An apparatus for synchronizing pilots contained in symbols received by a receiver in a multicarrier transmission system and a method thereof are provided. Frequency or Time-frequency correlation-based scheme, with exploitation of time-frequency correlation characteristics of the pilots, may be used for identifying the positions of the pilots in frequency or time and frequency dimensions consisting of received symbols. In one example, the apparatus includes a pilot compensator and a signal selector for determining at least one correlation set, a correlator for generating one correlation set result for each of the correlation set, and a judgment or processing unit for determining positions of the pilots in response to the correlation set result.