EJU

Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students

Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) · JA tests Japanese

UpcomingOfficial site ↗

Nov82026
November 2026 test (Session 2)
Official schedule; Japan and overseas.
Test date
Dec152026
November 2026 results released
Planned date, from 0:00 JST.
Results

Dates are from the organisation's official announcements. Always confirm on the official site before you apply.

Taking the test

Fee: In Japan, ¥12,000 for one subject or ¥23,000 for two or more (2026). Overseas fees are set in local currency.
How often: Twice a year, in June and November.
Format: A paper test with mark-sheet multiple-choice questions. The Japanese subject takes 125 minutes: a handwritten essay (30 min), reading (40 min) and listening/listening-reading (about 55 min). Science, Japan and the World, and Mathematics are 80 minutes each.
Run by: Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO)
Apply: Official site ↗

Levels

Level	Score	What it means
Japanese: total	0–400	Reading plus listening and listening-reading. This is the score to list on your profile.
Reading	0–200	Reading academic texts. 40 minutes.
Listening & listening-reading	0–200	Listening, sometimes with charts or text to look at. About 55 minutes.
Writing: S	50	Clear opinion with convincing reasons, effective structure and polished expression.
Writing: A	45	Clear opinion with sound reasons, effective structure and appropriate expression.
Writing: B	35–40	Mostly on task with mostly sound reasons; structure is reasonable and the meaning comes across.
Writing: C	25–30	An opinion with reasons, but problems with the reasons, structure or expression.
Writing: D	10–20	No clear opinion or structure, or little connection to the task.
Writing: NA	0	Doesn't meet the conditions for scoring, e.g. blank, off-topic or under 40 characters.

There is no pass or fail; each university sets its own requirements. Reading and listening scores are equated across sessions using item response theory, while writing is marked against set criteria. In June 2026 the average Japanese score was 237.0 out of 400 (reading 136.2, listening and listening-reading 100.8), and the average writing score was 33.1 out of 50.

What it tests

Tested

Reading
Listening
Writing
Academic Japanese

Not tested

Speaking

There is no speaking test, and the Japanese subject doesn't score grammar or vocabulary as separate sections.

Languages and where to take it

Test language: The Japanese subject is set in Japanese only. For Science, Japan and the World and Mathematics, you choose Japanese or English when you apply.
Instructions
Where: In Japan (Hokkaido, Miyagi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Ishikawa/Toyama/Fukui, Shizuoka, Aichi, Kyoto/Shiga, Osaka, Hyogo, Okayama/Hiroshima, Kochi, Fukuoka and Okinawa) and overseas in New Delhi, Jakarta, Surabaya, Seoul, Busan, Singapore, Colombo, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Taipei, Manila, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon and Ulaanbaatar (2026).
How long it counts: Universities can look up scores from the last four sessions (two years). Each school decides which sessions it accepts.

What it's recognised for

Admission to Japanese universities and other schools: 954 schools used it as of October 2026, including 508 universities. Some schools offer admission before you arrive in Japan based on EJU scores, and top scorers can be reserved for a JASSO scholarship.

About the exam

Who it's for: For international students who want to enter a Japanese university. It measures the academic Japanese and basic subject knowledge needed to study there.
Levels and scores: No levels or pass mark. The Japanese subject gives a score of 0–400 for reading and listening, plus a separate writing score of 0–50.

EJU