1.
examination fee; test fee; application fee for an exam
The fee charged to take an entrance examination, certification test, or other formal exam.
受験料は五千円です。
The examination fee is 5,000 yen.
A compound of 受験 (taking an examination) and 料 (fee/charge). This term is very common in the context of Japan's education system, where entrance exams are the primary method of university admission, and each application requires a separate fee.
Private university entrance exam fees in Japan typically range from 30,000 to 35,000 yen per application, while national university fees are around 17,000 yen. Families with children applying to multiple schools must budget carefully, as the total cost can reach hundreds of thousands of yen.
The term also applies to certification and licensing exams such as JLPT, Eiken, and professional qualification tests.