EJU Japanese Language Test Preparation: Format, Scores & Study Tips

2026/11/12

The EJU Japanese as a Foreign Language test tells Japanese universities whether you can follow lectures, read academic texts and argue a point in Japanese. You may already have studied for the JLPT, but the EJU tests something different: academic Japanese under time pressure, plus a 30-minute essay with no multiple-choice safety net.

This guide covers what the test measures, how each section is scored, how to study for reading, listening, listening-reading and writing, and how to build a past-paper plan that works backward from your test date. Exam facts are based on the latest official information from JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization) available as of November 2026.

What Is the EJU Japanese Test? The Japanese Skills Universities Expect

The EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students, 日本留学試験 Nihon Ryūgaku Shiken) is run by JASSO for international students applying to undergraduate programs in Japan. Its Japanese section measures the “academic Japanese” you need to follow classes at a Japanese university.

The EJU at a Glance: Who Takes It and When

JASSO holds the EJU twice a year, on a Sunday in June and a Sunday in November. In 2026, the sessions fell on June 21 and November 8. The test is offered at venues across Japan and in 13 countries and regions outside Japan, including Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam (JASSO: Guidelines for 2026 EJU).

You choose which subjects to take based on what your target university requires. There are four subject tests:

Subject	Time	Score range	Exam language
Japanese as a Foreign Language (日本語 Nihongo)	125 min	0–400 (reading, listening, listening-reading) + 0–50 (writing)	Japanese only
Science (理科 Rika): two of physics, chemistry, biology	80 min	0–200	Japanese or English
Japan and the World (総合科目 Sōgō Kamoku)	80 min	0–200	Japanese or English
Mathematics (数学 Sūgaku): Course 1 or Course 2	80 min	0–200	Japanese or English

You cannot take Science and Japan and the World in the same session. This article focuses on the Japanese test; for the other subjects, see JASSO’s official EJU syllabuses.

The Japanese Section Is Always Taken in Japanese

For Mathematics, Science and Japan and the World, you pick Japanese or English when you apply, depending on what your university accepts. The Japanese as a Foreign Language test has no English option. Even if you take every other subject in English, you still need to read, listen and write in Japanese for 125 minutes.

All questions are multiple choice on a mark sheet, except the writing section, where you write an essay by hand.

Academic Japanese vs. the JLPT

JASSO describes the two tests as measuring different things, so a JLPT level cannot be converted into an EJU score (JASSO FAQ: Relation to the JLPT).

	EJU Japanese as a Foreign Language	JLPT (日本語能力試験 Nihongo Nōryoku Shiken)
Purpose	Japanese needed to study at a university (academic Japanese)	General Japanese ability
Writing	Yes, a 30-minute essay	No writing section
Vocabulary and grammar questions	No separate section	Yes (language knowledge section)
Result	Scores only, no pass or fail	Pass or fail at a chosen level (N1–N5)

Passing N1 or N2 does not exempt you from the EJU when a university requires it. Some schools accept JLPT results instead of the EJU from applicants in countries where the EJU is not held, but you must confirm this with each school. To see when you need the JLPT as well, read Do You Need JLPT to Study in Japan?

Is the EJU Required for Every University?

No. Each university decides whether to use the EJU in its admissions. JASSO publishes a list of schools using the EJU, but schools not on the list may also use it, and some universities and programs, such as some English-taught degree programs, do not use it at all (JASSO FAQ: Use of EJU Scores). Always check directly with the universities you plan to apply to. If you are weighing Japanese-taught against English-taught programs, see Do I Need to Learn Japanese to Study in Japan?

Required Subjects and Individual Exams Differ by University

When a university does use the EJU, it sets its own rules. Many also run their own screening, such as a written exam, an essay or an interview, on top of your EJU scores. For the overall application process, see our Complete Guide to Study Abroad in Japan. Check these points for every school on your list:

What to check	Why it matters
Whether the EJU is required	Some schools use it, some do not
Required subjects and exam language	Decides which tests you register for
Minimum or recommended scores	Sets your target score
Which sessions are accepted	Many accept scores from recent sessions only, often within about two years
Own exam or interview	Adds preparation beyond the EJU
Other tests (TOEFL, IELTS, JLPT)	Some schools ask for English or other scores too

Some universities also offer pre-arrival admission based on EJU scores, so you can be admitted before coming to Japan. Strong scores can also make you a candidate for the Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students; you indicate this on your EJU application. For an overview of funding options, see our Japan Scholarship for International Students guide.

What Is a “Good” EJU Japanese Score?

