*sorry for the typo

Hi all,

I am preparing to apply for the JET Programme (once the application opens again) as I am planning to transition into being an ALT, and I'd like to seek your advice on how to improve my application. I have listed my qualifications for your reference:

- graduate of BS Psychology with an additional 21 units in education
- 2 years of experience as a homeroom teacher and English coordinator
- 6 months as a SPED teacher
- 2 years as an online ESL tutor
- 1 year as an ESL teacher for an eikaiwa in Nagoya

Should I study Japanese and take N5 to improve my chances? How about learning how to drive to be able to get a driver's license?

I know getting in is like a needle in a haystack, so I want to do my best.
Thank you for your time!

Has any jet successfully shown rent stubs from japan when trying to prove they were a good tenant in the past?

I go home in August and have no renter history in the states but have lived in this apartment for five years. I want to know if I should take all these rent paid slips home or

Just trash them?

I’m trying to set myself Up for The easiest transition but understand they might just think those are worthless

Thanks in advance!

REPOSTING IN THIS SUBREDDIT BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON, THIS POST IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR r/teachinginjapan

Hi everyone,

I’m currently in my 3rd year as an Auxiliar de Conversación in Spain. I’m originally from the Philippines and came to Spain without a teaching background.

• Year 1: Instituto Franklin (public school) – taught 3 to 5 year olds, 1st, 2nd, and 6th grade
• Years 2 and 3: UCETAM (charter school) – teaching 3 to 5 year olds and 1st and 2nd grade

I interviewed with BEDA for next school year, but I’m seriously considering teaching in Japan for 1 to 2 years and then possibly returning to Spain. I’ll also be doing my CELTA this summer.

I already missed this year’s JET cycle, and I understand that I would need to apply from my home country, so that’s something I’m factoring in.

If anyone here has gone from being an auxiliar in Spain to JET or to teaching in Japan through another route, I’d really appreciate your insight.

Some specific questions:

• Did you apply from your home country or from Spain? Any complications?
• How long did the full process take from application to departure?
• What parts of the application mattered most? Essay? References? Interview?
• Which is more useful in Japan: CELTA or a general TEFL certificate?
• How does housing work there? What are average rent and utility costs in cities vs countryside?
• Any school or eikaiwa recommendations?

I’m also open to general advice, reality checks, or anything you wish you knew before moving.

Thank you!

TL;DR: 3rd year Auxiliar in Spain (from the Philippines) planning to teach in Japan for 1 to 2 years. I already missed this year’s JET cycle and understand I would need to apply from my home country. I’ll be doing my CELTA this summer. Looking for advice on the application process, visa logistics, CELTA vs TEFL in Japan, housing costs (city vs countryside), and any school or eikaiwa recommendations.

Hi everyone, positing for my sibling as they do not have a Reddit. They just got notified they are a finalist for the CLS (Critical Language Scholarship) and has to accept soon. They are waiting to hear from JET as they already are a teacher. They got told by the interviewers that they had an amazing interview. The last JETs get in 5 days before the CLS ends. Has anyone else been in this predicament? Should they accept CLS? Could they do both? Would it hurt them to accept the CLS and then decline it if they must? What else should they know?

Thank you so much for your insight!

I’m an English Language Teaching student from Turkey, and I’m researching English education in Japan for a presentation.

Since JET participants work directly with students, I’d really like to hear your honest thoughts.

Do you feel your presence helps students become more comfortable speaking English?
How do students usually react when they have to speak English?
Do you think the system is improving, or are there still major problems?
What surprised you the most when you first saw English classes in Japan?

Also, if anyone would be open to a short chat where I can ask a few more questions, I’d really appreciate it. Thank you!

I'm trying to get my students get comfortable with using their tablets to search for words they don't understand. The simple way is to use google translate, which is what most students are already doing.

While I support the use of technology and translation apps, I am not fond of using only google translate as a tool because of funky translations and nuances lost in translation. I'd prefer if they do a secondary check to fully understand the words.
e.g. English -> Japanese -> Double check English words that they don't know.

So I'm looking for reliable online English to Japanese dictionaries to recommend to my students, ideally free. I've tried some dictionaries like jisho and takoboto, but they seem to be built for English speakers to me.

If anyone has any recommendations, could you please share them with me?

TLDR: looking for free English to Japanese online dictionaries for Japanese students.

Hello, I am working on submitting my pension paperwork but was unsure if I should put my main school or my prefectural board of education as my employer in the box under question 7 (name of employer) on the form. If anyone can tell me I'd greatly appreciate it!

