JLPT Requirements

Level	Kanji	Words	Conversation	Hours of study	Pass Mark
4	~100	~800	Simple	~150	60%
3	~300	~1,500	Everyday	~300	60%
2	~1000	~6,000	Near-native	~600	60%
1	~2000	~10,000	Native	~900	70%

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (or simply JLPT or the 日本語能力試験 in Japanese), is a standardized test to validate a person's Japanese language proficiency (listening, reading, and writing). It was created in 1984, in response to growing demand for standardized Japanese language certification for primarily non-native speakers. Up until 2003 it was one of the requirements for entry by foreigners into Japanese Universities. The Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) is now used for this purpose.

The JLPT is offered by the Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES) inside of Japan, and the Japan Foundation outside of Japan. In 2004, the JLPT was offered in 40 countries, including Japan. Of the 302,198 examinees (out of 355,423 applicants), 47.3%, or 142,996 were certified for their respective level.

The test itself has four levels of difficulty, ranging from level one (native speaking level) to level four (reached after approximately 150 hours of study). A level four vocabulary is roughly equivalent to an early elementary school education, level three to late elementary school, level two to middle school, and level one to a high school graduate.

The test takes place every first Sunday in December. The next test will be on December 4 2005, and the one thereafter on December 3 2006.

See also

• Foreign Service Level 3
• Kanji kentei

External links

• JEES Japanese Language Proficiency Test Homepage
• The JLPT Kanji project provides tools to help students learn kanji and vocabulary for the JLPT
• About the Japanese Language Proficiency Test