# JFT-Basic exam format: 4 sections, about 50 questions, 60 minutes > What each JFT-Basic section tests, how the 60 minutes work, the navigation and audio rules, and how to practise for the format rather than just the content. - **Author**: Testmigo - **Published**: 2026-09-19 - **Category**: Test format & prep - **URL**: https://testmigo.com/blog/jft-basic-exam-format --- ## The format at a glance JFT-Basic is a computer-based test with four sections and about 50 questions, and you have 60 minutes in total. It is scored as a single total from 10 to 250, and 200 or more is a pass at A2, the level needed for the Specified Skilled Worker (i) visa. Questions are answered on a computer at a Prometric test centre, and instructions can be shown in your own language, including Nepali. | Section | Questions | What it checks | | --- | --- | --- | | Script and Vocabulary | About 12 | Reading everyday Japanese: word meaning, word usage, kanji reading, and kanji meaning and usage | | Conversation and Expression | About 12 | The grammar and expressions you need in conversation | | Listening Comprehension | About 12 | Conversations, exchanges in shops and public places, announcements and instructions | | Reading Comprehension | About 12 | Letters, notices and explanations, including finding specific information | *Source: the Japan Foundation's official JFT-Basic overview.* ## What each section tests Script and Vocabulary is about recognising the words and kanji you meet in daily life and at work, not rare vocabulary. Conversation and Expression checks whether you can pick the right grammar and polite expression for a situation. Listening Comprehension uses short, practical audio: a clerk explaining something, a station announcement, instructions at work. Reading Comprehension mixes reading for meaning with information search, such as finding a time or a rule on a notice. Because the whole test is one score, no single section has to be perfect. What matters is not losing easy points anywhere. Many candidates find listening and reading notices at speed the hardest parts, which is why timed practice often helps more than extra grammar study. ## Rules that catch people out - The 60 minutes cover the whole test. There is no separate time limit per section, so time you lose on one section comes out of the next. - You can review and change answers anywhere within a section, but once you move to the next section you cannot go back. - In Listening Comprehension you cannot move to the previous or next question to review it. Answer each question as you go. - You can play each listening audio clip up to two times, so plan to use the second play to confirm, not to hear it for the first time. - Your total score and level appear on screen at the end of the test. The official notification follows through Prometric within five business days. ## How to practise for the format Sit at least one full mock under the real 60-minute limit before test day, so you learn how much time to leave for listening and reading. After each mock, look at which section cost you the most points and give that section most of the next week's study. Small daily sets of kanji and workplace vocabulary work better than long weekend sessions. Testmigo's [free JFT-Basic mocks](/jft-basic) follow the four-section format and 60-minute timing, score you on the 250-point scale, and show the section holding you below 200. To understand the score itself, read [how JFT-Basic scoring works](/blog/jft-basic-scoring-pass-mark). ## Common questions ### How long is the JFT-Basic test? 60 minutes in total for about 50 questions across four sections, with no separate time limit for each section. ### Is there a pass mark for each section? No. Only the total score counts. A total of 200 or more out of 250 is a pass at A2. ### Can I take JFT-Basic in Nepali? The questions are in Japanese, but instructions can be read in your local language, and Nepali is one of the available languages. ### Can I go back to an earlier section? No. You can change answers within a section, but once you move on you cannot return. In the listening section you also cannot go back to earlier questions. **Sources** - [The Japan Foundation: About the JFT-Basic (checked 19 September 2026)](https://www.jpf.go.jp/jft-basic/e/about/index.html) ## Related guides - [JFT-Basic scoring explained: the 10-250 scale and why 200 is a pass](https://testmigo.com/blog/jft-basic-scoring-pass-mark) - [How to prepare for JFT-Basic listening](https://testmigo.com/blog/jft-basic-listening-practice) - [JFT-Basic study tips: how to prepare in the time you have](https://testmigo.com/blog/jft-basic-study-tips) [Practise with a free JFT-Basic mock](https://testmigo.com/jft-basic) --- - [More Test format & prep articles](https://testmigo.com/blog/category/test-format-prep) - [All articles](https://testmigo.com/blog)