Application FAQs
1. Where can I obtain an application form and notes?
Since we only recruit once a year the application form and related information will only be available during the application period between September and November. This will be available from this website. You are strongly recommended to apply online but if you would like a paper application contact the JET Office explaining your reasons.
2. Why should I apply online?
The online application form contains a link next to each question giving further details making completion of the online form easier and faster. Also every year there are issues surrounding illegibility and in cases of illegibility of contact details this can jeopardise a participant's application. Finally the online form enables faster processing allowing a decision to be made faster.
3. I missed the application period between September and November can I still apply to go out next summer?
No, there is one application window each year and if you miss it unfortunately you will have to wait for the next application window.
4. When is the deadline for applications?
The deadline for applications for the JET Programme is usually 18:00 UK time on the last Friday of the November before departure. This deadline is strictly enforced and we regret that we are unable to accept any applications received after this time. We strongly urge all applicants to send in their applications as early as possible.
5. Why is the presentation so late if the deadline is so soon?
The JET Programme presentations start at the beginning of October, just after the application window begins and continue right up until just before the deadline. We aim to cover as many sites as possible and unfortunately sometimes the presentation date can fall just before the deadline.
6. Is the CIR salary the same as the ALT one?
Yes, all JETs are paid the same salary.
7. Can I apply for both ALT and CIR positions?
No, you cannot apply for both positions in the same year.
8. I have done some tutoring but nothing formal. Should I include it in my application?
Yes, include all teaching or tutoring experience making clear the nature of this experience.
9. What extra-curricular activities should I write about?
This is your opportunity to present yourself outside of academic and work achievements. Your contracting organisation will be interested in you and your interests so give details of your extra-curricular activities and interests, and how long and to what level you have been active in them.
10. Can I specify working in a senior high school or junior high school?
Unfortunately not. If you have a specific reason why you think you would do well with a specific age range you are more than welcome to mention this on your personal statement. However, it is not possible to guarantee any requests.
11. What kind of references do you require?
We require two references (click here for further details). Your references must be specific and directly address your suitability for the JET Programme. They must be signed and sealed, with a signature across the seal.
Please do double check that your referee has a clear understanding of what you are applying for and has signed the letter as well as the seal of the envelope. Otherwise the screening of your application will be delayed. Your references should be sent with your application.
We will NOT accept hand-written references or references written by a relative, a personal friend or friend of the family.
You are advised that referees, specifically academic referees, can take a great deal of time to prepare references, sometimes 2 or 3 months. You are STRONGLY advised to request references well in advance of the deadline.
It is your responsibility to ensure that references arrive at the Embassy by the deadline date.
12. What should I do if I my referee cannot write a reference on headed paper or the correct headed paper?
In case company policy restricts a referee from using headed paper this must be stated within the reference. If your referee has recently left the workplace where they supervised you, for example your academic referee has started working at a different university, then they should use the headed paper where they currently are, if headed paper is available, and explain why it is they cannot use the correct headed paper within the reference.
13. What is a certified record/academic transcript and how can I get one?
This is a list of all the courses you have taken / are due to take as part of your Bachelor's degree. Proof of degree and transcript regarding Master’s qualifications are not strictly necessary but welcome as further supporting documentation.
On the record/transcript the course names must be written in full with the course marks. The document must be an original, on official university stationary, and signed by a person with authority to give such information.
You can obtain this from your university registrar, school secretary and sometimes your personal tutor. We recommend you allow at least 1 month to do this as they take time for your university registrar or department secretary to prepare and authenticate.
Alternatively some universities allow students to access their course results online. A print-out of these course modules and results will be acceptable, ONLY if it has been authenticated by a university official, with a signature and university stamp.
14. My partner and I want to apply for the programme, can we be placed together?
If you are both eligible for and strongly interested in the programme, you can apply together. Although the programme cannot guarantee that you will be in the same area, it is our experience that married couples are generally placed together.
15. If I apply with a friend could we be placed together?
If you are applying with a friend do put down their details, also saying whether you will be happy if your request to be placed together cannot be met. Placement requests cannot be guaranteed.
16. How are the placements allocated?
Once confirmations of acceptance from successful candidates have been received the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) considers the requests of both contracting organisations and participants. CLAIR then submits their proposals to the Special Mediator Committee consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and local governments. This committee makes the final decisions on participant placements.
