Certificates that count in juken: Eiken, Kanji Kentei, Suken and the others, level by school year
受験で使える検定：英検・漢検・数検ほか、学年ごとの目安
- Applies to
- All of Japan
- Source last checked
- , Open the Japanese source
- Official source
- 過去問・試験内容 | 英検 | 公益財団法人 日本英語検定協会
A 検定 (kentei) is a graded test run by a foundation. A child sits the level they are ready for, and a pass is a certificate they keep. Schools in Japan can read these certificates at entrance. This page lists the ones families meet most, the school year each foundation says a level matches, and the dates still open in fiscal 2026. Pages read on 11 and 12 October 2026.
How a school can use a certificate
Eiken's own school search sorts the uses into these kinds:
- A condition to apply (出願資格): without the certificate, no application.
- Converted into marks (得点換算): the grade stands in for an exam score.
- A paper waived (試験免除).
- Points added (加点).
- Favourable consideration (判定優遇), or taken into account (合否参考).
- After entry: scholarships (奨学金), fee reductions (費用免除) or course credit (単位認定).
Each school chooses its own rule and prints it in its 募集要項 (boshū yōkō, application guidelines). A certificate the guide does not name gives nothing at that school.
Two foundations publish counts. The Suken foundation, as of August 2026, by its own survey, with "reference only" included:
全国の高等専門学校・高等学校・中学校1,000校以上、大学・短期大学・専門学校500校以上で、入試における活用（「優遇」「評価」「参考程度」を含む）がされています。
The Kanji Kentei foundation surveyed 1,079 universities and junior colleges from August to November 2025. 672 of them (62.3%) use the test in admissions: 450 as one factor in the decision, 163 as added points and 84 as a condition to apply. Of the 240 that name a level, the largest group, 97, ask for Pre-2 (準2級) or above.
For your child: at junior-high entry, a certificate is a bonus at some schools and a condition on a few English routes (English at junior-high entrance). At university entry, the survey above shows most universities read one.
English
Eiken (英検)
The Eiken Foundation's guide level for each grade:
| Grade | Guide level |
|---|---|
| 5 (5級) | Junior high, early (中学初級程度) |
| 4 (4級) | Junior high, middle (中学中級程度) |
| 3 (3級) | Junior-high graduation (中学卒業程度) |
| Pre-2 (準2級) | High school, middle (高校中級程度) |
| Pre-2 Plus (準2級プラス) | High school, upper (高校上級程度) |
| 2 (2級) | High-school graduation (高校卒業程度) |
| Pre-1 (準1級) | University, middle (大学中級程度) |
| 1 (1級) | University, upper (大学上級程度) |
The page sets no age limit for a grade. Grades 3 and above add a speaking test on a later Sunday. There are three sessions a year. Their dates and fees are in Eiken dates and fees for an individual applicant.
Eiken Jr. (英検Jr.)
Made for English in primary school (小学校の外国語活動に対応), with three grades and no pass or fail (合否のない育成型). The online version can be taken at any time. The paper version is held where a school, a juku or a group of families sets up a venue. The second paper session of fiscal 2026 runs from 31 October to 8 November 2026. With no pass, it is practice for the child, not a certificate for an application.
TOEFL Primary and TOEFL Junior
The Japanese site for both tests describes TOEFL Primary (Reading & Listening, Step 1 and Step 2) as an English test for primary and junior-high pupils (世界基準でつくられた小中学生向けの英語テスト), covering CEFR below A1 to B1. TOEFL Junior (Reading & Listening Standard) is for junior-high and high-school students (世界基準でつくられた中高生向けの英語テスト), CEFR A1 to B2.
Public test dates still listed for 2026:
| Test | Date | Apply by | Cities |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOEFL Junior | 8 November 2026 | 14 October, 17:00 | Tokyo, Osaka |
| TOEFL Primary and TOEFL Junior | 29 November 2026 | 16 October, 17:00 | Sapporo, Saitama, Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Fukuoka |
| TOEFL Junior | 13 December 2026 | 18 November, 17:00 | Tokyo |
The site does not name schools that read the scores. It says they can show a child's English level when moving on to the next school (進学時の英語力の証明まで活用できます).
TEAP
An academic English test made with Sophia University for university entrance, open from the first year of high school (高校１年生以上). Fiscal 2026 sessions are on 19 July, 13 September and 22 November 2026. For 22 November, apply from 18 September to 15 October to pay at a convenience store or post-office ATM, or to 21 October, 16:00, to pay by card. The fee is 15,000 yen for all four skills, or 6,000 yen for reading and listening only. Eiken's school search lists the universities that use it.
Japanese
Kanji Kentei (漢検)
Twelve levels, from 10 to 1. The foundation's guide places level 10 at the end of grade 1, level 5 at the end of grade 6, level 3 at junior-high graduation and Pre-2 during high school (Kanji Kentei: which level matches which school year). Paper sessions at public venues in fiscal 2026 are on 21 June, 18 October and 14 February 2027. Applications for 14 February open on 4 December 2026 at 9:00 and close on 10 January 2027, first come first served (先着順). Fees are in Kanji Kentei paper test: the February 2027 session and fees.
