If you registered for South Korea's 95th AFPK certification exam in 2026 but decide not to take it, you can receive a full refund of your examination fee by canceling before the November 13 deadline at 6 PM. However, beginning at 6:00:01 PM, the refund rate drops to 50%. For candidates registered for both modules, the refund decreases from KRW 66,000 to KRW 33,000. After November 18 at 6 PM, refunds are no longer available through the standard cancellation process.
The exam will take place on Saturday, November 21. Because the registration deadline of November 9 and the full-refund deadline of November 13 are different, candidates who have already registered but are reconsidering whether to take the exam need to distinguish between these two deadlines.
Why Does the AFPK Exam Refund Drop by Half After November 13 at 6 PM?
The Korea Financial Planning Association (IFPK), which administers the AFPK certification examination in South Korea, divides the cancellation period for the 95th AFPK exam into a full-refund period and a 50% refund period. The full-refund deadline is November 13 at 6 PM, and the 50% refund policy takes effect immediately afterward, beginning at 6:00:01 PM.
This does not mean that the examination fee itself changes. Instead, the percentage of the original fee returned to the candidate depends on when the registration is canceled. Although IFPK publishes the refund rates for each cancellation period, it does not separately explain the specific cost calculations used to determine the 50% rate.
The schedule for the 95th AFPK examination is as follows.
| Event | Date and Time |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | October 26, 9 AM |
| Online registration closes | November 9, 8 PM |
| Full-refund deadline | November 13, 6 PM |
| 50% refund period begins | November 13, 6:00:01 PM |
| 50% refund deadline | November 18, 6 PM |
| Examination date | November 21, 2 PM |
| Examination results announced | December 11, 9 AM |
Online registration closes on November 9 at 8 PM, but candidates who have already registered can still request a full refund until November 13 at 6 PM.
Conversely, if you do not cancel by November 18 at 6 PM, the standard refund period ends. Simply failing to attend the examination does not automatically entitle you to a refund.
How Much Will You Actually Receive for Both Modules or a Single Module?
Candidates registered for both modules will receive KRW 33,000 if they cancel during the 50% refund period. Candidates registered for only Module 1 or Module 2 will receive KRW 19,800.
The AFPK examination is divided into Module 1 and Module 2. The examination fee differs depending on whether a candidate registers for both modules or only one.
| Registration Type | Examination Fee Paid | 100% Refund | 50% Refund |
|---|---|---|---|
| Both modules | KRW 66,000 | KRW 66,000 | KRW 33,000 |
| Single module | KRW 39,600 | KRW 39,600 | KRW 19,800 |
Examination fees include value-added tax (VAT). Refund amounts are calculated by the article's author using the published refund rates.
The calculations are straightforward:
Both modules: KRW 66,000 × 50% = KRW 33,000
Single module: KRW 39,600 × 50% = KRW 19,800
For example, someone who paid KRW 66,000 to take both modules and cancels at 5:59 PM on November 13 qualifies for a full refund. If the same candidate cancels on November 14, only KRW 33,000 will be refunded, and the remaining KRW 33,000 will not be returned.
For a candidate registered for a single module, the difference between a full refund and a 50% refund is KRW 19,800.
If you are uncertain about your examination preparation, deciding whether to take the exam before the full-refund deadline can help minimize financial losses.
Can You Change Your AFPK Exam Modules Without Canceling Your Registration?
Changes to the examination scope, including Module 1 and Module 2 selections, and changes to the examination venue are permitted until November 13 at 6 PM. Changing the modules you intend to take is a different procedure from canceling your examination registration entirely.
For example, if you originally registered for both modules but do not have enough time to prepare, you can switch to taking only Module 1 during the designated modification period.
The difference in examination fees when switching from both modules to a single module is:
KRW 66,000 − KRW 39,600 = KRW 26,400
This amount differs from the KRW 33,000 refund available when canceling a full examination registration during the 50% refund period. The KRW 26,400 represents the fee difference resulting from reducing the examination scope rather than canceling the exam altogether.
Conversely, changing from a single-module registration to both modules requires an additional payment of KRW 26,400.
Refunds resulting from changes to the examination scope are processed to the designated bank account within one week after the examination ends.
Importantly, changes to the examination scope are no longer permitted after November 13 at 6 PM. The fact that the 50% cancellation refund period remains open does not mean candidates can continue changing their modules freely.
Deferring the examination or registering again is also not permitted for the 95th AFPK exam.
Where Can You Cancel Your AFPK Registration, and When Will the Refund Arrive?
Candidates who registered online can cancel through the relevant certification examination page after logging in to the Korea Financial Planning Association's website. The refund processing schedule depends on whether the cancellation occurs during the full-refund period or the 50% refund period.
If you cancel during the full-refund period, credit card payments are refunded by reversing the original card authorization, with notification sent to the card issuer within 3–5 days. If you paid through a real-time bank account transfer, the refund is processed to the original payment account within 3–5 days.
If you cancel during the 50% refund period, the refund will be deposited into your designated bank account within one week after the examination has ended.
Therefore, even if you cancel on November 14, you should not expect the KRW 33,000 refund to be deposited on the same day.
To check your registration status online, follow these steps:
1. Log in to the Korea Financial Planning Association's website.
2. Submit a cancellation request through the relevant AFPK certification examination registration page.
3. Check your registration status under My Page, the personal account section of the website.
4. Confirm that your credit card authorization has been reversed or that the refund has been deposited into your bank account, depending on the applicable refund period.
After submitting your cancellation request, it is advisable to confirm that your registration status has actually changed rather than simply closing the webpage.
Can You Still Receive a Full Refund After November 18?
Refunds are not available after November 18 at 6 PM for ordinary personal circumstances. However, a special refund may be requested in certain circumstances specifically recognized under the examination rules, such as hospitalization on the examination day, a natural disaster, or the death of an immediate family member as defined by South Korean law.
Even in these circumstances, a refund is not automatically guaranteed. Candidates must submit the relevant supporting documents and obtain approval from IFPK to qualify for a full refund.
Special refund applications have a separate deadline. The refund application form and supporting documentation must be submitted within 10 days after the examination ends.
Because the 95th examination takes place on November 21, adding 10 days to the examination date gives December 1. However, candidates should confirm the actual submission cutoff and required documentation with the association.
Supporting documents may include a hospitalization certificate or medical certificate. Documents should be submitted by fax to 02-6008-2160. Candidates are instructed to call 02-3276-7610 after sending the fax to confirm receipt.
Simply being insufficiently prepared for the examination or experiencing a change in personal plans does not qualify as a recognized reason for a special refund.
What Should You Do If You Keep Your Registration and Prepare for the November 21 Exam?
If you intend to take the examination, you can print your examination admission ticket starting November 16 at 9 AM. The 95th AFPK examination will take place on November 21 from 2 PM to 5:20 PM.
You can print your admission ticket from My Page after logging in to the association's website. Make sure to check your examination venue, assigned examination room, and candidate number.
On examination day, you must bring an officially accepted identification document, your examination admission ticket, a computer-readable marking pen, correction tape, and an approved calculator. Scientific calculators are not permitted, and candidates who fail to bring the required identification will not be allowed to take the examination.
For candidates deciding whether to proceed with the examination, the refund deadline is more important than the original registration deadline.
Until November 13 at 6 PM, you can either receive a full refund of your examination fee or change your examination scope. After that deadline, canceling your registration will result in a financial loss.
Before deciding whether to keep your registration, reduce the number of modules, or cancel the examination, check your registered examination scope and the amount you paid under My Page.
