GEPT (全民英檢) explained: the 160 and 72 rule, the levels, the 2027 fees and the two-year window for the second stage
The GEPT (General English Proficiency Test, 全民英檢) is Taiwan's level-based English exam, run by the Language Training & Testing Center (LTTC). You choose a level and pass or fail at that level; it is not one test with a score scale.
At Elementary, Intermediate and High-Intermediate you need 160 of 240 in listening and reading, with neither below 72. Only then can you take writing and speaking. Everything below is from LTTC's GEPT site and its 2027 registration guide, read on 5 November 2026.
The levels and pass marks
Listening and reading are each out of 120. The level pages give LTTC's own example: 94 in listening and 70 in reading is a total of 164, and it fails, because reading is under 72.
Our reading: a strong listening score cannot rescue reading here, and the reverse is just as true. Elementary has a lower writing mark than speaking, so the second stage is not the same at each level.
- Elementary (初級), A2160 total, 72 eachWriting 70, speaking 80 (of 100)
- Intermediate (中級), B1160 total, 72 eachWriting 80, speaking 80 (of 100)
- High-Intermediate (中高級), B2160 total, 72 eachWriting 80, speaking 80 (of 100)
- Advanced (高級), C1150 total, 64 eachWriting 3, speaking 3 (of 5)
Two stages, and the two-year window
Pass listening and reading first. You then have two years from that test date to register for writing and speaking at the same level.
First time, you register for both writing and speaking. If you pass one, next time you register only for the other. If you fail both, you take both again.
The one-day test (一日考), offered at Intermediate and High-Intermediate, covers all four skills at once. You have two years to register for the parts you did not pass. If listening and reading is one of them, you pass that first. A one-day result cannot be combined with passes from earlier tests.
What it costs in 2027
Fees from the 2027 registration guide, in New Taiwan dollars. Writing or speaking alone costs less than the pair.
Low-income households pay nothing for up to two tests in 2027. Candidates aged 65 or over pay 70% of the fee.
Dates: the next ones in the guide are Elementary listening and reading on 9 January 2027 (register until 20 November 2026) and Intermediate on 30 January 2027 (register until 23 November 2026).
- Elementary630 / 950Listening + reading / writing + speaking
- Intermediate900 / 1,630One-day test 2,530
- High-Intermediate1,110 / 1,850One-day test 2,960
- Advanced2,080 / 3,380Listening + reading / writing + speaking
Who can sit it, and how long it lasts
Foreign nationals for whom English is an official language cannot register, the guide says. Neither can children born on or after 1 September 2020.
The certificate is permanently valid, according to LTTC. But LTTC also tells you to ask the institution using the result how long it accepts one, so an employer or school can still set its own limit.
Extra score reports and certificates must be requested within two years of the test date.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Adding the two scores and stopping at 160.
Checking that neither listening nor reading is under 72.
LTTC's own example of 94 and 70 fails at those levels.
Waiting more than two years to take writing and speaking.
Booking the second stage inside the window.
You have two years from the listening and reading test date.
Assuming a permanent certificate means every employer accepts an old one.
Asking the institution how recent a result must be.
LTTC leaves acceptance and time limits to the institution.
Questions
What is the GEPT pass mark?
At Elementary, Intermediate and High-Intermediate: 160 of 240 in listening and reading, neither below 72. At Advanced: 150, neither below 64. Writing and speaking have their own marks.
What CEFR level is GEPT Intermediate?
B1. Elementary is A2, High-Intermediate is B2 and Advanced is C1 in LTTC's guide.
Does the GEPT certificate expire?
LTTC says the certificate is permanently valid, but institutions set their own rules on how recent a result must be.
How long do I have to take the GEPT second stage?
Two years from the date of the listening and reading test you passed.
How much is the GEPT Intermediate in 2027?
NT$900 for listening and reading, NT$1,630 for writing and speaking, or NT$2,530 for the one-day test.
Last updated