Eiken and CEFR: How the Levels Compare for Primary-School Children and Cambridge English Qualifications
“What CEFR level is Eiken Grade 3?” When parents try to understand their child’s English ability, three different scales appear at once: Eiken “grades”, CEFR levels such as A1 and A2, and Cambridge English qualifications such as Flyers and Key. Because school information and online-school websites may use each scale separately, many parents find it difficult to see how they correspond and lose sight of where their child currently stands.
This article first clarifies the differences between these three scales, then brings together the Eiken Foundation’s published CEFR alignment in a single table. We then consider what level may serve as a guide at different stages of primary school, how “earning a grade” differs from “being able to learn through English”, and finally how the Laurus Online Academy (LOA) level system relates to Eiken, CEFR and UK school years.
In this article
- What is CEFR? How it differs from Eiken and Cambridge English Qualifications
- Eiken and CEFR comparison table (official Eiken alignment)
- Eiken and CEFR benchmarks for primary-school children — what level by which year?
- Earning a grade and being able to learn through the language are different abilities
- The Laurus Online Academy level system — Eiken, CEFR and school years at a glance
- Summary
- Frequently asked questions
- References
What is CEFR? How it differs from Eiken and Cambridge English Qualifications
CEFR (pronounced “se-far”) stands for the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Published by the Council of Europe in 2001, it is an international framework for describing foreign-language proficiency1. It has six levels, from A1 (beginner) to C2 (proficient), and each level is described in terms of what a learner can do in the language. CEFR is not the name of a particular examination; it is a scale to which examinations and teaching materials around the world are aligned.
Eiken (the EIKEN Test in Practical English Proficiency), by contrast, is Japan’s largest-scale English proficiency test, administered by the Eiken Foundation of Japan. It has seven grades from Grade 5 to Grade 1—or eight categories from the 2025 academic year when Grade Pre-2 Plus is included2. Results are given as pass or fail, together with a numerical Eiken CSE score.
Cambridge English Qualifications are examinations provided by Cambridge English, which is part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment. An examination is available for each CEFR level. For children, the progression begins with Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers, followed by A2 Key for Schools and B1 Preliminary for Schools3. Because the CEFR level appears directly in each examination name, the result is closely connected to the CEFR scale.
| Comparison point | CEFR | Eiken | Cambridge English Qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A scale (framework) for ability | An examination | An examination |
| Administered by | Council of Europe | Eiken Foundation of Japan | Cambridge English (part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment) |
| Levels | Six levels, A1–C2 | Grade 5–Grade 1 (+ Grade Pre-2 Plus) | Pre A1 Starters–C2 Proficiency |
| How results are reported | — | Pass/fail + CSE score | Attained level (shields or passing grade); no expiry |
| Main contexts | As an international common framework | Admissions, schools and companies in Japan | Overseas universities, companies and government organisations |
In other words, Eiken and Cambridge English Qualifications are both examinations, while CEFR is the common scale that allows the two to be compared. Rather than memorising three separate systems, picture Eiken and Cambridge English Qualifications placed on the same CEFR scale. The comparison table below then becomes much easier to read.
Eiken and CEFR comparison table (official Eiken alignment)
The Eiken Foundation publishes the intended level for each grade in relation to CEFR2. Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) also presents this relationship in comparison materials for different qualifications used in university admissions4. Because Cambridge English examination names themselves state the CEFR level, they can be placed in the same table.
| CEFR | Eiken | Cambridge English Qualifications | What a learner can broadly do |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Grade 1 | C1 Advanced | Use English flexibly in academic and professional settings, including complex topics |
| B2 | Grade Pre-1 | B2 First | Discuss abstract topics naturally |
| B1 | Grade 2 | B1 Preliminary for Schools | Speak and write in a structured way on familiar topics; cope with overseas travel and school life |
| A2 | Grade Pre-2 (Grade Pre-2 Plus is upper A2 to just below B1) | A2 Key for Schools / A2 Flyers | Manage simple exchanges in familiar, routine situations |
| A1 | Grades 3, 4 and 5 | A1 Movers / Pre A1 Starters | Understand and use very basic expressions, including self-introductions |
Note: Eiken Grades 4 and 5 are positioned at the introductory stage of A1 and are treated as A1 in the Eiken Foundation table2. Pre A1 Starters is an examination for the stage before A1.
Note: A2 Flyers is the highest of the Young Learners examinations and aims at A2. At LOA, it is positioned as a class for learners who have passed Eiken Grade 3 and consolidated A1.
Note: Because each Eiken grade has its own passing standard, there is a range of ability even within the same A1 label: Grade 3 and Grade 5 do not require the same level. A learner’s more precise position can be checked through the Eiken CSE score2.
There are two points to keep in mind when reading this table.
First, most English learning during the primary-school years falls within the Pre A1–B1 range. In Eiken terms, Grades 5 to 2—and in Cambridge English terms, Starters to B1 Preliminary—form a realistic range of goals during primary school.
