A method for evaluating a semiconductor wafer by which light point defects LPDs on a surface of a semiconductor wafer are detected with the use of a laser surface inspection apparatus and the detected LPDs are classified into a crystal defect on the surface of the semiconductor wafer and a foreign matter on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, comprising steps of: detecting the LPDs on the surface of a semiconductor wafer as an examination sample in two measurement modes of the laser surface inspection apparatus, the two measurement modes consisting of low-angle incidence/low-angle detection and low-angle incidence/high-angle detection; performing size classification based on size information of the LPDs detected in the two measurement modes; calculating, from detection coordinates of each LPD detected in the two measurement modes, a distance between the detection coordinates and a relative angle to a wafer center in the two measurement modes, whereby said distance and said relative angle are calculated between the detection coordinates in the two measurement modes; presetting, in accordance with each classified size, determination criteria to determine each LPD having the distance between the detection coordinates and the relative angle in the two measurement modes which fall within a predetermined range as a foreign matter and to determine any LPD other than the LPD falling in the predetermined range as a killer defect which is the crystal defect of the semiconductor wafer as an examination sample; detecting the LPDs of a semiconductor wafer as an evaluation target in the two measurement modes; performing size classification based on size information of the LPDs detected in the two measurement modes as to the semiconductor wafer as the evaluation target; calculating, from detection coordinates of each LPD detected in the two measurement modes, a distance between the detection coordinates and a relative angle to a wafer center in the two measurement modes as to the semiconductor wafer as the evaluation target, whereby said distance and said relative angle are calculated between the detection coordinates in the two measurement modes; and classifying the LPDs detected on a surface of the semiconductor as the evaluation target into the killer defect and the foreign matter based on a result of the calculation and the determination criteria. detecting the LPDs on the surface of a semiconductor wafer as an examination sample in two measurement modes of the laser surface inspection apparatus, the two measurement modes consisting of low-angle incidence/low-angle detection and low-angle incidence/high-angle detection; performing size classification based on size information of the LPDs detected in the two measurement modes; calculating, from detection coordinates of each LPD detected in the two measurement modes, a distance between the detection coordinates and a relative angle to a wafer center in the two measurement modes, whereby said distance and said relative angle are calculated between the detection coordinates in the two measurement modes; presetting, in accordance with each classified size, determination criteria to determine each LPD having the distance between the detection coordinates and the relative angle in the two measurement modes which fall within a predetermined range as a foreign matter and to determine any LPD other than the LPD falling in the predetermined range as a killer defect which is the crystal defect of the semiconductor wafer as an examination sample; detecting the LPDs of a semiconductor wafer as an evaluation target in the two measurement modes; performing size classification based on size information of the LPDs detected in the two measurement modes as to the semiconductor wafer as the evaluation target; calculating, from detection coordinates of each LPD detected in the two measurement modes, a distance between the detection coordinates and a relative angle to a wafer center in the two measurement modes as to the semiconductor wafer as the evaluation target, whereby said distance and said relative angle are calculated between the detection coordinates in the two measurement modes; and classifying the LPDs detected on a surface of the semiconductor as the evaluation target into the killer defect and the foreign matter based on a result of the calculation and the determination criteria.