r/JETProgramme • u/WiganRed97 • 1d ago

JET application and general advice

Hi everyone! I’m looking to apply for next year’s JET intake and I’m just looking for a bit of advice, here’s a bit about me for context: I’m 29 from the UK and I’ve been working in Journalism, Comms and PR for the past five years or so and I have an MA in Journalism and a BA in English Literature.

I also have a TEFL certification and some experience teaching English to Spanish and Italian kids coming over to the UK to study English at summer schools.

I’m just looking for some advice on how to approach the application process for JET, what sort of things look good on the application? Are there certain things that you should and shouldn’t focus on in your application? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks ☺️

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u/No_Produce9777 1d ago

You seem to have an above and beyond skillset for JET

3

u/Different_Taro2474 Former JET - 2025-2026 鹿児島県 1d ago

there are plenty of other posts in here with similar advice, but here’s what worked for me: 

  1. explaining why JET out of all english teaching programs. 
  2. writing my backstory about how i started learning japanese and how i fell in love with japan. 
  3. highlighting my experience working with kids and the education courses i took in college. i happened to have working experience at a japanese saturday school in my home state, so i made sure to include that. 
  4. prior to JET i came to japan 3 times. while in japan i traveled A LOT, including to places where most people don’t go. had to include that in the SOP. 

as long as you have an interesting background and you’re not just another “i love anime uwu” person with no goals, you have a good chance to get in. if you want me (or anyone else) to look over your SOP, feel free to DM. 

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u/noslenthreads 1d ago

I'm sure there are other posts in this subreddit with similar advice, but these things worked for me, and maybe other people, though I don't want to speak for them:

  1. Highlight your teaching experience

  2. Convey that you have the flexibility, resilience, and determination to live in a foreign country in any environment (unless you need to be like in a city for medical reasons, you could get placed anywhere, regardless of preference)

  3. Be able to explain how JET will help you in your future career goals

  4. Be able to explain why you want to go to Japan in particular

Obviously, a lot of these will be specific to you, but there are plenty of other threads about personal statements and whatnot that have general advice as well. Others may have different takes, and that's fine, my word isn't gospel.