By Lee Kyung-min
A group of TOEIC test takers plan to file an appeal with the Supreme Court next week after lower courts dismissed their claims that YBM, the test’s administrator, is maintaining an unfair refund policy.
YBM has refunded only up to 60 percent of pre-paid test fees to those who cancel their exams less than a month before the test, saying materials and venue selection are planned based on the estimated number of applicants whose exam payments have been made.
However, the test takers claim its refund policy is burdensome for students without an income who take the test repeatedly to achieve a higher score.
Jobseekers and university applicants take the TOEIC almost every month ― each test costs about 42,000 won ($38) ― because companies and universities require good scores.
“YMB is obviously taking advantage of those applicants, knowing full well they have leverage here. It knows that the students are desperately in need of the best score, so expensive refund fees should be not an issue for it,” said members of the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) and Youth Community Union (YCU), which are helping the students in making the issue public.
Test takers usually apply for the next exam immediately after taking one, not knowing whether they will have the score they need on the test they just took.
After receiving their scores, students can cancel their next test, but only half of their money is refunded.
“The current system rides on the insecurity students feel. That is exploitive in nature. The practice should be corrected,” the groups said.
In 2013, seven students brought the suit each demanding 100,000 won in compensation for the refund fee.
Last year, a district court ruled in favor of YBM saying the company test organizing plan would be affected by the number of applicants cancelling.
Last week, an appeals court upheld that ruling, saying the company has to select venues based on the estimated number of test takers.
Meanwhile, out of the six million TOEIC tests administered worldwide a year, more than a third ― two million ― are taken here, according to TOEIC developer, the Educational Testing Service.