Complete Guide to the TOEIC in Japan: Scores, Registration, Fees, and Study Plan

TOEIC and IT Passport are completely different types of exams. The IT Passport is Japan's national IT exam, while TOEIC measures English proficiency.

Strictly speaking, TOEIC is not a "qualification certificate," but an English proficiency test. There is no "pass/fail" method; rather, each exam results in a score. This score is usually looked at when Japanese companies recruit, change jobs, get promoted, are dispatched overseas, and enter university.

In Japan, if someone just says:

What is the TOEIC score?

In most cases, this refers to:

TOEIC Listening & Reading Test

Abbreviated as TOEIC L&R

This article mainly introduces this version.

1. What exactly is TOEIC?

TOEIC：

Test of English for International Communication

Mainly used for testing:

English proficiency in work, business, and daily international communication environments.

The exam is developed by ETS in the United States and operated by IIBC (International Business Communication Association) in Japan.

The TOEIC system actually includes many tests:

So generally speaking:

"I scored 800 on the TOEIC."

That is:

TOEIC L&R score of 800.

2. Is TOEIC a national qualification?

No.

And:

• IT Passport
• Basic Information Technology Specialist
• Residential construction
• Administrative scrivener

These Japanese national qualifications differ.

TOEIC belongs to:

International standardized English proficiency test.

So you won't get one:

"TOEIC Qualification Acquisition"

Such a permanent license.

Instead, it achieves:

TOEIC L&R score of 800

Such exam results.

However, in the Japanese job market, TOEIC's actual recognition and usage far exceed that of many ordinary private qualification certificates.

According to public information from IIBC, Japanese companies use TOEIC for recruitment, employee English proficiency assessment, overseas dispatch, and promotion; In the survey, about 40% of companies have already used or may use TOEIC Program scores as references or conditions for promotion for certain positions.

3. What exactly is TOEIC used for?

1. Job hunting in Japan

This is the most practical application.

For example, a resume:

TOEIC Listening & Reading Test score of 805

HR will immediately have a rough idea of your English level.

Write the point:

Fluent in English

Much more useful.

Specifically:

• Foreign-funded enterprises
• Trading company
• Trade
• Manufacturing
• IT
• Consultation
• Hotel
• Aviation
• Tourism
• International logistics
• Overseas operations
• Procurement
• Cross-border e-commerce
• Global Business

It's easier to encounter TOEIC requirements.

4. What score is truly effective?

Officially, there is no such thing:

600 passed

700 excellent

This is the standard.

Based on actual employment scenarios in Japan, this can be understood as follows. This is not the official passing line:

"Below what score is it, there's basically no need to publicize it?"

About:

Below 500 points.

"How much is it really meaningful to do when job hunting at a typical Japanese company?"

A more practical goal is:

700+

"Want to truly turn English into a CV advantage?"

A more practical goal is:

800+

"Foreign investment, international business, and positions with high English requirements?"

Can be directed to:

850～900+

Effort.

5. Do Japanese companies really set specific scores?

Yes.

The actual corporate cases published by IIBC include:

• Director/Department Head: 650
• Promotion: 600
• Director: 650
• Section Chief: 700
• Trading company promotion: 700
• A telecommunications company: Director 500, Section Chief 600, Minister 720
• Some companies also have requirements for 730, 800, and similar standards

Therefore, the statement that "TOEIC is useless in Japanese companies" is inaccurate.

Of course:

800 points≠ You will definitely find a good job.

It is more likely:

"Objective proof of English proficiency + screening criteria from some companies."

6. What is the full TOEIC score?

990 points

Among them:

Listening

5～495

Reading

5～495

Total score:

10～990

And:

There is no passing line.

You test:

350

There are also achievements.

Test:

650

There are also achievements.

Test:

990

It is also an achievement.

7. How do TOEIC correspond to the European CEFR?

The official CEFR correspondence is provided.