Second, the step from A2 to B1 is substantial. CEFR levels are not evenly spaced. Moving from A2, where a learner can manage everyday exchanges, to B1, where the learner can speak and write in a structured way, requires more than vocabulary and grammar; it requires experience of thinking through connected ideas in English. This is also why many children feel a barrier between Eiken Grade Pre-2 and Grade 2.
Eiken and CEFR benchmarks for primary-school children — what level by which year?
Parents often ask, “What Eiken grade is normal for a child in Year 3?” The honest answer is that there is no standard grade determined by school year. English ability depends not on age alone, but on the total amount and quality of a child’s previous exposure to English. Even among Year 3 pupils, a child who has grown up in an English-rich environment from early childhood and a child whose first experience is primary-school foreign-language activities may differ by two or three levels.
With that in mind, two reference points can be useful.
The first is the relationship with Japan’s national curriculum. MEXT has presented policy goals of approximately Eiken Grade 3 by the end of primary school, Grade 3 to Grade Pre-2 by the end of junior high school, and Grade Pre-2 to Grade 2 by the end of high school5. These are levels schools aim to reach through regular school lessons, so children who also learn English at home or through an external programme may progress beyond them earlier.
The second is the Cambridge teaching-material system linked to UK school years. Materials such as Cambridge Global English are designed for children learning English as a second language, from Stage 1 (ages 5–6) to Stage 6 (ages 10–11), with each Stage’s learning objectives aligned to CEFR6. This design provides one possible guide for children attending an English-medium learning environment at least twice a week.
| School year (Japan) | Policy goal with school lessons only [5] | Guide when consistently attending an English-medium learning environment (based on LOA experience)* |
|---|---|---|
| Years 1–2 | Foreign-language activities begin in Year 3 | Eiken Grades 5–4 · Pre A1–A1 |
| Years 3–4 | Foreign-language activities (mainly listening and speaking) | Eiken Grade 3–Grade Pre-2 · A1–A2 |
| Years 5–6 | English as a subject (approximately Grade 3 by the end of primary school) | Eiken Grade Pre-2–Grade 2 · A2–B1 |
Note: The right-hand column shows the approximate levels in the LOA level system described below. It does not guarantee that every child will reach these levels, and outcomes vary according to each learner’s previous experience.
As educators, we avoid statements such as “children in this year should normally have this grade”. What matters is being able to use a shared scale to understand where a child is now and what is still needed to move to the next stage. That is what CEFR is for.
Earning a grade and being able to learn through the language are different abilities
Eiken and Cambridge English Qualifications are valuable milestones for checking a child’s progress. One important point, however, is that passing an examination and being able to learn through that language are not the same thing.
Professor Emeritus Jim Cummins of the University of Toronto described two dimensions of language ability: BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills), used in everyday conversation, and CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency), the more abstract language needed for learning school subjects7. The former develops comparatively quickly. The latter grows over time through experiences such as explaining the result of a science experiment in English or solving a mathematics word problem in English.
In Eiken terms, a large part of the ability needed up to A2 (Grade Pre-2) is closer to BICS. At B1 (Grade 2) and above, CALP—the ability to think and explain in English—begins to be tested. This is the underlying reason for the step from A2 to B1 described in the previous section.
For that reason, building only test-preparation skills is not enough. Learning school subjects through English at the same time can ultimately be the shortest route through the grade barrier. We explain the thinking behind bilingual education in more detail in “What is bilingual education? Benefits, drawbacks and what families can do”.
The Laurus Online Academy level system — Eiken, CEFR and school years at a glance
Laurus Online Academy (LOA) is an online programme from Laurus, which has operated international schools in Tokyo for 25 years, offering lessons based on the curriculum framework of Cambridge International Education8. Children study English, Science and Mathematics entirely in English, and can also take preparation classes for Cambridge English Qualifications (A2 Flyers → A2 Key → B1 Preliminary).
LOA uses official Cambridge University Press materials and organises classes across eight stages, from Foundation to Level 7. Each Level relates to UK school years, Japanese school years, Eiken and CEFR as shown below8.
| Level / materials | Typical age | School year (Japan) | Eiken / CEFR guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation / Jolly Phonics | Ages 3–5 | K2–K3 | Outside Eiken target range · below Pre A1 |
| Level 1 / Cambridge Book 1 | Ages 5–6 | K3 | Eiken Grade 5 or below · Pre A1 |
| Level 2 / Cambridge Book 2 | Ages 6–7 | Year 1 | Eiken Grades 5–4 · Pre A1–A1 |
| Level 3 / Cambridge Book 3 | Ages 7–8 | Year 2 | Eiken Grade 4 · A1 |
| Level 4 / Cambridge Book 4 | Ages 8–9 | Year 3 | Eiken Grade 3–Grade Pre-2 · A1–A2 |
| Level 5 / Cambridge Book 5 | Ages 9–10 | Year 4 | Eiken Grade Pre-2 · A2 |
| Level 6 / Cambridge Book 6 | Ages 10–11 | Year 5 | Eiken Grade Pre-2–Grade 2 · A2–B1 |
| Level 7 / Cambridge Book 7 | Ages 11–12 | Year 6 | Eiken Grade 2 · B1 |
Note: Ages are approximate and based on the UK school-year system. The most suitable starting level is decided together through counselling and a level check before enrolment.
