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How Long Does It Take to Pass the JLPT? Study Hours for N5 to N1
Self-reported study hours for each JLPT level, for learners with and without a kanji background, and how to turn them into a plan for your own daily study time.
In this article (5)
"How long will it take me?" is the most common JLPT question. There is no exact answer, but there is useful data.
The study-hour ranges
These ranges come from self-reported study hours of learners living in Japan, collected between 2010 and 2015 and published by the Japanese Language Education Center. They are total hours from zero, and they are the ranges most guides quote.
| Level | With kanji background (e.g. Chinese speakers) | Without kanji background |
|---|---|---|
| N5 | 250 to 450 hours | 325 to 600 hours |
| N4 | 400 to 700 hours | 575 to 1,000 hours |
| N3 | 700 to 1,100 hours | 950 to 1,700 hours |
| N2 | 1,150 to 1,800 hours | 1,600 to 2,800 hours |
| N1 | 1,700 to 2,600 hours | 3,000 to 4,800 hours |
These are self-reported hours for people living in Japan, so they may not match your situation. People who study abroad, or who study alone without classes, can need more or less. Use the ranges as a rough guide, not a promise.
Turn hours into a calendar
The calculation is simple: days = hours ÷ hours per day.
For example, N3 with no kanji background is 950 to 1,700 hours.
- At 1 hour a day: 950 to 1,700 days, roughly 2.6 to 4.7 years.
- At 2 hours a day: 475 to 850 days, roughly 1.3 to 2.3 years.
- At 3 hours a day: about 315 to 565 days, roughly 0.9 to 1.6 years.
With a kanji background, N3 is 700 to 1,100 hours. At 2 hours a day that is 350 to 550 days, or about 1 to 1.5 years.
Remember that the table is total hours from zero. If you already know some Japanese, subtract what you have done. The difference between the row you are at and the row you want is a better estimate than the full number.
Moving up one level
If you already have N4 and want N3, the gap from the table is:
- With kanji background: 700 − 400 = 300 to 1,100 − 700 = 400 hours.
- Without kanji background: 950 − 575 = 375 to 1,700 − 1,000 = 700 hours.
What the ranges leave out
- Quality of study. An hour of focused practice and an hour of passive listening are not the same.
- Test strategy. Knowing Japanese and passing the JLPT are different skills. The test has a minimum score in every section, so a weak section can fail you. See why you can fail the JLPT with a high total score.
- Your starting point. A learner who already reads manga may need far less time than the table suggests.
How to use this
- Choose your target level with this guide.
- Estimate the hours between where you are and the target.
- Divide by the hours you can really study each week, and pick the next test date that fits.
If you would like to build that plan together and get daily feedback, that is what JLPT Coaching is for.