What is the EJU? Subjects, dates and how to register

Goals of studying for the EJU

Study

A national or public university

High-quality teaching, reduced tuition and many valuable scholarships.

Career

A ticket to a big company in Japan

A degree from a good university makes it easier to join large, well-paying Japanese companies after graduation.

What is the EJU?

Think of it as the university entrance exam for international students who want to enter a Japanese university.

Definition

Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (日本留学試験)

An exam of Japanese ability and academic knowledge for international students.
Used to judge whether you can study at a Japanese university or graduate school.
Run by JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization).

No pass or fail

Unlike the JLPT, the EJU only produces scores. Each university decides which subjects to submit and what scores it requires.

950 institutions use EJU results for admissions
507 universities (77 national, 60 public, 370 private)
2 sessions per year: June and November

JASSO figures as of September 2026.

Can EJU Japanese replace the JLPT?

An EJU Japanese score of 200 or more (equivalent to N2) is one of the results officially recognised by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan for international students who study or research in Japanese at universities and equivalent institutions.

Results recognised as N2-equivalent or higher

Exam	Requirement
JLPT (日本語能力試験)	N2 or higher
EJU Japanese (日本留学試験・日本語)	200 points or more (excluding the 50-point Writing section)
BJT (ビジネス日本語能力テスト)	400 or more
JPT (Japanese Proficiency Test)	525 or more

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan

Who can take the EJU

Any foreign student who wants to enter a Japanese university can take it, with no age limit and no limit on the number of attempts.

Students in Vietnam

You want to prepare before going to Japan and aim for university admission. A big advantage: no visa pressure, part-time work or Japanese living costs yet.

International students in Japan

You are in a language school, preparatory course, senmon school or college and want to move on to university.

Technical interns · Engineers

You want to change direction, earn a university degree and widen your career options.

How do you submit EJU scores?

You can take the exam several times and submit the results that suit each school.
Some schools only accept results from a limited period (for example the June or November session of the application year).
Many schools let you apply and sit their entrance exam before your EJU results are out, as long as you submit your EJU admission ticket.

Which results a school accepts (which session, which subjects, what score) depends on each school and faculty.

Which subjects does the EJU cover?

The EJU has two tracks: Humanities (Bunkei) and Sciences (Rikei). Both have a maximum total of 850 points.

Bunkei (文系) — Humanities, 3 subjects

Total 850 points

450pointsJapanese (日本語)Reading / Listening / Listening-Reading 400 + Writing 50
200pointsJapan and the World (総合科目)Society, economics, politics, history and geography of Japan and the world
200pointsMathematics Course 1 (数学コース1)Basic upper-secondary mathematics

Rikei (理系) — Sciences, 4 subjects

Total 850 points

450pointsJapanese (日本語)Reading / Listening / Listening-Reading 400 + Writing 50
200pointsScience (理科, 2 subjects)Choose 2 of 3: Physics / Chemistry / Biology, scored 0–200 in total
200pointsMathematics Course 2 (数学コース2)Basic and advanced upper-secondary mathematics

Time allowed and scoring

Japanese (日本語)125 min: Reading + Listening / Listening-Reading: 0–400 · Writing: 0–50
Science (理科)80 min: 0–200
Japan and the World (総合科目)80 min: 0–200
Mathematics (数学 Course 1 / 2)80 min: 0–200

Subject	Time	Score range
Japanese (日本語)	125 min	Reading + Listening / Listening-Reading: 0–400 · Writing: 0–50
Science (理科)	80 min	0–200
Japan and the World (総合科目)	80 min	0–200
Mathematics (数学 Course 1 / 2)	80 min	0–200

Questions are multiple choice (mark sheet); only the Writing part of Japanese is written.
The Japanese subject is set in Japanese only. For the other subjects you can choose Japanese or English questions when registering, depending on your school's requirements.

You cannot take Science (理科) and Japan and the World (総合科目) in the same session. You also choose only one of Mathematics Course 1 and Course 2.

Which subjects should you take?

To choose your subjects accurately, you can follow these steps:

Decide your major
Are you stronger in humanities or sciences? Which field do you really enjoy?
Choose schools and faculties
Find schools and faculties that fit your major and ability.
Check each school's score requirements
See which subjects and what scores the school requires, then prepare for and register for exactly those subjects.

That said, most national and public universities require all 3 subjects (Bunkei) or all 4 subjects (Rikei). Taking the full set gives you more schools to apply to.

文系 Humanities track — suits these majors

Economics
Business
Law
Language
Sociology
Tourism

理系 Sciences track — suits these majors

Engineering
IT
Science
Agriculture
Medicine
Nursing

The lists above are for reference only. To know exactly which subjects your target major needs, check each school's admission guide.

Dates and venues

The exam is held twice a year. Exact dates and registration periods change every year but usually fall around the times below. Check JASSO's official schedule for the exact dates.

Jan
Reg.Feb
Reg.Mar
Apr
May
ExamJun
Reg.Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
ExamNov
Dec

Registration periodExam date

Session 1

Exam: Mid to late June

Registration: Around mid-February to mid-March

Session 2

Exam: Early to mid November

Registration: Around early to late July

In Vietnam

The exam is held in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City:

HanoiFaculty of Japanese, Foreign Trade University, 91 Chua Lang
Ho Chi Minh CityCenter for Foreign Languages, University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-HCM), 10-12 Dinh Tien Hoang, Saigon Ward

In Japan

Prefectures that usually have test sites (may change each session):

Hokkaido
Miyagi
Gunma
Saitama
Chiba
Tokyo
Kanagawa
Ishikawa / Toyama / Fukui
Shizuoka
Aichi
Kyoto / Shiga
Osaka
Hyogo
Okayama / Hiroshima
Kochi
Fukuoka
Okinawa

Note: Only some test sites offer the exam in English

How to register for the EJU

Choose where you will sit the exam to see the matching registration steps:

Frequently asked questions

Is there a pass or fail in the EJU?

No. The EJU only gives scores. Universities use them together with other criteria such as documents, interviews or their own exams.

Can I use the EJU instead of the JLPT?

In many cases, yes. An EJU Japanese score of 200 or more (excluding Writing) is recognised as N2-equivalent by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. Each school has its own requirements though, so check its admission guide.

Is there an age or attempt limit?

No. You can sit the exam many times and submit the results that suit you, but check which sessions a school accepts.

Can I apply to a school before I have EJU results?

Many schools let you apply and take their exam with only your EJU admission ticket. This depends on each school.

Should I take the Humanities or the Sciences track?

It depends on the field you want to study: Economics, Business, Law, Languages, Social Sciences and Tourism usually call for the Humanities track (Bunkei). Engineering, IT, Science, Agriculture, Medicine/Pharmacy and Nursing usually call for the Sciences track (Rikei). For details, see section 5 “Which subjects should you take?” above, and check the required subjects of each university and faculty you plan to apply to.

What you need to know about EJU