How do TOEIC Listening & Reading scores convert to Eiken (英検) grades?

There is no official direct concordance between TOEIC and Eiken, so the two are bridged through CEFR, which both tests publish. As a guide: Eiken Grade 1 is CEFR C1, roughly TOEIC 945 and above; Grade Pre-1 is B2, roughly TOEIC 785 and above (in practice Pre-1 holders often score around 740 to 820); Grade 2 is B1, roughly TOEIC 550 to 780; Grade Pre-2 is A2, roughly TOEIC 225 to 545; and Grade 3 is A1. Treat these as approximate equivalences, not an official equivalence, because the two tests measure different skill sets.

How accurate is the TOEIC to Eiken bridge?

It is a reasonable planning guide, not a precise equivalence. Both tests publish CEFR alignments, so the bridge is grounded, but each CEFR band covers a wide TOEIC range and the two tests weight skills differently. Use it to understand roughly where an Eiken grade sits on the TOEIC scale and vice versa. For any official requirement, take the specific test the institution names.

TOEIC ↔ Eiken conversion

TOEIC to Eiken (英検): the honest conversion chart

There is no official direct concordance between TOEIC and Eiken. The accurate way to compare them is through CEFR, the ladder both tests publish. In short: Grade 1 ≈ TOEIC 945+, Pre-1 ≈ 785+ (B2), Grade 2 ≈ 550–780 (B1), Pre-2 ≈ A2. Here is the full grade-by-grade bridge, and exactly what each equivalence does and does not mean.

Bridged through CEFRBoth tests publish a CEFR level, so we compare via that

Grade 1 (1級): CEFR C1 · roughly TOEIC 945–990
Pre-1 (準1級): CEFR B2 · roughly TOEIC 785+ (often 740–820)
Grade 2 (2級): CEFR B1 · roughly TOEIC 550–780
Pre-2 (準2級): CEFR A2 · roughly TOEIC 225–545

Want your real TOEIC number to line up? Take a free full-length mock and get an instant score estimate.

The full TOEIC to Eiken table

This chart maps TOEIC Listening & Reading (10 to 990) to Eiken grades through the CEFR level each side publishes. Read it as a range, never a single exact number, and see the caveat below the table.

Eiken grade	CEFR	TOEIC L&R (approx)	What it signals
Grade 1 1級	C1	945–990	Advanced; near the top of the TOEIC scale
Grade Pre-1 準1級	B2	785+ (often 740–820)	Upper-intermediate to advanced; strong for jobs and university
Grade 2 2級	B1	550–780	High-school-graduate level; clears many general floors
Grade Pre-2 準2級	A2	225–545	Mid-high-school level; a developing base
Grade 3 3級	A1	120–220	Junior-high-school level; foundational
Grade 4 / 5	A1	below ~120	Beginner; below the useful TOEIC range

Read this before you trust any single number: ETS and the Eiken Foundation publish no official direct concordance. Every equivalence here is built by mapping each test to CEFR (ETS's TOEIC-to-CEFR concordance on one side, Eiken's CSE bands on the other), and a CEFR band spans a wide range of TOEIC points. TOEIC Listening & Reading is a two-skill test; Eiken is four skills including speaking and writing. So use these as planning ranges, and for any official requirement submit the exact test the school or employer names.

Grade by grade: what each equivalence means

1級 Grade 1 · C1

Advanced. Grade 1 is CEFR C1, which ETS maps to TOEIC 945 to 990. Some sites quote around 870+ because TOEIC compresses at the very top, but the strict CEFR bridge is 945 and up.

≈ TOEIC 945+

準1級 Pre-1 · B2

The most-searched comparison. Pre-1 is CEFR B2, where ETS puts TOEIC at 785 and above; in practice Pre-1 holders often sit around 740 to 820 on Listening & Reading. Reads as a strong upper-intermediate result for 就活 and admissions.

≈ TOEIC 785+

2級 Grade 2 · B1

Positioned as high-school-graduate level. Grade 2 targets CEFR B1, the same band as TOEIC 550 to 780, with many holders around 550 to 650. A TOEIC 600 sits comfortably inside Grade 2 territory.

