Below I will explore how the JLPT levels N1-N5 compare with college-level Japanese study. I am specifically thinking about a Japanese undergraduate major in the western world. I have modeled the class requirements after those typical in the U.S. because this is where I did my undergraduate studies.

Outline

• JLPT Requirements
• Japanese Major
• JLPT vs. Japanese Major
  • N5: 2 Years (4 Semesters)
  • N4: 3 Years (6-7 Semesters)
  • N3: 4 Years (8-9 Semesters)
  • N2: Japanese Major, Maybe
  • N1: Japanese Major + Intensive Study
• So What?
  • Learn, Don’t Cram
  • Use Anki
• To Whom Does This Not Apply?

JLPT Requirements

Generally accepted JLPT requirements are shown in the following table.

Table 1: JLPT Requirements

Level	Vocabulary	Kanji	Study Hours*
N1	10,000	2,000	900
N2	6,000	1,000	600
N3	3,800	650	450
N4	1,500	300	300
N5	800	100	150

*: Classroom hours only. Although never explicitly stated by JEES, I firmly believe this number does not include time spent doing homework or self-study. A report put out by JLEC (Japanese Language Education Center) many years ago supported my belief. It showed that actual total study time of test takers was 3-5 times the classroom hours stated by JEES.

Note that JEES (Japanese Educational Exchange and Services, the creator of the JLPT) no longer publishes vocabulary, kanji, or study hour guidelines. The generally accepted numbers are derived from the pre-2009 test guides. You can checkout some other websites (tanos.co.uk and jlptbootcamp.com) that show basically the same numbers as I have here.

Japanese College Major

Disclaimer: The following should be regarded as my opinion as a long-time Japanese learner. The approximate calculations and equivalencies I present below are based on my own experience taking Japanese in college and the opinions of many people I have asked over the years. I took 4 years (8 semesters) of Japanese; it was not enough to minor in Japanese, but it did give me a good foundation before coming to live in Japan. Read more about my journey on the about page.

The typical college class is a semester long and meets 2 or 3 times a week. In the U.S. this usually amounts to 45-50 hours of classroom time per semester. I think it is pretty typical to learn 25-50 vocabulary and 10-30 kanji per lesson, and have 5-8 lessons per semester. Lower level classes are usually toward the lower end of the vocabulary and kanji ranges. Higher level, intensive classes are usually toward the higher end of the ranges.

JLPT vs. Japanese College Major

So how does a major in Japanese language equate to the JLPT levels? Let’s first look at the numbers in terms of vocabulary, kanji, and study time. Table 2 shows the cumulative number of vocabulary, kanji, and classroom hours you could know after completing each course. Note that in a Japanese major there are several courses such as Japanese Linguistics or Japanese Literature in Modern Society that do not teach Japanese. They are conducted totally in English and teach about the Japanese language, not how to speak it. I have chosen to leave these out of the table because they are not relevant here.

A note on the vocabulary numbers given in Table 2: I believe these numbers are on the high side and reflect a very intensive language program. I went back and looked at my notes from 8 semesters of Japanese classes many years ago. And, the number of vocabulary I learned for tests was approximately equal to, or in some cases, slightly less than the numbers I have in Table 2. Even if your classes fall a bit short of the vocabulary numbers in Table 2, you still have a good shot at passing the JLPT. Remember that even if you only know 80% of the vocab and as a result only get 80% of the questions correct, you will most likely pass. You don’t need 100%, you only need to get above the pass/fail line.

JLPT N5: 2 Years (4 Semesters)

Lower level Japanese language courses typically go slower. Students learn less words, kanji, and grammar patterns per lesson than they do at higher levels. This is because more explanation is necessary to bridge the gap between the native language and Japanese. Additionally, students need to learn basics such as pronunciation, hiragana, and katakana.

I have assumed that students learn no kanji in the first semester. I believe this is normal because they start learning in romaji and then later hiragana. It is not uncommon to start learning katakana in the second semester, and only learn kanji after that.

JLPT N4: 3 Years (6-7 Semesters)

In college, Japanese classes kick into high gear during the third year. Usually two years of a foreign language are required for graduation. Casual learners who were taking classes to meet these requirements are gone and only people with a strong interest in the language remain. Also, a foundation of basic-level Japanese has been laid, so teachers can push students to learn more vocabulary, kanji, and grammar.

JLPT N3: 4 Years (8-9 Semesters)

This is where I think I was personally after taking through Japanese 402 in college. I think most students at this level will be prepared in terms of vocab, kanji, and grammar. Like I said above, even if you only get to 80% of the vocab number suggested for the JLPT, you still have a good shot at passing. The one thing students at this level may not have is the listening ability required for the test. If you have not spent any time outside class watching dramas or conversing with Japanese friends (these are essential for real fluency), I would highly recommend it.

JLPT N2: Japanese Major, Maybe

The core Japanese classes are the 101 to 402 series. Outside of those, a major usually requires several elective classes. Sometimes these are fun classes that involve watching Japanese dramas. You can imagine that watching dramas may increase your vocabulary, but not really your kanji knowledge. Other classes are more intensive like reading newspapers. I have tried to pick a varied selection for Table 2.

