Other Examinations Used for Studying in Japan

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 designed for foreign students who wish to enroll and study at Japanese universities (undergraduate), etc. It tests basic academic knowledge (Science, Japan and the World, and Mathematics). There is no limitation on the number of times you can take the EJU or on the age of the examinee. EJU scores are valid for two years.

478 universities, or more than 60% of Japanese universities, including most national universities require the submission of EJU scores as part of the application. Other benefits of the EJU are that some schools offer "prearrival admission" where students who take the EJU can be admitted to the school prior to arriving in Japan, and that there is an honors scholarship for students who achieve 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 Location

【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)

【Location】

17 cities within Japan

14 countries and regions outside of Japan, including 18 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), Russia (Vladivostok)

Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) Application Process

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 Taking the EJU

Scholarship reservation system

Privately-funded international students who achieve a high score on the EJU and wish to enroll in a Japanese university (undergraduate level), junior college, technical college (third year and above) or vocational school are eligible for MEXT's "scholarship reservation system."

Scholarship amount: 48,000 yen/month (2021)

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.

>Prearrival Admission through EJU

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.

>Sample EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students) Questions

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.

>Details about EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students)　
>Comments from Those who Have Taken EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students)

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 Location

［Examination Period］

Held two times per year

First round: July / Second round: December

［Location］

In 47 prefectures in Japan

In 96 countries/regions outside of Japan, including 280 cities

Administering Organizations and Contact Information

Within Japan
Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES)
JLPT Center Mon-Fri 9:30-17:30
TEL：　03-6686-2974 （if calling from outside of Japan +81-3-6686-2974）

Outside Japan
The Japan Foundation
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).

National Center for University Entrance Examinations

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