Interview Information


Key Points:

All JET Programme interviews for UK participants are conducted in person within the UK. Interviews cannot be conducted at embassies abroad for UK applicants, through telephone interview, or at any other location than those specified.

Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) interviews are at the Embassy of Japan in London or at the Consulate of Japan in Edinburgh. Co-ordinator for International Relations (CIR) interviews are only conducted at the Embassy of Japan in London.

Interview Invitations

ALT Applicants who have been selected for interview in London will be contacted by the Embassy of Japan from late December till early February. Interviews will be held throughout January and February

ALT Applicants who have been selected for interview in Edinburgh will be contacted by the Embassy of Japan from mid-January. Interviews will be held in late January and early February.

CIR Applicants who have been selected for interview will be contacted by the Embassy of Japan from late January. CIR Interviews will be held in February.

It is standard practice for the UK JET Programme to send out letters outlining details for the interview. In exceptional situations we can contact applicants through e-mail. In such situations please contact the JET Office explaining your reasons. Due to the continual postal problems in the UK, applicants are welcome to contact the JET Office during the interview period to enquire whether they should have received an invitation to interview.

If you receive an invitation please confirm attendance. You must attend the interview at the time you have been allotted. We regret that we are generally unable to change interview dates or times. In exceptional circumstances every effort is made to re-allocate interviews if you contact the JET Office giving valid reasons. If you are unable to attend you must inform the JET Office as soon as possible so that the interview slot may be re-allocated. By the end of February you will hear from us regarding whether or not your application has been successful in reaching the interview stage. If you are unsuccessful this time round you are welcome to apply again next year.

About the Interview

The interview is usually conducted by a Japanese national (usually an Embassy official) and a former JET Programme participant. All interviewers have been briefed and are given strict guidelines. Consequently, they strive to be as fair as possible in their evaluation of candidates, so that no JET candidate is disadvantaged. Interviews last for approximately 15-20 minutes, but you will be asked to take written tests prior to your interview. Before your interview, you will also have the opportunity to have your questions answered by former JET Programme participants and to watch a short video of JETs in action!

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.

We recommend that, in preparation for the interview, you have a clear understanding of what your role as an ALT or CIR may entail, and the broader purpose of the JET Programme.

Interview Results

Interviewed applicants will find out in April whether they are successful ('final short-list'), unsuccessful or given alternate (reserve) status. If you have been offered a place and wish to decline, please inform us immediately so that we may offer it to someone else and your contracting organisation is not left without a participant. We would also recommend that you send a letter indicating your reasons for withdrawing from the Programme in order that any future application you may like to make to the JET Programme will not be jeopardised.

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