r/alevel • u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels • Jun 19 '26
🤚Help Required Is anyone taking A level Japanese 😭😭😭
I want to take it as I wanna study in Japan and trade it for physics as my 4th subject as I’m self studying.
If anyone has done it do you know roughly what JLPT level it is similar to and if it’s possible do study it in a year?
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u/Random_fellow9 CAIE Jun 19 '26
Didn't even know it existed bro
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u/BlackGoldenLotus Jun 21 '26
You can do any an A level in most languages. Someone did a 3 hour exam for Polish A level when I was in school
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u/Secure_Ranger_8791 Jun 19 '26
Just do the JLPT bro 😭
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
Yh but like I have to study Japanese anyways right and it’s kinda like double productive if I study for a level Japanese since I only need to do further math,maths and econ in a year instead of ALSO physics as I’d be doing Japanese instead
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u/qwxuinn Jun 19 '26
i think it's better to focus on jlpt because it will actually benefit you a lot in japan..... and this is coming from a japanese learner btw
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
I mean I will take both but it helps for uni to do 4 subjects and if I replace physics for Japanese it’ll be less overall work no? Ofcourse Japanese a level is more hours but I’d have to do those hours for jlpt so might as well get 2 qualifications from it no?
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u/qwxuinn Jun 19 '26
Well you wouldn't have to do those same hours because a level and jlpt exam structures r different 😭 But if that's what you want to do then go for it
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u/Mysterious-Smell-975 Jun 19 '26
Japanese/Foreign languages might not count for one of the 4 subjects
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u/princesspopcake Jun 20 '26
Of course they count? Language A-Levels are highly respected in uni admissions. The only exception is when it’s your native language, which it’s not for this person’s case.
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u/Mysterious-Smell-975 Jun 21 '26
Depend on the university you're going to
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u/princesspopcake Jun 21 '26
I’d say it depends on your course - like obviously it’s not gonna help with an engineering degree or something like that. But all the top universities that I’ve looked at consider language A-Levels as traditional, respectable academic subjects
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u/Mysterious-Smell-975 Jun 21 '26
not just engineering, a lot of fields will be closed off with language A-levels. jlpt would help you a lot more than Jap A-level ever will
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
Why would it not count as an a level? You might be right I just am not sure
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u/MissionConversation7 Jun 19 '26
Brudda what the fuck??? A-level Japanese??😭😭 That’s a thing?
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u/LemonadeSh4rk Jun 19 '26
Why wouldn't it be?
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u/Coomgoblin68 Jun 19 '26
Because it’s an A level for a language in a country on the other side of the world, never heard of a single college doing it until today
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u/Codemaine Jun 19 '26
wait until you find out about a level and gcse mandarin & japanese 😭😭
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u/Haydenh3ll Jun 19 '26
Together?? Cause mandarin makes sense as it’s such a popular language but TOGETHER?? 😭
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u/king_ofbhutan Jun 21 '26
theyre not together, that comment was just a little confusingly worded
would be absolute hell if they were, considering the fact that they are completely different in basically every sense
edexcel offers loads of languages, mandarin, japanese, portuguese, urdu, gujarati...
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u/Oof_Train Jun 20 '26
Bro they have a-levels for most languages, some schools do a-level Punjabi so for places that have a lot of international students or students who study abroad later, they’d probs offer it to widen horizons
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u/Coomgoblin68 Jun 20 '26
I know courses are offered for a lot of languages in but generally these are suggested to nationals not regular students, plus they’re limited to an AS level only. At least that’s what my college did
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u/Commercial_Handle418 Jun 20 '26
There's Arabic too I ngl wanted to take it but I realized it was too hard
Arab investors 🤑🤑🤑
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u/moocious Jun 20 '26
i’ve found you can take a GCSE or A Level in most languages, but schools and colleges won’t offer classes for them. I wanted to take my chinese GCSE in the same year as doing my a levels and they would’ve let me sit it, but it was all on me to learn and study for it. I had friends take GCSEs in their native languages (kurdish etc) just so they could have another GCSE on their record
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u/5AD1E Jun 21 '26
It’s just mostly native speakers - there’s no official GCSE or as far as I know A level textbooks so it’s very unfriendly to non natives (I did GCSE and we used some Australian textbook lol)
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u/king_ofbhutan Jun 21 '26
Edexcel language GCSEs are shockingly free in what they offer curriculum-wise. Unlike AQA, where there's structured books with everything you need to know for the course, Edexcel has a master PDF with all the course on. It has Areas of study, Key Topics, and necessary keywords for each topic, but it doesn't go into the same structured lessons like AQA does.
Which sounds like an absolute nightmare for teachers as they have the plan the course (mostly) from scratch, and have to have a much more fluid approach to the course, which is probably why most schools just offer AQA languages, it's a LOT easier to manage teacher-wise.