Nihongo Kentei (日本語検定)
A test of Japanese open to anyone, from a single person (1名様から受検できます。). The foundation's level guide:
| Level | Level guide | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 7 (7級) | Grade 2 of primary school (小学校2年生) | 2,200 yen |
| 6 (6級) | Grade 4 of primary school (小学校4年生) | 2,200 yen |
| 5 (5級) | Primary-school graduation (小学校卒業) | 2,300 yen |
| 4 (4級) | Junior-high graduation (中学校卒業) | 3,000 yen |
| 3 (3級) | High-school graduation to adult basics (高校卒業～社会人基礎) | 4,300 yen |
| 2 (2級) | University graduation to adult intermediate (大学卒業～社会人中級) | 5,800 yen |
| 1 (1級) | Adult advanced (社会人上級) | 6,800 yen |
Fiscal 2026 has one test date: 7 November 2026 at general venues, and 6 and 7 November at group venues. Applications closed on 9 October. The foundation says some bodies add marks for it at entrance (入試で得点が加点される団体・企業がございます), without naming them.
JLPT (日本語能力試験)
The JLPT is for people whose first language is not Japanese:
原則として日本語を母語としない人を対象に、日本語能力を測定し、認定することを目的としています。
It has five levels, from N5 (基本的な日本語をある程度理解することができる) to N1 (幅広い場面で使われる日本語を理解することができる). Tests in Japan are on 5 July and 6 December 2026. Its pages name work and qualifications, not school entrance. For a child who arrived recently, a JLPT level records progress in Japanese. A child who grew up with Japanese takes Nihongo Kentei or Kanji Kentei instead.
Maths
Suken and Sansū Kentei (実用数学技能検定)
One foundation, two names: 算数検定 (sansū kentei) for levels 11 to 6, and 数学検定 (sūgaku kentei) for levels 5 to 1. The guide level and the fee for an individual:
| Level | Guide level | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Kazu-katachi (かず・かたち検定) | Preschool (幼児) | 2,700 yen |
| 11 (11級) | Grade 1 of primary school (小学校1年程度) | 2,700 yen |
| 10 (10級) | Grade 2 of primary school (小学校2年程度) | 2,700 yen |
| 9 (9級) | Grade 3 of primary school (小学校3年程度) | 2,700 yen |
| 8 (8級) | Grade 4 of primary school (小学校4年程度) | 3,200 yen |
| 7 (7級) | Grade 5 of primary school (小学校5年程度) | 3,200 yen |
| 6 (6級) | Grade 6 of primary school (小学校6年程度) | 3,200 yen |
| 5 (5級) | Junior high, year 1 (中学校1年程度) | 4,300 yen |
| 4 (4級) | Junior high, year 2 (中学校2年程度) | 4,300 yen |
| 3 (3級) | Junior high, year 3 (中学校3年程度) | 4,900 yen |
| Pre-2 (準2級) | High school, year 1, Maths I and A (高校1年程度（数学Ⅰ・Ａ程度）) | 5,600 yen |
| 2 (2級) | High school, year 2, Maths II and B (高校2年程度（数学Ⅱ・Ｂ程度）) | 6,500 yen |
| Pre-1 (準1級) | High school, year 3, Maths III and C (高校3年程度（数学Ⅲ・Ｃ程度）) | 7,300 yen |
| 1 (1級) | University and general (大学程度・一般) | 8,500 yen |
Individual sessions still open:
| Test date | Apply | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| 5 December 2026 | 28 September to 27 October 2026 | Pre-1 to 11 |
| 16 January 2027 | 2 November to 1 December 2026 | 2 to 11 |
| 12 February 2027 | 7 December 2026 to 8 January 2027 | 2 to 11 |
The foundation names the ways schools use it: added points (加点), a condition to apply (出願資格・出願条件), conversion into exam marks (学力試験の得点への換算), a reference in the decision (合否判定の参考), scholarships, special-student status or a lower entrance fee (特待生認定・奨学金・入学金減免), and a waived exam or exam fee (試験・受験料の免除).
The level that matches each school year
The guide levels above, side by side. A guide level describes a school year. It is not an age limit, and none of the pages read sets an age limit for a level.
| Year | Kanji Kentei | Suken | Eiken | Nihongo Kentei |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 5 (年長) | — | かず・かたち検定 | — | — |
| Grade 1 | 10級 | 11級 | — | — |
| Grade 2 | 9級 | 10級 | — | 7級 |
| Grade 3 | 8級 | 9級 | — | — |
| Grade 4 | 7級 | 8級 | — | 6級 |
| Grade 5 | 6級 | 7級 | — | — |
| Grade 6 | 5級 | 6級 | — | 5級 |
| Junior high 1 | 4級 | 5級 | 5級 | — |
| Junior high 2 | 4級 | 4級 | 4級 | — |
| Junior high 3 | 3級 | 3級 | 3級 | 4級 |
| High school 1 | 準2級 | 準2級 | — | — |
| High school 2 | 準2級 | 2級 | 準2級 | — |
| High school 3 | 2級 | 準1級 | 準2級プラス, 2級 | 3級 |
Each birth-year path page shows the same levels in every school year, with the tests and contests your child can enter that year.
What goes wrong
- A certificate the school's guide does not name counts for nothing at that school. Read the 募集要項 before you choose a test.
- Applications close weeks before the test. Nihongo Kentei's window for 7 November closed on 9 October.
- Eiken grades 3 and above have a speaking test on a later Sunday. Keep both days free.
- Kanji Kentei's February applications are first come first served.
- TEAP starts in the first year of high school.
What to do now
- Open the 募集要項 of each school on your list and search it for 英検, 漢検, 数検 or 検定.
- Use the foundations' own school lists, starting with Eiken's school search.
- Pick the level for your child's year from the table, then book: Suken on 5 December (apply by 27 October), TOEFL Primary and Junior on 29 November (apply by 16 October), Kanji Kentei on 14 February (apply from 4 December), and Eiken's third session (see its schedule page).
- For olympiads and contests, see Olympiads and contests a child in Japan can enter.
Your child's dates, not the general ones
Add your child and ward. The timeline does the rest.