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JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test)

Japan Foundation

Complete guide to passing the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) exam on your first attempt.

VariesHigh Search Volume
Key Information at a Glance
Cost

$60-$80

Pass Rate

~35% (N1), ~50% (N2)

Validity

Lifetime

Region

Global

Provider

Japan Foundation

Salary Impact

Jobs in Japan, translation

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Complete Overview

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a multiple-choice examination of reading and listening comprehension in Japanese, run by the Japan Foundation overseas and by Japan Educational Exchanges and Services inside Japan, and the sitting fee inside Japan was 7,500 yen for the 2026 first test, while overseas fees are set by each local host institution and vary by country. It is open to any non-native speaker of Japanese, including holders of Japanese citizenship, with no age restriction and no prior qualification required. In 2025 the test drew 1,940,852 applicants across 92 countries and areas, the largest number in its history, of whom 1,645,713 actually sat.

There are five levels. N5 is the easiest and N1 the hardest, N4 and N5 measure basic Japanese learned mainly in the classroom, N1 and N2 measure Japanese used across a broad range of real situations, and N3 bridges the two groups. Every level is taken on paper with a computer-scored answer sheet, most questions offer four choices, and some listening questions offer three. The test measures reading and listening only. There is no speaking or writing component, and the organisers state there are no plans to add one.

Each level has its own test time. N1 runs 110 minutes of Language Knowledge and Reading followed by 55 minutes of Listening, for 165 minutes. N2 runs 105 plus 50. N3 splits into 30, 70, and 40. N4 runs 25, 55, and 35. N5 runs 20, 40, and 30.

Scoring is where candidates most often misjudge the test. Every level is scored out of 180 points, but N1, N2, and N3 report three sections of 0 to 60 for Language Knowledge, Reading, and Listening, while N4 and N5 report one combined 0 to 120 section plus Listening at 0 to 60. Passing requires two things at once: a total at or above the overall pass mark, which is 100 for N1, 90 for N2, 95 for N3, 90 for N4, and 80 for N5, and a score at or above the sectional minimum in every single section, which is 19 out of 60 and 38 out of 120. One section below its minimum fails you no matter how high the total. Scores are not raw counts of correct answers: the JLPT uses scaled scores derived from item response theory, computed from each candidate's individual pattern of right and wrong answers, so a candidate with more correct answers can end up with a lower scaled score than another candidate.

The test runs twice a year, on the first Sunday of July and the first Sunday of December. In 2026 those dates were 5 July and 6 December. Some overseas cities offer only one of the two administrations. Results are published online first and posted later: score reports go to candidates in Japan in early September for the July test and early February for the December test, and to candidates overseas in the middle of October and the middle of March.

The organisers deliberately do not publish a vocabulary, kanji, or grammar list. They removed the old Test Content Specifications on the grounds that the point of studying Japanese is communication rather than list memorisation, and replaced them with level descriptions, the composition of test item types, and sample questions. A JLPT certificate never expires, including certificates from the pre-2010 test, although individual employers and schools may apply their own recency rules.

Why Get JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) Certified?

It is the largest Japanese-language examination in the world: 1,940,852 applicants across 92 countries and areas in 2025, with 1,645,713 sitting.

Certificates never expire. Results from the old test through 2009 also remain valid, so a level you pass once stays passed unless a specific employer sets its own time limit.

Since December 2025, score reports for candidates who pass carry a reference CEFR level from A1 to C1, which lets a JLPT result be compared against other language qualifications.

JETRO's guide to Japan's points-based preferential immigration treatment lists a 10-point addition for foreign nationals with Japanese ability at around JLPT N2 level, which counts toward the threshold for highly skilled professional status.

Five levels means you can enter the system at N5 with only hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji, and still measure progress on the same scale that ends at N1.

Overseas candidates who pass have received a percentile rank on the certificate since July 2016, showing the percentage of examinees scoring below them across the six most recent administrations.

The pass thresholds are fixed and published rather than set by a quota, so a December 2025 N2 pass and a December 2019 N2 pass mean the same thing.

Exam Format & Structure

Duration

N1: 165 minutes, being 110 minutes of Language Knowledge and Reading plus 55 minutes of Listening. N2: 155 minutes, 105 plus 50. N3: 140 minutes, 30 plus 70 plus 40. N4: 115 minutes, 25 plus 55 plus 35. N5: 90 minutes, 20 plus 40 plus 30. Listening time can vary slightly with the length of the recorded material.

Questions

The organisers do not publish the number of individual questions at any level. They publish the composition of test item types instead. N1 carries 18 item blocks: 4 in vocabulary, 3 in grammar, 6 in reading, and 5 in listening. Lower levels drop some blocks and add others, so N5 has no usage block and no integrated comprehension, but does have a verbal expressions listening block.

Passing Score

Total out of 180: 100 for N1, 90 for N2, 95 for N3, 90 for N4, 80 for N5. In addition, every scoring section must reach its own minimum: 19 out of 60 for each of the three sections at N1 to N3, and 38 out of 120 plus 19 out of 60 at N4 and N5.

