Korean History Proficiency Test Grade Calculator

Overview

The Korean History Proficiency Test (한국사능력검정시험) Grade Calculator turns your total score out of 100 into the certified grade awarded by Korea's National Institute of Korean History. The exam runs in two tracks — Advanced (grades 1–3) and Basic (grades 4–6) — and both use the same cutoffs of 80, 70 and 60 points, with no grade awarded below 60. Because the cutoffs are fixed rather than curved, self-scoring alone determines your result, and this tool also shows how many more points you need to move up one grade.

Formula

Korean History Proficiency Test certification standard (National Institute of Korean History, out of 100)

[Advanced] 50 questions, 80 minutes
Grade 1: 80+
Grade 2: 70–79
Grade 3: 60–69
No grade: below 60

[Basic] 50 questions, 70 minutes
Grade 4: 80+
Grade 5: 70–79
Grade 6: 60–69
No grade: below 60

Points to next grade = higher grade cutoff − current total

Example: Advanced 72 → Grade 2 (8 points short of Grade 1, since 80 − 72 = 8)

How to Use

1. 1Select the track you sat for: Advanced (grades 1–3) or Basic (grades 4–6).
2. 2Enter your total score (0–100) from self-scoring or your official score report.
3. 3Your certified grade and pass/fail status are determined automatically.
4. 4Review the points needed for the next grade and your margin above the current cutoff to set a target.

Examples

Background

The Korean History Proficiency Test was launched in 2006 by the National Institute of Korean History and originally ran in three tracks: beginner, intermediate and advanced. From the 47th sitting in 2020 the beginner track was abolished and the remaining two were renamed Basic (grades 4-6) and Advanced (grades 1-3), producing today's two-track, six-grade structure. Both tracks consist of 50 questions worth 100 points in total, with individual questions weighted at 1 to 3 points, so the number of correct answers does not map directly onto the total score. Advanced runs 80 minutes and Basic 70 minutes. Because certification uses fixed score thresholds rather than a curve, pass rates swing noticeably with each sitting's difficulty — the clearest contrast with the relative grading used on the CSAT.

Tips

• ✔Grading is not curved. The 80/70/60 cutoffs hold regardless of cohort size or difficulty, so self-scoring is enough to confirm your grade.
• ✔Questions are worth 1 to 3 points each, so add up the official point values rather than counting correct answers when self-scoring.
• ✔Most Korean civil service exams recognize Advanced grades only. If you need the certificate for eligibility, sit the Advanced track from the start.
• ✔The certificate itself does not expire, but many institutions require it to have been earned within a set number of years — check each application guide.
• ✔Below 60 on the Advanced track, no grade is awarded at all. If you are aiming for Grade 2 or 3, securing a safe margin over 60 comes before chasing a high score.

FAQ