FAQ for EJU

A . EJU is used to evaluate whether international students who wish to study at the undergraduate level at universities or other such higher educational institutions in Japan possess the Japanese language skills and the basic academic abilities needed to study at those institutions. Starting in 2002, EJU is administered twice a year (June and November) in Japan and other countries and regions.

A . No particular qualifications have been defined, so anyone may take EJU. However, to enter a Japanese university's undergraduate program as an international student, you need to be 18 or older, and need to have completed 12 years of school education in a country other than Japan in principal. Please consult to the university you apply for details.

A . EJU is intended for international students who wish to study at the undergraduate level of a university or other such higher educational institution in Japan, so in principle it is taken by only these persons. However, there is no official rule on eligibility for sitting EJU, so it is possible for you to take the examination, with the understanding of its intended purpose, to measure your Japanese language proficiency and basic academic skills. Please note that JASSO only reports your examination scores and does not offer certification.

A . You may take EJU two or more times. However, only the scores of just one EJU session will be provided to the university to which you will apply.

A . You may select which session's score you would like the university to use, within the limits specified by the university. For example, when A University uses the scores of EJU within the limits of "sessions of 2022 June, November, and 2021 November", examinees may select the most preferable score out of those they have taken within that 3 sessions, and submit the Examination Registration Number to A University.

A . It is impossible to submit the scores of different sessions per subject. The score is to be submitted per session. For example, submitting the score to the university in such a way as "the score of Japanese as a Foreign Language for the session of 2022 June, plus the score of Science for the session of 2022 November" is not available.

A . EJU scores remain valid for two years (i.e., the past four sessions). However, some universities and other schools require applicants to take the EJU in certain years or sessions, so before you apply to a school, contact them to find out their EJU requirements.

A . JASSO reports scores on EJU online or by postal service (only for outside Japan since 2021.), and never takes score requests made by phone, fax, the Internet, e-mail, etc. (Scores are not listed on JASSO's website.)

A . Please refer to the Outline of result for EJU section of this website for score statistics.

A . There is no special application form for the Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Student Reservation Program. To apply, mark a circle in the appropriate box of the EJU application form. See the Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Student Reservation Program section of this website for more information.

A . EJU is composed of four subject tests: Japanese as a Foreign Language, Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology), Japan and the World, and Mathematics. Examinees taking the Science test must select two of the three categories (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology), and those taking the Mathematics test select one of two course options; these selections may be made at the examination site and thus do not need to be specified when applying.

A . Applicants select which subject tests they will take from Japanese as a Foreign Language, Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology), Japan and the World, and Mathematics (note that the Science test and the Japan and the World test are conducted in the same time slot, so applicants cannot take both). Applicants need to make their selections in accordance with the requirements of the university that they wish to enter. Failure to do so will disqualify the applicant from admission to that university, so be sure to check which subject tests need to be taken before applying.

A . Unique to EJU, the Japan and the World test is a subject test that has never been offered previously. The questions are on topics studied in the civics (mainly politics and economics), geography, and history courses of Japanese high schools. To get a better idea of the coverage of this test, see the test information posted on this website.

A . The Japan and the World test comprehensively covers topics in civics, geography, and history. It serves to evaluate your basic knowledge of each area and your ability to reason from the information and figures presented in the questions. For an idea of the content of the test, refer to the syllabus and past examination questions posted on this website. The test focuses on civics-related topics, so you are encouraged to study Japanese high school textbooks, concentrating on politics, economics, and modern society as you go over the basic topics in Geography A, World History A, and Japanese History A.

A . EJU does not include a subject test on English or other foreign languages. In order to gauge an applicant's fundamental knowledge of English or other foreign languages, some universities require applicants to take the university's own foreign language test or submit scores from TOEFL or other such language tests, so be sure to find out the foreign language requirements of your selected university before applying.

A . Course 1 is for humanities departments or science departments that require relatively low use of mathematics. Course 2 is for departments that require extensive use of mathematics (such as a department of science and engineering). For details, see the syllabus for each course. Requirements regarding the EJU's Mathematics test differ for each university or school, so please consult in advance with the school to which you will apply.

