The most long standing and accepted way to demonstrate Japanese language ability is called the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, called the JLPT for short. The Japanese name for the test is the Nihongo Noryoku Shiken (日本語能力試験).
About the Japanese Language Proficiency Test
The JLPT is a collaboration of the Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services. The Japan Foundation was created by the Japanese government in 1972 to promote international exchange. It was privatized in 2003. The foundation coordinates several programs for international awareness, including the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. It has 22 offices worldwide at which people can participate in art and cultural exchange programs, or even learn Japanese.
Japanese Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES) offers scholarship programs for studying abroad, support for study abroad students, and other programs in addition to the JLPT.
The test was created in 1984, and has grown over the years, reporting over 770,000 test-takers worldwide in 2009. The test is administered within Japan by the JEES, and abroad by the Japan Foundation in cooperation with local educational institutions.
Overview and Objectives of the JLPT
The stated objective of the test is to “evaluate and certify proficiency in Japanese of non-native speakers.” People take the exam for a wide variety of reasons including for job applications, to qualify for promotions, for entrance or placement in colleges and universities, and other similar reasons. The largest number of people, over 30% list “to measure my own level of proficiency” as the reason they decided to take the exam.
Japanese Language Proficiency Test Levels
There are a total of five levels of the test, which was revised slightly in 2009. The levels are in descending order of difficulty, N1, N2, N3, N4, and N5. Scores from the older test, which consisted of levels 1 to 4 are still valid. The newer version of the test has simply added a level in the middle, the N3, as a bridge between the level 2 and level 3 on the old test. People who passed Level 1 before 2009 should likewise be able to pass N1. While N3 is new, N4 corresponds to the old level 3, and N2 corresponds to the old level 2.
N1 is the highest or most difficult level to pass. It is described as showing the ability to understand the Japanese used in a variety of situations.
N2 shows the ability to understand Japanese in everyday situations, and to some degree in other situations.
People who have passed N3 are said to demonstrate the ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations to some degree.
N4 demonstrates the ability to understand basic Japanese.
N5 demonstrates the ability to understand some basic Japanese.
For a resume or other business purposes, the N2 and N1 tests are the most important ones because they show proficiency outside of everyday Japanese, essentially showing the ability to use Japanese in a business or other more formal setting where more difficult words and expressions are used. N3, N4, and N5 are great ways to gauge your progress in learning Japanese, and may also be recognized by some schools or study abroad programs.
Registering for the Japanese Language Proficiency Exam
The JLPT is offered twice a year, once in summer and once in winter. Before 2009, the test was only offered the first Sunday in December, but a test date in July has also been added. The registration process varies by country. The registration for the test begins in August/September for the December test, and March to April for the July testing, but if taking the test outside of Japan, be sure to check the registration dates and processes early.
Registering for the Test in Japan:
The registration packet is sold at most major bookstores in Japan. . It can generally be found in the testing section, but may be hard to find so it is worth it to practice a little Japanese and ask one of the clerks to help you. Here is a good site to sign up online in the US.
In Japan, once you buy the packet, you can fill out all of the forms, pay for the test at the post office and send them off. A few months later you will receive your test voucher from JEES. Bring the voucher with you when you take the test, and about 2 months after your test, your results should arrive in the mail.
Registering for the JLPT outside of Japan:
When taking the JLPT outside of Japan, the first and most important decision to make is where and when to take it. Please check the JLPT web site (mentioned earlier) for a complete list of cities where the test is offered.
Once you have chosen a good location and testing date to suit your schedule and area, it is time to register. Clicking a location on the map on the JLPT Oversees Testing Page will lead you to a list of locations and the organization handling registration.
In the United States, for example, the test is offered in 11 cities around the country (in 2011). In Canada, however the test is only offered in Edmonton, Vancouver, and Toronto. The registration organization will provide information on the exact process for registering for and taking the exam. If you are not in a country where the test is offered, you may need to travel to take the test, or make a pilgrimage to Japan for a bit of immersion before the exam.
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