There is no passing score. Each university sets its own expectations, and competitive departments expect higher reading and listening scores. To set a realistic target, compare the minimums in your target schools’ admission guidelines with the session averages JASSO publishes in its EJU data pages, then aim above the minimum with a safety margin. Remember that writing is reported separately, so a weak essay can stand out even when your 0–400 score is strong.

Test Format and Scoring: Reading, Listening, Listening-Reading and Writing

The Japanese test lasts 125 minutes and has four parts in a fixed order. Writing is rated on a 0–50 scale, while the other three parts share a 0–400 scaled score.

Section Order, Timing and Score Ranges

Order	Section	Time	Score range	Answer format
1	Writing (記述 kijutsu)	30 min	0–50	Handwritten essay
2	Reading comprehension (読解 dokkai)	40 min	0–200	Multiple choice
3	Listening-reading comprehension (聴読解 chōdokkai)	About 55 min for parts 3 and 4 together	0–200 for parts 3 and 4 together	Multiple choice
4	Listening comprehension (聴解 chōkai)	Shared with part 3	Shared with part 3	Multiple choice

Source: JASSO: Examination Subjects. Because the essay comes first, practice writing “cold” at the start of a session, before you have warmed up with easier tasks.

Reading Comprehension (読解 Dokkai)

Reading questions are built mainly on written texts, sometimes with a graph, table or list. JASSO names three text types: explanatory texts, editorial or opinion texts, and practical documents about studying and campus life, such as notices (JASSO: Japanese syllabus).

All three comprehension parts test the same three abilities:

Ability tested	What it looks like in a question
Understanding details and the main idea	Find what the text states; identify the author’s main point
Grasping how information connects	Separate key points from supporting details; compare text, audio and graphs
Using information	Draw a conclusion, generalize from examples, apply a principle to a new case

Listening-Reading Comprehension (聴読解 Chōdokkai)

In this part, you hear audio while looking at visual material in the booklet, such as a graph, chart or short text. Typical settings are lectures, presentations and discussions about seminar exercises or surveys. The key skill is linking what you hear to the right part of the figure.

Listening Comprehension (聴解 Chōkai)

Here there are no visuals: you rely on audio alone. Settings include lectures and speeches, consultations where a student asks a professor or staff member for advice, and everyday practical conversations. You need to hold several pieces of information in mind until the question comes.

Writing (記述 Kijutsu): Task Types and How It Is Rated

JASSO’s syllabus lists two kinds of writing tasks: arguing about one or more given ideas, and explaining the current state of an issue, then predicting its outcome or proposing a solution. You choose one of the prompts given and write within the stated length, commonly around 400–500 characters. Graders look for a clear answer to the task, persuasive support, consideration of other viewpoints, logical organization and appropriate academic language.

JASSO rates essays on the following scale (JASSO: Writing score rating):

Score	Level	What an essay at this level does
50	S	Answers the task clearly with persuasive reasons; well organized and developed; refined language
45 / 40	A (upper / lower)	Answers clearly with appropriate reasons; well organized; appropriate language
35 / 30	B (upper / lower)	Mostly appropriate reasons; generally organized with occasional problems; some unsuitable expressions
25 / 20	C (upper / lower)	Addresses the task roughly; reasons may be weak; organization problems; unsuitable expressions
10	D	Does not address the task; disorganized; serious language errors
0	NA	Does not meet the rating conditions

An essay scores 0 if it is blank, off topic, only repeats the prompt, contains fewer than 40 characters of relevant Japanese, or copies text from the booklet. Notice what separates B from C: mainly structure and a direct answer to the task, not advanced vocabulary.

How the Scores Work: Scaled Scores vs. Rated Writing

The reading score (0–200) and the combined listening and listening-reading score (0–200) are not raw scores. JASSO converts them to a common scale through score equating, so results from different sessions can be compared fairly. The writing score is not scaled; it is rated against the standards above and reported separately, so universities can weigh it in their own way.

2026–2027 Test Dates, Fees and Application Windows

	1st session (June)	2nd session (November)
2026 exam date	June 21, 2026	November 8, 2026
Application period	February 16 – March 12, 2026	July 6 – 30, 2026
Score release (tentative)	July 28, 2026	December 15, 2026

Source: JASSO: Examination Schedule. In Japan, the fee is ¥12,000 for one subject and ¥23,000 for two or three subjects (tax included). Fees outside Japan are set per country, for example INR 1,300 in India and THB 400 in Thailand. Applicants in Japan apply through EJU Online; applicants overseas apply through the local EJU representative.

Applications close more than three months before each exam. As of November 2026, JASSO had not yet published the 2027 guidelines. If the usual pattern holds, the June 2027 session will take applications around February to March 2027, so decide your session early and check the official schedule.