Question Types

  • Vocabulary: kanji reading, orthography, word formation, contextually-defined expressions, paraphrases, and usage
  • Grammar: selecting the grammar form, sentence composition, and text grammar
  • Reading: comprehension of short, mid-size, and long passages, integrated comprehension, thematic comprehension, and information retrieval
  • Listening: task-based comprehension, comprehension of key points, comprehension of general outline, verbal expressions, quick response, and integrated comprehension
  • All items are multiple choice on a computer-scored answer sheet, most with four choices and some listening items with three

Delivery Method

Paper-based at test sites in major cities in Japan and in overseas cities served by local host institutions, twice a year on the first Sunday of July and the first Sunday of December. Some overseas cities hold only one of the two administrations.

How scoring works

Score scale

0 to 180 total at every level. N1, N2, and N3 report three scoring sections of 0 to 60 each: Language Knowledge (Vocabulary and Grammar), Reading, and Listening. N4 and N5 report Language Knowledge and Reading combined at 0 to 120, plus Listening at 0 to 60.

Score needed to pass

Overall pass marks out of 180: N1 100, N2 90, N3 95, N4 90, N5 80. Sectional minimums: 19 out of 60 in each section at N1 to N3, and 38 out of 120 plus 19 out of 60 at N4 and N5. Both conditions must be met.

Roughly what that means raw

No raw-to-scaled conversion table exists or can exist, because the conversion depends on the answering pattern. The organisers publish a Cumulative Distribution of Scaled Scores chart for each administration in the Past Test Data section, which maps a scaled score onto the proportion of examinees below it.

When results arrive

Online first, then by post. The July 2026 online results announcement opened at 10 a.m. Japan time on 27 August 2026 and closes at 5 p.m. on 31 October 2026. Printed score reports reach candidates in Japan in early September for the July test and early February for the December test, and candidates overseas in the middle of October and the middle of March. All examinees get a score report; only successful candidates get a Certificate of Proficiency.

How the scale is built

Scores are scaled, not raw. The JLPT uses item response theory rather than summing allocated points, so a scaled score reflects which questions were answered correctly, not merely how many. The organisers state that a candidate with a high number of correct answers can still receive a relatively modest scaled score. Pass or fail is conjunctive across sections and compensatory only within them: no total, however high, rescues a section below its minimum, and missing a section entirely produces a fail with asterisks in place of every score.

Pacing and time budget

18 questions in 165 minutes gives you About 9 minutes 10 seconds per published item block at N1, taking 165 minutes across the 18 blocks the organisers list per question.

Minute 20 of the 110-minute N1 language knowledge and reading section

All four vocabulary blocks closed, since these are the fastest items in the section and every minute saved funds the reading blocks

Minute 40

All three grammar blocks closed, including the sentence composition items where the answer is the word in the starred slot

Minute 75

Short and mid-size reading comprehension finished, leaving the long-passage, integrated, and thematic blocks with real time behind them

Minute 100

Long-passage, integrated, and thematic comprehension attempted, with information retrieval still to come

Minute 110

Information retrieval done and every answer marked, since nothing carries over into the listening section

  • These checkpoints are built on N1, which runs 110 minutes of Language Knowledge and Reading followed by 55 minutes of Listening. Scale them for other levels: N2 is 105 plus 50, and N3, N4, and N5 split vocabulary into its own shorter section.
  • The per-block figure comes from the 18 item blocks the organisers publish for N1, because they publish no question count. Treat it as a budgeting device rather than a per-question rule, since blocks differ enormously in length.
  • Vocabulary and grammar blocks should run at roughly 20 to 30 seconds an item. Anything slower steals time from reading, which is where candidates actually run out.
  • Do not leave blanks. Nothing in the published scoring method treats a wrong answer worse than an unanswered one, and every item contributes to the section score that carries a hard minimum.
  • Listening cannot be paced by you at all. The audio sets the tempo, plays once, and can vary slightly in total length between administrations, so the only usable tactic is reading the printed options during the setup before each item.
  • Check answer sheet alignment at the end of every block. A single offset row on a computer-scored sheet costs an entire block, and the sectional minimum leaves no room to absorb that.

Where the marks are

Listening

33.4% of the total score, and a hard 19-point minimum at every level

One-pass audio with no chance to review. Blocks cover task-based comprehension, key points, general outline, verbal expressions, quick response, and integrated comprehension, with the mix changing by level.

Language knowledge, vocabulary and grammar

33.3% of the total score at N1 to N3

The fastest points on the paper and the section that funds reading time. Tested through kanji reading, orthography, contextually-defined expressions, paraphrases, usage, and three grammar blocks.

Reading

33.3% of the total score at N1 to N3

Four to six blocks depending on level, from short passages up to integrated comprehension across two texts at N1 and N2. This is where candidates most often run out of time rather than out of knowledge.

