EJU: The Japanese University Admission Exam for International Students

If your goal is to work in Japan, there are tests for that. If your goal is to measure general Japanese ability, there are tests for that. If your goal is to prove kanji knowledge, there are tests for that too.

But what if your goal is: “I want to study at a Japanese university.”

That is where the EJU comes in. EJU stands for Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students. In Japanese, it is called 日本留学試験（にほんりゅうがくしけん）. The exam is administered by JASSO — Japan Student Services Organization and is designed to evaluate whether international students have the Japanese ability and academic foundation needed to study at Japanese universities and other higher-education institutions.

This is not simply: “another Japanese language test.” Depending on the university and program you are applying to, the EJU may test academic Japanese, mathematics, science, liberal-arts knowledge, and logical thinking.

So if the JLPT asks “How well do you understand Japanese?”, EJU asks something closer to “Are you academically prepared to study in Japan?”

What Is the EJU?

The EJU was created specifically for international students who want to enter Japanese higher education. Universities can use EJU scores as part of their admissions process. That can include universities, junior colleges, graduate schools, colleges of technology, and professional training colleges.

As of September 2026, 950 schools in Japan were using EJU scores in some form, including 507 universities. But there is something very important to understand: The EJU itself does not admit you to a university. It gives universities a score they can use when evaluating your application. A school may also require its own entrance exam, an interview, English test scores, academic records, essays, or other documents.

EJU is part of admissions. It is not the entire admissions process.

Do All Japanese Universities Require EJU?

No. Each university decides whether it uses EJU, which subjects it requires, which scores it wants, which language the non-Japanese subjects should be taken in, and which test administrations it will accept. Some universities use EJU heavily. Others do not require it at all.

So before registering, check the requirements of the exact university and department you want to enter. Do not take random EJU subjects and hope for the best.

EJU Is Not Just a Japanese Test

This is probably the biggest misconception. The EJU can include four subject areas:

• Japanese as a Foreign Language

• Science

• Japan and the World

• Mathematics

You choose the subjects required by the university and program you are applying to.

That means a humanities applicant and an engineering applicant may take very different combinations.

Japanese as a Foreign Language

This is the part most Japanese learners will immediately recognize. But it is not JLPT-style Japanese. The purpose is specifically to measure academic Japanese required for studying at Japanese universities.

The total testing time is 125 minutes.

The scoring is:

• Reading: 0–200

• Listening + Listening-Reading: 0–200

• Writing: 0–50

So the main Japanese score is 0–400, plus a separate 0–50 writing score.

That means the EJU does something the JLPT does not, It actually tests writing.

The Japanese Section Has Four Skills

The Japanese portion includes:

1. Writing

2. Reading Comprehension

3. Listening-Reading Comprehension

4. Listening Comprehension

The order is:

• Writing: 30 minutes

• Reading: 40 minutes

• Listening-Reading + Listening: approximately 55 minutes

That gives you a total of 125 minutes.

Writing Matters

This is a major difference from the JLPT. The JLPT does not ask you to write an essay. EJU does. You are expected to produce Japanese yourself. The writing score is reported separately from the main 400-point Japanese score and ranges from 0 to 50.

So this is not simply “Can you recognize the correct grammar?”. You need to organize an argument and actually write Japanese. For students preparing to study at university, that makes sense, as University courses typically involve a lot of writing.

Academic Japanese Is Different From Everyday Japanese

Someone may be perfectly comfortable saying:

昨日友達と映画を見に行きました。 きのう ともだち と えいが を みに いきました。

I went to see a movie with a friend yesterday.

Great. But university Japanese may require you to understand lectures, arguments, abstract ideas, graphs, explanations, evidence, comparisons, and academic vocabulary. You are no longer simply trying to survive a trip to the convenience store. You need to process Japanese as an academic tool.

Reading Can Include Visual Information

EJU reading is not limited to plain paragraphs. Questions can include written passages, graphs, charts, lists, and other visual information. You need to extract relevant information and understand relationships between ideas.That is realistic. University students do not only read novels. They read data, reports, tables, academic explanations, and handouts.

Listening-Reading Is Exactly What It Sounds Like

One of the more interesting sections is 聴読解 or Listening-Reading Comprehension. You may hear spoken Japanese while also looking at graphs, charts, or written information. That means you need to combine multiple sources of information at the same time.

Think about an actual lecture. The professor is talking, there is a slide on the screen, you have a handout, and you are listening and reading simultaneously.

That is exactly the kind of academic skill EJU is trying to measure.

Science

The Science section is intended for students applying to science-related programs.

The test is 80 minutes and worth 0–200 points.

You choose two subjects from:

• Physics

• Chemistry

• Biology

Which two you choose depends on the requirements of the university or department you want to enter.