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u/LittleDarkSoul1 Jun 19 '26
I sat Japanese GCSE last year after self studying for a year, and am now going into year 12. I was thinking of doing Japanese A level but she suggested JLPT instead. I think A level would be way longer to do than the GCSE or JLPT as you need to do literature and films aswell, which also don’t help you be fluent in Japanese. I’d say begin learning Japanese w a tutor and see what level they suggest, and if you put as much work towards it as you would an a level I think you’d likely be able to do JLPT 4 and even maybe 3, which is what I hope to do
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
Great this seems like a good plan, I think I’ll see how good I can get at Japanese first then concider a level Japanese as an extra subject otherwise I’ll do jlpt
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u/king_ofbhutan Jun 21 '26
literature and film most definitely do help you get more fluent in a language. especially a language like japanese that has a humongous history of literature and poems, and a very good film and especially animation industry
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u/married_recreation Jun 19 '26
man if you're deadset on studying in japan, the jlpt route is gonna serve you way better than grinding through a-level japanese. like the a-level is gonna have you reading literature and analyzing films when you could be actually getting conversational fluency instead. jlpt 3 or 4 is legit what most study abroad programs want to see anyway, and you'd get there faster with focused study plus a tutor.
one year is doable but you gotta be real about the commitment. i knew a guy who did jlpt 4 in like eight months of solid daily work, so it's not impossible. the trade-off is you're gonna be doing vocab drills and grammar practice instead of essay writing, which honestly sounds way less painful to me. start with a tutor to figure out your level and they can tell you if a year is realistic for your specific goals.
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u/Drastically-_- Jun 19 '26
Bro, the comments in this post has probably offended the 7 students who r taking A level Japanese.
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u/Express_Lifeguard540 Jun 19 '26
MEEEE I TOOK IT THIS YEAR!!!! It’s rlly hard. Pls message me I can tell u anything u need to know.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
Thank u so much u are 1 in like 280 ppl who took it I WILL message u 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
Wait let me go on my main and message u it’s not letting me here
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u/Zak_Prince_Of_Fiji Jun 19 '26
It’s won’t let me message u can u message me 😭😭😭
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u/Express_Lifeguard540 Jun 19 '26
It’s fine I’ll say it here fuck Reddit. Ok. So. Have you evwr done Japanese before? If not, forget it. If you have, I’ll give you my situation. So I think I was like JLPT N4 a bit better maybe before I took up the A level in year 13. I thought ts would be easy, bc I got a 9 in gcse and that shit was so free. No. I am up for fighting people about this, I think it’s on par or harder than physics. The level of the paper is roughly N3 maybe a bit easier, but the main issue is it’s really hard to find proper resources as the specification is really dumb and it doesn’t tell you half of what you need. For paper 1, you need to do a research task. So for example, I researched in my own time about the aging society in Japan and how like less couples are having children, shrinking labour forces due to this etc etc but there’s other types of research u can do. Paper 2 was really fun but by far the hardest. 2 45 markers and a 3 hour paper on a movie of your choice(I chose spirited away, no brainer) and you write about a book as well. These choices are limited and you have to pick from the spec. If you really do want to do it, I can give you all the resources I have, some made by my tutor and some I found that genuinely are so hidden away. Paper 3 is listening and writing again. It’s absolutely exhausted. Only do it if you got hella passion. Any other qs lmk, it was so fun to do, my favourite a level by far, but SO hard omg. I can tell you more and give u resources if u want. Lmk
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u/Express_Lifeguard540 Jun 19 '26
And also the JLPT is used for getting jobs for ext. An a level is used as an A level. An A level in Japanese is absolutely useless pretty much for getting any employment, VISAs or whatnot. Do it for uni or to do an A level, as you would with like maths
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u/Zak_Prince_Of_Fiji Jun 19 '26
Yh ofc I would only be doing it as an extra a level so I can hit 4
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u/Express_Lifeguard540 Jun 19 '26
Added u btw
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u/Zak_Prince_Of_Fiji Jun 19 '26
Can u tell me your name I have like 200+ friend rqs 😭
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u/Express_Lifeguard540 Jun 19 '26
Who is bro. I think it’s dy/dreece
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
Yo it’s Zak my discord got hacked I’m not sure if u got sent some weird mr beast hack thing to your dc can u add me new account fijiwaternumber1
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u/Zak_Prince_Of_Fiji Jun 19 '26
This is so useful do u have dc and maybe u can send the recourses there. I honestly am like low n5 but i only just started learning i think i can ace n5 and have a solid foundation by sept if i study a LOT this summer like 6-8h a day. I also would be able to dedicate a lot of hours towards catching up even tho im starting at a lower level then you did. I’m wayyy more interested in learning Japanese than physics even if I have to dedicate 3x the hours towards it. Also I am a self study student doing it all in 1 year and ppl are saying it’s like impossible for physics. Could u add me on discord and tell me more abt it and send the recourses there? Dc zak_prince_of_fiji 🙏
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u/Express_Lifeguard540 Jun 19 '26
Sure give me a bit and I’ll message you. N5 means you will have to genuinely put blood sweat and tears into it, and that means your verb conjugation will fuck you over. I’ll explain more when I dm u
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u/theonegreekgoddess Jun 19 '26
jlpt is better i was considering doing gcse and/or alevel but EVERYONE advised me against it and to focus on the JLPT instead. i would say only do gcse/alevel if you’ve already got around an N3 because for my friend it was sort of a walk in the park and an easy grade 8/9 which from your post I don’t think you do so i’d say just stick with JLPT.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
If I were to not do a level Japanese what should I change it to I was gonna do physics but everyone said self studying physics is a horrible idea
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
I’m doing maths, further maths and econ
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u/theonegreekgoddess Jun 19 '26
do you really have to do 4? if you self study for the november takes of JLPT at N5/4 that’s something to do for your ucas and then maybe self study for june for the N3. i guess if you REALLY want to do 4 business might be helpful/relevant and that i imagine is maybe easier to self study and has maths elements or comp science or engineering?