But special attention should be paid to:

It is judged separately by Listening and Reading, and should not be mechanically converted based solely on the total score.

For example, the CEFR B2 minimum corresponds to:

• Listening：400+
• Reading：385+

So when you put it together, you often see:

About 785 points

As a reference near B2.

C1 then requires:

• Listening：490+
• Reading：455+

That is, in total, at least about:

945 points

The official form is:

However, don't interpret this as:

TOEIC 945 = Able to communicate fluently like a native speaker.

Because a very important question is:

The TOEIC L&R doesn't even test speaking.

8. Does a TOEIC score of 900 mean good spoken English?

Not necessarily.

This is one of the biggest limitations of the TOEIC.

L&R only tested:

Listening

Reading

Not examined:

Speaking

Writing

So it is entirely possible that the following occurs:

TOEIC 900

Reading is especially strong

His hearing is especially strong

But his spoken English is average.

So if your goal is just:

Job hunting in Japan, resumes, company reviews

L&R is very useful.

If your goal is:

Truly proving that "I can work and communicate in English"

Best combinations:

TOEIC Speaking / S&W

Or directly prove speaking with actual work or interviews.

9. How many questions are there in total on the exam?

200 questions

All:

Multiple choice questions.

Total exam duration:

About 120 minutes

Divided into:

Listening

100 questions, about 45 minutes

Reading

100 questions, 75 minutes

Moreover, the entire exam was conducted in English, with no such as:

• Japanese to English
• English translation day
• Composition
• Spoken language

10. What exactly does Listening test?

Total:

100 questions

Part 1: Photo description

6 questions.

The question gives a picture.

Then play four English sentences.

For example, in the photo:

The man was moving suitcases.

Recording:

A. The man is opening a window.

B. The man is carrying a box.

C. The man is sitting at a desk.

D. The man is driving a car.

You choose B.

11. Part 2: Answering questions

25 questions.

For example:

Where is the meeting being held?

Then three answers:

A. In Conference Room B. B. At three o'clock. C. Yes, I met him.

Select:

A。

This is quite suspicious:

• Interrogative wording
• Tone
• Indirect answer
• Synonymous expression

12. Part 3: Dialogue

39 questions.

Listen to conversations between two or three people.

For example:

• Office
• Phone
• Shop
• Meeting
• Hotel
• Business trip
• Appointment
• Company arrangements

Then, answer 3 questions in each paragraph.

13. Part 4: Monologue

30 questions.

For example:

• Broadcast
• Leave a message on the phone
• Company notice
• Advertisement
• Speech
• News
• Flight notifications

After listening, answer the questions.

14. How is Reading tested?

100 questions.

Part 5

30 questions

Single sentence fill-in-the-blank.

This section mainly includes:

• Words
• Part of speech
• tense
• The main statement is in agreement
• Preposition
• Conjunction
• Relative pronoun
• Adverb
• Adjective

For example:

The manager _____ the report yesterday.

A. review B. reviewed C. reviewing D. reviews

Answer:

B

15. Part 6

16 questions

Fill in the blanks for the essay.

For example:

• Email
• Notice
• Letter
• Company notice

Take:

• Words
• Sentence

Put it in the correct position.

16. Part 7

54 questions

This is the most painful part for many people.

Including:

Single article

29 questions

Multiple article combinations

25 questions

For example, the question might simultaneously present:

Email

＋

Schedule

＋

Website

Then he asked:

Why does A contact B?

What time does the event start?

What is most likely to happen next?

The official current Reading structure is: Part 5 has 30 questions, Part 6 has 16 questions, and Part 7 has 54 questions.

17. What is the hardest part of the TOEIC?

Many people think:

The words are especially difficult.

Actually, not exactly.

One of the biggest challenges of TOEIC is:

Time.

Reading：

75 minutes, 100 questions.

Part 7 is especially numerous in its articles.

Many people with a solid English foundation take the exam without preparation for the first time:

There was simply no time to do the last 20 questions.