Just looking at Table 2, it seems that even after taking 4 years of Japanese and various electives, you will fall short on the vocabulary required for the JLPT N2. Also, something that does not show in the table is listening ability. Simply doing a major will probably not get you to the required fluency for the N2, so some practice outside of class will be beneficial.

This aligns with my personal experiences. The best students (i.e. those who were highly engaged in Japanese outside the classroom through friends, manga, drama, etc.) had the fluency and vocabulary required to pass the N2.

Some people may be wondering how colleges can justify students graduating without even being able to pass the N2. Taking an excerpt from one university guide:

As you can see, the goal of a Japanese major is not fluency. But, you will hopefully learn how to continue learning and growing on your own. Employ this ability in some self-study and you should be passing the N2 in no time.

JLPT N1: Japanese Major + Intensive Study In Japan

This is the big one, the highest level. The JLPT N1 sometimes requires you to know obscure words and seldom used grammar. When I was studying for the N1, I used to get a kick out of stumping Japanese people with some of the more difficult vocabulary and grammar questions. This actually used to be an interesting icebreaker at parties and bars.

Even more difficult than the obscure vocabulary, is the fluency that the test requires. One part of fluency is the ability to listen to and understand native speech. Another is reading speed. The sheer number of passages you have to get through during the reading section is impressive.

What is the best way to develop fluency and learn vocabulary not normally taught in textbooks? Use Japanese everyday in all areas of your life. That is, live in Japan.

I passionately believe that the best way to get over the JLPT N1 hill is to come to Japan. You have the opportunity to polish your listening skills (increase your score on the listening section) through daily interactions. Kanji and vocabulary will take on real meaning in your everyday life, making them easy to internalize. It is possible to pass the N1 without ever coming to Japan, but what’s the point of that? You will spend literally thousands of hours studying Japanese. Come and experience it.

You do not necessarily have to do this after finishing your undergraduate degree in Japanese. I suppose you could spend your senior or junior year in an exchange program, earning credits while studying in Japan. You could also come to work in Japan and continue studying Japanese on your own. Or you could do what I did and attend graduate school at a Japanese university. There are many possibilities.

So What?

All of you studying Japanese in college may be saying, “OK, great, even if I agree with your calculations what does it mean for me? How can I pass level N–?” Here is what I would advise, and what I wish I had done.

Learn, Don’t Cram

Although I said it before, the numbers in Table 2 are cumulative estimates. That means that in order to get to 2,500 words by the end of 4 years, you need to remember all the vocabulary and kanji you learned in every class.

“But that’s impossible!!?!?!”

Yes, 100% retention is impossible. A high percentage such as 80-90% is totally possible. And this requires repetition over a long period of time.

When I was a university student, I studied like everyone else. I memorized words, kanji, and grammar before each test. And, after it was over, I never studied them again. That was a mistake. After graduation, I found myself living in Japan wanting to pass the JLPT N2. I was forced to go back and re-memorize many words I had already learned in college. I was using the Kanzen Master books and it was literally like……

1. See a word in the book
2. Say to myself “I swear I used to know this!”
3. Look up the word in a dictionary
4. Say to myself “Yep, I learned this in college.”
5. Create the flashcard in Anki while shaking my head.

Use Anki From Year 1

Don’t be like me. Don’t waste all those hours you spend studying for college exams by forgetting everything after you (hopefully) pass. Load those vocabulary, kanji, and grammar into Anki and commit to spending the 10 minutes or so per day it takes to review the flashcards.

Do you have trouble studying for final exams because your teacher expects you to know all the words and kanji you learned that semester? If you keep current with all your flashcards throughout the semester, you will seriously decrease study time for the final exam. Keep doing 10 minutes of Anki review each day throughout the semester and then just show up for the final exam. I wish I had done that. Caution: Faithful daily review is a serious commitment…but so is the JLPT.

I Really Want To Pass The N2 (or N1?) By The End Of My Major

I believe this is totally possible. You need to put in extra time with Japanese outside of the classroom in the areas you are weak. I personally believe this will be vocabulary and listening for most college students.

If you’ve been using Anki to keep up with your vocabulary and kanji then you should be able to easily count the number of vocabulary and kanji you already know. Using Table 1 as a guide, simply make up the difference by gradually adding extra flashcards to your study regimen. You can find new words and kanji to study in the resource section. N1/N2 lists are coming soon on this website, but you can also do a quick search of the internet or see tanos.co.uk, which I regard as one of the best resources online).

To Whom Does This Not Apply?

Native Chinese And Korean Speakers

For Japanese learners who already know Chinese or Korean (languages that use kanji), congratulations! Table 1 does not apply to you. Because you already know kanji, you are able to learn at a much faster pace and maybe pass the N1 by the end of university studies.

Students In Intensive Language Study

For people learning Japanese at an intensive language program in Japan, awesome for you. The year/semester equivalents outlined there do not apply to you either. You will be studying many more hours per day while getting practical experience with the language in everyday life than people doing a college major in Japanese outside of Japan. I hope you go the extra mile and do an internship or even work at your local convenience store to strengthen your keigo. This is another thing I wish I had done.