Kanji reading

not published; scored inside language knowledge

One of three vocabulary blocks the organisers list at all five levels, alongside contextually-defined expressions and paraphrases. It asks for readings in context, and with no official kanji list published, coverage has to come from graded lists plus wide reading.

Information retrieval

not published; scored inside reading

Present at all five levels. Gives a notice, timetable, or advertisement plus conditions and asks which option fits. Fast marks for candidates who read the conditions first and scan, slow marks for everyone else.

Integrated and thematic comprehension

not published; scored inside reading at N1 and N2 only

Two blocks that exist only at the top levels. Integrated comprehension asks about the relationship between two texts, and thematic comprehension asks for the writer's argument across a long passage.

Sentence composition

not published; scored inside language knowledge

Present at all five levels. You assemble a scrambled sentence and report the word that lands in one specific slot, so getting the sentence right but reading the wrong slot still scores zero.

The numbers

1,940,852 applicants across 92 countries and areas, of whom 1,645,713 sat the test, the largest number recorded

Applicants in 2025

Source: Japan Foundation and JEES, JLPT Past Test Data, jlpt.jp

N1 29.8 percent, N2 33.0 percent, N3 31.2 percent, N4 34.6 percent, N5 50.2 percent, 33.9 percent overall

Certification rate, December 2025, worldwide

Source: Japan Foundation and JEES, Data of the test in 2025 (December), jlpt.jp

100 of 180 for N1, 90 for N2, 95 for N3, 90 for N4, 80 for N5, with sectional minimums of 19 of 60 and 38 of 120

Overall pass marks

Source: Japan Foundation and JEES, Scoring Sections, Pass or Fail, Score Report, jlpt.jp

7,500 yen per sitting for the 2026 first test

Test fee in Japan

Source: Japan Educational Exchanges and Services, 2026 first test administration guide, info.jees-jlpt.jp

Never expires, including results from the pre-2010 test

Certificate validity

Source: Japan Foundation and JEES, JLPT FAQ, jlpt.jp

An N3 pass with 95 to 103 points shows A2 and 104 or above shows B1; an N2 pass with 90 to 111 shows B1 and 112 or above shows B2

CEFR reference bands

Source: Japan Foundation and JEES, JLPT FAQ on the CEFR level indication, jlpt.jp

10 points added under Japan's points-based preferential immigration treatment for Japanese ability at around JLPT N2 level

Immigration points value

Source: JETRO, Investing in Japan, section 2.11 on points-based preferential immigration treatment

If you fail

Wait before retaking

No waiting period beyond the test calendar. The next opportunity is the next administration, on the first Sunday of July or the first Sunday of December, which were 5 July and 6 December in 2026. Some overseas cities run only one of the two, so in those places the practical interval is a full year.

Attempt limit

None. There is no cap on the number of attempts, no age restriction, and no requirement to pass a lower level first. You may sit only one level per administration, since all levels are examined simultaneously.

Retake fee

The full fee again for every sitting. That was 7,500 yen inside Japan for the 2026 first test, and an amount set locally by the host institution overseas. No reduced repeat rate is published.

You cannot resit only the section that fell below its minimum. Pass or fail is determined only for candidates who take all sections in one administration, so a failed listening section means retaking the whole level. Because certificates never expire, there is no need to resit a level you have already passed unless a specific employer or school imposes its own recency rule.

Exam Domains & Topics

Language knowledge, vocabulary and grammar
33.3%

A scoring section of 0 to 60 points out of the 180-point total at N1, N2, and N3, with a sectional minimum of 19. At N4 and N5 it is merged with Reading into a single 0 to 120 section carrying a minimum of 38. At N3, N4, and N5 the vocabulary items are physically separated into their own test section so that reading passages do not hand candidates the answers to grammar items.

Key Topics to Master:

  • Kanji reading, tested at every level from N5 to N1
  • Orthography, tested at N2 through N5 but not at N1
  • Word formation, tested only at N2
  • Contextually-defined expressions and paraphrases, tested at every level
  • Usage, tested at N1 through N4 but not at N5
  • Selecting the correct grammar form, sentence composition, and text grammar, all tested at every level
Reading
33.3%

A scoring section of 0 to 60 points at N1, N2, and N3 with a minimum of 19. The organisers state that N1 reading covers writings with logical complexity and abstract writings such as newspaper editorials and critiques, while N5 reading covers typical expressions and sentences written in hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji.

Key Topics to Master:

  • Comprehension of short passages, at every level
  • Comprehension of mid-size passages, at every level
  • Comprehension of long passages, at N1 and N3 only
  • Integrated comprehension across two texts, at N1 and N2 only
  • Thematic comprehension of long passages, at N1 and N2 only
  • Information retrieval from timetables, notices, and advertisements, at every level
Listening
33.4%

A scoring section of 0 to 60 points at every level, with a sectional minimum of 19 at every level. This is the section that fails the most otherwise-ready candidates, because it is the only one where you cannot go back and re-read. Audio plays once, and the running time can shift slightly between administrations with the length of the recordings.