Therefore, the TOEIC testes:

English proficiency

It also tests a lot:

Question solving speed + exam proficiency.

18. How is reading time divided?

A more practical distribution is:

Part 5

About 10 minutes

Part 6

8~10 minutes

Part 7

About 55 minutes

In other words:

It's best to keep the first 46 questions within 20 minutes.

The rest:

About 55 minutes to do Part 7.

If you spend half a day thinking about each Part 5 question, you're very likely to never finish it later.

19. Is the exam computer-based or paper-based?

Ordinary in Japan:

TOEIC L&R Public Test

Currently, it is:

Paper test paper + Mark Sheet.

200 multiple-choice questions, with answers filled in on the answer sheet.

This is completely different from the IT Passport's CBT.

20. When is the exam?

In 2026, the Japan TOEIC L&R is basically as follows:

There are exams every month.

Selected months:

Twice a month.

And most exam days:

One in the morning + once in the afternoon.

In 2026, the official schedule includes 36 morning and afternoon sessions.

21. When can I take the exam now?

Now, it is:

August 24, 2026.

The exam on August 23 has just ended.

Registration for September 5 and September 27 has also closed.

Currently, the following are still available for registration:

Sunday, October 25, 2026

Registration deadline:

September 10, 2026, 15:00

Additionally:

Sunday, November 15, 2026

Registration is now open,

Deadline:

October 5, 2026, 15:00

So if you start preparing now:

October 25th

Actually, it was a good first exam date.

About two months.

22. How much does the exam cost?

The fees for 2026 will change slightly. The following amounts are converted to the JPY to USD exchange rate as of August 21, 2026, and taken as an approximate value.

If:

No paper Official Score Certificate is required

Fees:

About $48.50

If:

A paper Official Score Certificate is required

Fees:

About $49.20

All candidates will receive:

Digital Official Score Certificate

Digital official score certificate.

For the first exam, you can spend about $0.70 more on a paper version.

There's no need to deliberately cut this price difference.

23. Are there discounts for repeat exams?

Currently, there are some available.

Regarding the Repeat Discount effective until December 2026:

For paper score reports:

Approximately $42.27

No paper version required, about $41.58.

Therefore, TOEIC is very suitable for:

First preliminary → study→ second round of score boosting.

24. How to register?

Very simple.

First in:

official TOEIC Japan registration page

Process:

(1) Registered TOEIC application site members

↓

(2) Log in

↓

(3) Choose TOEIC L&R

↓

(4) Select the exam date

↓

(5) Choose your test location

For example:

• Tokyo
• Kanagawa
• Chiba
• Saitama
• Osaka
• Kyoto

↓

(6) Fill in personal information

↓

(7) Payment

↓

Registration completed.

25. Can I choose my own exam school?

No, you cannot.

This is very important.

You can only choose:

Exam location

For example:

Tokyo

But you can't say:

I want the Shinjuku exam center.

The specific exam location will be arranged by IIBC.

Generally, in the following stages:

• University
• Vocational school
• Large venues

You are only notified before the exam.

26. How do I make the payment?

Currently, the main options are:

• Credit cards
• Convenience Store
• Rakuten Pay

The official page lists payment channels as follows.

27. What time is the exam day?

There are morning and afternoon sessions.

Morning

Reception:

9:25～9:55

Exam Instructions:

9:55～10:20

Official Exam:

10:20～12:20

Expected:

Left around 12:35.

Afternoon

Reception:

14:05～14:35

Exam:

15:00～17:00

Expected:

Ends around 17:15.

And:

Late arrival after the reception time cannot take the exam.

After the exam began, also:

No breaks.

28. What do you need to bring on the day?

This is something to pay attention to.

Requirements:

1. Exam admission ticket
2. ID photo
3. Valid photo ID original
4. Pencil
5. Eraser
6. Ordinary watches

ID photo requirements:

4cm × 3cm

And:

• Filmed within the last 6 months
• Front
• Single
• White/light background
• The head is clear

29. Foreigners taking exams in Japan should pay special attention

Starting from April 2026, the personal confirmation regulations have changed.

