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A 30-day study plan for the Class 3 exam
This plan is for people who work full time and can study 45 to 60 minutes a day for one subject. If your Japanese is still weak, stretch it to six to eight weeks in the same order.
Last updated: 2026-10-19
Week 1: foundations and vocabulary
- Day 1: sit free paper 1 of your subject with furigana on and no timer. Note your score.
- Days 2–6: one textbook system per day (for gasoline: mechanics, valves, lubrication, cooling, fuel). Read the chapter, then answer the related items.
- Day 7: review every item you missed this week and add new words to your notebook.
Week 2: finish the scope
- Days 8–12: the remaining systems plus the shared topics: measuring tools, materials and lubricants, the law.
- Day 13: practise calculations until you make no mistakes.
- Day 14: sit paper 2 in a full 60 minutes, with furigana off if you can.
Week 3: papers and review
- Days 15–20: one 30-item paper a day (paper 3 onwards). Score it, read the explanations and note the chapters to reread.
- Day 21: review only. For any item you miss a second time, reread the textbook.
Week 4: speed and past papers
- Days 22–26: sit papers in 50 minutes instead of 60, to build a time buffer for the real test.
- Days 27–28: sit one or two of the past papers JASPA publishes, to get used to the real wording.
- Day 29: review your word notebook and missed items. Day 30: rest, prepare your admission slip and HB pencils.
Score target
The pass mark is 21/30. In practice aim for a steady 24/30 or more on your last papers, to leave a margin for unfamiliar items in the real test.
Using the app
The free papers 1–3 of each subject cover the first week. From week 2, papers 4–20 (VIP) give you a new paper every day without repeating old ones too soon.
VIP unlocks papers 4 to 20 in all three subjects (51 papers), the per-item tips and the detailed explanations for missed items. VIP is bought inside the iOS app with Apple payment, and Apple shows the price. The App Store version is coming soon. You can try the free exams on the web now.
FAQ
Are 30 days enough?
For someone who works in a garage and reads basic Japanese, yes. If not, spend two to four extra weeks on vocabulary before you start the plan.
When should I study each day?
Whenever you can study every day. Many people answer ten items on the train in the morning and read the textbook in the evening.
What if I take two subjects in one session?
Follow the plan for the first subject, then add two to three weeks for the parts specific to the second. The shared topics do not need relearning.
Take a 30-item mock paper and see right away which items you missed and why.
Try it free nowPapers 1–3 of every subject are free, with furigana. Opens in your browser, no sign-up.
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