Key Topics to Master:

  • Task-based comprehension: what the speaker must do next, at every level
  • Comprehension of key points, at every level
  • Comprehension of general outline, at N1, N2, and N3 only
  • Verbal expressions, at N3, N4, and N5 only
  • Quick response items, at every level, some with only three choices
  • Integrated comprehension of longer exchanges, at N1 and N2 only
Kanji recognition and reading
not published as a separate weight; scored inside the language knowledge section

The organisers do not publish a kanji list for any level, and they removed the old Test Content Specifications deliberately. Preparation therefore runs off level-graded commercial lists and off the sample questions the organisers do publish, rather than off an official syllabus.

Key Topics to Master:

  • On and kun readings in context rather than in isolation
  • Orthography items, which ask which kanji spelling matches a word given in kana
  • Compound words whose reading changes with the second element
  • Recognition speed, since these items sit at the front of a timed section
  • Kanji appearing inside reading passages, where the reading is not directly asked but comprehension depends on it
Grammar patterns and sentence construction
not published as a separate weight; scored inside the language knowledge section

Three published item blocks at every level: choosing the grammar form that fits, assembling a scrambled sentence and identifying which piece lands in the starred position, and filling gaps across a continuous text so that the passage coheres.

Key Topics to Master:

  • Sentence-final and connective patterns graded by level
  • Sentence composition items, where the answer is the word in a specific slot rather than the whole sentence
  • Text grammar, which tests cohesion across sentences rather than within one
  • Register and formality, since many patterns differ only in politeness
  • Distinguishing near-identical patterns, which is the main source of N2 and N1 grammar errors
Information retrieval
not published as a separate weight; scored inside the reading section

A reading block present at every level from N5 to N1. It gives a notice, leaflet, timetable, or advertisement plus a set of conditions, and asks which option satisfies them. It rewards scanning against stated criteria rather than reading the document through.

Key Topics to Master:

  • Reading the question conditions before the document
  • Filtering by date, price, eligibility, and small-print exceptions
  • Footnotes and asterisked conditions, which usually carry the discriminating detail
  • Speed, since this block often sits at the end of a section where time is short
  • Numerals, counters, and date expressions in dense tabular text

