What happens to your CSAT exam fee if something comes up after you apply and you cannot get to the test site? In short, you get back 60% of what you paid, but only if the reason is one of the listed ones and you could not sit any section on exam day. The application window is just five days right after the exam, November 23 to 27, 2026. This guide is based on the 2027 CSAT detailed implementation plan from the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, checked on October 17, 2026.

The fee comes in three tiers by number of sections

The 2027 CSAT fee depends on how many sections you choose. It is 37,000 won for up to 4 sections, 42,000 won for 5 sections and 47,000 won for 6 sections. Korean History is required, so it counts as a section. Applicants who hold a low-income benefit status, such as basic livelihood recipients, mark themselves as fee-exempt on the application and pay nothing.

There are six refund reasons

The plan lists these refund reasons: a natural disaster, illness, final acceptance through early admission, military enlistment, death, or loss of student status (withdrawal, expulsion, leave of absence and so on). Changing your mind or "I did not feel well enough to go" is not on the list. Final early-admission acceptance means being confirmed as accepted before the exam and so not sitting it. Early-admission results that come out after you have taken the exam have nothing to do with a refund.

One condition: you must have sat no section at all

The plan covers only people who, for one of those reasons, "could not sit even one section (subject) on exam day". A note on the same line carries the key warning. If you submitted an answer sheet for even one section, you cannot apply, even if the sheet was blank.

If you took Korean in first period and left halfway because you felt unwell, you are not eligible. If you are thinking about a refund, the turning point is the moment you decide whether to take the answer sheet and hand it in after entering the test room. Also remember that skipping Korean History makes the whole CSAT invalid.

How much you get back: 60% of what you paid

The refund standard is 60% of the exam fee you paid. By number of sections, that works out as follows.

• If you paid 37,000 won for up to 4 sections, you get 22,200 won
• If you paid 42,000 won for 5 sections, you get 25,200 won
• If you paid 47,000 won for 6 sections, you get 28,200 won

This matches the refund amounts of 22,200, 25,200 and 28,200 won announced for the 2026 CSAT, when the fees were the same. The other 40% is not returned.

Apply from November 23 to 27, weekdays 9:00 to 17:00

The window is five days, Monday November 23 to Friday November 27, 2026, from 09:00 to 17:00 each day. You apply at the place where you submitted your application: your own school if you are enrolled, or the education office of the exam district where you registered if you are a graduate or a qualification-exam candidate. You hand in the refund application form (kept at the registration desk) and one set of supporting documents.

Many people who are ill or cannot travel on exam day will wonder whether someone else can apply for them. The 2026 notice asked for extra documents proving the relationship when a proxy applies. Check the 2027 forms on the KICE website and at your registration desk. Because the window is fixed at five days, it is safest to call the desk on the first day, November 23. The registration process is covered in our guide to CSAT registration.

Supporting documents and payment date

The plan refers readers to the KICE website for the list of documents. For reference, the 2026 notice named a medical certificate, doctor's note or prescription for illness, an acceptance letter for early admission, a certificate of military service for enlistment, a death certificate for death, and a withdrawal, expulsion or leave certificate for loss of status, with no document needed for a natural disaster. You need to confirm the 2027 list with your desk. If the reason is illness, ask the desk first whether a document showing your condition on exam day is required before you get one from a clinic.

The money arrives by Thursday, December 24, 2026 in the account you wrote on the form. The account must be in the name of you, a direct family member or a spouse. For those who did sit the exam, scores are released on December 11, and objections to questions and answers can be filed from November 19 to 23. All the dates are lined up in the post-CSAT calendar.

Order of steps

• Check how to prepare your ID and admission ticket in the ID and ticket guide
• Decide whether your reason qualifies and whether you will enter the test room and take an answer sheet
• Call your registration desk on the morning of Monday, November 23 and ask about documents and proxy applications
• Submit the refund form and supporting documents before 17:00 on the 27th
• Confirm the deposit into your account by December 24

The rules for registering after an early-admission acceptance are covered separately in our guide to early-admission registration and waitlists.

This article summarizes a published implementation plan as general information. Whether a particular student is eligible for a refund, and which documents are needed, follow the guidance of the school or exam-district desk where the application was made. Leave judgments about illness to medical professionals. Sources: KICE 2027 CSAT detailed implementation plan, exam fee and refund items (checked October 17, 2026); 2026 exam fee refund notice (used to compare supporting documents).