≈ TOEIC 550–780

準2級 Pre-2 · A2

Around mid-high-school level. Pre-2 is CEFR A2, which ETS maps to roughly TOEIC 225 to 545. A developing base rather than a working level; the next real target is Grade 2 / TOEIC 600.

≈ TOEIC 225–545

3級 Grade 3 · A1

Around junior-high-school level. Grade 3 is CEFR A1, roughly TOEIC 120 to 220. TOEIC is not built to grade beginners finely, so the equivalence here is the roughest of all.

≈ TOEIC 120–220

CEFR the anchor

The only shared ruler. Because both tests publish a CEFR level, CEFR is what makes any bridge possible. Each CEFR band is a range of TOEIC points, which is why every row above is a span, not a single score.

Shared scale

Why the two tests do not line up exactly

It is tempting to want one clean number, but TOEIC and Eiken are built for different jobs, and that is why every equivalence is a band:

Different skills. TOEIC L&R tests only listening and reading; Eiken tests four skills, including speaking and writing.
Different scoring. TOEIC is a scaled score from 10 to 990; Eiken is pass or fail at a fixed grade with a set syllabus.
Different content. TOEIC leans on workplace and everyday English; Eiken covers broader general and academic topics.
CEFR is the only shared anchor. Both publish a CEFR alignment, so CEFR is the honest bridge, and each CEFR band is a range of TOEIC points.

The practical takeaway: if an employer or university names TOEIC, take TOEIC; if it names Eiken, take Eiken. Use this chart to understand roughly where you stand across the two, not to substitute one for the other on an application.

From an Eiken grade to a real TOEIC score

If you hold an Eiken grade and now need a TOEIC number, the fastest route is to sit a TOEIC test rather than rely on a conversion. Here is how the two ladders line up, and where to start:

If you have	Aim on TOEIC L&R	Start here
準1級 (B2)	Confirm 785+; push for 800+	How to reach 800
2級 (B1)	Target 600, then 700	Is 700 a good score?
準2級 (A2)	Build toward 600	Is 600 a good score?

Turn a number of correct answers into an estimated score with the TOEIC score converter, or see the full TOEIC to CEFR chart that this Eiken bridge is built on.

Take a free full-length mock →

Keep exploring

The Eiken bridge is one view of your level. To dig into a score or another scale:

TOEIC to CEFRThe full concordance this Eiken chart is built on, level by level. Score converterTurn correct answers into an estimated 10 to 990 score. What every TOEIC score meansThe full band-by-band guide, from 10 to 990. Is 600 a good score?What a 600 (Grade 2 territory) really signals.

Check your real TOEIC score, free

A conversion is only a guide. The only way to know your true TOEIC band is to take a timed mock in the current official format and see the instant estimate. Every test below is free:

Listening & Reading, Mock 1 Listening & Reading, Mock 2 Listening & Reading, Mock 3 Express mini reading, Test 1 Build TOEIC vocabulary Practise by question type

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Questions, answered

TOEIC and Eiken, straight answers

The exact things people ask about converting between the two.

Is there an official TOEIC to Eiken conversion?

No. Neither ETS (which owns TOEIC) nor the Eiken Foundation publishes an official direct concordance between the two tests. The honest way to compare them is through CEFR, because both tests publish their own CEFR alignment: ETS with its TOEIC to CEFR concordance, and Eiken through its CSE score bands. This page bridges the two through CEFR, which is why every equivalence is a range, not a single exact number.

What TOEIC score equals Eiken Grade Pre-1 (準1級)?

Eiken Grade Pre-1 is CEFR B2. On ETS's concordance, B2 begins at TOEIC 785, so Pre-1 is broadly TOEIC 785 and above. In practice, people who hold Pre-1 commonly score in the TOEIC 740 to 820 range on Listening & Reading, so treat around 785 as the central equivalence. Pre-1 is widely accepted for university admission and by many employers as a strong upper-intermediate to advanced signal.

What TOEIC score equals Eiken Grade 2 (2級)?

Eiken Grade 2 targets CEFR B1, the same band ETS maps to TOEIC 550 to 780. So Grade 2 is broadly TOEIC 550 to 780, with many Grade 2 holders landing around 550 to 650 on Listening & Reading. Grade 2 is positioned as high-school-graduate level and is a common minimum for many general applications; a TOEIC 600 sits comfortably inside this band.