Section-by-Section Study Strategies

Each section rewards a different habit: reading rewards seeing structure, listening rewards holding information in memory, and writing rewards a repeatable plan. Build a shared foundation first, then train each part on its own terms.

Start with Academic Vocabulary, Kanji and Connectives

EJU texts use the abstract vocabulary of newspapers and textbooks, such as 傾向 (keikō, tendency), 要因 (yōin, factor), 課題 (kadai, issue) and 影響 (eikyō, influence). A daily habit of reading one opinion-style article and noting five new abstract words pays off in every section.

Connectives are the signposts of an argument. Knowing them lets you predict where a reading passage or lecture is going, and they give your essay a clear structure:

Function	Expressions to know
Contrast	しかし shikashi / 一方 ippō / それに対して sore ni taishite
Cause and result	そのため sono tame / したがって shitagatte / ～によって ~ni yotte
Addition	さらに sarani / また mata / そのうえ sono ue
Example	例えば tatoeba / ～など ~nado
Restatement and conclusion	つまり tsumari / すなわち sunawachi / このように kono yō ni
Concession	確かに～が tashika ni ~ ga / ～とはいえ ~ to wa ie

Reading: Read for Structure, Not Word by Word

Forty minutes goes quickly, so set a rough time budget per question and move on when you pass it. Skim the question and answer choices before reading the passage, so you know what to look for.

Track the author’s main claim (筆者の主張 hissha no shuchō). It usually appears in the first or last paragraph, or right after signposts like つまり and このように. Watch for trap choices that sound true in general but are not stated in the text, or that reverse cause and effect. When a graph appears, check its title, units and time period before you read the choices.

Listening-Reading: Use the Visuals as a Map

Use every pause to scan the figure in your booklet: its title, labels and the items that differ most. During the audio, keep track of which part of the figure the speaker is talking about; lecturers often signal this with phrases like このグラフを見てください (kono gurafu o mite kudasai, “please look at this graph”). Many questions ask which part of a figure the speaker emphasizes, or which conclusion fits the data.

Listening: Train for Audio You Cannot Replay

You cannot rewind on test day, so practice with lecture-style audio such as university lecture videos and regular NHK news. After each clip, summarize it in one or two sentences, and use shadowing to get used to natural speed. Build a quick note-taking system with symbols for increase, decrease, cause and contrast.

In consultation dialogues, the answer often depends on what the student finally decides after hearing advice, not on their first idea. Listen to the end before choosing.

Writing: A Template You Can Reuse

A fixed structure frees your 30 minutes for thinking instead of organizing. For an essay of about 500 characters, this split works well:

Part	Role	Approx. length
Introduction (序論 joron)	Restate the issue and give your position	80–100 characters
Body (本論 honron)	Two reasons, or one reason with an example; address the opposing view	About 300 characters
Conclusion (結論 ketsuron)	Restate your position and close	80–100 characters

Write in the plain academic style (である調 de aru chō), not the polite です・ます style, and never mix the two. A sentence pattern like 確かに～。しかし～ (tashika ni ~. shikashi ~) shows you considered another viewpoint, which the rubric rewards. Spend about 5 minutes planning, 20 minutes writing and 5 minutes checking, and learn the basic rules of the grid-style answer sheet (原稿用紙 genkō yōshi).

Practice two essays a week on common themes such as technology and society, the environment, education and Japan’s aging population. Get every essay checked by someone who can rate it against the JASSO rubric.

Common Mistakes That Cost Points

The most common mistake is preparing only with JLPT-style vocabulary and grammar drills, which do not train argument reading or essay writing. Close behind is skipping writing practice because it is “only 50 points,” even though many universities look at it separately.

On test day, students lose points by running out of time in reading, mixing です・ます and である styles, or answering only half of a two-part prompt, for example explaining a problem but never proposing a solution.

Building a Study Plan with Past Papers (Working Backward from Test Day)

Past papers are the closest thing to the real exam, so plan your preparation around them: diagnose with one, drill with older ones, and save the newest for full simulations in the final month.

Where to Find Official Past Papers

Resource	Where to get it	Best used for
JASSO past exam questions	JASSO website, free	A first diagnostic; older sessions include the Japanese section
Official question booklet with audio CD (日本留学試験 試験問題 Nihon Ryūgaku Shiken Shiken Mondai)	Major bookstores in Japan; publisher Bonjinsha	Full timed practice with real audio and scripts
Commercial mock-test books	Bookstores and online shops	Extra practice once official papers are used up

Since 2024, JASSO publishes one official booklet per year; the 2025 edition costs ¥2,420 including tax. Outside Japan, you can browse the booklets at Study in Japan resource facilities, EJU overseas representatives and JASSO’s overseas offices (JASSO: EJU Question Booklet).

