Registration for the 25th Youth Counselor Interview Examination in 2026 runs from November 2 at 9:00 a.m. to November 6 at 6:00 p.m. The interview examination will take place from November 30 through December 5, and provisional interview results will be announced on December 23. Passing the written examination does not automatically register you for the interview; you must submit a separate interview application.
The most important detail is the registration closing time. Applications close at 6:00 p.m. on November 6, not at midnight. It is safer to complete registration in advance rather than waiting until the final day to make payment or upload your photograph.
2026 25th Youth Counselor Interview Registration and Examination Schedule
The interview registration period lasts five days. Make sure you check the exact opening and closing times.
| Item | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Interview registration opens | November 2, 09:00 |
| Interview registration closes | November 6, 18:00 |
| Interview examination | November 30–December 5 |
| Provisional interview results announced | December 23 |
Individual interview dates are assigned within the overall examination period. Be sure to distinguish the full examination window from the specific date you select.
Applications are submitted through the Q-Net Youth Counselor website.
Official Q-Net Youth Counselor website
National Youth Counselor Certification Examination Information
How Do Eligibility Requirements Differ for Youth Counselor Levels 1, 2 and 3?
Eligibility requirements vary by certification level and depend on combinations of academic qualifications and practical counseling experience. Do not determine your eligibility solely by whether you graduated from a counseling-related department. Check both your degree level and the required length of professional experience.
The main eligibility pathways specified in the 2026 25th examination plan include the following:
| Level | Main Eligibility Requirements |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Doctoral degree in a counseling-related field |
| Level 1 | Master's degree in a counseling-related field plus at least 4 years of practical counseling experience |
| Level 1 | Level 2 Youth Counselor certification plus at least 3 years of practical counseling experience |
| Level 2 | Master's degree in a counseling-related field |
| Level 2 | Bachelor's degree in a counseling-related field plus at least 3 years of practical counseling experience |
| Level 2 | Level 3 Youth Counselor certification plus at least 2 years of practical counseling experience |
| Level 3 | Bachelor's degree in a counseling-related field |
| Level 3 | Associate degree in a counseling-related field plus at least 2 years of practical counseling experience |
| Level 3 | General bachelor's degree plus at least 2 years of practical counseling experience |
| Level 3 | General associate degree plus at least 4 years of practical counseling experience |
| Level 3 | High school diploma plus at least 5 years of practical counseling experience |
These are representative statutory eligibility pathways. Each level also recognizes other equivalent qualification pathways specified in the relevant Korean ministerial regulations.
In particular, whether a degree qualifies as being in a counseling-related field is not determined by the degree title alone. Applicants should check whether their undergraduate school, department, or major falls within recognized fields such as youth studies, education, psychology, social welfare, psychiatry, child studies, or counseling.
The review process may differ between clearly recognized majors and those that are not explicitly listed. For other potentially relevant fields, the review may consider whether at least four designated counseling-related courses were adopted or offered as major subjects.
If your major or course titles are ambiguous, review the examination plan's criteria for recognizing counseling-related fields and its list of equivalent or similar courses before submitting your application.
Passing the Written Examination and Registering for the Interview Are Separate Procedures
Being designated as a provisional written-examination passer does not automatically complete your interview registration. You must submit a separate application between November 2 and November 6 to take the interview.
The 2026 25th examination follows this sequence:
1. Announcement of provisional written-examination results
2. Interview registration
3. Interview examination
4. Announcement of provisional interview results
5. Submission and review of eligibility documents
6. Announcement of final results
7. Qualification training and certificate issuance
One easily overlooked distinction is that the announcement of provisional interview results and the announcement of final results are two different stages.
Provisional interview results will be announced on December 23, 2026. Eligibility documents will be submitted and reviewed from March 2 through March 12, 2027. Final results are scheduled to be announced on March 31, 2027.
In other words, passing the interview does not mean that the entire certification process is complete.
The eligibility review verifies academic qualifications and professional experience. If you do not meet the required degree or experience criteria, or fail to submit the required documents within the specified period, your written and interview examination results may both be invalidated.
Additionally, even if a provisional written-examination passer fails the interview, they must submit their eligibility documents and obtain approval for their written-examination result to be finalized. In this situation, they may receive an exemption from the written examination for the next examination session only.
How Are Interview Dates and Examination Locations Selected?
An important point is that applicants select their specific interview date and examination location during the application process. Detailed schedules and examination locations are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have a preferred date or region, it is advisable not to delay registration.
The fact that the overall examination period lasts six days does not mean every applicant can take the examination on their preferred date. Check your final selected date and location again in your application details.
What to Check Before the November 6 Registration Deadline
Prepare the following before starting your application:
Confirm the certification level you are applying for and your written-examination result.
Check your eligibility based on your education, major, and practical counseling experience.
Log in to your Q-Net account and verify your personal information.
Check that your registration photograph meets the requirements.
Decide which examination region and interview dates are possible for you.
Prepare your payment method.
After submitting your application, verify the application record and payment status.
Pay particular attention to the payment methods available on the final registration day. Under the examination plan, virtual account payments are unavailable from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on November 6, the regular application deadline. You should prepare an alternative payment method.
Online registration is available 24 hours a day during the application period, but registration opens at 9:00 a.m. on the first day and closes at 6:00 p.m. on the final day. Applications cannot be submitted after registration closes.
Do not simply leave the application screen open and assume registration is complete. Make sure the final payment has been processed and your application appears in your registration history.
Can You Receive Your Youth Counselor Certificate Immediately After Passing the Interview?
The Youth Counselor certificate is not issued immediately upon passing the examinations. After the provisional interview results are announced, applicants must complete the eligibility document review and be confirmed as final successful candidates.
The eligibility document review schedule for the 25th examination is as follows:
Submission opens: March 2, 2027, at 9:00 a.m.
Submission deadline: March 12, 2027, at 6:00 p.m.
Final results announcement: March 31, 2027
The reference date for calculating academic qualifications and professional experience is also March 12, 2027, the document submission deadline. Applicants who are expecting to graduate or are still completing the required experience should assess whether they will meet the requirements by this date.
After becoming a final successful candidate, applicants must also complete the qualification training process administered by the Korea Youth Counseling and Welfare Institute before obtaining the certificate.
Where to Check Registration Details and Official Examination Notices
Registration and individual examination information are available through Q-Net.
Q-Net Youth Counselor examination registration
Q-Net November 2026 examination schedule
Detailed information on the National Youth Counselor Certification
After registering, check your application status in the My Page application history. Also verify the examination date and location shown on your admission ticket.
Your first priority is to complete interview registration by 6:00 p.m. on November 6. After that, prepare for the interview examination beginning November 30 and the eligibility document review scheduled for March 2027.
