Abstract: An apparatus and method for receiving control information transmitted from a transmitter using one of a plurality of slot lengths in a high-speed packet transmission mobile communication system is provided. The apparatus and method includes a decoder adapted to receive symbols by the slot, and generate at least one bit stream by decoding as many symbols of at least one possible slot length among a plurality of slot lengths according to a previous decoding result. An error checker adapted to perform error checking on the bit stream from the decoder. A controller is adapted to provide symbols of one more consecutive slot to the decoder, if the error checking failed, and acquire control information from the error checking-passed bit stream, if the error check passed. The decoder is further adapted to output at least one frame quality metric for the bit stream along with the bit stream.