The table is simple to use: find the Level that corresponds to the Eiken grade or CEFR level your child currently has. For example, a child who has just passed Eiken Grade 4 may begin around Level 3, while a child with Grade Pre-2 may begin around Level 5. Classes are decided by level rather than school year, so a Year 2 pupil may enter Level 4, while a Year 5 pupil may start at Level 2.
English at LOA does not remain merely a subject studied for an examination, because children also learn Science and Mathematics through materials at the same Level. Vocabulary and sentence structures learned in Level 4 Global English, for example, are used when writing observations from an experiment in Level 4 Science. This movement between subjects develops the CALP—the ability to learn through English—described in the previous section.
At the end of each term, learners receive a final assessment and certificate, showing which Level comes next in the CEFR-aligned progression. Whether or not a child takes Eiken, their current position and next step remain visible through a shared scale.
View the Laurus Online Academy courses and level guide →
Summary
Eiken, CEFR and Cambridge English Qualifications are not three unrelated scales. Eiken and Cambridge English examinations sit on the shared CEFR scale. Under the Eiken Foundation’s official alignment, Grades 5–3 correspond to A1, Grade Pre-2 to A2, and Grade 2 to B1; English learning during the primary-school years generally progresses within the Pre A1–B1 range.
A single “standard grade” cannot be set by school year. However, for a child who continues in an English-medium learning environment, a design in which B1 (Eiken Grade 2) comes into view by the end of primary school is realistic. The key to crossing the A2-to-B1 barrier is not test preparation alone, but experience of using English as a tool for learning school subjects.
LOA offers free group trial lessons and curriculum seminars. We will review your child’s current level with you and recommend the next step. Please feel free to apply.
Questions & AnswersFrequently Asked Questions
9 questionsIt stands for the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Established by the Council of Europe, it is an international framework that describes foreign-language proficiency across six levels, from A1 to C2. It is not a particular examination, but a scale.1
Under the Eiken Foundation’s official alignment, Grade 2 corresponds to B1.2 The equivalent Cambridge English examination is B1 Preliminary. At this level, a learner can speak and write in a structured way about familiar topics.
It corresponds to A2.2 Grade Pre-2 Plus, introduced in the 2025 academic year, is positioned from upper A2 to just below B1. The corresponding Cambridge English examinations include A2 Key for Schools and A2 Flyers.
Its official Japanese name is Jitsuyō Eigo Ginō Kentei (the EIKEN Test in Practical English Proficiency). It is administered by the Eiken Foundation of Japan.2
It depends on the purpose. Eiken is well suited to families who place importance on junior-high or high-school admissions and school evaluation in Japan. Cambridge English Qualifications suit families who value overseas progression, transfers into international schools, or an international qualification with no expiry date. Both are aligned to CEFR, so the result of one can be used to estimate the other.
There is no fixed rule. Many children begin with Grade 5 or Grade 4, while children who have already studied in an English-rich environment may begin with Grade 3 or Grade Pre-2. First identify the child’s current position through CEFR, then choose a grade they can approach with a reasonable chance of success; this helps build confidence.
CEFR itself is not an examination, so a learner’s level is judged from the result of an examination aligned to CEFR, such as Eiken or a Cambridge English Qualification. At LOA, we explain each learner’s CEFR-aligned position through a pre-enrolment level check and term assessments.8
Yes. Grade 2 (B1), however, requires the ability to think and explain in English, so it is difficult to reach through vocabulary and grammar memorisation alone. Learning school subjects through English at the same time may appear to be a longer route, but can in fact be the shorter one.
As a general guide, Eiken Grades 5–4 correspond to Level 2, Grade 4 to Level 3, Grades 3–Pre-2 to Level 4, Grade Pre-2 to Level 5, Grades Pre-2–2 to Level 6, and Grade 2 to Level 7.8 The actual class is decided through counselling and a level check.
- Council of Europe. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment – Companion volume (2020).
- Eiken Foundation of Japan, “Guide to Each Grade” and “Eiken CSE Score and CEFR Correspondence”.
- Cambridge English, part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Cambridge English Qualifications for Schools / Young Learners (Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers, A2 Flyers).
- MEXT, “Comparison Table of Qualifications and Examinations with CEFR” (materials relating to the university admissions English score provision system).
- MEXT, “Survey on the Implementation of English Education” and English-proficiency targets in the Third Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education (Eiken Grade 3 or above by the end of junior high school; Grade Pre-2 or above by the end of high school).
- Cambridge University Press. Overview of the Cambridge Global English series (Stages 1–6).
- Cummins, J. (1979). Cognitive/academic language proficiency, linguistic interdependence, the optimum age question and some other matters. Working Papers on Bilingualism, No. 19.
- Laurus Online Academy official page: “Levels, Ages and School Years at a Glance” and “Courses”.