Taking JLPT in Japan

[alard]

みなさん,

I'm new to the forum, but I've been listening to JPOD101 since the beginning... and still enjoying it a lot!

Anyway, I'm thinking about taking the JLPT in Japan at the end of this year (2007); in fact I've already booked a plane ticket I'll probably try level 3 since I feel I can answer most level 4 questions now already and I still have a whole year...

What I would like to know: I read in a couple of places that to apply for the JLPT in Japan, you have to buy an application form in a bookstore in Japan... since I won't be there until November, does anyone know how to get such an application form outside Japan? Will they be available online?

どうもありがとうございます for your comments.

Alard (from the Netherlands).

[annie]

Japan is a bit technologically behind.

Unless they change the process for next year, you'll need to pick up the application at the bookstore in August or September, get passport photos taken, and then spend an hour at the post office waiting in different lines, paying for the exam, and mailing the application.

Additionally, you'll need a Japanese address for the test voucher to be sent to. (And according to the voucher, your name must be written on the mailbox in order to receive the voucher. maybe that could be worked around with a c/o in the address, I can't quite recall the details.)

If you have friends who are here, maybe they could do all of that for you?

[alard]

Hmmm... seems like I will be having some problems this summer

Then again, I cannot imagine I'm the first person trying to do this, so there's probably a way to apply from outside Japan... Perhaps one of the places here in Europe that host the JLPT can arrange this, or a language school in Japan, etc. I'll see what my options are this summer

Thank you for your answer!

[annie]

No offense intended, but you have obviously not experienced Japanese bureaucracy.

There's a FAQ for the JLPT in Japan http://www.jees.or.jp/cgi-bin/jlpt-faq.cgi ... but it's only in Japanese. (and it says basically what I wrote before).

This FAQ http://momo.jpf.go.jp/jlpt/e/faq_e.html for people outside of Japan is a bit more useful. (at least it's easier to read).

I think that contacting language schools would be your best bet.

[alard]

No experience with Japanese bureaucracy is correct I've only been to Japan once for a vacation and didn't have any trouble whatsoever (except not being able to speak the language ).

Thanks for the URLs; I read the FAQ and the sentence "If you would like to take it in Japan, you can ask someone you know living in Japan." is quite clear...

I'll try and contact a couple of language schools to see what they can do.