EIKEN Grade 3 exam-day guide
EIKEN Grade 3 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission slip / test voucher
The EIKEN (実用英語技能検定) application confirmation or 受験票 sent by the provider. Print it or save it on your phone as a backup, and check the venue address and reporting time printed on it. If you applied through a school or group, confirm with the provider how your voucher is distributed.
Writing instrument (pencil or mechanical pencil) and eraser
Answers on the EIKEN answer sheet are marked in pencil, so bring a sharpened pencil (or spare lead) and a clean eraser. Bring two if possible so a broken tip does not cost you time.
Watch (non-smart, no alarms)
Many venues do not guarantee a visible clock. A simple analog or digital watch is useful for pacing the reading and listening sections. Smartwatches and phones are not acceptable as timekeepers, so confirm the venue's device policy with the provider.
Photo ID
Bring the identification the provider specifies. For Grade 3, many candidates are minors and the rules can differ between 本会場 (public venue) and 準会場 (school/group venue), so confirm the exact ID requirement with the provider rather than assuming.
Shoes and clothing suitable for a long sitting
You will sit for roughly an hour of testing plus instructions and breaks. Wear layers so you can adjust to room temperature, and choose footwear you can slip off if the venue asks you to change shoes.
No phone use during the test
Turn your phone off (not just silent) and keep it in your bag. If a device sounds or is used during the test, it may be treated as misconduct. Confirm the venue's exact device rules with the provider.
Know the reporting time, not just the start time
Doors typically open before the start, and late arrivals may not be admitted once the test has begun. Check the reporting time on your voucher and arrive with margin for trains and walking from the station.
Plan your route and a backup
Look up the venue on a map the day before, note the exit and walking route, and identify a later train or bus in case of delays. Aim to arrive 20-30 minutes before the reporting time.
Light snack and drink for before/after
Eat a normal meal beforehand and bring water. Eating during the test is usually not allowed, so finish snacks before you enter the room. Confirm whether the venue has a waiting area.
Review the answer-sheet format
Practice transferring answers to the mark sheet, including the writing section, so you do not lose time on formatting. Check how the writing section is laid out (lines, word count guidance) on the official sample materials.
Confirm the scoring and pass criteria
Grade 3 results are reported with a score and a pass/fail judgment; the exact weighting and passing threshold are published by the provider. Read the current official description so you know how the sections combine.
Confirm whether a retest/interview stage applies
For EIKEN, a first-stage written test is followed by a second-stage speaking test for those who pass. Confirm the current schedule, eligibility, and whether your application includes the second stage with the provider.
Plan the day
Do one full timed practice run under exam conditions: listening played once at normal speed, reading and writing with a clock. Mark your answers on a sheet, then review errors by category (vocabulary, grammar, reading speed, listening detail, writing structure). Spend the remaining days on your two weakest categories rather than starting new material.
Re-read the official format description for Grade 3: number of questions per section, time limits, and writing task type. Confirm the reporting time, venue, and what you are allowed to bring by checking your voucher and the provider's guidance. If anything is unclear, contact the provider now, not on the day.
Pack your bag: voucher, pencils, eraser, watch, ID, water, and a printed map. Charge your phone but plan not to use it. Set two alarms. Do a light review only - skim your error notes and a few writing templates - and stop early. Sleep at your normal time; a full night's sleep helps listening concentration more than an extra hour of cramming.
Check the weather and any train disruptions for your route, and decide your departure time. Prepare clothes and breakfast so the morning is decision-free. Reconfirm the venue address and the door/reporting time one last time.
Eat a normal breakfast, arrive 20-30 minutes early, and use the restroom before entering the room. Once seated, set out your pencil and eraser, put your watch where you can see it, and turn your phone fully off and stow it. Listen carefully to the instructions, especially about filling in your examinee number and name.
Read the answer choices before the audio starts if the format allows, and mark answers as you go; do not wait until the end. If you miss a point, let it go and re-focus on the next question rather than replaying it in your head. Listening is usually played once, so sustained attention matters more than note-taking.
Budget your time: give the writing section a fixed block and keep a few minutes to check spelling, verb tense, and word count. For reading, answer the easier items first and return to hard ones. If you are unsure, eliminate clearly wrong choices and commit to an answer rather than leaving blanks, unless the format penalizes guessing - confirm that with the provider.
Read the prompt twice, note the required points or question, and make a quick outline before writing. Use simple, correct sentences over ambitious, error-prone ones. Leave time to reread for agreement, tense, and plurals. Follow the stated word count guidance.
Do not linger on questions you cannot change. Note which sections felt weak while it is fresh, and check the provider's announced result schedule. If a second-stage speaking test applies to you, confirm the date, format, and how to prepare once results are released.
Rules to check
Bring the admission slip and the ID the provider requires. If your application went through a school or group, confirm with the provider what document you must show, since rules can differ between public and school venues.
Arrive by the reporting time. Late admission is not guaranteed once the test has started; if you are delayed, contact the venue or provider as instructed on your voucher.
Phones and smart devices must be switched off and stored out of sight. Using or even holding a device during the test may be treated as misconduct. Confirm the venue's exact policy with the provider.
Follow all instructions from the proctors about seating, filling in your examinee number, and when to open the booklet. Starting early or continuing after 'stop' can invalidate your answers.
Breaks, restroom use, and leaving the room are at the proctor's discretion and may not be allowed during a timed section. Plan ahead and confirm the venue's break policy with the provider.
Results are reported as a score with a pass/fail judgment based on the provider's published criteria. Do not rely on unofficial pass-mark estimates; read the current official description of scoring.
If a second-stage speaking test applies, eligibility and scheduling follow the provider's rules after the first-stage results. Confirm dates and procedures with the provider rather than assuming.
Any request for special accommodations, a venue change, or a refund must go through the provider's official procedure and deadlines. Ask the provider directly; do not rely on secondhand information.