How to Choose Your Level in a Japanese Class
A course level is a set of expectations, not just a familiar label. Build a short record of what you can do, compare it with the school's requirements, and ask for a placement task when reading and speaking skills differ.
Study Japanese 101 editorial team · · 4 min read
Choose a Japanese class level by comparing what you can currently do with that course's actual prerequisites. If the match is unclear, ask the school for its placement process and a representative task. A familiar textbook chapter or exam result can be useful background, but it cannot make the placement decision on its own.
The Japan Foundation's JF Standard overview describes ability through Can-do statements: tasks a learner can accomplish. That is a useful way to describe your evidence. It is a proficiency framework, not a rule assigning you to a particular school's class.
Start with the course requirements
Find the prerequisites for the two levels you are considering. Look for the expected reading, listening, speaking and writing work, along with any required previous course or textbook coverage. Keep the school's wording beside your own notes.
If the description only says beginner or intermediate, ask what learners are expected to do at the start. The same broad label is not enough to compare two courses with different materials or goals.
A chapter number is also incomplete evidence. Finishing a lesson can mean reading its explanation, completing exercises, or using its language in a conversation. Tell the school which of those you have actually done.
Make a short evidence note
Use a few concrete statements instead of a general claim that your Japanese is good or rusty. For example:
- I can read the short dialogues in my current lesson and explain their main meaning.
- I can give a prepared account of my routine.
- I need repetition when an unfamiliar person asks a follow-up question.
- I have completed the current textbook's written exercises, but I have not used its material in a live class.
This is an illustrative learner record, not a self-test with a pass mark. Add evidence you can show, such as the lesson covered or an example of work, rather than assigning yourself a universal percentage.
Work through an uneven match
Imagine two adjacent levels in one fictional course. The lower level practises short everyday exchanges. The higher one expects learners to follow instructions and ask follow-up questions with less support. The learner above recognizes much of the higher level's written material but struggles with unprepared spoken questions.
The useful next step is not automatically to repeat everything or to enter the higher class. Ask the school to check the spoken requirement with an appropriate task. It may recommend a level or preparation work based on evidence the learner's reading record did not provide.
These course requirements are an example of the decision, not a description of a named provider. Use the real school's prerequisites when applying it.
Use exam results as background
Share a relevant exam result if the school requests it, together with when you took it and what you have studied since. Do not convert it mechanically into a class label.
The official JLPT Can-do self-evaluation explanation states that its list reports successful examinees' self-evaluations and does not guarantee an individual's proficiency. The JLPT decision guide covers the separate question of what that credential is useful for.
Prepare a placement request
Write a request along these lines: “I am choosing between your two stated levels. I can follow my current lesson's written dialogues and give a prepared account of my routine. Unprepared follow-up questions are harder. Your higher level expects independent spoken follow-ups. What task or placement process should I use to check that prerequisite?”
Before enrolling, also ask how the school handles an unsuitable placement after class begins. Do not assume that a trial, refund or level change is available.
The Marugoto profile offers background on one course family, while the resource-combination guide helps organize supporting study. Your next action is to prepare one placement request naming two current abilities, one difficulty and the exact prerequisite you need the school to verify.
Sources
- Japan Foundation: task-based proficiency descriptions — JF Standard Can-do descriptions concern tasks a learner can accomplish, rather than word or grammar counts. It is a framework, not a school's placement policy. (checked 2026-10-17)
- Official JLPT: limits of the Can-do self-evaluation list — The official list reports successful examinees' self-evaluations and explicitly does not guarantee proficiency or describe the exam syllabus. It cannot automatically place an individual in a course. (checked 2026-10-17)
Prepared by our editorial team with AI assistance. Product details are checked against the sources below.