Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme

Benefits & funding

• The initial appointment is for one year.
• Pre-tax remuneration is approximately ¥4.02 million for the first appointment, ¥4.14 million for the second, and ¥4.26 million for the third. Exceptional participants appointed for a fourth or fifth year receive approximately ¥4.32 million.
• Participants are covered by health, employee pension, employment, and JET accident insurance; taxes and participant-paid living costs still apply.

Eligibility

• Applicants for ALT or CIR routes must hold a Bachelor’s degree or obtain one by the designated arrival date. ALT applicants may instead complete a three-year or longer teacher-training course that qualifies them to teach at primary or secondary level.
• Applicants must be nationals of the country where recruitment and selection take place; permanent residence in that country is not enough. The official embassy directory lists 54 recruiting countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, France, Germany, China, South Korea, Russia, Brazil, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Mexico, South Africa, Argentina, Belgium, Finland, Mongolia, Austria, Indonesia, Switzerland, India, the Philippines, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Jamaica, Thailand, Malaysia, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Slovenia, Sweden, Denmark, Antigua and Barbuda, Latvia, Fiji, Vietnam, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uzbekistan, Tanzania, Lithuania, Myanmar, Mauritius, Botswana, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan and Grenada. Croatia also appears on the programme’s own participating-country table. Recruitment may also take place in countries outside that directory, and each country runs its own cycle, so the relevant Japanese embassy or consulate confirms whether applications are being accepted.
• Applicants must meet the designated-language standard. CIR applicants additionally need functional Japanese equivalent to JLPT N1 or N2; ALT applicants need an interest in Japan’s education system, willingness to work with children, and either language-teaching qualifications or strong enthusiasm for language education. SEA requirements are issued through the relevant recruiting authority.
• There is no stated age limit and teaching experience is not required. Teaching experience, teaching qualifications, and strong Japanese ability may receive additional consideration for ALT selection.
• Applicants must satisfy the programme’s health, conduct, immigration, prior-participation, and prior-residence conditions, including not having lived in Japan for six or more consecutive years in total since 2016 at the time of application.

Application process

1. 1
   Use the official country directory to identify the Japanese embassy or consulate responsible for recruitment in the applicant’s country of citizenship.
2. 2
   Confirm that recruitment is active, which positions are available, the local deadline, and how to obtain or access the application form.
3. 3
   Submit the complete application to the designated embassy or consulate by its deadline.
4. 4
   Shortlisted applicants proceed through document review and an embassy or consulate interview before final results and placement information are issued.
5. 5
   Successful applicants complete reply and health-check documents, attend pre-departure orientation, and travel on the designated departure date.

Program timeline

1. Applications are generally accepted; each country sets its own deadline.

   October to late November or early December

2. First notice after application review.

   January

3. Interviews at Japanese embassies or consulates.

   February

4. Late March to April

   Selection results are issued; some participants depart in April.

5. Reply forms, health checks, and placement information.

   May to July

6. Pre-departure orientation.

   June or July

7. Main departure and post-arrival orientation in Tokyo.

   July or August