Preparing for the EJU Exam as a Vietnamese Student Applying to Japanese Universities
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Study in Southeast Asia
The EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission) tests Japanese language plus subject knowledge and runs twice a year, in June and November. Pick your EJU subjects based on your target faculty: science programs need Science and Math Course 2, humanities programs need Japan and the World and Math Course 1.
📩 Run by JASSO, held in Japan and at sites in several other countries, including test locations in Vietnam
🎓 Sections: Japanese as a Foreign Language, Science (pick 2 of Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Japan and the World, Mathematics (Course 1 or Course 2)
⏱️ Most Vietnamese students prepare for the EJU during their second year at a language school
Universities set their own required EJU subjects and minimum scores, so check each target university's admission page before choosing a combination
What the EJU tests
The Examination for Japanese University Admission (EJU), run by JASSO , checks whether an applicant has the Japanese language ability and basic academic knowledge needed to study at a Japanese university. Universities use EJU scores, sometimes alongside their own test or an interview, to admit international undergraduate applicants.
The exam runs twice a year, in June and November, at test centers inside Japan and at sites in several other countries and cities in Asia, which lets applicants sit it before they even arrive in Japan if their home country hosts a session.
Choosing your subjects
Japanese as a Foreign Language is compulsory for everyone. Beyond that, which sections to sit depends entirely on the faculty a student is targeting.
| Target faculty type | Subjects to sit |
|---|---|
| Science, engineering, medicine | Science (choose 2 of Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Mathematics Course 2 |
| Economics, business, law with quantitative elements | Mathematics Course 1, sometimes Japan and the World |
| Humanities, social sciences, international studies | Japan and the World, Mathematics Course 1 |
Confirm the exact combination on the target university's admission page before registering, since requirements differ by faculty and even between universities inside the same broad field.
Building a prep timeline
Most Vietnamese students sitting the EJU are doing so from a Japanese language school, so preparation runs alongside regular language classes rather than as a separate course of study.
First 6 months at language school: focus on Japanese fundamentals, since every EJU subject except the language section itself is answered and explained in Japanese.
Months 6-12: start subject-specific EJU prep (Science or Japan and the World, plus Math) using past papers, once reading comprehension is strong enough to follow question wording.
2-3 months before the exam: sit full timed past papers under exam conditions to build pacing, since the Japanese language section alone runs long and tests reading, listening and writing together.
Registration basics
Register for the EJU through JASSO within the announced application window for each session. Vietnamese applicants sitting the exam outside Japan register through the test site in their own country rather than through a Japan-based address. Follow the identification and photo specifications exactly as listed in the JASSO application guide, since mismatched documents are a common reason applications get rejected at the registration stage.
Common mistakes
Choosing Mathematics Course 2 for a humanities program that only asks for Course 1, adding unnecessary prep load.
Leaving Japan and the World or Science prep until after Japanese comprehension is fully strong, instead of building both together from the start.
Registering for the session that does not line up with the target university's application deadline. Check whether the university uses June or November EJU scores, or accepts either, before deciding which session to prioritize.