Regarding placement requests we urge you to undertake some research if there is a specific area in which you would particularly like to be placed and give reasons to support your request. All requests are considered but due to the varying needs of each contracting organisation it is difficult to satisfy every request. In all cases, the JET Program cannot guarantee any placement requests.
17. I’m worried about being sent to an isolated rural area. What are my chances of being placed in a big city?
All placements on the JET Programme will have a support network of other JETs available as well as other structures to help you settle into life in Japan. When applying to the JET Programme it is important that you expect to have a unique experience outside of the main tourist regions in an area that may not be well-known to you initially.
Applicants can make placement requests for a specific area of Japan and / or a rural, urban or semi-urban placement on their application forms. Any placement requests made after handing in your application form will not be considered.
Big cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto are very popular and so your chances of being placed in one of these three places are minimal. One of the principal aims of the Programme is to encourage grass-roots internationalisation and such cities are already very international so there is little need to place JETs there. Please be aware that a very small number of people are placed in Tokyo.
Moreover, there are many big and interesting cities in Japan aside from Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto and it is well worth doing a little bit of research on the country to learn a bit more about the many diverse and equally fascinating cities Japan has to offer. Also please bear in mind that the cost of living in big cities will be higher.
Another issue you may like to consider is climate. Northern Honshu and Hokkaido tend to have long winters and these areas are great for skiing and other winter sports but it is worth bearing in mind that central heating in Japan is not common. Southern Japan enjoys a much milder climate though the heat and humidity of summer spans several months.
18. I saw the doctor regarding emotional issues. It wasn’t anything serious and I am now fully recovered. Do I have to mention it?
Yes. You MUST declare any and all consultations with a medical practitioner regarding emotional or mental concerns irrespective of their severity. You must provide a detailed account of the length of consultations, the names of medication taken, if any, and the duration of the treatment.
In submitting your application form, you are declaring that all the information you have given is correct and that no information has been withheld. Please be aware that successful applicants are required to submit a Certificate of Health Form completed and signed by your GP in the April before departure. If any discrepancies do occur between this form and your self-assessment medical form it will jeopardise your position on JET and your placement may well be terminated.
Regarding physical health you must declare any illnesses or injuries you have had within the last 8 years.
It is important to note that past physical or mental illness will not disqualify you from the JET programme but false information or withholding information will.
19. What is the nature of the requirement for personal medical information?
The sheer nature of the Programme does involve moving abroad to a foreign country to live and work on a government-based scheme. Therefore all angles of your health needs to be declared. We do understand that it is a private matter, however providing the correct information is essential in case of any emergency situations you may find yourself in after you have departed for Japan. All information is regarded as strictly confidential.
If you are in any doubt we strongly recommend that you call the JET Office to discuss your individual case before completing your form.
20. How will I know if the Embassy has received my application?
All applicants should enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with their application.
The Embassy will return the postcard to acknowledge receipt of your application. Please note that postcards are returned as soon as possible, but you may experience some delays during the JET busy season. It also may not be possible for the JET Office to confirm by telephone whether they have received your application form until after the deadline date has passed.
21. I will be unable to attend an interview in the last week of January. Should I mention this with my application?
Applicants are advised to include a covering letter detailing dates and reasons for when you are unable to attend interview. These reasons will be considered when allocating interview slots. However, interview slots are very limited and it may not be possible to meet such requests.
22. What kind of person does well on JET?
There is no one particular “type” of person that does well on JET; however flexibility and positivity are key attributes that we are looking for. The Programme requires applicants to take responsibility and to thrive in occasionally challenging situations. However anyone with a genuine interest in international exchange and in Japan in general is likely to do well.
23. How can you use JET to further your career?
The skills and experience you gain from living and working in Japan are invaluable. JET is very highly regarded by employers and the JET support network continues once you return, with the Alumni Association’s website advertising vacancies from employers specifically looking to recruit ex-JETs, as well as a Careers Information Day. The skills you gain are very versatile, meaning that ex-JETs go into a number of fields, from teaching to the civil service, from the police force to television and journalism.
24. Why do JETs depart in July/August mid-way through the Japanese academic year?
The Japanese school year starts from spring and JETs join schools at the end of the summer. This is because having the intake at this time closely matches the academic year of the majority of the participating countries. In addition unlike in the spring it is a time when Japanese students and staff have settled in better which makes it easier for an incoming ALT to integrate into school life.
25. Can you apply for both JET and MEXT?
You can apply for both but as the purposes of the programmes are quite different applicants are advised to gain a precise understanding of their criteria and act accordingly.