Non-Japanese nationals may use:

• Residence card
• Passport
• Special Permanent Resident Certificate
• My Number Card

But it is very noteworthy:

Foreign test takers cannot use a Japanese driver's license to replace the above identification documents when taking the TOEIC public test.

Student ID is also not accepted.

So the most reliable is:

Residence card

Or:

Passport.

30. How soon after the exam are the results released?

It's already pretty fast now.

Usually:

About 17 days later

You can see the results online.

About 19 days later

Digital Official Score Certificate issued.

Within 30 days

If you apply for a paper version, it will be mailed out.

For example:

The exam is scheduled for October 25, 2026

The official digital score is expected to be:

November 12, 2026

31. How long is the TOEIC score valid?

There are many misunderstandings online here.

People often say:

"TOEIC is only valid for two years."

Strictly speaking:

TOEIC scores themselves do not have an official expiration date.

The official FAQ clearly states:

Score validity does not expire.

But there are three practical limitations:

(1) Many companies/universities

Self-Regulation:

Results within the last 2 years.

(2) Paper Official Score Certificate

Exam exceeds the following

2 years

You cannot apply for reissuance in the future.

③ Digital Official Score Certificate

Currently, you can display and download:

5 years.

Therefore, when actually job hunting, you can think of TOEIC scores as:

It is best to use scores from within the last two years.

32. How long does it take to prepare for the TOEIC?

This is much more complex than the IT Passport.

Because it is not:

Memorize 100 hours of knowledge points and you'll definitely pass.

It depends on your current English.

It can be roughly estimated as:

This is not an official figure, because personally:

• Word count
• Hearing
• Grammar
• Learning efficiency
• Have you ever been exposed to English?
• Are you familiar with the TOEIC?

The gap is huge.

33. So the first step is not to sign up

Instead:

First, do a complete set of mock exams.

Strict:

120 minutes

No:

• Look up the dictionary
• Pause Listening
• Do each question and see the answer

Complete the process.

Then we get:

Roughly the current score.

This score is compared to:

"How many months do I need to prepare?"

It makes much sense.

34. If you study for one hour every day,

For example, currently:

500 → 700

Rough preparation:

3~6 months

Quite realistic.

600 → 700

About:

2~3 months

600 → 800

Possible:

4~8 months

700 → 800

Possible:

3~5 months

The closer it gets to 900:

Every 50 points increase in difficulty.

No:

400→500 takes a month,

So:

800→900 only takes a month.

Usually, that's not the case at all.

35. What materials do you need to buy?

There's no need to buy more than a dozen books.

In fact:

Three types of materials are sufficient.

First category: Official mock exam questions

This is the most important thing.

One of the latest versions is:

Official TOEIC Listening & Reading Question Set 12

Released in October 2025.

Includes:

Two full sets of exams

That is:

400 questions.

Most importantly:

Questions are prepared by ETS following the same process as the official exam.

Listening is also an official speaker in the style of a formal exam.

This book can serve as:

A must-buy.

36. Category Two: Words

The official new version will be released in January 2026:

Official TOEIC Listening & Reading English Vocabulary

Includes:

1,800 words

And they come from words filtered through past TOEIC exams.

If you really don't want to buy a lot of materials:

Official vocabulary book + official question collection

In fact, you can already get started.

37. If your English foundation is weak

For example, simulation:

350~500 points

Recommended:

Official TOEIC Listening & Reading 500+

It is the official design:

The first exam

Goal is around 500 points

People who do it.

Includes:

• Basic questions
• Problem-solving methods
• Grammar
• Listening training

Current prices:

About $20.80.

38. If the goal is 800+

The official sources also include:

"Official TOEIC Listening & Reading 800+"

Specifically aimed at:

• A difficult problem
• High-scoring questions
• Questions prone to losing points

Price:

About $20.80.

