The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET)

 

The Japan Exchange & Teaching (JET) Program is an opportunity for young college graduates to assist with international exchange and foreign language education throughout Japan as either Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) or Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs).

Founded by the Japanese government in 1987 to help promote internationalization within rural Japan, JET began with less than 1,000 participants but has grown to become one of the largest cultural exchange programs in the world. Today the program has more than 4,000 current participants and over 60,000 alumni.

JET Program participants travel to Japan as representatives of their home countries and play an integral role in helping to promote grassroots internationalization and understanding. Teaching experience and Japanese language ability are not required and we encourage people of every major and background to apply!

JET is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA); the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology (MEXT); the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication (MIC), and local governments throughout Japan, in cooperation with the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR).

September - November	Recruitment: Campus Visits & Information Sessions
Early October	Applications open. To apply for the 2019 JET Program, see this page. To see what documents you need for the application, click the following link: Required Documents and Supplemental Materials. Some materials can take over a month to acquire, so potential applicants should look into collecting documents early.
Mid-November	Application deadline. All applicants must complete and submit their application by the deadline. Any late submissions will not be considered. The actual deadline date will be announced at a later time.
January - February	Interviews
March - April	Applicants receive interview results
May	Placement notification & Pre-Departure Orientation
Early July	Visa Processing
Early August	Farewell Reception & Departure

If you are a resident of Northern California or Nevada, you can contact the San Francisco JET offices at (415) 780-6087 or by e-mail at jet@sr.mofa.go.jp. For those interested in applying to the JET Program in the future, you can sign up for our 2019 JET Program Recruitment mailing list here.

If you are not a resident or Northern California or Nevada, please contact the nearest Japanese consulate or embassy. For more information on Japanese consulates in the US, click here.