Who it is for

All non-native Japanese speakers can appear for the JLPT exam without any restrictions on age. Eligibility also extends to holders of Japanese citizenship.

what it is for

JLPT is primarily for testing the Japanese language skills of candidates, and it applies to international students seeking admission to Japanese universities. Medical practitioners looking to practice in the country must get JLPT N1 to appear for Japan’s national exams for medical practitioners. It is also applicable to aspiring immigrants looking to move to Japan as 15 and 10 points are awarded for JLPT N1 and N2 levels for the point-based immigration system.

Exam Pattern

The JLPT exam is conducted for a total of 180 marks. Here are the details of the scoring patterns-

N1 to N3 – Test questions are divided into three major sections.

• Vocabulary & Grammar (60 marks)
• Reading (60 marks)
• Listening (60 marks)

N1 to N3 – Test questions are divided into two sections

• Vocabulary & Grammar and Reading (120 marks)
• Listening (60 marks)

Here are the details of scoring for different levels of JLPT-

• N5 (Beginners)- At this level, one must know Katakana, Hiragana,100 Kanji(Japanese characters) with their reading and pronunciations, 400-500 Japanese words, and rudiments of Japanese Grammar
• N4- Candidates are able to comprehend daily conversations (at a slow speed), with a knowledge of 300 Kanji and 1500 Japanese words
• N3- One can read, listen, and understand daily conversations at near-natural speed and have a knowledge of 600-700 Kanji and 3000-4000 Japanese words
• N2- The level signifies an upper intermediate Japanese conversational ability with an understanding of 1000 kanji and 6000 words
• N1- It is the most sophisticated level, where candidates master 2000-2500 kanji and more than 10,000 words

A notable thing about JLPT is that its scores are valid forever, so you need to appear and clear it only once. However, some institutions may have their norms regarding the timelines for acceptance of the test.

Application fees

The exam fee for JLPT is nominal compared to other language tests such as TestDaF, DELF, CELI, DELE, and HSK. 

For example, it is around $60 to $75 in the USA, ₹ 1000 to 1600 in India, and 90 to 100 AUD in Australia.

Important Dates

JLPT is conducted twice a year – July and December, except for the US, where candidates can take it on the first Sunday of December. The dates of the test are as follows-

• 2nd July 2023 (Application Period: from April 1-20, 2023)
• 3rd December 2023 (Application Period: Around August-September)

The test runs in two shifts-

• Morning 10:00 am to 12:00 noon
• Afternoon from 2:00 to 5:00 pm

As of January 2023, Japan has 47 JLPT testing venues, while there are 274 overseas centers in 94 countries. India has eight centres in Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Salem (Tamil Nadu), and Santiniketan (West Bengal). 

Eligibility streams courses

All non-native Japanese speakers can appear for the JLPT exam without any restrictions on age. Eligibility also extends to holders of Japanese citizenship.

Practice exam

The best way to prepare for the JLPT exam is by taking some practice tests that are available online.

Registration Procedure

Anyone looking to take the JLPT exam should register at least two or three months before the exam date. 

You can check the exact dates on the official website and apply by email or online during the registration period. 

Alternatively, you may visit the nearest center and fill out the complete application form. 

Remember to carry your photo identity card (such as a passport or driving license), a passport-sized photograph, and the registration fee for the process.