Planning to Study in Japan
Examinations
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There are a few examinations students may be required to take if they wish to study in Japan. Be sure to check the admissions guidelines of your school of choice and sit for the designated exam. Some examinations are only held a few times a year, so it is important to check with the school you are planning to apply to well in advance.
EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students)
The EJU is an examination for international students wishing to enroll and study at Japanese universities (as undergraduates, etc.). It tests basic academic knowledge in the subjects of Science, Japan and the World, and Mathematics. There are no limitations on the number of times examinees may take the EJU or their age. Examination scores are valid for two years.
A total of 479 Japanese universities (over 60% of all such universities in Japan), including most national universities, require submission of EJU scores as part of their application procedures. Other benefits are that certain schools offer "prearrival admission" allowing students taking the exam to be admitted prior to arriving in Japan, as well as a reservation program for honors scholarship for those achieving high scores on the EJU.
*Some schools only accept test scores from a certain date, so please check the application requirements of the school you are planning to apply to.
Click here to search for schools that use the EJU for their entrance examinations.
Examination Period and Locations
[Examination period]
Held two times per year
First round: June (Application in February-March, notification of results scheduled for around July)
Second round: November (Application in July, notification of results scheduled for around December)
[Locations]
In Japan: 17 prefectures
13 countries and regions outside of Japan, including 17 cities:
India (New Delhi), Indonesia (Jakarta, Surabaya), Republic of Korea (Seoul, Busan), Sri Lanka (Colombo), Singapore, Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai), Taiwan (Taipei), the Philippines (Manila), Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City), Hong Kong, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Myanmar (Yangon), Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar)
Subjects
The EJU tests an individual's Japanese proficiency, as well as their basic understanding of "Science," "Japan and the World," and "Mathematics." The "Japanese" subject tests an individual's ability to study Japanese at the university level (academic Japanese), and it includes a reading comprehension, listening comprehension, and listening/reading comprehension section for a total of 400 points and 50 points total for the writing section.
The "Science," "Japan and the World," and "Mathematics" sections are worth 200 points each, and the tests are offered in both English and Japanese. For "Science," you will choose two subjects from physics, chemistry, and biology, and for "Mathematics" you will be taking "Course 2," which tests advanced mathematics skills necessary for the undergraduate level, as well as "Course 1," which is for other undergraduate level courses.
When taking the EJU, you should take the subjects and language of examination designated by your preferred university.
* You cannot select both "Science" and "Japan and the World."
* "Japan and the World" is a subject unique to the EJU, and it is a combination of three subjects taught at the high school level in Japan, including "Civics," which focuses on politics and economics, "Geography," and "History."
Advantages of the EJU
Reservation Program for Scholarship
Privately financed international students achieving high scores on the EJU and wishing to enroll in Japanese universities (undergraduate level), junior colleges, colleges of technology (third year and above) or professional training schools are determined as reservation holders for the "Reservation Program for Monbukagakusho (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students."
Scholarship benefits: 48,000 yen/month (changes may occur each school year)
Application method: When applying for the EJU, indicate your interest in applying for the scholarship
Selection method: Students who achieve exceptionally high scores on the EJU will be selected
Details: International student scholarship "reservation system"
Prearrival Admission
Some schools offer "prearrival admission," meaning applicants can apply for and receive an offer of admission from the university while remaining in their country/region of residence. You can search for schools offering "prearrival admission" below. The list is updated as needed. For details regarding "pre-arrival admission," please contact each school directly.
Past EJU Examination Questions
You can use the following website to access a sample showing questions from past exams. There is also a set of questions that you can use to review for the EJU examination.
EJU exam questions (CD included for the listening/listening-reading comprehension section)
Past EJU questions
Written and edited by JASSO
Publisher: Bonjinsha Inc.
Distributed in Japan and Korea
** These materials can be viewed at Japan Resource Facilities.
Inquiries
For those taking the examination outside of Japan
Foreign insitutions administering the EJU
For those taking the examination in Japan
EJU Center TEL：0570-55-0585 Email : eju@sdcj.co.jp
When calling from outside Japan: +81-45-620-7243
Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)
The purpose of this test is to measure and certify the overall Japanese language proficiency of non-native speakers of Japanese in terms of how much they know about Japanese characters, vocabulary and grammar, and how well they can use this knowledge in their communication. To take the examination, examinees fill in a scantron. There are 5 levels from N1 to N5, with N1 being the highest level. The N5 and N4 levels test the basic understanding of students who learned Japanese in their Japanese class. The highest level, N1, is for students who are able to read newspapers and understand spoken lectures in detail.
Examination Period and Locations
[Examination Period]
Held two times per year
First round: July / Second round: December
[Locations]
In 47 prefectures in Japan
Outside of Japan: 96 countries and region (280 cities)
Administering Organizations and Contact Information
Within Japan
JLPT Center Mon-Fri 9:30-17:30
TEL: 03-6686-2974 (if calling from outside of Japan +81-3-6686-2974)
Outside Japan
E-mail: jlptinfo@jpf.go.jp *Only for questions about taking the EJU outside of Japan
FAX: 03-5367-1025 (if calling from outside of Japan +81-3-5367-1025)
Unified/Common University Entrance Examination
This is the examination Japanese students take when applying for national universities and some private universities (undergraduate level). Most universities do not require international students to take this examination, however, it may be required for some programs (mainly medical and dental programs).
Other Tests
Proof of English Proficiency
TOEFL®, IELTS, TOEIC®, Eiken
*Most Japanese universities require proof of English proficiency in their application, so be sure to check with the university and prepare in advance.
Proof of completion of secondary education
SAT, ACT, International Baccalaureate Exams, and other country/region-specific university entrance examinations