Presentation about the JET programme to teach English in Japan, as well as MEXT scholarships for postgraduate study

2. JET
Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme
Started in 1987, the JET Programme now has over 5,000 graduates
from more than 50 countries

3. Who are JETs?
Two roles:
 Assistant Language
Teachers (ALTs)
 Coordinators for
International Relations
(CIRs)
For both positions, you will be viewed in
Japan as an ambassador for your country:
your actions will inform opinions of what
Brits are like. The Programme looks for
those who understand that JET is a job,
not a holiday, and who behave
accordingly.
In some cases, the JET participant is one
of few foreigners in a predominantly
Japanese community. Assistant Language
Teachers in particular have a vital role to
play in bringing foreign language and
culture to life in the classroom and the
school, while CIRs facilitate exchange in
the wider community.

4. ALT Assistant Language Teacher
Usually an ALT is stationed at one or more schools in their area, teaching at
elementary, junior high, or senior high school level. They may also be asked
to visit kindergartens, or teach conversational English to adults in their area,
too, but their duties often vary from ALT to ALT, depending on who they are
employed by.
For ALTs, the daily work schedule can be varied. They teach one to six
classes a day, and may not necessarily based at one school all week (and
some ALTs have had to move between multiple schools in a day!). On top of
this, ALTs can be invited in to lessons at the drop of a hat, so flexibility is
important and a sense of organisation essential if you need to keep multiple
schools straight in your head. Being able to manage your work and your
time effectively is a very important trait, and being able to do so will be
hugely beneficial in any type of job.

5. CIR: Coordinator for International Relations
CIRs help provide a bridge between Japan and foreign countries (especially sister
cities). They also help promote internationalisation in the local community. The duties
of a CIR can include:
 Welcoming guests from abroad
 Producing and edit pamphlets in English or Japanese
 Advising people planning international exchange programmes
 Interpreting and assisting at local events
 Assisting in the English-language instruction of government employees and local
residents as well as making occasional school visits.
Please note: interviews for CIR are held entirely in Japanese, and include a language
test.
CIR applicants should be of Japanese Proficiency N2 or higher, though they do not
need to provide the certification. They should know around 1,000 kanji and 6,000
words, and be able to converse, read and write about most matters in Japanese. This
level is normally reached after 600 hours of study and the completion of an
intermediate course.

6. Where do JETs go?
Applicants to the JET Programme have an amazing opportunity to immerse themselves
in a new country’s culture, so they should not expect to have a tourist experience.
Although many of our applicants request to be placed in one of the Big Three cities
(Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka), there is so much more to see, from Hokkaido in the north, to
the tropics of Okinawa, the hot springs in Beppu, the seas around Shikoku. Japan has
a diverse and varied geography. Some JETs are placed in cities, others in rural areas.
JET applicants are able to select three areas they might like to live in, but requests
cannot always be met, and it’s important to remember that one of the main aims of
the Programme is internationalisation. As the biggest cities in Japan are already
internationalised to a large extent, there are fewer JET positions in places such as
Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.

7. Japan日本
Stunning coastlines
Picturesque rural areas
Vibrant urban towns
Magnificent mountains
Seasonal
foliage
Winter wonderland

8. Hokkaido –Sapporo City
Iwate – Kamaishi City
Hyogo – Kobe City
Oita – Oita City
Osaka – Higashi Osaka City
Aichi – Toyota City
Kanagawa – Yokohama City
Shizuoka – Fukuroi City
Kumamoto –
Kumamoto City
Saitama – Kumagaya City
Tokyo – Choufu CityFukuoka – Fukuoka City
Current Topic - Rugby World Cup 2019

9. Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games
With the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games following the next year, Japan is
expected to see a sharp increase in tourism. Much is being done to make Japan more
accessible for foreigners and to raise more awareness of Japan’s position on the
international stage. Many people are growing more interested in learning English, with
conversation classes becoming more popular for adults, and the school curriculum
now expanding to offer English education to lower school years. Because of this, the
work of JETs has become even more important and they are highly regarded in their
communities as their work helps with the efforts to better internationalise Japan.
Note: successful applicants from next year’s application period will not arrive until
September 2020. This year is the only opportunity to arrive in time for the Tokyo
Olympics and Paralympic Games.

10. Why JET?
Benefits:
 Flights to and from Japan
 Help acquiring a work visa
 Orientations and training
 Assistance with housing and accommodation
 Accident and health insurance
 Grants available for TEFL or Japanese study
 A competitive salary (3.36 million yen a year for first
years, 3.6 million yen a year and rising from the
second year onward)

11. Challenges
 Dealing with language and cultural barriers
 Reality can be different to expectations
 Culture shock
 Homesickness

12. Support
All JET participants have access to a large
SUPPORT NETWORK
 Supervisor and school staff
 Other JETs (including Prefectural Advisors)
 AJET online/local chapters
AJET acts as a social committee, arranging a
variety of events in your prefecture and beyond.

