EJU Exams Begin on November 8 with Results Released on December 15; International Students in Japan Surpass 400,000

2026-10-04 · Guides

The 2nd Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) of 2026 will be held on November 8, with results released on December 15; the JLPT will be held on December 6. The latest JASSO survey shows that as of May 2025, there were 408,069 international students in Japan, a 21.2% increase from the previous year; Chinese students numbered 131,097, remaining in first place, while Nepalese students surpassed 100,000.

For students preparing to apply to universities in Japan, there are two major exams at the end of the year: the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) on November 8 and the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) on December 6. Meanwhile, the latest survey by Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) shows that the number of international students in Japan has exceeded 400,000. Chinese students remain the largest group, but their share is declining. Below is a summary of the exam schedules and the latest data.

EJU 2026 Second Session: Key Dates

The EJU is an exam referenced by many Japanese universities when admitting international undergraduate students. The schedule for the second session of 2026 is as follows:

Stage	Date
Application	July 6 to July 30, 2026 (Closed)
Overseas Test Centers Announced	October 2, 2026
Admission Ticket (Test takers in Japan)	Expected to be mailed on October 16, 2026
Exam Date	November 8, 2026 (Sunday)
Results Released	December 15, 2026 at 0:00 (Japan Time)

Admission tickets for overseas test takers are issued by local implementing agencies; please refer to local notices for the exact timing. The results for the first session of 2026 were released on July 28.

The 2027 schedule has not been released yet. As of October 4, 2026, the JASSO exam schedule page only lists the 2026 arrangements. For the application period and exam dates of the first session in 2027, please refer to future announcements on the official JASSO website.

How to Plan with Just Over a Month Until the Exam

Check your admission ticket and test center first. Overseas test takers should follow notices from local implementing agencies to confirm the test center address and transportation.
Allocate your time based on target university requirements. Different universities and majors require different EJU subjects. Refer to the admission guidelines of your target schools and focus your time on the required subjects.
Simulate the full exam with past papers. Take one or two complete mock exams in the exact order and timing of the real test to get used to the pace.
Plan how to use your scores. Once the results are released on December 15, they can be used for some universities' 2027 applications. You need to check each school's admission guidelines to see which schools accept which session's scores.

JLPT December Exam

The second JLPT session of 2026 will be held on Sunday, December 6. For test centers outside Japan, some cities only offer the exam once a year in either July or December, so make sure to check if your city is hosting the test.

For the China test region, the registration period and test center arrangements are subject to the announcements on the National Education Examinations Authority website.

408,069 International Students in Japan

In May 2026, JASSO released the "Survey on International Students Enrolled in Japanese Higher Education Institutions for Fiscal Year 2025," with data collected as of May 1, 2025. The key figures are as follows:

The total number of international students reached 408,069, an increase of 71,361 from the previous year, a growth rate of 21.2%.
The number of international students at every educational level hit a record high.

Changes in recent years:

Year (May 1)	Total International Students
2022	231,146
2023	279,274
2024	336,708
2025	408,069

Chinese Students Remain First, Nepal Shows Fastest Growth

Country or Region	Number	Share	Year-on-Year
China	131,097	32.1%	Increased by 6.2%
Nepal	100,239	24.6%	Increased by 54.7%
Vietnam	43,366	10.6%	Increased by 7.5%
Myanmar	29,413	7.2%	Increased by 77.2%
Sri Lanka	17,626	4.3%	Increased by 43.7%

The number of Chinese students continues to grow, but their share dropped from 36.7% last year to 32.1%. Nepalese students saw the fastest growth, surpassing 100,000.

Most Chinese students are enrolled in higher education institutions:

In higher education institutions (graduate schools, universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, and specialized training colleges), there are 98,733 Chinese students, accounting for 36.9%.
In Japanese language schools, there are 32,364 Chinese students, accounting for 23.1%.

By School Type

School Type	Number of International Students
Japanese Language Educational Institutions	140,174
Specialized Training Colleges (Vocational Courses)	106,829
Universities (Undergraduate)	92,442
Graduate Schools	60,013

Japanese language schools and specialized training colleges are the main sources of growth: Japanese language educational institutions saw an increase of 32,933 students from the previous year, and specialized training colleges (vocational courses) increased by 30,427. The number of international students in undergraduate programs and graduate schools is also growing, with graduate schools increasing from 58,215 to 60,013.

What This Means for Families Planning to Apply to Universities

Competition is increasing. The total number of international students is growing rapidly, making competition for popular universities and majors even more intense. EJU, Japanese, and English scores should be prepared as early as possible.
Plan your pathway clearly. Whether you attend a Japanese language school first, apply directly to an undergraduate program with EJU scores, enroll in an English-taught program, or pursue a graduate degree, the preparation methods vary.
Keep an eye on visas and living costs. Japan increased its residence card fees starting October 1, 2026. Costs for renewals and changing to a work visa after graduation have gone up, so factor this into your budget planning.

Need Help?

If you are considering applying to an undergraduate or graduate program in Japan and want to figure out how to plan your EJU, Japanese, and English scores, you can check out our University Application Planning Service or Book a one-on-one consultation.