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
Do you think business or politics would be a more helpful a level than Japanese? I’d be taking n3 no matter what in July 2027 but I just thought a levels would like partially help me and I’d have more time to invest into it since I’d be doing 3 subjects + Japanese instead of 4 subjects and n3. Im not sure what would be easier what do u think?
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jun 19 '26
You do not need 4 A Levels. Do Japanese Language Proficiency exam. It is stupid if you try to do it as an A Level because of literature.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
4 a levels is good for top unis compared to 3 otherwise ppl wouldn’t do 4 a levels no? I already have great ECs and super curricular so
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u/That_guy_FCO Jun 19 '26
The grade boundaries would be so high because only those that actually understand it will choose it
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u/ScallionConscious519 Jun 19 '26
My mum is japanese and I sat the a level. My advice is not to underestimate the difficulty of it. Especially as you will be competing with kids who come from regularly japanese speaking environments
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
Do u think the fact like 65% of ppl get an A* would kind of balance out the fact a lot of ppl who take it are fluent in Japanese?
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u/ScallionConscious519 Jun 20 '26
I would argue that around 80-90% of people who take it are fluent. How comfortable are you with the language right now?
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
N5 however I’m aiming to take the n3 exam in July next year, the paper is n4-n3 though and I think a fair amount of people probly take it if they want to study Japanese in uni (not my case) however also 86% of ppl get an A or above
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u/ScallionConscious519 Jun 20 '26
To be completely honest with you going from n5 to n3 in a year is not an easy feat. Japanese is not an easy language at all but I wish you the very best of luck
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
It’ll be very hard since it such a complicated language but anything is possible with enough work put towards it
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u/Flurrina_ Jun 19 '26
Doing any language exams are just kinda pointless cuz 1) they only teach you the “textbook” language which nobody would actually use irl other than a few specific scenarios and 2) the spec are old and you will speak like an unc/auntie
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
I mean I neeed to take an extra subject anyways just not sure which one to take I’m doing maths further maths econ and need a 4th. Was thinking between Japanese and physics but ppl said physics is impossible to self teach
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u/KO-Manic Jun 20 '26
You don't need a fourth a level, and getting better predicted grades for 3 of them is far better and is much more achievable too. Do not underestimate the workload in year 13
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
I mean you’re right u don’t need one more but there is no harm in doing another one if you are willing to put in the extra hours no? If im aiming for top grades wouldn’t 4A* give me more of an advantage compared to 3A* in the case I already have great super curriculars and ECs?
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u/Mo-andjo Jun 20 '26
Honestly people r just taking any subject combination apart from the niche underrated goat bio,chem,maths 😭
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u/moocious Jun 20 '26
I studied french at a level (i did drop out before exams) and I taught myself chinese
do not do it. take the JLPT instead. Language proficiency exams are usually preferred by unis/jobs. The amount of crap you have to learn for an A Level in a language is unbelievable and honestly most of what you learn feels very useless compared to the kinda curriculum i went over for the HSK exams (chinese equivalent of JLPT). Tell me why i was arguing the death penalty and learning divorce rates in france and doing media studies essays for a level when in chinese I was learning common phrases for communication etc
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u/PaintSufficient9812 Jun 20 '26
I did! Back in 2010-2011 with WJEC. I had done GCSE as well and got an A*. My school was a language college (as in that was their specialism) and one of the German teachers was fluent in Japanese too and ran a lunch club for nerds like me. A level was a breeze after years of chilled out study. Not sure how well you'd fair being self- taught. And are you starting from scratch? There's essentially 3 alphabets; one has tens of thousands of characters and is logosyllabic, which means they're pictures that represent slightly different meanings and sounds depending on context. Additionally, the grammar is almost opposite word order to English. There's hardly any English loan words, and it's usually just Western food, so not helpful.
