JLPT December 2026 Study Plan: Level-by-Level Sprint Strategies for N5 to N1
Registration for the December 2026 JLPT in Taiwan runs from 17 August (09:00) to 31 August (24:00), with the test on 6 December. This guide provides study plans for N5 through N1 levels: timeline, key question types, recommended textbooks, and a final week sprint strategy.
📝 NTJ Editorial Guide · Official Sources Verified
Key Facts About the December 2026 JLPT
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Test date | Sunday, 6 December 2026 |
| Registration period | 17 Aug 2026, 09:00 – 31 Aug 2026, 24:00 (Taiwan time) |
| How to register | Online registration on the LTTC JLPT website (www.jlpt.tw/) |
| Test cities in Taiwan | Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Kaohsiung |
| Test fee | NT$1,800 per person for N1–N3; NT$1,650 for N4–N5 (half price for low-income households: NT$900 / NT$825) |
| Admission ticket | Mailed in mid-November; if it has not arrived by 23 November you can look it up and print it yourself on the LTTC site |
| Results online | Online lookup from late January 2027 |
| Score certificate | LTTC mails the official result and score certificate by registered post in mid-March 2027 |
Every figure above was checked against the official LTTC announcements on 2026-08-17; always confirm on the official site before you register. (Sources: LTTC registration notice · LTTC score information)
Recommended Study Timeline by Level
N5 (Beginner, approx. 150 study hours)
From now until the exam (about 6 months):
- June–August: Fully master hiragana and katakana, and learn all 800 N5 vocabulary words (5–10 new words a day)
- September–October: Master all 70 N5 grammar points; work through Minna no Nihongo Shokyu I & II (「大家的日本語 初級 I・II」) in depth
- November: Work through the official JLPT practice tests (N5) and shore up your weak subjects
- First week of December: Review the questions you got wrong and make sure you're getting enough sleep
Key reminder for N5: Listening makes up 1 of the 3 test sections, so don't neglect your listening practice!
N4 (Elementary, approx. 300 total study hours)
- June–September: Learn all 1,500 N4 vocabulary words + master 120 N4 grammar points
- October–November: Study Minna no Nihongo Shokyu II + Chukyu I (「大家的日本語 初級 II + 中級 I」) in depth; work through practice exercises
- November: Go through the official JLPT N4 practice tests at least twice
- December: Final sprint — one full practice test every day
N3 (Intermediate, approx. 450 total study hours)
- June–August: Learn all 3,000 N3 vocabulary words (Anki flashcards work well here)
- September–October: Master 150 N3 grammar points and practice reading comprehension (1–2 long passages a week)
- November: Work carefully through 2–3 years of past JLPT N3 exams and analyze your mistakes
- December: Focus your review on kanji readings and train your speed on answering questions
N2 (Upper-Intermediate, approx. 600 total study hours)
- June–July: Identify your weak points (take a full practice test to see where you stand)
- August–September: Study all 160 N2 grammar points in depth using Shin Kanzen Master Grammar N2 (「新完全マスター 文法 N2」)
- October: 2–3 reading comprehension passages a week, plus 30 minutes of listening practice every day
- November: Heavy past-exam practice, timed (time management is critical at this level)
- December: In the final stretch, review only the questions you've gotten wrong
N1 (Advanced, approx. 900+ total study hours)
- June–July: All 180 N1 grammar points, plus slow, careful reading practice
- August–September: Read 5 Japanese news articles a week, and practice watching Japanese shows without subtitles
- October–November: Work through at least 3 years of past N1 exams and closely analyze why you got things wrong
- Late November: 2–3 full-length, all-section practice tests
- December: Review your weak points and rest up so you're in peak condition
Recommended Study Materials
| Category | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Vocabulary | Shin Kanzen Master Vocabulary series (「新完全マスター 単語」), Anki flashcards |
| Grammar | Shin Kanzen Master Grammar series (「新完全マスター 文法」) |
| Reading | Shin Kanzen Master Reading series (「新完全マスター 読解」) |
| Listening | Shin Kanzen Master Listening (「新完全マスター 聴解」) + JLPT listening practice channels on YouTube |
| Practice Tests | Official JLPT past exams (JLPT公式問題集) |
| Apps | Todaii (Japanese news), JLPT Sensei (question banks) |
What to Do in the Final Week Before the Exam
- Don't cram new vocabulary — trying to learn new words this late will just confuse you
- Spend 30–40 minutes a day on a past exam you've already done to stay sharp
- Confirm your test venue's address and how you'll get there
- Go to bed early and wake up early (the exam typically starts at 9:00 AM)
- Bring all required documents: your admission ticket and photo ID
Head to Nihongo to Japan's self-study materials to start your prep!