A . EJU may be taken in Japanese or English, except for the Japanese as a Foreign Language test, which is administered in Japanese only. As with the selection of subject tests, you need to select the examination language of EJU in accordance with the requirements of the university that you wish to enter. Be sure to find out the university's specification before applying.

A . The EJU question booklet (with CD) is sold at the Japanese language studies corner of major bookstores throughout Japan.
Moreover, some of the past examination questions are published on our website.

A . When we talk about a Japanese university or other such higher educational institution "using" EJU, we mean that the institution uses EJU scores in its applicant screening process for international students. Specifically, the institution requests JASSO to furnish the EJU scores of the applicant, and then uses the scores as criteria for determining whether to accept the applicant. You should take note that not all institutions solely rely on EJU scores to decide whether to admit an applicant; at some institutions, the screening process also includes the institution's own entrance exam and/or an interview. Consequently, we recommend that you find out in advance what admission criteria are used by the institution to which you wish to apply. Nevertheless, JASSO is making efforts to have more and more Japanese universities and other higher educational institutions screen international applicants on the basis of EJU scores only.

A . EJU performance is not graded in terms of "pass" or "fail." Unlike the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, EJU does not have different levels or score-based certification. Consequently, performance is simply evaluated as a score. Universities look at EJU scores to determine the level of the Japanese language skills and basic academic abilities of international students being screened for admission.

A . Each university is free to decide whether to use EJU scores to screen international students. Before applying, check whether your university of choice requires that you take EJU. If EJU must be taken, remember to also check the university's requirements concerning subject tests and examination language.

A . A list of graduate schools that have expressed their intention to use EJU scores is posted on this website for your reference. However, there may be some graduate schools not on the list that plan to use EJU scores, so before applying, be sure to ask your school of choice whether they require you to take EJU.

A . A list of professional training colleges using EJU that have expressed their intention to use EJU scores is posted on this website for your reference. However, there may be some professional training colleges not on the list that plan to use EJU scores, so before applying, be sure to ask your school of choice whether they require you to take EJU.

A . The EJU does not contain any sections that test English proficiency. Some Japanese universities and other schools require applicants to take the school's own English test or submit scores from TOEFL or other such tests in order to find out the applicants' basic scholastic aptitude in English. Consequently, "TOEFL or other test for study abroad in English-speaking regions required" and similar statements by a school mean that the school requires applicants to take an international English test, such as TOEFL or IELTS, and submit the scores to the school. Before applying, please contact the school to which you will apply in order to find out what particular test must be taken.

A . Yes, there are. You can find out which universities and junior colleges do not require the EJU. Please refer to Japan Study Support (The Asian Students Cultural Association).

A . EJU is administered in 18 cities in 14 countries/regions: Hong Kong,India (New Delhi), Indonesia (Jakarta and Surabaya), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar), Myanmar (Yangon), Philippines (Manila), Republic of Korea (Seoul and Busan), Russia (Vladivostok), Singapore, Sri Lanka (Colombo), Taiwan (Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang Mai) and Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City).

A . EJU is not administered in China.
It is administered since 2010 EJU (2nd session) in Hong Kong. Since non-residents of Hong Kong can take it, please contact to the Overseas Representatives in Hong Kong.

A . Please take the EJU in Japan or any other country/region where it is administered. See the examination sites where the EJU is held . Please note that the application procedures differ for each venue city outside Japan. For details, please refer to the list of Overseas Representatives and contact the appropriate representative.

A . Yes, persons living outside Japan can take the examination at a test site in Japan. However, it is necessary to apply through EJU Online and designate an address in Japan as the address for sending the Exaimination Voucher. For more information, see Application Method.

A . For information on documents required for visa applications, please contact the nearest Embassy of Japan or Consulate-General of Japan. JASSO does not issue any documentation before EJU except for examination vouchers.