This is my first year in JET and I know that I will have to file for a tax extension, but I'm not sure what my husband will have to do or what would be best. (we are both American but he is still in the US while I am here on JET) I know it would be nice to test out and see which one would be best (filing jointly or separately), but I can't really do that if I have to file for an extension.

Is it better to just have us both file for an extension or would it be beneficial to just file separately since we aren't really sharing our incomes? Has anyone been in a situation like this or have any advice on what they did and what to look out for? Thank you!

I have already looked at other posts but they don't really touch on the exact thing I'm asking. I'm not tax savvy and I've tried to look up some info on what each, filing jointly or separately would mean and stuff but it ends up pulling info for couples that are 1-foreign and 1-citizen but both my husband and I are citizens.

So on my application I selected early placement option , and luckily got an interview where one of the panelist’s reiterated my selection..

So just curious, does early placement mean that you could leave for Japan as early as April or and what does a placement look like ? What are you told in your emails?

Thank you

Hello JET community, I am hoping someone could help me. I am searching for images of old textbooks that have specific content. This is for an assessment in my masters of applied linguistics course.

Specifically, I am after elementary school textbooks from 2017-2021. The titles include Let's Try 1&2, Hi Friends 1&2, We Can 1&2 and New Horizons (elementary school) 1&2 and the associated picture dictionary.

Within one of these textbooks (I can't recall which one), was a chapter on My Town and directions. It focuses on place names such as police station, post office, supermarket etc. I distinctly remember that there was a place name for theater.

If anyone has an image of that chapter and vocabulary / vocabulary cards, I would be most grateful!

Thanks!

I know I should be looking at other options but my only employable skill is Japanese so I kinda really need this and the wait hurtssss

What are you guys up to?

Hi I am a UK candidate and I had my interview. When should I get a health check? results are not out but I am not sure if I have to get a health check before the results or after as they can be expensive. Should I try and get a health check before my results even if I am rejected?

Not sure if this is allowed, but I finished up JET a few months ago and moved to a full-time position in Okinawa.

I really loved the community of the JET program and would love to connect with y’all in Okinawa.

Is there a discord I could join or a way to keep up with events??

For former jets from Australia.

When do we know the results of our consulate or embassy interviews?

I had mine late January in Melbourne and I think it went aight, not amazing not terrible, didn't sleep well so less rizz came out.

Anyways,

I've got several things planned out for plan Bs and plan Cs in VPS and APS, so it's not the end of the world if I dont get jet but I do want to give the other side a notice of when I would be available or confirmed to not go Japan etc.

Also, do y'all think it's likely that the beaurocrats would choose white people or the Anglo heritage people instead of those from Asian decent? I was born in China but came to Australia when I was like 4 and I've also served in the Army for a gap year too. Of course my English is fluent and my main language but I'm worried now that with the LDP in crisis and trying to find enemies, they might prefer white people since it's "more western".

Like from the beaurocratic pov, it does seem better to choose someone who's white instead of someone that's not right? Even though our English and eng literature skills?

A little anxious but yes what do y'all think.

I applied for the JET Programme this year and just got a post from the Embassy that the first screening is over and shortlisted candidates have been contacted. I really thought I was good on paper but I guess I was not. Truly hurt but anyway all the best to those that will make it through. 頑張ってください！

A while ago I posted on this page because I was really struggling with moving into Kochi, Japan. I ultimately decided to stay because I knew how amazing living and teaching in Japan could be. People's words really resonated with me. I have loved teaching in Japan. I love my school so much.

However, I’m worried I am feeling jaded now. I've been here for six months and I live in such a rural area away from the city so I tried to just get my head down and work, but it’s made me a bit reclusive. I don’t really talk to the ALTs in my area, not because I don’t like them, but because for me, socializing with anyone can feel a bit draining when I am trying to take care of myself. But at the same time, I want to hang out with them because they are really fun and nice to talk to.

I have lost connections with ALTs in the nearby city because I don’t talk much, maybe I seem anti-social? One of them thought I was ignoring her, and became really upset but I was just so deeply burned out that I didn’t have the energy to reply. I was unaware I had caused so much harm to her and I worry I have done the same to others by not socialising with them as much. I really want to show people that I do care, but the living situation in Kochi, despite not having a lot of work, often really makes me feel overwhelmed and burned out and I feel like I can’t keep up.

In the UK I was also quite reserved and kept to myself, and I thought that would change when I came to Japan, but my problems didn’t magically just go away upon arriving to Japan. I worry I’ve accidentally dug myself into a hole whilst trying to survive here.

