Taking the JLPT Practice Test in Osaka

In March I had signed up to do the JLPT N2. To be fair, I don’t really think I can pass, but I wanted to try my luck and see where it goes. Especially if I wanted to look for new jobs, the least companies look for is an N2.

Anyway, this isn’t me ranting about how I can’t pass, I want to talk about the practice test.

I’m not talking about buying a book and sitting at home doing the test yourself. This is a legitimate practice test, held by people behind JLPT.

It’s suppose to mimic the real test situation, and it certain did feel like the real deal. This is my first experience with JLPT. The catch is that it seems to be only offered to those living in the big cities in Japan? I’m talking like Tokyo, and Osaka. And perhaps not everyone who signs up gets picked to go.

I received a thick, envelop-sized pamphlet in the mail in early June with details about the practice test. It was written in multiple language, and had a mail back card stating your intent to join this practice test. It’s completely optional, of course. If you do attend though, and go through the test, you are promised to receive ¥2000 on the day. With caveat, of course. In the case of too many people signing up, there will be a lottery system and those who get to attend will receive a JLPT Practice Test voucher by June 16 (as of writing, in year 2021).

If you do not have a practice test voucher, you cannot attend. Even if you signed up.

Your name and an examinee number attached to your name on the voucher will be checked rigorously throughout the practice test, so as much as you would like to participate or think that you can just show up and take the seat of someone absent - you can’t. I’m 100% sure they won’t let you in.

The practice test voucher looks almost identical to the real JLPT voucher. The difference would be:

1. The color of the voucher,
2. It will say practice test voucher, and
3. Your REAL test voucher will probably arrive after you receive the practice voucher.

As of writing this, the practice test voucher was green And arrived as promised - on June 15th, just one day before they promised to send all the practice test vouchers out. My actual test voucher was purple.

One thing to be careful of is that your real JLPT and practice JLPT will be in different locations, so make sure to read both and don’t assume otherwise. They will also remind you of this during the practice test.

The practice test happens 2 weeks BEFORE the actual test.

I won’t talk much about the actual test, because I have nothing to compare it to… but it seems like it’s almost the same if not exactly the same as the JLPT. So if you want to get a feel of the test in the actual test environment, I do highly recommend signing up for it.

Now, like I said, you do get ¥2000 for participating.

But only if you follow the rules. Unfortunately, it did occur to one person where his phone’s alarm went off despite it being turned off (don’t set alarms even with phone off!). He was not able to receive the honorarium even though he had already spent most of his time at the test.

An unfortunate case, honestly.

But yeah, that’s about the gist of the practice test. Let me know in the comments if you have questions about it. Good luck to all my fellow JLPT test takers!