Kazakhstan opens its first official Korean language testing center in Kostanay

Kazakhstanis planning to study or relocate to South Korea will no longer need to travel abroad to prove their Korean language proficiency. The country’s first official center for the Sejong Korean Language Assessment (SKA) has opened in Kostanay.

Where can you take the Korean language exam in Kazakhstan?

The King Sejong Institute of Korean Language and Culture at Akhmet Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University has been designated an official testing center for the Sejong Korean Language Assessment (SKA), an internationally recognized Korean language proficiency exam.

According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the King Sejong Institute Foundation selected only five overseas institutions to administer the SKA exam. The approved centers are located in Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam and Iran.

When will the exam be held?

The SKA is designed to assess the Korean language proficiency of non-native speakers and its results are recognized by several universities in South Korea.

In 2026, the exam will be administered in two stages:

• Sept. 5: Written exam (listening, reading, and writing)
• Sept. 6 and Sept. 12: Oral exam

The results will be announced on Nov. 4, 2026.