EJU Explained for Indians: The Exam Many Japanese Universities Use to Admit You (2026 Guide)

If you are a Class 12 student (or a parent of one) looking at Japan, you will soon meet three letters: EJU. The message of this guide is simple: the EJU is one possible door into a Japanese university, not the only door. Find out which door your target universities use before you spend a rupee or a month preparing.

Key takeaway: The EJU is a test of Japanese plus basic school-level subjects, taken once or twice a year. Whether you need it depends entirely on the university and course. Ask first, then prepare.

What the EJU is

The EJU is run by the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), with support from Japan's education and foreign ministries. JASSO describes it as a test of the Japanese language skills and basic academic ability of international students who want to study at undergraduate level in Japan. It started in 2002.

Think of it as Japan's version of a common entrance exam for foreign applicants. Instead of every university running its own test, many accept EJU scores. JASSO's October 2026 count lists 954 schools using the EJU in admissions, including 508 universities, 83 graduate schools and 51 KOSEN technical colleges. (A few of those are not undergraduate degree programmes, so this is a measure of how widely it is used, not the number of degrees open to you.)

There is no pass or fail. You get a score for each subject, and each university decides what scores it wants.

The four subjects

You choose subjects based on what your target course requires. Per JASSO's 2026 guidelines:

A few simple rules:

• You cannot take both Science and Japan and the World.
• Maths Course 1 is for arts programmes or science programmes needing less maths. Course 2 is for courses needing advanced maths (engineering, for example). Your university will say which.
• All questions are multiple choice, except the Japanese writing section.
• Everything except the Japanese test can be taken in English or Japanese. The Japanese test is Japanese only.

So a typical engineering applicant might take Japanese, Maths Course 2 and two sciences. A business applicant might take Japanese, Japan and the World, and Maths Course 1. These are examples only; your university sets the combination.

Is the EJU the same as the JLPT?

No, and this trips up many families. JASSO says the two tests measure different things and cannot be compared score for score:

• The JLPT measures general Japanese (characters, vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening).
• The EJU Japanese test measures "academic Japanese", the kind you need in a lecture hall. It has a writing section; the JLPT does not. It has no vocabulary-and-grammar section; the JLPT does.

JASSO also states that passing JLPT N1 or N2 does not exempt you from the EJU Japanese test if your university requires it. Some schools accept JLPT scores instead of the EJU for applicants living in countries where the EJU is not offered. India has a centre, so do not count on this. For the JLPT side, see our JLPT in India guide and our guide on which Japanese exam to take.

Do you actually need it?

This is the question that matters most. Three routes exist:

1. Universities that require the EJU. Many Japanese-language undergraduate programmes ask for EJU scores. You will need the subjects and minimum scores they list.
2. Universities that do not require it. JASSO notes that some universities and junior colleges do not use the EJU at all. They may use their own exam, interviews, or school marks.
3. English-taught degree programmes. Many use their own application route (school results, English proficiency, essays, sometimes their own test). Some may still accept or ask for EJU subjects taught in English. This varies by programme, so read each programme's admission page.

Komichi's own advice (our interpretation, not JASSO's): before registering, make a short list of 3–5 target programmes and write down, for each, (a) whether it asks for EJU, (b) which subjects, (c) the minimum scores, and (d) which sittings it accepts. Then plan backwards from that.

You can browse JASSO's lists of schools that use the EJU on its website. Our English Program Finder helps you find English-taught options that may not need it.

Dates, fee and how to apply from India

JASSO's 2026 guidelines give these dates:

• Centre in India: New Delhi only.
• Fee in India: INR 1,300 (2026). Japan's own fee is JPY 12,000 for one subject and JPY 23,000 for two or three, and some countries charge by number of subjects. India is listed as a single fee in the guidelines.
• Where to apply from India: through the Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI), JASSO's listed overseas representative in New Delhi, online. Their address is 104 (1st Floor), New Delhi House, 27 Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001.

The 2026 dates above have mostly passed. JASSO says the next year's schedule is typically posted from around November. If you are aiming for 2027 entry, check JASSO's site for the 2027 dates and fee before planning. We have not assumed they will match 2026.

How scores are used

From JASSO's FAQ:

• You may take the EJU as many times as you like.
• Scores are valid for two years (the four most recent sessions), although some universities set their own limits.
• If you sit more than once, you can choose which sitting's results to send to each university. But you cannot mix subjects from different sittings. All subject scores must come from the same sitting.
• Anyone can register, but undergraduate admission at Japanese universities generally needs 12 years of school education. Indian students who have completed Class 12 usually meet this, but confirm with each university.

A scholarship link worth knowing

JASSO runs a reservation programme for the Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship for privately-financed international students. When you apply for the EJU, there is a box to tick if you want to apply for it. There is no separate form. This is a modest scholarship for students already admitted and studying in Japan, not a way to fund your first year in advance, so read JASSO's page on it for the exact rules.

Pre-arrival admission

A growing number of schools let you secure a place before you arrive in Japan, using EJU scores. JASSO's October 2026 count lists 265 such schools (112 universities and 51 KOSEN among them). This can mean you do not have to travel for a separate entrance test. Each school sets its own minimum scores, and JASSO publishes a list.

A simple plan for an Indian Class 12 student

1. Pick 3–5 programmes and check their admission pages for EJU requirements.
2. Decide the language route. Japanese-taught courses need strong Japanese. English-taught programmes may need much less.
3. Check JASSO's next dates and set your sitting.
4. Prepare for the subjects you need. JASSO publishes syllabi and past papers for free on its site.
5. Apply through MOSAI within the window.
6. Keep the registration number from your result to send to universities.

If this feels like a lot, start with step 1. It often shows you that you need fewer subjects than you feared, or none at all.

Bottom line

The EJU is a useful, widely accepted door into Japanese universities, and it is open to Indian students through a New Delhi centre for a modest fee. But it is only one route. Check what your target programmes ask for, then prepare for exactly that.

This guide is general information, not admission advice. Nothing here guarantees admission or a visa.