MEXT Written Examinations: What to Know

The embassy track includes written exams, and applicants routinely over- or under-prepare because they don't know how the scores are used.

What you'll sit

Everyone takes Japanese — and it's fine to score near zero if you're not a speaker; it mainly sets your language-year placement. Undergraduates add English plus maths and a science; research applicants add English.

How much they matter

Exams are a filter, not a ranking. Clearing the bar puts your file in front of the interview panel; acing them doesn't stack extra points. Past papers for recent years are published — do two or three under time and you know exactly where you stand.