The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is one aspect of competing for jobs and scholarships in Japan for those who aren’t native Japanese speakers. If you’re studying to take any level of the JLPT, then you’re probably wondering how much the actual score you receive matters if you pass the test.
Does your actual JLPT score matter? In most cases, no. You typically won’t even be asked about your JLPT score; instead, you’ll be asked about your JLPT level. In rare cases, your JLPT score can matter. Here are some of those instances:
- Very selective jobs that are used to hiring international workers. Typically this just helps you land an interview, once you’re interviewing you’re past the stage of caring about JLPT scores.
- Some scholarships that are looking for a tiebreaker between candidates
As you can tell, in most cases your JLPT score doesn’t matter. It’ll be a rare occurrence if yours ever does matter. If that’s the case, then what does matter?
What Matters More: JLPT Score or JLPT Level?
Your JLPT level is what you should be worried about; so all you need to focus on is passing! Luckily enough, that’s already your goal, so you don’t have to stress about acing the test. Depending on which JLPT you’re ready to take will determine how difficult of a task this is.
If you didn’t know already, the JLPT is broken into 5 levels, N5 to N1. N5 is the easiest section, and the most plausible place to start. If you’re a master of Japanese, even more so than most native speakers, then you can attempt the N1 exam. However, this means that you’ve mastered Japanese at the highest level passable, and this isn’t something that even a high school student in Japan could do.
While each JLPT level has 180 points you can earn, you’ll need to earn a different amount of points for every level. Here’s a breakdown of the points you’ll need at every level:
- N5 – 80
- N4 – 90
- N3 – 95
- N2 – 90
- N1 – 100
80 points might not seem that far away from 100 points, but there is a significant difference in the two scores. However, the scoring system isn’t the same as the typical standardized test.
If you’re used to testing in the United States, then you’re already prepared to take a multiple choice test. You’ve probably learned the strategies of deductive reasoning, and you learned how to guess the best answer of the ones given.
However, when you’re taking the JLPT, you won’t want to use that kind of thinking. Similar to the SAT that most Americans take in high school, the JLPT actually penalizes you for wrong answers. You’ll only want to answer the questions that you know the answer to.
If you’ve never taken the SAT, or you’re not sure about your skills, then make sure you’re taking plenty of practice tests for whatever level you’re at. The JLPT is only offered twice a year, so you don’t want to have to wait another six months because you failed the first time.
This studying can be extremely stressful, and the test format can be intimidating if you’re not used to it. Make sure that you focus on your studies of the language, and you’ll naturally pass the test. There are people who aren’t very good at Japanese that manage to make it through the test, so the format won’t matter as long as you’ve studied well!
What about the times when my JLPT score does matter?
If you’re applying for a prestigious scholarship, or for a highly sought-after job opportunity, then your JLPT score might matter. In most cases, even these situations won’t call for such an in-depth review of your test.
If you’re going after these opportunities, then you’re probably going to be studying and working as hard as you possibly could anyways. Don’t add any additional stress to yourself by worrying about whether or not your JLPT score will matter. It won’t help your score if you’re stressed out during the test or during your study times.
If you’re looking to apply somewhere, you might find that they ask for a detailed score report instead of a certificate of passing. That’s how you’ll know if your score matters; this is the only way an employer or university/scholarship will be able to see your scores. If they don’t ask for this, then you know it doesn’t matter! You can look at the requirements of an application before taking the test to see if you’ll need to pass with flying colors or just pass.
Why Does my JLPT level matter more than my JLPT score?
Each JLPT level is meant to represent how much Japanese you know, and what level you’re at when it comes to reading, listening, and writing the language. Your JLPT level is a more accurate indicator of your level of Japanese.
There are several different things to factor into a test score, especially when it comes to Japanese. A huge part of learning a new language is learning vocabulary, and Japanese has three different writing systems that you’re learning vocabulary from. This isn’t easy to do, and sometimes your score can be lower (or higher) depending on the amount of luck you get with the vocabulary words actually on the test.
There’s no word bank or study guide for the JLPT, so it’s impossible to know exactly what to prepare for. While each level has certain things you should be able to accomplish and certain scenarios you should be comfortable in, the actual example on the test might not be to your strengths. This can impact your score, but as long as you pass, it won’t impact your level.
All of this is also reflected in the passing scores required for each level. You’re only expected to know around half the material on the test. If you miss a few vocabulary words, or you find yourself listening to a conversation that isn’t your strong suit, you’re still able to pass the test.
Should I worry if my JLPT score is barely passing?
While your JLPT score doesn’t matter, you might be concerned about how low your score is. If you’ve earned one lower score, then you don’t have cause for concern—however, if you’re barely passing each test, then you might want to start studying more.
Barely passing each test is fine if you’re just trying to get the certification, but it’s going to be a little bit more difficult if you’re about to head to a university or start a new job. It’s better to be overprepared than be underprepared, especially when it comes to languages.
Since your JLPT level matters more, then people (mostly employers) will expect you to be able to function at that same level. If you’re barely passing the tests, then you’ll more than likely struggle once you start your job.
Language anxiety is already something that most people struggle with, and it’ll be much more debilitating if your employers expectations are much higher than your actual skill level (imagine being put on the phone and not being able to understand Japanese at a natural speed).
Keep in mind that your employers still might struggle understanding what your JLPT level actually means; most people will expect your Japanese to be almost perfect despite you sitting at an N3 or N2 level. This is something that will improve in time, but just be prepared for no one to understand what you can and can’t understand.