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KIIP: Korea's Integration Program Levels
By Language Lab editorial team
KIIP, Korea's Immigration and Integration Program: levels 0 to 5, the hours, the level test, and what level 5 does for permanent residency and naturalisation.
The Korea Immigration and Integration Program, KIIP, is the Ministry of Justice's free course of Korean language and society for foreigners who want to settle. It runs from level 0 to level 5: four Korean language and culture levels after a 15-hour starter, then Understanding Korean Society at level 5. The immigration site puts the level 5 course at 50 hours for permanent residency and 70 hours for nationality. Completing level 5 is deemed to meet the basic requirement for a permanent residency application; taking the 70-hour level 5 course and passing the comprehensive evaluation for naturalisation exempts you from the naturalisation written test and interview. You register on Socinet, take a level test or start from level 0, and are placed by score. Completion also gives extra points and exempts you from proving Korean when applying for other statuses of stay.
The levels
| Level | Course | Hours (2019 guide) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Korean language and culture: starter | 15 |
| 1 | Korean language and culture: beginner 1 | 100 |
| 2 | Korean language and culture: beginner 2 | 100 |
| 3 | Korean language and culture: intermediate 1 | 100 |
| 4 | Korean language and culture: intermediate 2 | 100 |
| 5 basic | Understanding Korean society | 50 |
| 5 advanced | Understanding Korean society, advanced | 20 |
The hours come from the Ministry of Justice's 2019 participant guide, which is the most detailed official breakdown published in English; the current immigration page confirms the shape, Korean language and culture from level 0 to 4 and Understanding Korean Society at 50 hours for permanent residency and 70 hours for nationality. The advanced 20 hours are open only to those who completed the basic 50.
Placement
After signing up on the Immigration and Social Integration Network, Socinet, you either apply for the level test or choose to start from level 0, in which case the test is waived. The 2019 guide places test scores of 3 to 20 points at level 1, 21 to 40 at level 2, 41 to 60 at level 3, 61 to 80 at level 4 and 81 or more at level 5. TOPIK results can also be used for placement.
What completion gives you
- Permanent residency: completing level 5 is deemed to meet the basic requirement for a permanent residency application.
- Naturalisation: those who took the 70-hour level 5 course and passed the comprehensive evaluation for naturalisation are exempt from the naturalisation interview, and the current page lists exemption from the naturalisation written test and interview as the programme's benefit.
- Other statuses: extra points, and exemption from proving Korean proficiency when applying for another status of stay or a visa.
Who can join
Foreign residents in Korea who want to acquire a status such as nationality or permanent residency, and naturalised Koreans within three years of acquiring nationality. Registration is on Socinet; the immigration contact centre is 1345.
Why it matters more than TOPIK for settlers
TOPIK measures Korean; KIIP measures Korean plus the knowledge of Korean society that the residency and nationality rules ask for. For a spouse or long-term worker aiming at an F-5 permanent residency or citizenship, the KIIP route replaces separate tests with one structured course and one evaluation, and the hours are free.
Frequently asked
What is KIIP?
The Korea Immigration and Integration Program, a Ministry of Justice course of Korean language and culture (levels 0 to 4) and Understanding Korean Society (level 5) for foreigners seeking residency or nationality.
How many hours is KIIP level 5?
50 hours for permanent residency and 70 hours for nationality, per the immigration site.
Does KIIP exempt me from the naturalisation test?
Yes. Completing the 70-hour level 5 course and passing the comprehensive evaluation for naturalisation exempts you from the naturalisation written test and interview.
How are levels assigned?
By a level test on Socinet, by TOPIK results, or by choosing to start from level 0, which waives the test.
Is KIIP free?
The courses are provided by the Ministry of Justice; check Socinet for any fees attached to the level test and evaluations.
Checked against the Korea Immigration Service's KIIP page and the Ministry of Justice's 2019 KIIP participant guide on 3 November 2026.