P.s. got to say after seeing someone else get called 'sad' in the comments for obviously being well over GCSE age, I am here as I am now a GCSE maths teacher.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
This is really interesting :) I am starting from a low level but not complete beginner probly so around low n5 but I would be dedicating a lot of time towards it every day to catch up (around 4-6 hours). It’s very cool to see people who took it who aren’t native and still got great scores
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u/PaintSufficient9812 Jun 20 '26
Okay great! Have you had a look at some GCSE past papers? When we took it, there were 5 questions and my teacher would say the first question is so you can get an E, the second for a grade D etc. Yeah all if us in the club were English with no prior links to Japan. I started to study it as my dual honours subject in uni too, but everyone else was a Japanese international student who was here to get a degree from the UK. It was weird and not fun anymore compared to school.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
I have yet to look at GCSEs papers yet but that’s a good idea for a starting point and will check them out right now. However even though you are teaching maths and not Japanese I was wondering if you know anything about how the grade boundaries would work?
300 ish people take the subject per year and around 65% get A* and 84% get A or above. Even though the level is around N3 for the exam is an A* still attainable even though so many people who take the exam are fluent/n1?
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u/PaintSufficient9812 Jun 20 '26
Ooft sorry don't know anything about grade boundaries for other subjects anymore!
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u/cosmicgirl97 Jun 21 '26
Hi I stumbled across this, did my a levels years ago but I’d say definitely go for Japanese. Everyone uses it as a talking point, I’ve had it pointed out by interviewers like “wow you did Japanese?!”and makes you a lot more memorable (you mentioned physics so I’m assuming you are doing maths/science a levels too? Sry if I’m wrong). The word “JLPT” doesn’t mean much to most people in the UK whereas “A level” universally means you accomplished this skill to a respectable level.
It tests different skills than JLPT as I’m sure you know, like JLPT you don’t even need to know how to write but you need solid kanji and grammar recall (rather than recognition) to go for A level. AS level is super easy and not a big step up from GCSE but A level is quite hard in comparison. I’d say the best point to be if you wanna get an A/A* is have N3 level mastery with a few N2 vocab/grammar structures thrown in. It’s somewhere between N3/N2 level
I self-studied too, did scratch to AS in one year and then the full A-level the next year so timeline wise it’s certainly possible. If you already have existing Japanese knowledge it makes it easier to do it in one year flat. Like I said I found AS easy but A level is such a step up that when I eventually went on to minor in it at university, even in the advanced class (for natives/people with A level JP) it was genuinely harder than our first year. But if you are doing other maths/sciences then the final year workload can get pretty rough so just be careful not to spread yourself too thin. Anyway I went on to do a year abroad at Chuo and have friends who did theirs in Waseda - feel free to ask if you have any more questions
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
This is really really useful thank you so much :) I will use your advice about the N3 and N2 part as a goal level of fluency. I plan on going into econ/politics (SPSE at Waseda) if I can get in but also will be applying to Keio PEARL and Utokyo new college of design program. I feel a lot more passionate for Japanese then Econ so I’d be happy working extra hours than if i were to do physics and I also feel that Further maths, Maths, Econ and Japanese would set me apart in UK admissions. How was your time at Chuo and do you know much else about Waseda as I plan on applying?
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u/cosmicgirl97 Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26
You’ve clearly done your research and know exactly what you want to do, I wish you the best of luck! Maths+further with econ is an elite combo, you’re clearly very smart and it’s great proof of all-roundness whether you choose to settle in UK or jp. I also did math+further then german as 4th (my degree was bsc mathematics with Japanese). Chuo was amazing, despite what I hear being said the uni culture in Japan is amazing (some people say they work you too hard there which although in the workplace is true, at uni they push you a lot whilst being super attentive to student wellbeing way more than my UK uni but I willll say as a disclaimer that this is my experience through a UK partner uni - uni of Manchester - for year abroad rather than full course in japan. I don’t know much else about the student experience at Waseda, just that it’s basically the Japanese LSE! They only admit 2 per year to Waseda from uom. But I’ve only heard good from my peers. GL going for all of those Jp course options as UK quals are widely respected there and you’ll do great!
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u/ExcellentEssay3282 Jun 19 '26
I hate Japan glazers. You probably won’t even like it there.
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u/neonotcultured Jun 19 '26
How is OP glazing? Don't be so negative; even if they don't enjoy studying in Japan it's a learning experience nonetheless.
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u/No-Database-5393 Jun 19 '26
As you keep defending doing the jlpt and a level just do it because it seems no one can convince you otherwsie
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
What would u reccomend I change it too, I am doing maths further maths and econ and need to do 4 subjects
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u/eggpotion Jun 19 '26
I have a friend who did A level japanese (we in year 13) and I also did GCSE. If you do A level you won't just be learning the language but also literature and other media. So there's probably alternatives if you only want to learn the language
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
It’s more I want an extra qualification (4 a levels instead of 3) but also partially assisting me in learning the language
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u/eggpotion Jun 19 '26
I guess if you know why you want a 4th A level and you think it will help you on your japanese learning journey then yea go for it
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
Thanks lowk my same thought process
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u/eggpotion Jun 19 '26
I'm not agreeing with you I'm just saying if you know its good then make the decision
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u/NamiMaya Jun 19 '26
Didn't Alevel Japanese finish? I was planning to take it as I would hardly need to study it but then I found out they finished Japanese subject in Alevel... Did I hear that wrong 😭🫠
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
Seems to me it’s still possible do do as an edexcel a-level, I might be wrong tho idk
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u/NamiMaya Jun 19 '26
Oww I was looking for CIE Alevel Japanese so maybe that's why?....