What TOEIC score equals Eiken Grade 1 (1級)?

Eiken Grade 1 is CEFR C1, the advanced band ETS maps to TOEIC 945 to 990. So Grade 1 is broadly TOEIC 945 and above by CEFR. In everyday use many sources describe Grade 1 as roughly TOEIC 870 and up, because TOEIC Listening & Reading tops out at 990 and compresses at the very top, but the strict CEFR bridge puts Grade 1 at 945+.

What TOEIC score equals Eiken Grade Pre-2 (準2級) and Grade 3 (3級)?

Grade Pre-2 is CEFR A2, which ETS maps to roughly TOEIC 225 to 545. Grade 3 is CEFR A1, roughly TOEIC 120 to 220. Both are foundational levels: Pre-2 is around mid-high-school level and Grade 3 is around junior-high-school level. TOEIC does not report scores below 10, and its scale is not designed to distinguish beginners finely, so equivalences at these levels are especially approximate.

Why is TOEIC to Eiken only a range and not an exact number?

Because the two tests measure different things. TOEIC Listening & Reading is a two-skill workplace-English test scored 10 to 990; Eiken is a four-skill test (reading, listening, writing, speaking) scored in grades. Bridging them through CEFR maps each to a band, and a CEFR band spans a range of TOEIC points. Anyone who gives a single exact TOEIC-to-Eiken number is oversimplifying. Use the ranges here as a guide and check the specific requirement of whatever school or employer you are applying to.

Is Eiken Pre-1 or Grade 2 better for job hunting in Japan?

For 就活 (job-hunting), many companies ask for TOEIC rather than Eiken, and a TOEIC score is often the more portable signal for employers. If you already hold Eiken, Pre-1 (B2, around TOEIC 785+) reads as a strong result and Grade 2 (B1, around TOEIC 550 to 780) clears many general floors. If an employer specifies TOEIC, the fastest path is usually to take a TOEIC test directly rather than convert an Eiken grade, since conversions are only approximate.

Does a university accept a TOEIC-to-Eiken conversion?

Some Japanese universities list both TOEIC and Eiken thresholds separately, and many use the MEXT CEFR reference table to treat scores across tests as broadly equivalent for admission or exemption. But acceptance is set school by school, and an approximate conversion is not a guarantee. Always check the exact test and score your target program accepts, and if it names TOEIC, submit a TOEIC score. See our university guide.

How do I turn my TOEIC answers into a score to compare with Eiken?

Take a full-length timed TOEIC mock in the current format and use the instant score estimate, then read your estimated 10 to 990 score against the table on this page. Our free mocks give a scaled-score estimate, and the TOEIC score converter turns a number of correct answers into an estimated Listening & Reading score you can line up against an Eiken grade.

What CEFR level is each Eiken grade?

By Eiken's own CSE alignment: Grade 1 is C1, Grade Pre-1 is B2, Grade 2 is B1, Grade Pre-2 is A2, and Grade 3 is A1. Grades 4 and 5 sit within A1. This CEFR ladder is exactly what lets us bridge Eiken to TOEIC, since ETS also maps TOEIC to the same CEFR levels. See the full TOEIC to CEFR chart.

Is TOEIC or Eiken easier?

They are hard to compare directly because they are built differently. Eiken tests four skills including speaking and writing and is pass/fail per grade with a fixed syllabus, so it rewards all-round preparation. TOEIC Listening & Reading is two skills, adaptive in difficulty across a wide band, and rewards speed and workplace vocabulary. Many learners find TOEIC quicker to raise with focused practice because it is a scaled score rather than a pass/fail grade, but which is easier depends on your strengths.

Can I use this chart for TOEIC Speaking & Writing or Bridge?

No, this chart is for TOEIC Listening & Reading (10 to 990) only. Speaking & Writing are each scored 0 to 200, TOEIC Bridge is 15 to 50 per section, and TOEIC Link reports each skill 0 to 25. Those scales map to CEFR differently, so they do not line up with the Listening & Reading to Eiken ranges here.