A beginner TOPIK I study plan

A good beginner TOPIK I study plan builds skills in a clear order: first Hangul and pronunciation, then core vocabulary and grammar, then daily listening and reading practice with questions. Short daily study works better than one long session a week. Below is a flexible 12-week plan with about 50 minutes of study a day. Change the weeks to fit your test date and your starting level.

Before you start

Find your test date. Check the current notice on the TOPIK official portal and count how many weeks you have.
Check your starting point. If you can already read Hangul smoothly, skip weeks 1-2.
Prepare simple tools. A beginner textbook or course, a notebook for new words, a notebook for mistakes, and headphones.
Know the test. TOPIK I has listening and reading sections. If you are new to TOPIK, read the TOPIK I and TOPIK II overview first.

The 12-week plan

Weeks	Focus	Daily work	Check at the end
1-2	Hangul and sounds	Read and write all letters, practise final consonants (받침), read simple words aloud	I can read any Hangul word aloud, even if slowly.
3-6	Core words and grammar	10-15 new words a day, a new grammar point every two days, short sentences	I can talk about myself, family, time, shopping and food in simple sentences.
7-10	Listening and reading skills	Short dialogues, short texts and practice questions every day	I can answer most beginner questions without the English meaning.
11-12	Timed practice and review	Timed practice sets, mistake review, weak topics	I make fewer mistakes and finish on time.

Weeks 1-2: Hangul and sounds

Learn the consonants and vowels, then syllables with final consonants. Read signs, menus and short words aloud every day. Notice how sounds join between syllables. For example, 한국어 sounds like [한구거].

Weeks 3-6: core vocabulary and grammar

Study words by topic: self-introduction, family, numbers and time, shopping, food, weather, places, transport, hobbies and daily routine. Learn every new word inside a short sentence, not alone.

Weeks 7-10: listening and reading skills

Do one or two short dialogues and one or two short texts every day. Use the methods in TOPIK I reading practice techniques and TOPIK I listening practice techniques.

Weeks 11-12: timed practice and review

Do a practice set with a timer two or three times a week. Spend as much time reviewing your answers as you spend answering.

A sample 50-minute day

Time	Task
10 min	Review yesterday's words with flashcards
10 min	Learn 10-15 new words, each with one example sentence
10 min	One grammar point: read the examples, then write three sentences about yourself
10 min	Listening: one or two short dialogues, then shadow them
10 min	Reading: one short text, then answer the questions

On one day each week, do not learn new words. Review the whole week and redo the questions you got wrong.

Basic grammar checklist

These patterns appear again and again in beginner Korean. Tick each one when you can make your own sentence with it.

Pattern	Meaning	Example
-이에요/예요	To be	저는 학생이에요. (I am a student.)
-아요/어요	Present tense, polite	매일 한국어를 공부해요. (I study Korean every day.)
-았/었어요	Past tense	어제 친구를 만났어요. (I met a friend yesterday.)
-(으)ㄹ 거예요	Future, plan	내일 영화를 볼 거예요. (I will watch a movie tomorrow.)
-고 싶어요	Want to	한국에 가고 싶어요. (I want to go to Korea.)
-고	And, and then	밥을 먹고 커피를 마셔요. (I eat and then drink coffee.)
-지만	But	한국어는 어렵지만 재미있어요. (Korean is difficult but fun.)
-아서/어서	Because, so	비가 와서 집에 있었어요. (It rained, so I stayed home.)
-(으)ㄹ 수 있어요	Can	한국 음식을 만들 수 있어요. (I can make Korean food.)
-(으)러 가요	Go to do	밥을 먹으러 가요. (I am going to eat.)
-(으)ㄹ까요?	Shall we?	같이 갈까요? (Shall we go together?)
-(으)세요	Please do	여기에 앉으세요. (Please sit here.)

Track your progress

Every two weeks, do one practice set and write your score in your notebook.
Next to each wrong answer, write the reason: a word I did not know, a grammar point, a number, or I misread the question.
Look at your reasons. The most common one is what you study next week.

If the plan does not fit

Less time before the test? Keep the same order, but shorten each stage. Do not skip listening.
Only 20-30 minutes a day? Do words and one skill each day, and switch between listening and reading.
Missed a few days? Do not try to catch up all at once. Continue from where you stopped.

Common study plan mistakes

Memorising word lists without example sentences.
Studying only reading because listening feels hard.
Doing many practice sets without reviewing the mistakes.
Studying for four hours on one day and then nothing for a week.

Next step

Start your listening practice with the TOPIK I listening practice set, then try the TOPIK I reading practice set. Visit the TOPIK hub for all guides in one place. For official dates and rules, check the TOPIK official portal.