Study guides
Guides to the JLPT and JFT-Basic
The practical things that decide whether a sitting is worth the fee: how scoring really works, which test you actually need, what to study and in what order.
Specified Skilled Worker Visa: Japanese Required
What Japanese you need for a Specified Skilled Worker visa: which tests are accepted, the scores required, who is exempt, and how the skills test fits in.
JLPT N5 Study Plan: From Zero to Exam-Ready in 12 Weeks
A realistic 12-week JLPT N5 study plan covering hiragana, katakana, 100 kanji, 800 words and the core grammar — with weekly targets and what to do if you fall behind.
All guides
JFT-Basic Passing Score: 200, A2.1 and A1 Explained
How JFT-Basic scoring works: the 10–250 scale, the A1 and A2.1 bands added in August 2026, why 200 is the Specified Skilled Worker threshold, and what to do if you miss it.
Which JLPT Level Should I Take? A Straight Answer
How to pick the right JLPT level: what each of N5 to N1 actually requires, why most people register one level too high, and a simple test for deciding.
JLPT N3 Grammar: 40 Patterns That Decide the Paper
The JLPT N3 grammar patterns that appear most often, grouped by function, with the near-synonyms that cause the most wrong answers and how to tell them apart.
JLPT Test Day Checklist: What to Bring
What to bring to the JLPT, what is banned, how the three sittings are timed, and the test-day mistakes that cost people marks they had already earned.
Improve Japanese Listening for JLPT & JFT-Basic
Listening is the section that fails candidates who clear the total. A practical method for building JLPT and JFT-Basic listening — what to listen to, how often, and why subtitles hurt.
How to Register for the JFT-Basic Test: Step-by-Step
A step-by-step guide to booking the JFT-Basic test through Prometric: creating an account, choosing a test centre and date, paying the fee, and what to bring on the day.
JLPT Scoring Explained: Pass Marks & Minimums
How JLPT scoring really works — the 0–180 scale, scaled scoring, the pass mark for every level from N5 to N1, and the sectional minimum that fails candidates who clear the total.
JFT-Basic vs JLPT N4: Which Test Do You Need?
JFT-Basic and JLPT N4 both satisfy the Specified Skilled Worker language requirement. Here is how they differ in format, frequency, cost and what the certificate is worth afterwards.