If you choose Science, you must choose two science subjects. Choosing only one means the Science section will not be graded.

Japan and the World

The Japan and the World section is intended mainly for liberal-arts applicants.

It measures the basic academic knowledge and logical-thinking ability needed for university study.

The test is 80 minutes and worth 0–200 points. This is broader than simply: “How much Japanese history do you know?” It deals with social-science and humanities-related knowledge and reasoning.

You Cannot Take Both Science and Japan and the World

This is one of those rules you need to know before registering.

You may take Science or Japan and the World, but not both during the same EJU administration. Again, your university determines which one it expects.

Mathematics

The Mathematics section is 80 minutes and worth 0–200 points. There are two courses.

• Course 1 is designed primarily for liberal-arts programs and science programs requiring comparatively less mathematics.

• Course 2 is designed for programs requiring higher-level mathematics.

Which one you need depends on the program you are applying to.

Do Not Guess Which Math Course You Need

This is worth repeating. If you are applying to one university for economics and another for engineering, they may have completely different EJU requirements.

Before studying, check whether Japanese is required, whether mathematics is required, whether you need Course 1 or Course 2, whether Science is required, which sciences are required, and whether Japan and the World is required. Build your testing plan around the school. Not the other way around.

Can You Take EJU in English?

For subjects other than Japanese as a Foreign Language, examinees may sometimes take the test in Japanese or English, depending on the university's requirements.

That does not mean every applicant gets to choose freely. The university may specify which language it requires. Check with the school before you sign up.

EJU Does Not Test English

Another important point. There is no EJU English-language proficiency section. A university may separately require TOEFL, IELTS, another English exam, or its own English test. So an application might require both the EJU and TOEFL depending on the program.

EJU Is Not Pass or Fail

There is no universal "pass or fail" with the EJU. The test gives you scores. The university decides whether those scores are competitive enough. A Japanese score of 280, for example, might be perfectly acceptable for one program and too low for another. The EJU itself does not decide whether you are admitted.

Scores Are Scaled

With the exception of the Japanese writing component, EJU scores are not simply raw percentages. JASSO uses score equating to compensate for differences in difficulty between different test administrations. That means a score is intended to represent comparable ability even if one version of the exam is slightly more difficult than another.

So 150 / 200 does not necessarily mean “I got exactly 75% of the questions correct.”

How Long Are EJU Scores Valid?

EJU scores earned during the previous two years can generally remain available for university applications. That represents results from up to four test administrations, since EJU is usually offered twice per year.

However, universities can specify which administrations they will accept. Do not assume every score from the previous two years will automatically be valid for every school.

EJU Is Usually Offered Twice a Year

The examination is generally administered in June and November. That means university planning matters. If your application deadline is approaching and you miss the appropriate EJU administration, you may have a problem. This is not a test you want to remember two weeks before submitting your university application.

Can You Take EJU Outside Japan?

You can. EJU is offered in Japan and at overseas testing locations. However, available testing locations and subjects can vary. If you are outside Japan, check the current overseas administration information before planning your application.

EJU vs JLPT

This is probably the biggest comparison people will make.

• The JLPT primarily measures vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening. It is a general Japanese proficiency credential.

• EJU Japanese measures the academic Japanese needed for higher education, including reading, listening, listening-reading, and writing.

That final skill is a huge difference.

EJU Actually Makes You Write

This is worth emphasizing again. You can pass JLPT N1 without ever writing a paragraph of Japanese on the test. EJU requires written production. For university admission, that matters. If you are going to attend lectures and submit assignments in Japanese, universities need some indication that you can do more than recognize multiple-choice answers.

Is EJU Japanese Harder Than JLPT N1?

That is not a useful one-to-one comparison. They measure different abilities. JLPT N1 includes very advanced vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening. EJU Japanese focuses on academic communication and includes writing. A learner could be excellent at JLPT-style grammar and still struggle with EJU writing. Another student might be accustomed to academic Japanese and perform comparatively well on EJU.

Different test. Different purpose.

EJU vs JFT-Basic

These are almost opposite ends of the practical spectrum.

The JFT-Basic asks "Can you handle basic everyday life in Japan?"

But the EJU asks "Can you handle the Japanese required for higher education?"

One is about shopping, work, daily communication, and basic life. The other is about lectures, academic reading, writing, reasoning, and university study.

Very different goals.

EJU vs ACTFL

ACTFL measures functional proficiency in productive skills such as speaking and writing. EJU uses academic tasks tied specifically to Japanese higher education.

So the ACTFL might tell you "How well can this person write spontaneously?"

But the EJU asks something more targeted: Can this student use Japanese and academic reasoning well enough for university admission?

Who Should Take EJU?