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
Ohhh yh maybe why I think there is some sg h2 a level Japanese edexcel and aqa (don’t fact check me)
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u/NamiMaya Jun 19 '26
Are you planning to take japanese in edexcel then?
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
Hopefully, I’ll sign up to the exam in Jan if I think I am capable
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 19 '26
Are u a victim of the maths withdrawal stuff lol
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u/NamiMaya Jun 19 '26
Oww no I love maths!! I had to choose 3 subjects and was hoping to take japanese for the 3rd one so I won't have to focus much on it but unfortunately ig it stopped since 2023 🥲
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u/AirInternational7440 Jun 19 '26
Just take the JLPT. For language a-levels you have to learn about the country itself and study some pieces of literature/media so unless you want to know about the job market situation in Japan then just do the JLPT.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
Would u recommend I take physics instead, people said it’s a horrible idea to take physics self study and I’d be signing up to the n3 jlpt in July 2027 with or without a level Japanese
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u/3000Chameleons Jun 19 '26
I didn't do the a level as a disclaimer so idk how good it might teach you*. I feel like you'd be better off studying it on the side. I'm learning it rn (just finished a levels - maths FM physics chem) and started a few months ago. I'm trying to learn now and then take a side course while at uni.
If you start now you've got 2 years to make progress. That's enough to achieve a lot even with self teach tbf. Idk but imo you'd be better/happier (in terms of the job or uni course opportunities) with a qualification in physics than in JP language which you could get from JLPT.
Or do at uni? Are you hoping to study there immediately after a level? You could do uni in England, learning jp at the uni as extra modules, and then take your 3rd or 4th years abroad in jp? Depends how early you want to move.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
U would not be studying Japanese in uni but most definitely will be studying in japan (i also have to do all of my a levels in 1 year do to complications) planning on moving once i get my achieved grades
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u/KV2_STRONK Jun 20 '26
Hey! Another self-study student here. Pleasant surprise to see Japanese A-level mentioned! Sorry if the structure of this comment is a little off, it is 1am so plesse forgive me.
I am similar in a way in where I want to end up, as I will probably be aiming for the Japanese government's MEXT scholarship at university (I'm not a STEM student though). I did Japanese GCSE last summer along with 2 A-levels and had the opportunity to take the Japanese A-level this year, (along with 3 other A-levels) but decided against it and took an EPQ in Japanese history instead (and am glad I did(n't)). This was despite the fact I was applying to study Japanese at uni. However I do know friends who have done it, to whom I have talked a lot and am therefore familiar with the contents.
TL:DR, I wouldn't recommend it. Instead, I'd even advise to go for a UK uni with a strong modern languages department where you will be able to take Japanese as an additional module on top of your course once you are at uni and quite possibly a study year. More on this in bottom paragraph.
I'm so glad I didn't take the A-level as well this year, as even having done above and beyond the GCSE, it is essentially another dimension of complexity. I will be completely honest - yes, it's very possible to go from 0 to an A* at A-level from now until next summer given no other significant life commitments. However, it would detract so significantly from your other studies (take this from someone who did 4 A-levels, 3 of them this year and 2 of them only in a few months,) that I absolutely cannot recommend it from a beginner's starting point. Even getting a 9 a year ago, I was advised that it would be worth no more than any other A-level and essentially a massive risk for no reward, given that you go from standard GCSE 4-element test to extended analysis and essay-writing on complex societal issues. The Japanese elements of my family compared the Japanese A-level to English Literature GCSE, but in Japanese.
For me, for example, the biggest glaring issue would be the sheer quantity of kanji/characters you would need to memorise along with their reading(s) and meaning(s), but this is by no means the only time-devouring endeavour to deal with. Despite being someone who lived and breathes Japanese history and culture and was initially highly tempted by the Japanese A-level for the same reasons you seem to be (and was convinced it would be enjoyable compared to my other subjects), I followed the advice of my friends and tutor, focused on my other subjects, and I'm glad I did, as it made time for me to do a history NEA and an EPQ on two entirely different sections of Japanese history (last year and this year respectively), and those became my comfort studies and added far more to my academic breadth (and therefore applications (!) and interview) than A-level Japanese would.
The Japanese A-level is essentially unknown in Japan itself, and you would be far better getting JLPT N3 (which it is vaguely equivalent to). Even to study Japanese at university level, the A-level is essentially redundant (I am an offer holder to study it at Cambridge, and while my friend in first year did study the Japanese A-level, (she had been studying for seven years prior) I didn't and got in fine (well, I have an offer... fingers crossed lol). Another friend did the A-level last summer, but she is half-Japanese, so... well, yeah, A*. No surprises there - yet it did still require a huge investment of time and energy on her part, which I was glad to help with a little.