Recommended Study Plan

Week 1: Level choice and diagnostic
8-10 hours
  • 1Read the official Summary of Linguistic Competence Required for Each Level and pick the level whose reading and listening descriptions match what you can already do
  • 2Work through the free Sample Questions on jlpt.jp for your level and the one above it, including the downloadable audio
  • 3Buy the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Official Practice Workbook for your level, priced at 700 yen plus tax, and sit it cold under the real time limit
  • 4Score each section separately and check both the overall pass mark and every sectional minimum, because a strong total with a weak section is a fail
  • 5Register with your local host institution or, in Japan, sign up for MyJLPT on the JEES site, since registration windows close months before the test
Week 2: Vocabulary system
12-15 hours
  • 1Set up spaced repetition and commit to a fixed daily new-card count you can hold for twelve weeks
  • 2Work from a level-graded vocabulary source such as the Shin Kanzen Master vocabulary volume for your level
  • 3Learn words inside example sentences, because contextually-defined expression items test collocation rather than dictionary meaning
  • 4Add every unknown word from your diagnostic to the deck with the sentence it appeared in
  • 5Drill kanji readings out of context for speed and in context for accuracy, in separate sessions
Week 3: Grammar patterns, first pass
12-15 hours
  • 1Work the first half of the Shin Kanzen Master or So-matome grammar volume for your level
  • 2For every pattern, record the register and one contrast with a near-identical pattern
  • 3Drill the sentence composition item type specifically, since the answer is the word in the starred slot and not the whole sentence
  • 4Practise text grammar with graded reading passages rather than isolated sentences
  • 5Review vocabulary daily without exception, since the deck compounds
Week 4: Listening foundations
12-15 hours
  • 1Listen daily to material at or slightly below your level, and start with task-based comprehension items where the question comes first
  • 2Shadow one two-minute passage a day: play, repeat over the audio, then repeat without it
  • 3Practise note-taking in kana for numbers, times, and names, which is what most task-based items turn on
  • 4Work the listening half of the So-matome volume for your level
  • 5Train for one-pass listening: never rewind during practice, only after scoring
Week 5: Reading: short and mid-size passages
14-16 hours
  • 1Read three short passages and one mid-size passage daily under timed conditions
  • 2For each, write the main point in one sentence before answering, then check whether the credited answer matches your sentence
  • 3Work the Shin Kanzen Master reading volume for your level
  • 4Build a list of connective expressions that signal contrast, cause, and concession, since these carry the argument
  • 5Keep an error log split into vocabulary gaps, grammar gaps, and misreading
Week 6: Grammar patterns, second pass, and information retrieval
12-15 hours
  • 1Finish the grammar volume and revisit every pattern you marked as confusable
  • 2Drill the information retrieval block, which appears at every level from N5 to N1
  • 3Practise reading the question conditions first, then scanning the document, rather than reading the document through
  • 4Pay attention to asterisked conditions and footnotes, which usually hold the discriminating detail
  • 5Test yourself on grammar with mixed sets so you have to identify the pattern before choosing
Week 7: Listening: key points and general outline
14-16 hours
  • 1Move to comprehension of key points items, where you are told what to listen for before the audio starts
  • 2At N1, N2, and N3, drill general outline items, where no question is given in advance and you must hold the whole passage
  • 3Watch or listen to unscripted Japanese without subtitles for 20 minutes a day, then with subtitles once for checking
  • 4Practise quick response items, some of which offer only three choices and reward instinct over analysis
  • 5Track your listening raw score every session, because the 19-point sectional minimum is where most near-misses happen
Week 8: Reading: long passages and integrated comprehension
14-16 hours
  • 1At N1 and N3, add long-passage comprehension; at N1 and N2, add integrated comprehension across two texts and thematic comprehension
  • 2For integrated items, map what each text claims before comparing them, since the question is about the relationship
  • 3Time each passage type and record how long you actually need, then build a section plan from real numbers
  • 4Read one authentic text a day at your level: a newspaper column for N1 and N2, a graded reader for N4 and N5
  • 5Continue daily vocabulary review and weekly grammar review
Week 9: First full mock and section-by-section repair
14-16 hours
  • 1Sit the Official Practice Workbook Vol. 2 for your level under exact conditions, including the listening audio played once
  • 2Check the result against the overall pass mark and against every sectional minimum separately
  • 3Spend the rest of the week only on the weakest section, since one section under its minimum fails the whole test
  • 4Compare your scaled position using the Cumulative Distribution of Scaled Scores chart in the Past Test Data section of jlpt.jp
  • 5Rebuild the vocabulary deck around words you missed rather than adding new frequency-list words
Week 10: Speed
14-16 hours
  • 1Reading is where candidates run out of time. Set a per-passage budget from your week 8 timings and hold it
  • 2Practise abandoning a passage: answer, mark, move, and return only if time remains
  • 3Drill vocabulary and grammar items at 30 seconds each, since those blocks fund the time reading needs
  • 4Run one full Language Knowledge and Reading section under time twice this week
  • 5Do a listening set every single day, even on reading-focused days, to protect the section minimum
Week 11: Second full mock and stamina
14-16 hours
  • 1Sit a second full mock at the same time of day as your test, with no breaks other than the real ones
  • 2At N1 that means 110 minutes of reading and language knowledge before 55 minutes of listening, which is where concentration usually fails
  • 3Identify the minute at which your accuracy drops and practise specifically past that point
  • 4Review every wrong answer from both mocks and classify it: unknown word, unknown pattern, misread, or mistimed
  • 5Confirm your test voucher, test site, and reporting time
Week 12: Taper and test logistics
8-10 hours
  • 1Stop adding new vocabulary and review only what is already in the deck
  • 2Do one listening set and one reading passage a day, no full mocks in the final four days
  • 3Read the local host institution's instructions for your test site, since registration rules and reporting times differ by country
  • 4Note that from the July 2025 test onward, mobile phones and all devices with camera or communication functions must be switched off
  • 5Plan to sit every section: missing a required section means an automatic fail with no scores shown at all

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Best Study Resources

Official JLPT sample questions on jlpt.jp

Official practice

Covers every question pattern for every level, with downloadable listening audio. Because the organisers publish no vocabulary or kanji list, these sample questions plus the level descriptions are the closest thing to an official syllabus that exists.

Free

Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Official Practice Workbook, volumes 1 and 2

Official practice test

Volume 1 was published in 2012 and volume 2 in 2018. Each contains, for every level, questions drawn from real tests since the 2010 revision, with an item count almost equivalent to an actual test. Actual past papers are never released.

700 yen plus tax per level per volume

New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Guidebook

Official guide

The organisers' own executive summary of the test with sample questions and audio CDs. Useful mainly for understanding what each item block is designed to measure before you start drilling it.

900 yen plus tax for N1 to N3, 800 yen plus tax for N4 and N5

Past Test Data and Cumulative Distribution of Scaled Scores on jlpt.jp

Official statistics

Every administration publishes applicant and pass numbers by level and region, average scores and standard deviations, and a chart mapping scaled scores to cumulative distribution. That chart is how you convert a practice scaled score into a position among real examinees.

Free

Shin Kanzen Master series

Prep book series

Separate volumes for vocabulary, kanji, grammar, reading, and listening at each level. The grammar and reading volumes are the strongest in the series and pitch slightly above the real test, which suits candidates aiming to clear a level comfortably.

Roughly 1,300 to 1,800 yen per volume

So-matome series

Prep book series

A six-week structured programme per skill per level, with a fixed daily page count. Gentler than Shin Kanzen Master and better suited to a first pass or to candidates working alongside a full-time job.

