What is JLPT?

JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test / 日本語能力試験) is a Japanese language exam that covers language knowledge, reading ability, and listening ability. JLPT has 5 levels of certification (N5 to N1, with N5 being the lowest level), and this blog post will detail my N4 exam experience. The exam format is multiple choice, with each section having its own length. During the listening section, a tape recorder will be played.

Why take the JLPT?

The obvious answer is to get your Japanese language certified in order to work at a Japanese company, but there are other cool things that make me want to take the exam:

  • The passing grade is actually not that high. For those of you who are too lazy to open the link, basically out of 180 points, you only need 80 (N5) / 90 (N4) / 95 (N3) / 90 (N2) / 100 (N1). At most, you need to score 55%.
  • The certificate does not expire, unlike IELTS / TOEFL (2 years). However, I heard that some companies might make you retake the exam, just to make sure your language capabilities are still there.
  • The exam cost is not that expensive, at least compared to IELTS / TOEFL. In Indonesia, the exam costs IDR 150k (N5) / 180k (N4) / 220k (N3) / 250K (N2) / 280K (N1). Meanwhile, IELTS cost IDR 2.8 million for the cheapest one.

The registration experience

JLPT is only held twice per year, on the 1st Sunday of July and December. I actually wanted to take the exam on the July period, but I was commuting during the registration period. I tried registering immediately, but the N4 slots were already sold out in 15 minutes after the registration period.

The second registration period was on the 29th of August. I managed to complete my registration in 3 minutes (because I was jobless at that time 😏).

Tip: servers going down during the registration period due to heavy load is normal, so keep refreshing!

The pre-exam experience

On the 16th of November (~2 weeks before the exam), the location & time of the exam will be mailed to your email. You can also download your participant card on the JLPT website, which you will need to print & bring with you on the exam.

Tip: check your spam folder for the exam location & time email, it was on my spam folder…

What to do before the exam

  • Practice, I’m sure there are lots of mock exam prep materials online. This is the one I used
  • Find out your exam time & location. Exam time differs by level, and exam location differs by participant number (which you can find out on your test voucher)
  • Print the exam card / test voucher & bring it along on the day of the exam
  • Buy 2B pencils & an eraser because they use computer based answer sheets (the ones that you have to fill the circle, like the thumbnail picture)
  • Bring along your ID card, so that the proctors can verify your identity
  • Make sure you own a collared shirt, chino/other formal ankle pants, and a pair of shoes. Jeans may or may not be fine, during my experience people were mostly using chino pants, but there are a few people who did wear jeans. Use at your own risk ✌️

Exam period

  • You can choose to come on time (right before exam starts), but if you are a responsible person / paranoid like me, come on the exam explanation period (in my case, the exam explanation is at 9 AM, but the actual start time is 10 AM)
  • There will be breaks at the end of each section (except the last part, you’re free to go after the proctor dismisses everyone), make use of the break wisely (you might want to bring a snack to eat during the break period)
  • Phones and digital / smart watches are not allowed (you can store them in your bag). If any of them rings/vibrates during the exam, you will be immediately disqualified. If you are paranoid about time, bring an analog watch

After the exam

Congratulations on finishing the exam & not getting disqualified! Now we wait for 2 months for the results. I will update this page once I got my results.