Qualifications

Do I need a degree to apply for JET?

Yes, you must have at least a Bachelor's Degree or obtain one by July 1st 2007.
A diploma (even a diploma in education) is not sufficient.
Teaching certification or teaching experience is not required to apply for the JET Programme.

Do I need a Bachelor's Degree in Japanese, English, or Education to apply for JET?

No, a Bachelor's Degree in any field is acceptable.

Do I need teaching experience in an actual school to apply for JET?

No, teaching experience in a school is not required for participation in the JET Program.

Do I need a TESL/TEFL certificate to apply for JET?

A few contracting organizations participating in the JET Programme do request JET participants with this type of certification. However, it is not a "MUST" to apply for the program.

Why does JET have an age limit of 40 years of age or younger?

The reason for this age limit is that one of the main purposes of the Programme is to foster youth-to-youth exchange between Japanese youth and young professionals from the counties participating on the JET Programme.

I don't have South African citizenship but am a permanent resident of South Africa and speak English. Can I apply for JET?

You cannot apply for the JET Programme through the Embassy of Japan in South Africa. The Embassy in South Africa accepts applications from South African citizens only. If you are a citizen of any of the 44 other countries participating in the JET Programme, you may apply through the country in which you have citizenship. You must contact the Embassy of Japan or Consulate General of Japan in your home country to request an application.

I am not currently a South African citizen but have applied for citizenship. Can I still apply for JET through South Africa?

Yes, but only if you will become a South African citizen by the application deadline.

I have participated in the JET Programme in the past. Can I apply again?

Former JETs can reapply but only if they have not participated in the programme in the last 10 years. Former JETs who completed their contracts in July 1997 or before are eligible to re-apply for the JET Programme beginning with the 2007 JET Programme. Those who began their contracts in July 1997 or later are not yet eligible to re-apply for the programme.

In the past, I applied to JET, was accepted, and then withdrew. Can I apply again?

In general, if you withdrew before you were notified of your placement, you can re-apply for JET during any programme year. If you withdrew after your placement information was given to you and you had an unavoidable reason for withdrawing, you may re-apply during any programme year. An example of an unavoidable reason is the serious illness or death of a family member. The final decision on whether your reason for withdrawing was unavoidable and whether you can re-apply will be determined by the Embassy of Japan. If you withdrew after you were notified of your placement information without an unavoidable reason, you are not eligible to re-apply for at least one programme year.

I have lived in Japan in the past. Can I still apply for JET?

Yes, as long as you have not lived in Japan for 3 or more years total in the last 8 years.