You should seriously investigate EJU if you:

• Want to enter a Japanese university as an international student

• Are applying to a program that requires EJU scores

• Want to study an undergraduate degree primarily in Japanese

• Need to demonstrate academic Japanese

• Are applying to a Japanese institution that explicitly uses EJU

The important phrase is: if the school requires it. Do not take EJU simply because: “I want another Japanese certificate.” That is not what this test is for.

Who Probably Does Not Need EJU?

If you are learning Japanese for personal interest, working in Japan, studying kanji, looking for a general proficiency credential, or trying to measure speaking ability, then EJU probably is not your test. Likewise, if the university you want to attend does not use EJU, you may not need it at all.

This is an admissions tool. Use it when admissions require it.

How I Would Prepare for EJU Japanese

If one of my students told me: “I want to take EJU Japanese,” I would immediately shift the study plan toward academic Japanese.

Practice Academic Reading

• Read explanatory essays, opinion pieces, university-style passages, reports, articles, graphs, and charts.

• Practice identifying main arguments, supporting evidence, contrasts, conclusions, and writer intention.

• Do not simply translate.

• Understand the structure.

Practice Writing

This is mandatory.

• Write under time pressure.

• Practice giving an opinion, supporting an argument, comparing ideas, explaining reasons, and organizing paragraphs.

You should be able to produce coherent Japanese without a dictionary doing all the work for you.

Practice Listening Like a Student

Do not only listen to casual conversation.

Listen to lectures, explanations, news, presentations, educational videos, and discussions.

Practice taking notes while listening.

That is something you may need to do every day once university begins anyway.

Practice Listening While Reading

This is especially useful for the 聴読解 section. Look at a chart, graph, or handout while listening to somebody explain it. Then ask yourself:

• What information did the speaker emphasize?

• What changed?

• What conclusion are they making?

That is very close to real university communication.

Study the Academic Subjects Too

If your program requires Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Japan and the World, do not let Japanese preparation consume your entire study plan. Your academic score matters too. Someone could have excellent Japanese and still perform poorly because they were unprepared for Mathematics Course 2. This is an admissions examination. Japanese is only one part of the package for many applicants.

A Simple EJU Readiness Checklist

Before taking EJU Japanese, ask yourself:

• Can I read academic Japanese without translating every sentence?

• Can I identify the central argument of a passage?

• Can I understand graphs and charts in Japanese?

• Can I follow lecture-style Japanese?

• Can I listen while simultaneously reading supporting information?

• Can I write a structured Japanese response under time pressure?

• Can I explain and support an opinion in Japanese?

• Can I stay focused through more than two hours of academic Japanese?

For the academic subjects, ask yourself:

• Do I know exactly which subjects my university requires?

• Do I know whether I need Mathematics Course 1 or Course 2?

• Do I know whether I need Science or Japan and the World?

• Do I know which language I need to take those subjects in?

If you cannot answer those last questions: Stop studying and check the admissions requirements first.

Quick Reference: EJU

• Full name: Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students

• Japanese name: 日本留学試験

• Administrator: Japan Student Services Organization — JASSO

• Primary purpose: University and higher-education admission for international students

• Pass/fail: No universal pass or fail

• Main subjects: 

  • Japanese as a Foreign Language

  • Science

  • Japan and the World

  • Mathematics

Japanese as a Foreign Language

• Total time: 125 minutes

• Writing: 30 minutes

• Reading: 40 minutes

• Listening + Listening-Reading: Approximately 55 minutes

• Reading score: 0–200

• Listening + Listening-Reading score: 0–200

• Writing score: 0–50

• Speaking test: No

• Writing tested: Yes

Science

• Time: 80 minutes

• Score: 0–200

• Choose two: 

  • Physics

  • Chemistry

  • Biology

Japan and the World

• Time: 80 minutes

• Score: 0–200

Mathematics

• Time: 80 minutes

• Score: 0–200

• Course 1: Liberal arts and programs requiring less advanced mathematics

• Course 2: Programs requiring higher-level mathematics

The Real Difference Between JLPT and EJU

JLPT asks “How strong is your Japanese?”

EJU asks “Can you use Japanese and your academic skills well enough to study at a Japanese university?”

That distinction changes everything. You are no longer learning Japanese only as a language. Japanese becomes the language through which you learn something else.

History. Economics. Engineering. Biology. Political science. Literature. Whatever your field happens to be.

That is a major transition.

EJU Is Japanese With an Academic Purpose

There is a huge difference between: learning Japanese and learning in Japanese.

The EJU sits right in the middle of that transition. You are expected to stop treating Japanese only as the subject you are studying.

Instead, Japanese becomes the tool you use to understand a lecture, interpret information, analyze an argument, solve a problem, write an answer, and study your actual major.

And if your goal is to attend university in Japan?

That is exactly the ability that matters.