A 6-Month JLPT Study Plan You Can Actually Follow
A realistic month-by-month JLPT plan covering kanji, vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening — with weekly targets and a final-month mock-test routine.
Passing the JLPT isn't about cramming — it's about steady coverage of five skill areas over months. Here's a six-month framework you can adapt to any level.
The principle: cover all five areas weekly
Kanji, vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening all appear on the test, so all five should appear in your week. Neglect one and it becomes the section that fails you.
Month-by-month
| Months | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Build the kanji + core vocabulary base for your level |
| 3–4 | Grammar points + start daily reading practice |
| 5 | Listening intensives + timed reading |
| 6 | Mock tests, review weak sections, polish |
A sustainable weekly rhythm
- Daily (20–40 min): SRS for kanji + vocab — non-negotiable, every day.
- 3×/week: a new grammar batch with example sentences.
- 3×/week: timed reading of level-appropriate texts.
- Daily-ish: 10 minutes of listening or shadowing.
The final month: simulate the test
- Take a full timed mock test under real conditions.
- Score it, find your weakest section, and spend the week there.
- Repeat weekly. Test-day stamina is a skill you train.
Consistency beats intensity. Thirty minutes every day for six months crushes a weekend binge once a month.
Learn kanji the reading-first way
Kanji 360 wraps every character with mnemonics, audio readings, stroke-order animation, and SRS scheduling — free to start on iPhone, iPad, and Android.
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