EJU Japanese

JASSO states the EJU evaluates 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 basic academic abilities needed to study there. Individual universities then decide how they use the scores.

International students aiming for undergraduate entry at Japanese universities and similar higher education institutions. It is not described by JASSO as a graduate-level requirement. Check each university's list of schools using EJU to confirm whether your target school requires it.

Japanese as a Foreign Language, Science, Japan and the World, and Mathematics. JASSO publishes a separate syllabus for each, including individual syllabuses for physics, chemistry, and biology. Which subjects you sit depends on your target university's requirements, so confirm before applying.

Japanese as a Foreign Language includes a writing section, which JASSO rates separately and discusses in its score rating guidance. The other sections are answered in the format described in JASSO's guidelines on examination subjects, examination language, and answering method, so read those before test day.

JASSO has published a notice on revised syllabuses for the basic academic ability tests (Science, Japan and the World, Mathematics) to be applied to the questions of the 2026 EJU first session. If you sit that session or later, study the revised versions rather than older materials.

JASSO's past exam questions page lists sessions going back to 2011, though some older Japanese and Japan and the World papers are marked as in preparation. Working through recent sessions under timed conditions is the most direct way to calibrate your speed and accuracy.

JASSO does not publish a pass mark or difficulty rating; difficulty is effectively set by the score each university demands. The realistic gauge is the acceptance level and minimum required scores published for schools offering pre-arrival admission using EJU. Compare your practice scores against those targets.

JASSO administers the EJU in two sessions per year, and the site tracks first and second session applicants, venues, and vouchers separately. JASSO's published pages do not state a retake limit or a validity period for scores, so confirm both with your target university.

Start from the current syllabus for each subject you will sit, then work through past booklets in chronological order, timing yourself. For Japanese, practise the writing section regularly, since JASSO rates it separately. Add Japan and the World factual review early, as it rewards accumulated knowledge rather than last-minute cramming.

Studying from outdated syllabuses, ignoring the writing section until late, and never practising full papers under time pressure. Another frequent error is assuming one university's score requirement applies everywhere. Also verify your examination voucher and venue details, which JASSO announces and updates separately for each session.