JLPT N5 exam-day guide
JLPT N5 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed test voucher (受驗票) with your examinee number
This is where your examinee number and venue details are printed, and you will be asked to write that number on the answer sheets. Exact requirements for printing versus carrying a digital copy differ by country and by test centre, so confirm with the provider.
Photo ID accepted by your test centre
A passport or residence card is commonly required, but the list of accepted documents varies by country. Check the provider's instructions and bring the exact document they name, plus a backup copy if allowed.
Two or three HB or No.2 pencils already sharpened
All answers are marked on a machine-read answer sheet, so pencil is required. Bring spares so you do not lose time sharpening during the test.
A clean eraser
You may need to change an answer; a smudged or half-erased mark can be misread by the scanner.
A simple wristwatch with no smart functions
Rooms are not always equipped with a visible clock. Phones and smartwatches usually must be switched off and stored away, so they cannot be used as a timepiece.
Venue directions and travel plan, including fare or a charged transit card
Plan to arrive well before the reporting time so that a delayed train or a wrong exit does not cost you the test.
Water and a small snack for the break between sections
Rules on eating and drinking in the room vary; keep everything sealed and confirm what is permitted at your venue.
Layers you can remove or add
Test rooms vary in temperature and you will be seated for roughly two hours, so dress so you can adjust without leaving.
A one-page review sheet of N5 basics
Focus on what is easy to lose marks on: hiragana and katakana reading speed, counters, particles, question-word patterns, and common listening phrases for greetings, directions and shopping.
A quiet, phone-free sleep plan for the two nights before
Listening and reading speed both drop sharply when you are tired, and no amount of last-minute cramming compensates for that.
Confirmed reporting time and the centre's late-arrival policy
Many centres refuse entry after the test has started, but the exact cut-off is set locally, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Knowledge of how to fill in the answer sheet
You will write your name and examinee number and then fill in ovals. Practise filling cleanly and completely on a sample sheet so the first minutes of the test are not wasted on instructions.
Plan the day
Confirm the venue, the reporting time and the route from the station to the building, including which entrance is used on test day. Check the provider's page once more for any change to the schedule or the list of permitted items.
Do one full timed rehearsal: about 60 minutes for Language Knowledge and Reading, a short break, then about 30 minutes of listening played once without pausing. This trains the pacing you will need more than any single practice set.
Read the official sample answer sheet and instructions so that writing your examinee number and filling ovals is automatic on the day.
Pack the bag: voucher, accepted ID, pencils, eraser, watch, directions, water. Put the phone charger away and charge nothing that needs to come into the room.
Light review only. Re-read your one-page sheet, listen to 15 minutes of N5-level audio, and stop early enough to sleep at a normal hour. Do not start a new textbook chapter the night before.
Set two alarms and check the first train or bus time for the morning. Work backwards from the reporting time and add a buffer of at least 30 minutes.
Eat a normal breakfast, leave the house on the earlier of your two planned departures, and arrive with time to find the room, the toilets and your seat.
Switch the phone off completely before entering the room and store it as the proctors instruct. Do not keep it in a pocket.
Spend roughly the first minute writing your name and examinee number correctly. Work through vocabulary and kanji reading quickly to bank time for the longer reading passages, and never leave a question blank because there is no penalty for guessing.
Use the break to move, drink water and reset. Do not compare answers with other candidates, and do not try to predict your score; go back in focused on the listening section.
The audio is played once and is not repeated, so read the answer choices during the pauses before each question and mark as you listen. If you miss something, let it go and move to the next question rather than losing the following one.
Note which sections felt weak while the memory is fresh, then rest. Results and score reports are issued on the provider's schedule, so check their announced date rather than asking the venue staff.
Rules to check
Bring the exact identification document the provider specifies. If you cannot produce it, you may be refused entry or have your result invalidated, and no substitute document is guaranteed to be accepted.
Phones, smartwatches, and any device that can record, translate or communicate must be switched off and stored as instructed. Having one on your person during the test is treated as a serious breach of conduct.
Follow every instruction from the proctors, including when to open the booklet, when to stop writing and when to leave the room. Continuing to mark the answer sheet after a stop instruction can invalidate your answers.
The listening section is played once at a fixed pace. You cannot ask for a repeat or a pause, and you cannot take the audio out of the room.
There is no penalty for wrong answers, so fill in an oval for every question even when you are unsure. Leaving blanks only reduces your possible score.
Scoring is out of 180 points, split between Language Knowledge and Reading on one side and Listening on the other. To pass N5 you normally need 80 points overall and at least 19 points in each scoring section, so a very weak section can fail you even with a high total.
Arrival after the test has started is generally not permitted, but the precise cut-off time is set locally. Confirm the late-arrival rule with the provider before test day.
Breaks between sections are short and are not free time to leave the building. Stay near the room and return to your seat as soon as the proctors call you back.