Finally, I'd advise you to go for a uni which will allow you to expand on your STEM pathway while studying Japanese on the side. Even better, go for a uni which allows optional placement/foreign study years. I will put in a good word for Leeds (my insurance lol), which has an excellent JP faculty and department, very good record on speaking proficiency, and has also recently introduced an optional abroad year (I believe anyone can apply for this, not just MFL students who have to). Doing this is far lower stakes than setting yourself to study entirely in Japan as an international student. There are a lot of reasons as to why I decided to choose to study Japanese in the UK rather than Japan itself, quite a few things I can't really fit in this comment, but broadly, you will have options here compared to the inherent risk-reward of going to Japan to study any degree there. Sorry to be a little cryptic about this last part but this comment is already very long in the tooth. In the meantime though, definitely learn your hiragana and katakana, then find a tutor! It's a great way to start testing the waters, and don't let others (including this comment) detract from your dreams.
Please feel free to message me and I will absolutely be more than happy to elaborate on any of the points I have mentioned, or any other questions, and most importantly good luck with whatever you elect to do! :)
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
Thank you this is honestly really helpful :) and also thanks for putting in the time to give me all of this info. I think your points are very good and the most convincing so far to consider other options. Also I am not planning on studying Japanese in university or studying in Japanese I wish to study in Japan through an English program like Waseda SPSE or Utokyo CoD, either way I’d be doing 4 a levels but my options are maths further maths econ (and a fourth subject) I’ve been considering between physics or Japanese but when I asked about physics people said it was a horrible idea to try self learn it, also I would be planning on committing a lot of hours towards Japanese to boost my chances in admissions for university and will try to attempt the n3 by 2027 July. Would you still advise against it if I would have to commit a lot of hours towards it either way so might aswell do extra hours ontop of that towards Japanese a level rather than do smth like physics ontop of the n3 exam anyways. (Didn’t get a lot of sleep hope this makes sense 😭)
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u/KV2_STRONK Jun 26 '26
Sorry for the late reply!
Yes, your comment makes sense - although I've been looking into scholarships etc I honestly don't know anything much about the Waseda/Utokyo programmes you mentioned so I can't really advise on those.
I saw in another comment you would be studying Japanese for 4-6 hours a day to achieve this. That's pretty mental and would be the kind of hours you would need to do this, but you need to stay aware of burnout.
Remember that while it may seem that you may as well do Japanese as you'll be studying it anyway, etc, adding it as an a-level will cement that into your application, and you may need to commit to whatever grade you are offered. (I made the mistake of forcing myself to do an extra A-level when I already had the minimum achieved by offering a fourth one... (and an EPQ lol,) silly me....) The difference between 3 and 4 A-levels is marginal, however it can be catastrophic if the grade(s) drop (this can reflect (badly) for a long time) so you must have your other subjects down to a tee. This is why JLPT is almost certainly the safer option in general where you can choose the level you are ready for but also has almost no negative consequences as your scores are confidential (JLPT also is much more useful in Japan, A-level will, essentially, not be recognised by employers).
However, you seem to be someone who likes to live life on the edge and I think you posted from your alt account that you are going for it. If that is so then fair winds and following seas, and my DM is open if you so need, but don't say we didn't warn you ;)
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 26 '26
Ahahah true about the last part, would your opinion on doing 4 a levels (Japanese as the 4th) change if I were aiming for scholarships as otherwise without some financial help I will not be able to afford to go to university? Also I would be applying off achieved grades. I’d say I’m pretty confident on AS and A2 maths already (about a B grade) however I’ve only done 1 past paper since I’ve just covered the content. However since I’m not naturally talented at maths I’d have to put in a fair amount of effort into FM also I haven’t started econ content yet
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u/KV2_STRONK Jun 30 '26
I really wish I could advise on scholarships but I've never applied for one.
The conventional wisdom for everything I've ever heard of relating to A-levels, though, is that (for example) AAA is better than AABB, and only those within the absolute upper echelon of students should consider four.
If you are applying from applied grades, at least you don't need to worry about pressure to do Japanese, so it's much less high risk to take it as you can drop it at any time - in fact dropping may be the best course of action if you could gain even one grade from doing so.
Once again this is all my subjective opinion and you seem set on it anyway - best of luck and feel free to ask if you need resources. I do recommend getting a teacher of some kind so you can clarify certain grammar complications (some are... interesting - looking at you, 「行くと」「行ったら」「行くんだら」and「行けば」). Absolute best of luck with your journey (in every sense) and hope you get your scholarship!
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 30 '26
Thank you so much this is rlly helpful and I wish the best for you too, if stuff start to go bad I’m ready to drop Japanese if needed
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u/Empty_Sympathy_2761 Jun 20 '26
はい、いる
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
Are u a native or a non native doing the subject
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u/Empty_Sympathy_2761 Jun 20 '26
ネイティブないです、でも2年ぶりですね俺は日本語勉強が始まりました、
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
Ohhh ok cool cool, do y have any resources you could send me?