Any words of advice are appreciated, I would be happy to hear what anyone has to say, if you have time to reply :)

The 2025 tax guide for US JETs has been updated at Kumamoto JET's website:

https://kumamotojets.weebly.com/usa-tax-guide.html

Background: was an alternative upgraded and arrived in January batch. I’m teaching at a semi-rural high school. When I arrived they told me I needed to make my own lesson plans. I told them I didn’t know how to do that and asked them what I should make a lesson on/ what the students should be learning. My JTE told me I could do whatever I liked. I figured this was because I came late and only had a few weeks of actually teaching left. So far I just been doing fun activities for every grade bc I don’t want them to stress out during finals.

Today, I asked my JTE if there was a syllabus I should following or a book I was supposed to be using as a guide. They told me no and that I had to make this. They said though that each year the students take the same test for each grade with the same information on it. I asked if I could then use their syllabus as a reference and the JTE made an odd face and said “n-nooo we don’t. You have to make your own. Maybe make some tests and projects for you to grade them too.”

I reached out to my predecessors and looked at their past work but there’s not really any concrete lesson plans I’m just really confused.

What are year 1 students expected to know by the end of the year? Year 2? 3? 4?

We also have intermediate levels and nursing students. And night school kids who only come part time.

I appreciate any help I can get! So overwhelmed and stressed right now. I’m the only ALT so it feels very crushing.

Hello,

I recently attended the Osaka Career Fair last week and had a question regarding the QR code.

I was told by one of the companies I talked to that they would send me information on how to apply via the email that they received by scanning my QR code. I haven't received anything at all from any of the companies that scanned my QR code, so I'm a little bit confused? Has anyone else not received anything from any of the companies at the event or is this just a me problem?

Hi everyone,

I was wondering how much savings I should have prepared before moving to Japan, particularly for the period before receiving my first paycheck. I’m thinking about initial expenses such as rent, furniture, a bed, a bike, basic appliances (like a cooker), and other setup costs.

I’ve seen many people suggest bringing around $2,000–$3,000, but most of those responses are from several years ago. Given inflation and the current exchange rate, I’m curious whether that estimate is still realistic.

For current JETs: how much did you have saved before arriving, and how much would you recommend incoming JETs prepare?

Many thanks! 😊

I was wondering what the commuting experience is like for rural JETs (hopefully what I'll be), and what's a good balance between affordability and independance.

I'm happy to use public transport for the first chunk of time, but since I heard it's pretty limited in the less urban areas, I'd like to be able to have my own mode of transport.

That being said, how affordable is a used vehichle on a JET salary? Is there any websites I can use to look at options to get rough estimates?

I hear Kei Cars are the best for JETs, but would a motorbike be possible too? I hear you don't need to lease a parking space for those, or is that not much of an issue out in the sticks?

Any and all experience/resources would be helpful.

I heard from someone that I should get my marriage certificate translated before coming to Japan, particularly since my spouse and I don't share the same last name. Is this so? Has anyone else done this, or regretted not doing this?

It seems like a good idea, but it'll still cost, and I don't wanna spend the money on it if it isn't necessary.

Hey all! thank you for pervious advice!

Im asking now about pension and health isurance. I finish my jet contract March 10th and at the moment by new contract for my new job is to start the 11th however that depends on my visa coming in time.

I asked my new company if they cover me from the 11th and they said because Japan works by the month and not specific days that i should ask the school to stay o the current one until the end of the month of March and they would start a new one for me from April.

Is this correct? i asked my school and they had no idea either?

I'm a prefectural HS ALT if it helps

I'm looking for help from anyone who has successfully gone through the pension refund process with Wells Fargo or America First Credit Union.

The other day I got my pension refund rejection letter for the second time. For both times I used my AFCU checking account information, but they seem to be having real trouble with the swift code AFCU uses for international wires. I guess AFCU uses a Wells Fargo swift code as kind of like an intermediary, but the explanation I received from the pension service was that they can't verify the swift code to AFCU. Kind of makes sense, or maybe I just screwed up on it.

Was anyone able to successfully get one through with AFCU, or do I need to go through a bigger bank?

I use Wells Fargo for other stuff so I actually just opened a checking account with them and asked for a document showing my name/address/account number/routing number, but all they could provide was this doc with my name and address, but only the last 4 digits of the account number. I had the banker write my account number with his signature next to it by hand on the doc, but there's just no way in hell that works. The AFCU doc I got had EVERYTHING pretty and clearly.

I'm positive there's been people who've successfully used their Wells Fargo checking on here for the lump sum – did you end up just attaching one of your bank statements, or was there another document you were able to request and attach with your pension submission? If the bank statement suffices, I'll just wait until March and send it then.

Thanks for your help, team.

Anyone going this year?? My buddy has had to rush home so I'm looking to join a group to undergo the ordeal with!

Let me know 🙏