Roughly 1,200 to 1,500 yen per volume

Anki with a level-graded Japanese deck

Spaced repetition software

Spaced repetition is the only realistic way to hold several thousand words across twelve weeks. Use decks that store example sentences, since contextually-defined expression items test collocation rather than isolated meaning.

Free on desktop and Android, paid on iOS

WaniKani

Kanji learning platform

Mnemonic-driven kanji and vocabulary progression with built-in spaced repetition. Its ordering follows radical composition rather than JLPT levels, so treat it as a kanji engine and layer level-specific vocabulary on top.

Subscription, with the first three levels free

JLPT Can-do Self-Evaluation List

Official reference

Built from a survey of about 65,000 examinees describing what successful candidates at each level believe they can do in Japanese. It is not a syllabus, and the organisers say so, but it is a useful reality check on what a level actually buys you.

Free

Local host institution pages linked from jlpt.jp

Official registration information

Registration method, registration period, fee, and even which of the two annual administrations run in your city are all set locally. Check your city's host institution before assuming any deadline or price you read elsewhere applies to you.

Free

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Aiming at the total score and ignoring the sectional minimums

You must clear both the overall pass mark and every sectional minimum. A candidate scoring 140 out of 180 at N2 fails if listening comes in at 18 out of 60. Score every practice test section by section and treat the weakest section as the only one that matters until it clears 19.

Assuming the number of correct answers determines the score

The JLPT uses scaled scores derived from item response theory, calculated from each candidate's pattern of correct and incorrect answers, not from a sum of allocated points. The organisers state directly that a candidate with a high number of correct answers can still receive a relatively modest scaled score.

Studying from an official kanji or vocabulary list

No such list exists. The organisers withdrew the old Test Content Specifications and decided not to publish vocabulary, kanji, or grammar lists. Commercial level lists are estimates built from past papers. Use them, but do not treat them as complete, and read widely at your level to cover the gap.

Skipping a test section you expect to fail

Missing any required section means an automatic fail, and the score report will show asterisks instead of scores for every section, including the ones you did sit. There is no partial credit and no way to bank a section for a later administration.

Expecting to retake only the failed section

Pass or fail is determined only for candidates who take all sections in a single administration. If you missed the listening minimum, you resit the entire level from scratch at the next administration, not just the listening section.

Practising listening with rewinds

The audio plays once and the section runs 55 minutes at N1, 50 at N2, 40 at N3, 35 at N4, and 30 at N5. Practising with pauses and rewinds trains a skill the test does not measure. Play once, answer, then review afterwards.

Choosing a level by study hours rather than by the published descriptors

The organisers publish a summary of the linguistic competence required at each level in terms of what you can read and hear. Compare yourself against that description and against the sample questions rather than against a study-hours estimate from a forum.

Running out of time in the reading section

At N1 and N2, Language Knowledge and Reading share a single 110 or 105 minute section, so slow vocabulary work directly steals reading time. Set a per-block budget from your own timed practice, and answer and move rather than perfecting one passage.

Treating information retrieval like a reading passage

This block appears at every level and gives a notice or timetable plus conditions. Read the conditions first, then scan. Candidates who read the document top to bottom lose two or three minutes on a block that should take one.

Bringing a phone or smart device into the room

From the July 2025 test onward, mobile phones and all other devices with camera and communication functions must be switched off. Taking the test paper out of the room is an automatic fail. Check your local host institution's rules, which can add further restrictions.

Assuming a passed certificate needs renewing

A JLPT certificate never expires, and results from the pre-2010 test remain valid too. What varies is what employers and universities accept: some set their own recency limits, so ask the specific institution rather than resitting a level you already hold.

Exam Day Tips

  • 1

    Bring the test voucher issued by your local host institution, or by JEES if you are testing in Japan, along with whatever identification that institution specifies. Requirements differ by country, so read your own site's instructions rather than a general guide.

  • 2

    Switch off your mobile phone and every other device with a camera or communication function. This has been an explicit rule since the July 2025 test.

  • 3

    Sit every section. Missing one means an automatic fail and a score report showing asterisks instead of scores for all sections, including the ones you did take.

  • 4

    Do not take the test paper out of the room under any circumstances. The organisers state this results in an automatic fail.

  • 5

    Remember the answer sheet is computer-scored. Fill marks completely and check that your answer number matches the question number after each block, because a single offset ruins a whole run.

  • 6

    Expect four choices on most items and three on some listening items. A three-choice item is usually a quick response question, which rewards the first instinct rather than analysis.

  • 7

    Budget within the combined section. At N1 you get 110 minutes covering vocabulary, grammar, and reading together, so time you overspend on vocabulary is taken directly from long-passage reading.

  • 8

    Answer every question. Nothing in the published scoring method penalises a wrong answer over a blank, and a blank cannot contribute to a scaled score.

  • 9

    For task-based listening items, read the printed options during the question setup, before the audio starts.