However, if you currently have around 400 points, it's not recommended to buy 800+ from the start.

It doesn't mean much.

39. The most cost-effective data combinations

If the goal is:

600～750

A more practical goal is:

(1) Official Question Set 12

(2) Official English words

(3) A basic grammar book

That is all you need.

Roughly:

Approximately $37.80~$50.40

There is no need to spend thousands of dollars on an English school just to prepare for the TOEIC.

40. How should I learn specifically?

TOEIC preparation can be broken down into four things:

(1) Words

Daily:

30~50 pieces

But it's not just "knowing at a glance."

To achieve:

See:

invoice

I immediately thought:

Invoice

See:

postpone

Immediately:

Postponed

Because TOEIC doesn't have time for you to recall slowly.

41. (2) Grammar

Especially Part 5.

Key Points:

• Part of speech
• Noun
• Verb
• Adjective
• Adverb
• tense
• The main statement is in agreement
• Passive
• infinitive
• Gerund
• Participle
• Preposition
• Conjunction
• Relative pronoun

If you don't understand these basics:

It's not recommended to just go all out with mock exams.

You should first build up your foundation.

42. (3) Listening

The correct approach is not:

English is played as background music every day.

The effect is very limited.

It should:

Listen to a sentence

↓

I didn't understand

↓

Look at Transcript

↓

I found out why I didn't understand

↓

Look up words

↓

Listen again

↓

Repeat along

↓

Shadowing

↓

No more subtitles to listen.

That's how you can progress faster.

43. (4) Reading speed

For example, in one of your articles:

I understand every word

But it was used:

10 minutes

You still can't get a high score on the TOEIC.

Therefore, the post-production must:

Time.

Part 7 The most critical point is not:

"Can I understand it?"

Instead:

Can I understand it within the allotted time?

44. A relatively realistic 8-week study plan

Suppose every day:

1.5~2 hours

Objectives from:

550~600 → around 700

It can be like this.

Week 1

Complete mock exams.

Confirm:

• Listening to the amount
• Reading how much
• The weakest part

At the same time, start memorizing vocabulary.

Week 2

Part 5：

• Part of speech
• tense
• The main statement is in agreement
• Preposition
• Conjunction

+ Daily words.

Week 3

Part 1＋Part 2

Focus on the basics of listening.

Daily:

• Sharp listening
• Repeat along
• Shadowing

Week 4

Part 3＋Part 4。

Key Points:

Don't try to translate every word into Chinese.

Training focus:

• Who
• Why?
• What kind of problem is that?
• What to do next

Week 5

Part 6＋Part 7。

Getting Started:

Timed reading.

Week 6

The first complete simulation.

Then don't rush to do a second set.

First:

Analyze all the mistakes.

Week 7

Concentrate on supplementing the weakest points.

For example:

Listening 380

Reading 250

Then it's obvious:

Reading is the main issue.

Week 8

Full simulation:

2~3 times.

Strictly 120 minutes.

Then go for the exam.

45. When can I register for the actual exam?

For example, the goal:

700

Recent simulation:

630 650 645

And there's no need to rush to take the official exam.

If:

690 720 710

You can already go.

Because what you really want to see is:

Have your last three full mock exam scores been stable?

46. Can you take the TOEIC many times?

Yes, you can.

No:

You can only take the exam three times in your lifetime

This restriction.

So many people's strategy is:

First time:

620

↓

Three months later:

710

↓

Six months later:

795

↓

Reconsideration:

830

This is perfectly normal.

Therefore, TOEIC differs from the traditional "pass the qualification exam in one go" approach.

You are at:

Setting a new personal best.

47. What is the average score for Japanese people?

This figure depends on statistical standards.

For example, in the latest 2025 Global Survey of Test-takers, the average Japanese test taker is:

564 points

Listening：

313

Reading：

251。

In contrast, the group that actively pays for Japan's "public exam" registration is on average higher; For example, the average public exam for 2024 is about:

615.8 points

So:

600 isn't particularly high.

