About the National Center for University Entrance Examinations(the NCUEE)============================
Outline of the NCUEE
Aim of the NCUEE
The NCUEE aims to improve the university admission selection process and contributeto the advancement of university and high school education, including the lattercourses of secondary schools and high school courses of special needs education
schools, by working with universities to provide testing services for university
applicants.

Plans for the Fifth Medium-Term Goal Period (FY 2021–FY 2025)⑴ Common Test for University Admissions
The Common Test for University Admissions is conducted through collaboration
between universities, mainly to assess applicants’ basic academic achievements
at the high school level and their essential abilities to receive highereducation. The NCUEE smoothly and reliably provides services related to the test,
including development, administration, scoring, score notifications, and otherservices appropriate for collective handling.
⑵ Research on the Improvement of University Admission Methods
Aiming to become a national center for university admissions, the NCUEE willconduct research on the improvement of university admission methods incollaboration with universities and high schools, while accurately assessing theneeds of the times pertaining to the connections between high schools anduniversities, as well as university admissions.
● Research on the Common Test
● Basic and practical research on university admissions

1

University Admissions
University Admissions

SystemCombinedwith

theCommon

TestforThe Common Test for University Admissions is conducted through collaboration
among the participating universities. The same test is conducted simultaneously
at various sites.
National, local public, and private universities use test scores by applying
their own criteria and a multifaceted approach to judge the ability, motivation,and aptitude of examinees to receive higher education.
● Roles of the NCUEE
・ Test development, printing and delivery of test booklets and so on
・ Preparation of an examination guidebook for applicants and a manual for
administrators
・ Receipt of applications, appointment of test sites, and issue of admission
tickets for the examination
・ Scoring and aggregation of the test results
・ Provision of the test results to the universities
・ Notification of individual test scores to the examinees● Roles of Participating Universities
・ Announcing the subject areas and subjects to be adopted from the Common
Test for University Admissions and the examinations prepared by theuniversities themselves
・ Providing temporary staff as test developers to the NCUEE
・ Providing test sites and examiners on the test day
・ Distributing the examination guidebook to applicants・ Maintaining and managing test booklets and so on
・ Implementation of the examination, management of the test processing suchas collecting and sending test booklets and mark cards,
test scores

2and requests for■ Test Fees
For 3 subjects or more: 18,000 yen
For 2 subjects or less: 12,000 yen
800

yentoreceiveTest

ScoreNotification(Those who wish to receive a Test Score
Notification must pay an additional
fee at the time of application)■ Application Procedures・ Students expecting to graduate fromhigh school can apply through theirschools.
・ Applicants who have graduated fromhighschool

will

application forms

send

their

directly to theNCUEE.
■ Examination Sites
・ Students expecting to graduate fromhigh school will take the exam at theappointed site within the area where
their school is located.
・ Applicants who have graduated fromhigh school will take the exam at
the appointed site within theirresidential area.

3Roles of the Common Test for University Admissions
The Common Test for University Admissions has started from FY2021 for national,
public, and private universities, replacing the National Center Test, which had
been conducted from FY1990 to FY2020.
The National Center Test was the successor to the Joint First-Stage Achievement
Test, which had been conducted from FY1979 to FY1989 for the entrance examinationsof public and local public universities.

1.
Develop the test to assess examinees’ essential abilities for higher
education, including their knowledge, skills, and abilities to think,judge and express themselves
Based on the qualities and abilities identified as areas to develop inthenational curriculum standards announced in 2009, the test has been developed toassess how well examinees understand the knowledge as well as to have them use
their abilities to think, judge, and express themselves to solve problems.

2.
Promote individuality and diversification of the admissions systems byuniversities, through integration of the Common Test for University
Admissions and respective university examinations
Using the Common Test for University Admissions, an increasing number ofuniversities now conduct essay tests and interviews, select students based onrecommendations from high schools, and conduct special entrance examinations forstudents who have received education outside of Japan and for adults. Thus, theCommon Test for University Admissions contributes to the diversification andindividuality of universities in terms of applicant selection methods.

43.
Promote admission systems reform for universities, junior colleges, etc.
The number of universities and junior colleges using the test amounted to 864 forthe 2023 school year (as of May 1, 2023). The test is highly rated by theseinstitutions.

4.
Appropriate usage at each university by an “a la carte” method
The Common Test for University Admissions employs an “a la carte” optional method,
allowing universities to specify the subject areas and subjects to be used fortheir admission procedures.

5Subject Areas and Subjects of the Common Test
The Common Test consists mainly of multiple-choice objective questions.

Subject Area (Group) /Selection of Subjects

Subject
Geography and History
World History A
World History B
Japanese History A
Japanese History B
Geography A

Select up to two from the ten subjects to answer.
Examinees cannot select two subjects containing
the same name. Examinees must declare the number

Geography Bof subjects to answer when submitting theirCivics

Day1applications.

Contemporary Society
EthicsPolitics and Economics
Ethics, Politics, and Economics

Japanese Language
Japanese Language

Foreign Languages
EnglishSelect one from the five subjects to answer.

German*Those who want to receive a question booklet for

French*the subject indicated with an asterisk (*) must

Chinese*request it when submitting their applications.

Korean*6

Subject Area (Group) /Selection of Subjects

SubjectScience (1)Basic Physics
Basic Chemistry
Basic Biology

Select two from the four subjects to answer.
Examinees must declare the subjects they
selected to answer when submitting theirapplications.

Basic Earth Science

Mathematics (1)Mathematics I

Select one from the two subjects to answer.

Mathematics I and A

Day Mathematics (2)2Select one from the four subjects to answer.

Mathematics II

Those who want to receive a question booklet

Mathematics II and B

for the subject indicated with an asterisk (*)

Bookkeeping and Accounting*must request it when submitting their

Basics in Information Processing*applications.

Science (2)Select up to two from the four subjects toAdvanced Physics

answer.

Advanced ChemistryExaminees must declare the subjects they

Advanced Biology

selected to answer when submitting their

Advanced Earth Scienceapplications.

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Special Points of Reasonable Accommodation
The NCUEE provides reasonable accommodation for applicants who request it for theCommon Test for University Admissions because of illness, injury, or disabilities.
However, their application must be reviewed. Upon conducting the test, in view of
the “Act for Eliminating Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities,” theNCUEE provides reasonable accommodation at a level that is appropriate to the typeand degree of the disability involved, and strives to respond flexibly according
to the degree of difficulty for each applicant.

Common Test question booklets in enlarged fonts(from the left: regular booklet, 14-point font booklet, 22-point font booklet)

B5 size

B4 size

Common Test answer sheets for answering in text (left) and for answering by checking (right)● Number of Applicants and Examinees, and Percentage of Examinees
・ Number of applicants (persons) : 512,581 (530,367)
・ Number of examinees (persons): 474,051 (488,383)

・ Percentage of examinees: 92.48%8(92.08%)

B4 size