  • 10

    Take the listening section seriously even if your reading is strong. The 19-point minimum applies to listening at every level from N5 to N1, and it is the section you cannot revisit.

  • 11

    Note that listening time can shift slightly with the length of the recorded material, so do not plan the end of your section against the clock alone.

Career Paths & Salary Ranges

Translator or interpreter

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of $59,440 for interpreters and translators in May 2024 across 75,300 jobs, with 2 percent projected growth to 2034. Government employers paid the highest industry median in that group at $69,950.

Around $59,440 a year at the median

Secondary school Japanese teacher

High school teachers had a median annual wage of $64,580 in May 2024 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Certification requirements are set by each state or country, and a JLPT level is normally evidence of proficiency rather than a licence in itself.

Around $64,580 a year at the median

Sales representative for a Japanese manufacturer or wholesaler

Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives had a median annual wage of $74,100 in May 2024 across 1,613,600 jobs. The split inside that figure is wide: $66,780 for representatives selling non-technical products and $100,070 for those selling technical and scientific products.

Around $74,100 a year at the median

University-level Japanese instructor

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $77,010 for foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary, below the $83,980 median for postsecondary teachers as a whole. Tenure-track posts normally require a graduate degree in addition to demonstrated proficiency.

Around $77,010 a year at the median

Localisation specialist or technical writer

Technical writers had a median annual wage of $91,670 in May 2024, well above the $70,300 median for media and communication workers as a group and above the $59,440 for interpreters and translators. Localisation work pairs the reading comprehension the JLPT measures with domain and tooling knowledge it does not.

Around $91,670 a year at the median

Sales engineer for a Japanese technology firm

Sales engineers had a median annual wage of $121,520 in May 2024. This path uses Japanese alongside a technical qualification rather than instead of one, which is the general pattern for the highest-paying uses of a JLPT certificate.

Around $121,520 a year at the median

Prerequisites & Requirements

  • There are no prerequisites of any kind. The test is open to all non-native speakers of Japanese, and eligibility extends to holders of Japanese citizenship.
  • There are no age restrictions. The organisers report that applicants range from primary school pupils to working adults.
  • You do not have to pass a lower level before attempting a higher one. Levels are independent, and you may apply directly for N1 without ever having sat N5.
  • You may sit only one level per administration, because levels are examined at the same time on the same day.
  • Registration goes through your local host institution overseas, or through MyJLPT on the JEES website in Japan. Some host institutions add their own requirements or restrictions, so confirm with them before you plan a sitting.
  • Candidates requesting special testing accommodations must submit the Request Form for Special Testing Accommodations with their application at registration, not afterwards.
  • Native Japanese speakers are occasionally required to sit the test, for example when applying for certain Japanese national licence examinations, and should tell the host institution at registration.
  • No coursework, teacher recommendation, or minimum study period is required or checked.

Frequently Asked Questions

What score do I need to pass each JLPT level?

Out of 180 points: 100 for N1, 90 for N2, 95 for N3, 90 for N4, and 80 for N5. On top of that total you must clear every sectional minimum. At N1, N2, and N3 that means 19 out of 60 in each of Language Knowledge, Reading, and Listening. At N4 and N5 it means 38 out of the combined 120-point Language Knowledge and Reading section and 19 out of 60 in Listening. One section below its minimum is a fail regardless of the total.

Why is the N3 pass mark higher than the N2 pass mark?

Because the pass marks are calibrated to each level's own difficulty rather than being a common percentage. N3 requires 95 of 180 while N2 requires 90, but the N2 test is harder, so 90 on N2 represents greater ability than 95 on N3. The organisers set the thresholds by statistical analysis, designing N1, N2, N4, and N5 to match the old Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4, and placing N3 between the old Levels 2 and 3.

How long is each level?

N1 is 165 minutes: 110 for Language Knowledge and Reading, then 55 for Listening. N2 is 155 minutes, 105 plus 50. N3 is 140 minutes, split 30 for vocabulary, 70 for grammar and reading, and 40 for listening. N4 is 115 minutes, split 25, 55, and 35. N5 is 90 minutes, split 20, 40, and 30. Listening time can vary slightly with the length of the recordings.

How many questions are on the test?

The organisers do not publish a question count for any level. They publish the composition of test item types instead: N1 has 18 item blocks, four in vocabulary, three in grammar, six in reading, and five in listening. The Official Practice Workbooks contain an item count almost equivalent to a real test, which is the closest published proxy available.

What does the JLPT cost?

There is no single global fee. Inside Japan, JEES set the fee at 7,500 yen for the 2026 first test. Overseas, the fee is set by the local host institution in each city and varies widely by country. Check your own city's host institution, which is listed from jlpt.jp, before budgeting.

How often is the test held?

Twice a year, on the first Sunday of July and the first Sunday of December. In 2026 those dates were 5 July and 6 December. Inside Japan both administrations run in major cities. Overseas, some cities hold only the July test and others only the December test, so check the list of overseas test site cities before planning.

