The below eligibility criteria are for the 2025-2026 JET Programme Year and are subject to change for the following year.
The below eligibility criteria are for Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) and Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs), not Sports Exchange Advisors (SEAs). Click here for information about the different positions.
The eligibility criteria to apply for participation on the JET Programme are determined by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and CLAIR in Japan.
As part of the general criteria, applicants must:
(1) Be interested in Japan and be willing to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of Japan after their arrival; be motivated to participate in and initiate international exchange activities in the local community; make efforts to study or continue studying the Japanese language prior to and after arriving in Japan.
(2) Be both mentally and physically healthy.
(3) Be willing and able to adapt to living and working in Japan, and commit to responsibly fulfilling their job duties for the duration of their period of participation.
(4) Hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher, or obtain such qualifications by the designated arrival date (applicants for the ALT position may alternatively hold a certification of completion of a 3-year course to teach at primary/elementary or secondary schools or obtain such qualification(s) by the designated arrival date).
(5) Be a national (not just a permanent resident) of the country where the recruitment and selection procedures take place by the time they submit their application form. Furthermore, those who possess Japanese citizenship must have submitted their applications to renounce their Japanese nationality before the Reply Form submission deadline. Applicants who possess multiple nationalities with countries other than Japan may only apply as a national of one of those countries.
(6) Be adept in contemporary standard pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation in the designated language and possess excellent language ability that can be applied accurately and appropriately, as well as have the ability to form sentences in a comprehensive and logical manner.
(7) Not have participated on the Programme since the 2022 JET Programme year (inclusive of March 2022 arrivals) or have participated on the Programme for more than 6 years in total.
(8) Not have declined a position on the Programme after receiving notification of assignment in the previous JET Programme year (excluding cases where it is accepted that the Participant had a valid, inevitable reason for withdrawing).
(9) Not have resided in Japan for 6 or more consecutive years in total since 2015 by the time they submit their application form.
(10) Have a desire to proactively maintain relations with Japan, even after completion of the Programme.
(11) Concerning entry into Japan for participation on the Programme, agree to reside in Japan under the status of residence stipulated in Article 2-2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. However, this does not apply to special permanent residents as defined in Article 3 of the Special Act on the Immigration Control of, inter alia, those who have lost Japanese Nationality pursuant to the Treaty of Peace with Japan.
(12) Be willing to obey all Japanese laws.
(13) Not possess a record of crimes which would render them inappropriate for participation in the Programme (e.g., DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs), narcotics and other drug-related offenses, sexual offenses, crimes involving children, etc).
(14) Applicants with a suspended jail term must have finished their period of probation by the time they submit their application form.
Note: The designated language is English for English-speaking countries (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Singapore, Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Philippines, India, etc.), French for France, German for Germany, Chinese for China, Korean for South Korea, and the principal national language for other non-English-speaking countries. However, there may be cases where English is required as well.
In addition, applicants from non-English speaking countries must:
(15) Have a functional command of the English or Japanese language.
In addition to the above general criteria, ALT applicants must have:
(16) A demonstrated interest in the Japanese education system, particularly foreign language education.
(17) A willingness to actively participate in activities with children.
(18) Qualifications as a language teacher or a strong enthusiasm for language education.
* The following are not part of the Eligibility Criteria; however, additional consideration will be given to applicants who have:
- Language teaching experience or qualifications.
- General teaching experience or qualifications.
- A high level of Japanese language ability.
In addition to the above general criteria, CIR applicants must:
(19) Have a functional command of the Japanese language (equivalent to the Japanese Language Proficiency Test N1 or N2 level).