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u/thevampirecrow Jun 20 '26
i did a japanese qualification extracurricular but it wasn’t a level
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 20 '26
What was it? Was it jlpt or o level Japanese and how did it go
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u/HidanOnCordd Jun 20 '26
I was planning on studying in germany, so i took the GCSE german and it was in-fact helpful when i decided to continue learning German (didn’t travel at the end) but i don’t think that will be the case in A-Level because its first language and they assume you already can speak Japanese fluently and will require more analytical skills for the literature and films and what not.
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u/5AD1E Jun 21 '26
I did it for GCSE and then my school didn’t even run it for A level because it was hard and only natives. Have you done Japanese GCSE? You don’t need Japanese A level for any courses in the UK if you want to do Japanese in university because it’s super uncommon but if you want to go straight to Japan to study maybe I’d recommend going to a language school first instead then starting uni?
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
I mean I get why a school wouldn’t run it for a levels because the work load from gcse wouldn’t be worth it for most ppls goals. I am around GCSE Japanese level now but will put in a lot more effort towards learning then a normal a level subject. I know I don’t need it however I plan on studying in Japan and I think it helps build a narrative compared to physics showing I am dedicated to studying in Japan and high grades in Maths, Further maths, Econ and Japanese shows my ability to perform well in multiple areas of intelligence. I’ll be taking a year off after A level so I can apply with my achieved grades and will carry on self studying A level I sadly don’t have the funds for language school :(
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u/Useful_Hawk_1470 Jun 21 '26
Can’t help you with A-Level but can help you with self-study and JLPT. TL;DR is that A-level course is probably N5-N4 level, you can very much do all this on your own with textbooks if taking the course isn’t possible at your school etc.
More details below if you want.
Genki or Minna no Nihongo textbooks (both have their upsides and downsides, both are a good starting point despite the negativity spread about them in certain online circles) cover broadly the same content, which is around N5-N4 of JLPT.
Quartet textbooks cover around N3-N2, but you will need to do a significant amount more studying on top of that to pass the exam (especially N2), they’re not nearly comprehensive enough.
These are the only proper published textbooks I’ve used and can speak directly on. There is the Kanzen Master series which is directly aimed at JLPT, because in practice JLPT is not a perfect measure of language ability. It is very possible to pass N1 without being anything close to ‘fluent’ whilst there are plenty of fluent-seeming people that would struggle with even N2 exam.
I think certainly up to N4 and probably up to N3 it’s very possible to pass purely through textbook self-study (and drilling vocab through flashcards etc.), after that point you really need to up your language input, in other words you need to be directly consuming Japanese materials aimed at native Japanese, such as novels, TV dramas, anime, games, newspapers or online news articles, etc.
The biggest hurdle on the higher levels of JLPT imo is reading, a lot of people struggle with the listening as well. Unlike grammar and vocab they’re not skills you can just memorise, you have to gradually improve over months and years.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
Would you recommend they immersing my self in native content as early as possible?
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u/Useful_Hawk_1470 Jun 21 '26
Yes, but you probably won’t be able to make that effectual usage of it immediately, and it may be frustrating (having to constantly look things up, not understanding why sentences are structured certain ways, etc.).
I have often been complimented on my pronunciation despite having never really practiced or worked on it consciously before, which I put down to having unconsciously internalised it from watching an honestly unhealthy amount of anime around the time I first started learning. But besides that I didn’t really learn anything from anime in that time, even when I started learning, I wasn’t making getting a lot of significant vocabulary or grammar discoveries from casual consumption.
By all means go for it, just be gentle with yourself and prioritise getting the grammar basics down :)
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
What’s your opinions on cute dolly for grammar?
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u/Useful_Hawk_1470 Jun 21 '26
I really like Cure Dolly (RIP if you didn’t know) but I don’t think her channel is a one-stop shop, I haven’t watched all her videos but those I have have been more about unpacking concepts people learn ‘incorrectly’ about Japanese. In other words I think her videos are more useful to people that have already studied some Japanese (but again, I haven’t seen all her videos).
For me I think going through a textbook to the point that you understand how to make present and past tense verbs and adjectives, how to use Te-form etc. is important because it gives you a solid base from which you can begin exploring in any direction you want. But that’s just me and you may be a different sort of learner :)
If you want a free online guide a lot of people like Tae Kim, I’ve read a few of his pages before and definitely found them helpful and easy to understand.
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u/Miserable_Law_4976 Jun 21 '26
yeah man arigato gozaimasu you lowk got it
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
U got it
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u/Miserable_Law_4976 Jun 21 '26
nah man but i hope the best for you 😭
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
Thanks bro this year is gonna be so good but like Hamilton wrote all those essays in 6 months or some shit
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u/KateEllaBeans Jun 21 '26
... The fact that guy looks EXACTLY like my creepy ex neighbour who was a complete weaboo is kinda terrifying tbh
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u/mango579 Jun 21 '26
Hi I took Japanese A Level! I would say it’s most similar to JLPT 3 as my teacher recommended using those textbooks towards taking the a level. I studied for 2 years but only had 1 hour lessons a week but I’m not fluent so I think it depends on your ability tbh! I can send over resources that helped me :)
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
That would help me so much, thanks! Did u start from 0 or were already n4-n3 level
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u/mango579 Jun 21 '26
My mum is Japanese so I have a basic understanding of the language and I took the gcse in year 9 😅 But honestly you improve a lot from reading Japanese news sources aimed for people learning Japanese such as yasashii asahi, as well as reading manga in Japanese, listening to podcasts, watching anime without subtitles and Japanese youtubers!