What happens if I fail?

You resit the whole level at a later administration. There is no limit on attempts and no waiting period beyond the July and December schedule. You cannot resit only the section you failed, because pass or fail is determined only for candidates who take every section in a single sitting. You still receive a score report showing your scaled scores by section, which tells you exactly which minimum you missed.

How is the JLPT scored?

By scaled scores derived from item response theory, not by adding up points for correct answers. Your scaled score depends on the pattern of which questions you got right and wrong, so two candidates with the same number of correct answers can receive different scores, and a candidate with more correct answers can score lower than one with fewer. Individual scores are also checked by specialists, and the organisers do not accept inquiries about individual results.

Is there a raw-to-scaled conversion table?

No, and there cannot be one, because the conversion depends on the answering pattern rather than on a count. What the organisers do publish for every administration is a Cumulative Distribution of Scaled Scores chart in the Past Test Data section, which lets you see where a given scaled score placed among everyone who sat that test.

When do results come out?

Online first, then by post. The online results announcement for the July 2026 test ran from 10 a.m. Japan time on 27 August 2026 until 5 p.m. on 31 October 2026. Score reports are posted to candidates in Japan in early September for the July test and early February for the December test, and reach candidates overseas through their host institutions in the middle of October and the middle of March.

How long is a JLPT certificate valid?

It never expires. Results from the old test through 2009 also remain valid. However, individual companies and educational institutions that use JLPT results sometimes set their own time limit on how recent a certificate has to be, so confirm with the specific organisation asking for it.

What are the actual pass rates?

In the December 2025 administration, the worldwide certification rate was 29.8 percent for N1, 33.0 percent for N2, 31.2 percent for N3, 34.6 percent for N4, and 50.2 percent for N5, giving 33.9 percent overall. Rates differ sharply by region: in that same sitting, N1 certified 24.0 percent of examinees in Japan and 34.2 percent overseas.

What identification and materials do I need on test day?

The test voucher plus the identification your local host institution specifies, since registration and identification rules are set locally rather than globally. Mobile phones and all other devices with camera or communication functions must be switched off, a rule made explicit from the July 2025 test. Taking the test paper out of the room is an automatic fail.

Is the JLPT offered online or remotely proctored?

No. Every level is a paper test taken at a physical test site, with a computer-scored answer sheet and listening delivered by recorded audio played once for the whole room. There is no remote-proctored option and no computer-adaptive version.

Are dictionaries, calculators, or reference materials allowed?

No. The test is closed-book and the answer sheet is the only material you write on. Local host institutions publish the permitted-items list for their sites, and it is short. Nothing in the test requires arithmetic, so no calculator question arises.

Are accommodations available for candidates with disabilities?

Yes. Special testing accommodations are provided for candidates with disabilities, and the request is made by submitting the Request Form for Special Testing Accommodations together with the application form at registration. Inquire at the institution running the test in the country or area where you plan to sit, because arrangements are handled locally. Each administration publishes its accommodation figures in the Past Test Data section.

Does the JLPT test speaking or writing?

No. It measures language knowledge, reading, and listening only. In CEFR terms it covers the linguistic and reception areas and excludes production and interaction. The organisers state there are currently no plans to add conversation, speaking, composition, or writing tests.

What is the CEFR level on my score report?

A reference indication linking your JLPT total score to a CEFR level from A1 to C1, added to score reports from the December 2025 test onward and shown only for candidates who passed. It is reference information and forms no part of the pass or fail decision. As examples the organisers give: an N3 pass with 95 to 103 points shows A2 and 104 or above shows B1, while an N2 pass with 90 to 111 shows B1 and 112 or above shows B2.

Which level do employers and universities want?

That depends entirely on the organisation, and the organisers do not set requirements for third parties. What is documented is the immigration side: JETRO's guide to Japan's points-based preferential immigration treatment lists a 10-point addition for a certain level of Japanese ability, such as JLPT N2. For universities and employers, ask the institution directly, since JLPT results are used as a reference by some and ignored by others.

How does the JLPT compare with the other Japanese tests?

The JLPT is the largest and the one whose certificate never expires, but it tests only reading and listening. The BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test targets workplace Japanese and reports a continuous score rather than pass or fail, and the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese serves the Specified Skilled Worker visa route. Because the JLPT now carries a CEFR reference indication, results can be cross-referenced with other Japanese tests that are linked to the CEFR.

Success Stories

“Shin Kanzen Master was essential. I studied 6 months while working. Daily listening practice via podcasts made the biggest difference.”

Sarah W.

Passed N2

Score: Section A: 38/60, B: 36/60, C: 45/60

“Failed N1 twice before passing. The reading section requires real speed. I read Japanese novels daily for months to build comprehension speed.”

Michael T.

Passed N1

Score: Passed

“N3 was achievable in one year with consistent study. Used WaniKani for kanji, Bunpro for grammar, and watched Japanese dramas daily.”

Jessica L.

Passed N3

Score: Passed
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