A . EJU's Japanese as a Foreign Language Test is designed to measure the Japanese skills needed to study at Japanese universities and other schools ("academic Japanese"). In contrast, the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is designed to assess general aptitude in Japanese. While EJU has writing questions in the components of examination questions, JLPT doesn’t. Instead it has questions assessing linguistic knowledge (characters, vocabulary, or grammar). On the other hand, EJU does not include question directly assessing linguistic knowledge. The two tests have common question forms such as reading comprehension, and listening/listening-reading comprehension (listening comprehension in JLPT), however; they have their own questions based on the respective purposes. Because they have different tendencies in questions, it is impossible to make a simple comparison of their difficulty.

A . These two tests measure different things, so a general comparison cannot be made.

A . Generally, if a Japanese university or other school uses EJU scores in its admission process, international applicants have to take the EJU. However, in the case of applicants who live in countries/regions where EJU is not administered, some schools use Japanese Language Proficiency Test scores instead of EJU scores. Before applying, please directly contact the school you wish to enter and ask for information on this.

A . When applying to a Japanese university or school that uses EJU scores in its admission process, you need to take all EJU subject tests required by that school. Therefore, if the school requires that you take the Japanese as a Foreign Language test, you have to take it, regardless of whether you have passed N1 of the Japanese Language Proficiency.

A. EJU scores remain valid for two years, which means the past four sessions will be subject to the selection of admission for universities or other schools. However, it would be difficult to completely equalize the difficulty level every time in any examination. If the difficulty level remains unadjusted, examinees who are tested with an easier version will have an advantage and it may cause unfairness among examinees. In order to avoid this situation, it is necessary to adjust the difficulty level of versions in the examination and work out the scores (scale point) which should indicate the proper ability of examinees. We call this manipulation Common Scale. Some famous English examinations such as TOEFL and TOEIC also apply the common scale to present their scores. For details, please refer to the Score page in this website.

A. We use several versions of EJU Questions per subject in one examination. We do it in Japan and overseas due to the time difference depending on test venues and also for security reasons. The examinations that apply the common scale do not basically release their examination questions. In principle, EJU Questions are also not open to the public. However, we release only one version of EJU Questions as special measures for the convenience of examinees, and universities and other schools that utilize the EJU.

A. If your name including family and first names contains more than 30 characters, you may abbreviate your middle name or others to fill it in within 30 characters. The name in your application form will be used to mail your examination voucher and score report.

A. We do not accept changes in the address listed in the application form. You have to submit a notification of change of address (TENKYO TODOKE) to a post office as soon as possible after you change your address. The post office will transfer your mail which carries your former address to the new address for a period of one year. Please contact the overseas representative if you want to take the EJU administered outside Japan.

A. Please take the EJU examination using the incorrect voucher. After the examination, request any revisions from the EJU Online MyPage (Examination Voucher Revision page) website within the acceptance period. (From fiscal year 2022, a handling fee of \2,000 will be charged for such revisions.)
Revision requests may only be placed once during the acceptance period.
If you fail to requests revisions during the stated period, the entries on your Score Confirmation Report and the information for use in notifying universities or other institutions will remain unrevised.

In the case of taking the EJU outside Japan, please inform the proctor regarding the error after the examination ends.

A. Of course, you can. If you have a physical disability and need special consideration (measures) when you take the examination, please contact to "Uketsuke center (Information desk)" (TEL 0570-55-0585 : use 045-620-7243 for some of mobile , IP phone or international call ) or the application office outside Japan to receive instructions before submitting your application. In some cases, you may be required to submit a letter of diagnosis from a doctor. If you normally use a hearing aid, crutch, wheelchair, or other such aid in your daily life, please contact JASSO or the application office for instructions.
Please be aware that in some cases it is not possible to handle requests for special consideration made right before the examination or on the day of the examination.

A . Each EJU test site has a counter that issues temporary examination vouchers. In order to receive one, you will need to present a photo ID (passport, alien registration certificate, etc.), so please remember to bring such an ID with you. If you lose your examination voucher after the examination, JASSO can issue a replacement when needed for applying to universities or other schools. However, it takes a certain amount of days to issue the replacement, and a fee is required. For details, see the Reissuing of Examination Vouchers section of this website.

A . As mentioned in the EJU Bulletin, score reports unfortunately cannot be reissued. You can check your score on your "My page " of EJU Online.

A . Regarding the information on EJU online Application , please refer to the related page below. We will keep the information updated.