 60 points or above yields the official Certificate of KIIP Completion (이수증).

Apply completion credentials to visa upgrade, F-2 points, F-5 permanent residency, or citizenship exemption

• Print your verified Certificate of Completion (이수증) directly from Socinet with official government digital verification.
• Visa advantages: waivers for Korean proficiency proof and maximum language bonus points in F-2-7 / F-2-R points systems.
• Permanent residency & Naturalization: fulfills the prerequisite integration criteria for F-5, and fully waives the MOJ naturalization written test and interview.