Testing your Japanese (CEFR)
Finding the right course takes three steps; Test your language level, then find courses for your level and then choose your pathway.
Step 1: Test your language level
Important, please read
These are indicative self-checks to help you choose a course, not formal qualifications or a substitute for a recognised proficiency exam. We do not run them and are not responsible for their content. Availability, cost and accuracy change over time. Our research is a starting point, and you will likely need to do some of your own. If in doubt, get in touch.
Which form the tests assess
Japanese proficiency is usually measured by the JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test), graded N5 to N1, which is a different scale from the CEFR. Two things to keep in mind when reading a Japanese result:
The JLPT tests reading and listening only, with no speaking or writing section. A strong JLPT result evidences receptive skills, so it may not reflect your spoken ability (which matters for Interpreting) or your written production (which matters for Translation).
From December 2025 the JLPT shows a reference CEFR level on its score reports, but only up to C1. There is no JLPT level that maps to C2, so a C2-level candidate cannot be evidenced through the JLPT alone.
For that reason, we have led with a CEFR-native self-assessment rather than a JLPT-style quiz.
The test/s we have found:
The Japan Foundation provides a free "Check Your Japanese Level!" self-assessment, the most credible CEFR-native option since the Japan Foundation is the body behind Japanese-language standards.
It is based on the CEFR and covers A1 to C2 across all skills, including speaking and writing.
It is a can-do self-assessment (you rate what you can do) rather than an objective quiz, so be honest with yourself for a useful result.
Most other free Japanese tests are quizzes that report a JLPT N-level rather than a CEFR level. Those are fine to use, but you will then need to map the result across, which we explain below.
Please let us know if these links don’t work or you find a better test - this can help other students!
If you need formal proof
Should an employer or university ever ask for certified proof of your Japanese, the recognised exam is the JLPT, awarded by the Japan Foundation across levels N5 to N1, now with a reference CEFR level (A1 to C1) on the score report. Remember it tests reading and listening only. It is a paid, formal exam separate from choosing a course with us.
Reading / 'mapping' your result
If your test reported a CEFR level, it reads straight across to our course levels (B1 upwards). If it reported a JLPT N-level instead, use this approximate guide:
N5 is roughly A1
N4 is roughly A2
N3 is roughly B1
N2 is roughly B2
N1 is roughly C1
This mapping covers reading and listening only, and no JLPT level reaches C2. If you land on a boundary, take the lower level as your working level and contact us if you are unsure.
Step 2: Find courses for your level
Now that you have your CEFR level, go back and find the courses available to you: find courses for your level at linguisttraining.com/whichcourse#findcourses.
Step 3: Choose your pathway
From there, choose whether you want to qualify as a Translator, an Interpreter, or both, and follow the pathway that leads to your recognised professional qualification.
Last reviewed: June 2026
You can also enrol on one of our Translation Practices to truly test your written language level. We provide an appropriate Source Text (often an exam past paper) that you translate, then one of our LanguagePartners will proofread it and provide guidance / scoring - it’s an excellent way of ascertaining your written translation level. Find these at linguisttraining.thinkific.com/collections/translationpracticegeneral.