Step 1: Take a Diagnostic Test and Set a Target

Sit one full past paper under timed conditions, about six months before your exam if you can. Score the reading and listening parts, and rate your essay against the JASSO rubric, ideally with a teacher’s help. Compare the result with your target schools’ requirements; the gap tells you where to spend your time.

Step 2: Work Backward from Your Test Date

This six-month plan works for most learners at an intermediate level or above. Compress the early stages if you have less time.

Time before the test	Main focus	How to use past papers
6–5 months	Vocabulary, kanji and connectives; reading speed; first essays	One diagnostic paper; study the question types
4–3 months	Section-by-section drills; two essays a week with feedback; submit your application	Drill single sections from older papers
2 months	Full timed tests; fix time management	One full past paper every 1–2 weeks
Final 4 weeks	Exam simulation; review your error log; polish your essay template	Newest papers in one 125-minute sitting, at the real start time
Final week	Light review, sleep, test-day logistics (voucher, venue, pencils)	Reread your error log; no new papers

Remember that applications close more than three months before the exam, so you will register in the middle of this plan, not at the end.

Step 3: Review Every Paper Properly

The review matters more than the score. For each wrong answer, write down the cause: unknown vocabulary, a misread question, lack of time, a trap choice or audio you did not catch. After a few papers, the pattern shows you what to fix.

For listening, replay the audio with the script from the official booklet and find the exact sentence you missed. For writing, rewrite the essay after feedback rather than moving straight to a new prompt.

A Sample Weekly Routine

Day	Focus	Time
Monday	Reading drills and vocabulary	60–90 min
Tuesday	Listening and shadowing	60 min
Wednesday	Timed 30-minute essay and self-review	60 min
Thursday	Listening-reading with charts and graphs	60 min
Friday	Opinion-article reading and vocabulary review	60 min
Saturday	One full section or a full past paper, timed	2–3 hours
Sunday	Error-log review, essay rewrite, rest	30–60 min

June or November? Planning Sessions and Retakes

Many students take both sessions: June to get a first score, then November to improve it. Before choosing, compare each session’s score release date with your universities’ application deadlines, and confirm which sessions each school accepts. A score that arrives after the deadline cannot help you. Once you are admitted, start your visa paperwork early with our guide to applying for a Japan student visa.

One-on-One EJU Prep with an Online Japanese Tutor

Reading and listening improve steadily with self-study, but writing almost always needs a reader. Only an experienced teacher can tell you why your essay would score 30 instead of 40, and what to change to move up.

Why Self-Study Often Stalls

Self-study gives you the answer key, not the reason. You can see that a reading answer was wrong, but not always why the trap choice fooled you. You can write essays every week without knowing whether they meet the rubric. And without a schedule set by someone else, it is easy to keep drilling your strong areas while your weak ones stay weak.

Prepare for the EJU Japanese Test with Nihongo Online School

Nihongo Online School offers private one-on-one Japanese lessons over Zoom with qualified Japanese teachers. Since 2019, we have taught more than 1,000 students worldwide. Every lesson plan is built around your own goal, so if your goal is the EJU Japanese as a Foreign Language test, your lessons can focus on exactly that.

Here is how our approach fits EJU preparation:

• One dedicated teacher, start to finish. The same teacher follows your progress, knows your weak points and adjusts every lesson to them.
• Feedback on your essays. Your teacher reviews practice essays and helps you fix structure, style and expressions, the areas that lift a B-level essay to an A.
• Guided past-paper practice. Work through reading and listening questions together and learn why each wrong choice is wrong.
• Structured homework. Each 60-minute lesson comes with about two hours of guided homework, so progress continues between lessons.
• Lessons on your schedule. Book times that fit your time zone, school or work, and practice explaining your goals in Japanese for university interviews.

Our lessons focus on Japanese; we do not offer subject lessons for Mathematics, Science or Japan and the World.

Past-paper lessons with a dedicated teacher have already helped our students reach big goals. Husain prepared for the MEXT scholarship exam with Yuko-sensei, using past papers in online lessons, and earned the scholarship (read Husain’s story · watch the interview).

Standard fees are ¥4,800 per 60-minute lesson plus a one-time ¥25,000 registration fee, with lesson packages and payment in up to three installments (see course plans and pricing).

Start with a free trial lesson and Japanese level check. Tell your teacher your target universities and test session, and you will get a plan that works backward from your exam date.

>> Book your free trial lesson with Nihongo Online School