Test information

2026 JLPT registration in the UK

London, Leicester and Edinburgh

UK test centres

2026 sittings by host
HostJulyDecember
SOAS, London5 July6 December
University of Leicester5 July6 December
University of EdinburghNot offered6 December
King’s College London5 JulyNot offered
CardiffSuspendedSuspended

A London application is tied to its host. A King’s College London account or July booking does not register a candidate for SOAS in December.

Application dates and payment

Leicester opened applications at noon on successive days: N1 on 3 August, N2 on 4 August, N3 on 5 August, N4 on 6 August and N5 on 7 August. The deadline was 9 September at noon, or earlier if full. These are UK local times.

At Leicester, pay £115 through Shop@le, then complete the Microsoft application form linked after payment. The host does not accept applications after its deadline.

SOAS uses a different order: submit its application form, then use the payment link provided. Edinburgh also takes online bookings and charges £115. Their public pages reviewed for this guide no longer give the original December opening windows; use each host’s own dated announcement when planning a future application.

SOAS reports that its December places and waiting list are full. Edinburgh reports no remaining places. Neither notice offers a further application window. There is no UK-wide late-registration scheme to rely on.

Age, names and identification

From the December 2026 sitting, SOAS does not admit candidates aged 15 or younger. Candidates aged 16 or 17 need the specified guardian forms, and a guardian must remain in the waiting area throughout the test.

At SOAS, the application name must agree with the candidate’s valid identification. Edinburgh has its own age eligibility rule, described on its page as over 16; check with the centre before booking for a minor. A rule at one university should not be assumed to apply to another.

The public UK notices do not establish one shared photo-upload size. Follow the selected host’s form and voucher instructions rather than a photo specification from an overseas JLPT site.

Arrival times depend on the university

6 December 2026, UK local time
HostPublished instruction
LeicesterBe seated by 11:30; late arrivals are not admitted
EdinburghCheck-in 10:30–11:30; first test section 11:50
SOASUse the joining instructions sent by SOAS

The examination date is shared by N1–N5. The time to arrive is not a single national time. Check the room and entry deadline in the notice from the university that accepted the application.

The next registration period

Leicester says information about July 2027 registration will appear in January 2027 and expects applications around early March. That is an advance indication, not a confirmed booking window. The other hosts’ 2027 application dates were not confirmed in the notices checked on 12 October 2026.

Official sources

Sources checked: . JLPT Plus is independent of the JLPT organizers.

  1. Japan Foundation London — December 2026 UK hosts ↗
  2. University of Leicester — JLPT dates and application procedure ↗
  3. SOAS — JLPT registration and eligibility ↗
  4. University of Edinburgh — JLPT arrangements ↗
  5. JLPT — overseas host institutions ↗
2026 JLPT registration in the UK | JLPT Plus