Learning Japanese in the UK

Some people want to go further with Japanese than konnichiwa. In the UK, the Japan Foundation London helps learners, and four universities hold the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test.

This free guide has no link with Konichiwa Agency Ltd, Konichiwa Records UK LLP or any business with a similar name.

Where to start

The Japan Foundation London supports Japanese language learning and teaching across the UK. For learners, it offers free online resources, community events and help preparing for exams.

For classes, the Foundation points learners to its database of private tutors by region, and to a list of UK schools and colleges that teach Japanese.

The five levels of the JLPT

The Japan Foundation describes the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) as a test that evaluates and certifies the Japanese of people whose first language is something else. Its organisers say The JLPT has five levels: N1, N2, N3, N4 and N5. The easiest level is N5 and the most difficult level is N1.

N4 and N5 test basic Japanese, of the kind mainly learned in class. N1 and N2 test the Japanese of everyday life across a broad range of situations, and N3 bridges the two.

Sitting the test here

The Japan Foundation London says the test takes place twice a year, on the first Sunday of July and the first Sunday of December. In the UK it is hosted by SOAS University of London, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Leicester and King's College London.

Some of those centres hold the test only once a year, in July or December. Applications for the July test usually open in March, and for December in August, through each university's own website.

The test is open to all non-native speakers of Japanese, and to holders of Japanese citizenship. There is no age limit, but some test sites set their own. For a candidate under 17, the Foundation advises checking the university's website before applying.

Useful links