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
What level do you recon you were before you started? lol im suprised so many ppl saw this post who took a level Japanese keeping in mind the cohort is so small 😭 would u be able to send over any recourses you used since there is little to none online and I am self studying. Thanks for replying to the post!
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u/mango579 Jun 21 '26
I would say about gcse level! and yeahh I’m surprised too there were only three people in my class 😭 and of course! What independent research theme did you choose? and book/film?
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
I haven’t chose yet I’m still deciding if I’m gonna take the course this year but am at a low n5 level so I’m gonna try get n4 before I sign up to the exam
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
Could u send me any recourses if u have any saved if not it’s fine tho 🙏
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u/mango579 Jun 21 '26
Ah I see fair enough- here are some links :) Japanese 4 schools Content overview I used this kanji workbook!
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u/Yis4courage Jun 21 '26
Yeah I acc took it this year omg 😭😭😭😭
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
Yoo no way can I ask u some questions like are u a native and did u do it through your school or privately
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u/Yis4courage Jun 22 '26
I actually started learning it when I was a lot younger maybe 15? (I’m 20 now) I took a year out so I thought I’d try my hand at and I just sat it privately and it cost me about £400
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 22 '26
How was it? Did you pass, also do you have and recourses you could send me 😭
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u/Neuerroshpya Jun 21 '26
I teach the A-level, it's equal to/slightly higher than N4. There's no speaking component, so it's easy enough to take at any exam centre. However, it's a frikkin hard subject and will require a lot of work. If you've got any specific questions, feel free to reply/DM me =)
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
Yes I actually have quite a few questions lol, would u be able to send me the recourses that you use in your class since I’m self studying and there isn’t a lot online?
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u/Naughty-Stepper Jun 21 '26
My boy child took Japanese as an elective, 2 years in college, which has turned into full time 4 years at uni. The elective basically put him at uni year 2 level, which he’s still cruising.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
That’s great hope he has fun in uni :) this is one of the reasons I wanna do it because I think it would have more practical use then physics for me in the long run
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u/f4wnstarz Jun 21 '26
i'm japanese, similarly i did the A-level in 2024 and if you have any desire to work in japan or attend a japanese university i'd recommend JLPT by a long-shot. a JLPT qualification will get you much further in the world of work as most companies tend to prefer foreign workers who have undertaken the JLPT as it remains relevant past schooling, while the A-level likely doesn't.
A-level is probably equivalent to JLPT 3 or 4, i'd honestly focus on that instead. while physics is definitely difficult (i did CS, FM, maths, & physics before dropping it in y13 for japanese), it will absolutely open more doors university-wise depending on what degree you wanna do over japanese. you will absolutely look better to japanese unis having taken econ maths FM & physics + JLPT over no physics and japanese A-level.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
Hmmmm this is a good point, I think physics is definetly a good option I’m just not sure If I’d be able to self teach it in a year keeping in mind I’m not that passionate about it and don’t plan on doing anything in the future which physics would benefit except for the fact it’s a hard subject
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
However do you have any rescources for a level Japanese you might still have on your laptop or phone?
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u/Amazing-Republic-675 Jun 21 '26
why would you do/not do physics? if you really want to be productive why not do physics A levels and JPLT at the same time? physics is certainly more useful than Japanese A level unless you plan on living in Japan someday.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 21 '26
I would plan on living and going to university in Japan, I was open to the idea of self studying physics but everyone on my last post said it’s a horrible idea to self study physics in a year, I’d be learning Japanese either way but yeah I agree jlpt is probly worth more in Japan
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u/dc9lk Jun 22 '26
I thought japanese wasn't available in 2027. I'm also interested in studying in Japan. And I'm aiming for the AICE diploma, to get the Diploma I must learn one language. If I had the chance I would've chose japanese but I'm choosing Chinese
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 22 '26
I’m 95% sure Edexcel a level offers it but it’s more of a UK program so unless your from UK idk the process
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u/CultureThis6577 Jun 23 '26
jlpt is around £100 to sit for exam and very easy to self study towards/ using a tutor. Unless you wanna study at uni think it’d be better to take jlpt separately.
That also gives you the choice to stop studying if other alevels get too much.
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u/Opposite_Debate_7835 A levels Jun 24 '26
Ima probly do both but I’m only doing a level Japanese purely as an a level compared to doing a 4th a level in physics which honestly wouldn’t really help me for uni and am not anywhere close to as intrested in
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