If it's to make job seekers feel:

"Your English is pretty good."

Only at 700~800 do you start to feel it.

48. What is TOEIC S&W?

If you also want to prove that:

Possess spoken and written English skills.

You can also take the following exams:

TOEIC Speaking & Writing Tests

Including:

Speaking

0～200

Writing

0～200

Current public test fees in Japan:

Approximately $65.84

If you miss the normal registration, the Late Application is currently as follows:

Approximately $83.16

49. But ordinary people don't need to take S&W for their first step

If your main purpose is:

• Employment in Japan
• Job transfer
• Resume
• Internal company evaluation

Priority:

TOEIC L&R >>> S&W

First, let's go:

TOEIC L&R is 700~800

Then consider the speaking test.

Because L&R:

• Higher corporate awareness
• Job postings are written more frequently
• There are even more candidates
• There are more learning resources

50. The greatest advantage of TOEIC

There are mainly five.

(1) Japanese companies have extremely high brand recognition

There's no need to explain to HR what this is.

(2) No professional restrictions

Anyone can take it.

(3) Many times a year

If you fail, you can retake the exam.

(4) Scores are very intuitive

The difference between the 650 and 850 is obvious at a glance.

(5) Learning itself is truly useful

Unlike some "pure memorization qualification certificates."

What you learned:

• Words
• Hearing
• Read on
• Business English

In fact, it can be used for future work as well.

51. Its biggest drawback

It's also obvious.

(1) No oral language test

TOEIC 900 ≠ English is very good.

(2) You can practice some skills to some extent

Familiarity with question types will improve your score.

(3) High scores are becoming increasingly difficult

600→700 and 800→900 are not the same difficulty at all.

(4) It's best to keep your grades fresh

Although official scores themselves are not invalid, many schools and companies require results from the past 1~2 years.

52. Is it really worth taking the exam?

If you are developing in Japan, you can look at it like this:

Why aren't American universities and immigration ★★★★★?

Because these scenes are usually more visible:

• TOEFL
• IELTS

Not TOEIC.

53. Purely to find a job, a more practical goal

It can be very simple:

Phase One

TOEIC 600

Proof:

Basic English proficiency.

↓

Phase Two

TOEIC 700

Getting Started:

It has relatively practical job value for job seekers.

↓

Stage three

TOEIC 800

Start really:

Make English an advantage on your resume.

↓

Stage Four

TOEIC 900

If your job really relies heavily on English, then go for it.

Otherwise, from:

800 → 900

It requires a significant investment of time, and sometimes this time is used to learn:

• IT
• Excel
• SQL
• Data analysis
• Professional qualifications
• Actual spoken language

On the contrary, the return on investment is even higher.

54. A more reasonable path for ordinary people

First, take the official mock exam

↓

Determine the current true level

↓

If below 500→ add basic grammar + vocabulary

↓

Reach 500~600 → Systematic study of TOEIC question types

↓

First Objective:

700

↓

Second goal:

800

↓

After reaching around 800

Stop just using TOEIC:

Start practicing real speaking skills extensively + your own professional skills.

This route offers good value for money.

Especially avoid falling into the following traps:

800 → 820 → 840 → 860 → 880

Spent a whole year practicing TOEIC,

But my professional skills didn't improve at all.

Finally: the simplest purchase plan

If you decide to start preparing now, there's no need to buy a bunch of materials. First, prepare these three categories:

You can view the official complete list of current textbooks here: IIBC TOEIC official textbook page

If you have no idea whether you are currently at 400, 600, or 800, the most important thing is not to memorize vocabulary first, but to complete the official mock exam questions in full. With the initial Listening and Reading scores, you can accurately decide whether you need to prepare for 1 month, 3 months, or half a year, and decide whether you should aim directly for 700 or aim for 500/600.