The final mock evaluation before the 2026 university entrance exam (Suneung) will be conducted on Sept. 3.
The Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, the agency responsible for the Suneung, announced the plan for the September mock evaluation for the 2026 academic year on the 17th.
The Institute conducts two mock evaluations before the Suneung every year in June and September. This is to assess the academic level of students and reflect it in the exam's question difficulty.
The Institute will continue its principle of excluding killer questions (super-difficult questions) in the September mock evaluation to secure appropriate discrimination. This means that questions advantageous to students who have learned problem-solving techniques through private education will be excluded.
The exam areas will consist of Korean, mathematics, English, Korean history, inquiry (social studies, science, vocational), and a second foreign language/classical Chinese area. Among these, all examinees must take the Korean history section. Those who do not participate will not receive a score report.
The Korean, mathematics, and vocational inquiry areas will maintain a 'common subject + elective subject' structure. In Korean, speech and writing, and language and media are elective subjects. For mathematics, students can choose one subject from probability and statistics, calculus, or geometry.
In the case of the social studies and inquiry areas, up to two subjects can be chosen from 17 subjects without distinction between social studies and science. For vocational inquiry, students can select up to two subjects from six subjects. When selecting two subjects, one must be the common subject 'successful vocational life.' The English, Korean history, and second foreign language/classical Chinese areas will follow absolute evaluation.
All areas will be based on the 2015 revised curriculum. The linkage between EBS Suneung materials and lectures with the mock evaluation will be done in an indirect linkage manner. The linkage rate is about 50% based on the number of questions by area and subject.
The registration period for this September mock evaluation is from June 20 to July 2. Current students can register through their enrolled school. Graduates can register through their former high school or institute, and examinees without a school, such as those taking the high school equivalency exam, can apply through the education office in their jurisdiction or at a suitable institute in their current residence.
Objections regarding questions and answers can be submitted through the evaluation body's objection submission board from Sept. 3 to 6. The distribution date for the score notification is Sept. 30.
The Institute stated, 'According to the Higher Education Act, before the exam questions are made public, none of them can be leaked or distributed in whole or in part.' Violators can face penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years or fines of up to 50 million won.