JFT-Basic exam day: what to bring and what happens at the centre

The night before: checklist

Lay these out before you sleep:

• Your original ID: the passport (or e-KTP, or passport plus Residence Card) whose details you used for your Prometric ID. Check it has not expired.
• Your Confirmation Letter: printed or saved. Prometric says you need both the ID and the Confirmation Letter. Without both, you cannot test.
• The centre's address and map, from the Confirmation Letter. Centres are renamed and moved, so don't rely on an old message from a friend.
• Travel time. Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your start time, with extra time for traffic.

Also re-read the rules on your Confirmation Letter. It lists what to bring for your centre, and some centres add local rules.

ID rules: the most common reason people are turned away

Prometric's identification rules are strict and apply in every country:

• The document must be the original. Photocopies, scans and phone photos are not accepted.
• It must be valid (not expired) and have a clear photo. If the photo looks altered or edited, or the centre cannot verify the document, you cannot test.
• Your name, passport number (or NIK) and date of birth must exactly match your Prometric ID registration.
• If you are refused because of your ID, the fee is not refunded.

Which document you need depends on where you test:

If your passport is being renewed, or your Residence Card is being renewed in Japan, contact Prometric before test day. Do not assume a receipt or a temporary paper will be accepted.

Arrival and check-in

Prometric's JFT-Basic page sets the timing:

• Entry opens 45 minutes before your start time.
• Arrive at least 30 minutes early.
• Late arrivals cannot take the test, and the fee is not refunded.

At check-in, staff check your ID against the booking and your Confirmation Letter. You will be photographed. Prometric says that if you refuse the photo, you cannot take the test.

Prometric does not publish a full list of banned items for JFT-Basic on its public pages. The Confirmation Letter says what to bring, and staff tell you where to leave everything else. Plan on having nothing but your ID with you, keep your phone switched off, and follow their instructions exactly.

The test screen

JFT-Basic is a computer-based test. You answer by clicking on screen and hear audio through headphones. The Japan Foundation describes the screen like this:

• The edges of the screen show the section name, the time remaining and your answer status.
• Instructions appear in English. A "Your Language" button shows them in other languages, including Nepali, Myanmar, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Khmer, Thai, Mongolian, Uzbek and Bengali.
• There are 4 sections in a fixed order: Script and Vocabulary, Conversation and Expression, Listening, then Reading, with about 12 questions each.

One clock for everything

There is no time limit per section. A single 60-minute clock runs across the whole test. If you spend 25 minutes on vocabulary, you have 35 minutes left for the other three sections. Many candidates run short on Reading, which comes last.

A simple pacing plan for about 50 questions:

This is our suggestion, not an official split. Practise it in a full mock test to find your own.

Navigation rules

• Inside a section you can move between questions and change answers at any time.
• Once you move to the next section, you cannot go back.
• In Listening, you cannot go back to the previous question or jump ahead. Answer each question before moving on.

Headphones and listening

Put the headphones on and check the volume before the Listening section starts. Each listening clip can be played up to 2 times. Use the first play to understand the situation and the second to confirm the detail the question asks for. If the headphones don't work, raise your hand straight away and tell the staff. Don't try to fix it yourself.

Breaks

The official descriptions of JFT-Basic do not mention any break. Because one clock runs for the whole test, any time you spend away from the questions is lost time. Use the toilet before you go in.

Notes and scratch paper

The Japan Foundation and Prometric do not publish a note-taking rule for JFT-Basic on their public pages. For the related Care tests, Prometric says note-taking is allowed at centres in Japan but not overseas. Assume you cannot take notes, and follow what the staff tell you on the day.

Test-day rules

• Do not copy, record or share the questions. Prometric treats taking or disclosing exam content as cheating, and your result can be cancelled. That includes posting questions in a Facebook group afterwards.
• Follow staff instructions at all times.
• Raise your hand if anything goes wrong with the computer or headphones.

When the test ends

When you finish (or the clock reaches zero), your total score on the 10–250 scale and your level appear on screen.

Then:

1. Within 5 business days, the official result notice appears on Prometric's My Page. It also shows your percentage correct in each section.
2. Print it or save it. The result has no expiry date, but the data is kept online for only 5 years.
3. If you scored 199 or lower, you can book again for a date more than 45 days later. If you scored 200 or more, you cannot retake. See our result guide and the retake date calculator.

Practise the real conditions first

The fastest way to lower test-day stress is to practise under the same rules: one clock, no going back, two plays per clip. The Japan Foundation publishes a video of the test screen, and the FAQ notes you can see how the screen works at the venue. Our free mock test copies the section locks and the listening limit, so nothing on the day is new.