13. Life After JET
The JET Programme offers a great opportunity to live and work in a country and
culture that is fundamentally different to what most participants have experienced in
the UK. Amongst the new skills JETs learn are a flexibility and willingness to adapt to
changes both on the large and small scale. Participants also develop a grasp of
Japanese, with plenty of opportunities to pick up the language (The JET Programme
offers a distance-learning Japanese course, but many cities have free or cheap
Japanese learning resources, and co-workers are often more than happy to teach!)
Although good speaking and presentation skills are necessary from the outset, JETs
usually return with stronger skills than they initially left with, and many JET
communities hold Toast Masters groups that help coach their members in these skills
and track their progress in a quantifiable manner.

14. Life After JET
 Civil Service
(FCO, DEFRA, DFE, etc.)
 Teaching
(at home and abroad)
 Major companies
(Sony, Toyota, Google, etc.)
 Consulting and Finance
(Nomura, MUFG, etc.)
 Travel Industry
 Journalism
(Times, Guardian, BBC, etc. )
 Higher Education
You can find a former JET in almost every sector!

15. Eligibility Criteria
 Hold a full UK passport.
 Hold a Bachelor’s degree by departure (July 2019)
 CIRs must have an equivalent of JLPT N2 level ability.
 Not have lived in Japan for 6 years or more in the last 10.
(Please see JET website for other criteria)
*Non UK citizens:
Please contact the Embassy of Japan in the country where you hold citizenship.

16. OCT 2018
Apply
JAN/FEB 2019
Interviews
APRIL 2019
Results
Announced
EARLY AUGUST 2019
Depart to
Japan
JULY 2019
Pre-Departure
Orientation
MAY 2019
Placements
Announced
Timeline

17. Timeline
Applicants need to collate an application pack before the deadline,
which is Thursday 22nd November 2018 at 6pm.
The application packs will go through a screening process, with
promising applicants being offered an interview in the New Year.
Getting the required documentation for the pack takes time, and
candidates should begin collecting the documents in advance. See
our website for more details at: www.jet-uk/org

18. Timeline
• ALT interviews are planned until
late January, with CIR interviews
due to occur in early February.
Candidates invited for interview will
go to either the Japanese Embassy
in London or to the Japanese
Consulate in Edinburgh. Candidates
may choose on the application
form which location they prefer,
however CIR interviews will be held
only at the Japanese Embassy in
London.
• In April, successful candidates will
be informed that they have been
shortlisted, and will be required to
submit some additional documents.
• JETs begin to find out their
placement details in May, though
this information is released
gradually. The JET Programme tries
to accommodate everyone’s wishes
but they cannot guarantee to meet
initial placement requests.
• In July, departing JETs must attend
a Pre-Departure Orientation, where
they will receive important
information and additional training.
They will also surrender their
passports to the UK JET Office for
Visa processing.
• Finally, JETs will leave for Japan in
early August, and receive three
days’ training at Tokyo Orientation
before leaving for their respective
prefectures.

20. Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships
1. Japanese Studies Scholarship
 For undergraduate students of Japanese Studies.
 Study for one year at a university in Japan.
Intake from January.
2. Postgraduate Research Scholarship
 Open to graduates of any discipline.
 Study for either 18 months or 2 years.
Intake from April.
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

21. Postgraduate Scholarships
 For study or independent research in Japan for
2 years from April, or for 18 months from October
 No prior knowledge of Japanese language necessary. (unless you
will be studying Japan-related subjects, such as Japanese law, literature,
linguistics or history, in which case we again recommend your skill to be
Japanese Language Proficiency level 2 or higher)
 Study/research in almost any field, if available at Japanese
universities, relevant to grantee’s previous study
 start in principle as research students, but can potentially go
on to Masters or PhD studies after passing entrance exams

22. All applicants must:
 Hold a valid UK passport
 Have graduated before their departure to Japan
 Please contact the MEXT scholarship co-ordinator if you will
be over 35 at the time of departure.
Eligibility

23. Benefits:
 A monthly allowance of ¥143,000 – ¥148,000
(Subject to change)
 6-month intensive Japanese language course if necessary
 Return airfare to Japan
 Assistance with accommodation
 Visa allowing part-time work
 Membership of the British Association of MEXT Scholars
(BAMS) alumni association
Postgraduate Scholarships

24. For application guidelines and further details available at:
Education & Scholarships page of
the Embassy of Japan’s website
All enquiries on MEXT Scholarship should be directed to:
Coordinator for Educational Affairs, Embassy of Japan
Tel: 020 7465 6593
E-mail: scholarship@ld.mofa.go.jp
Other Study in Japan info:
Japan Student Services Organization
www.jasso.go.jp

25. http://www.jet-uk.org
Applications for the 2019 JET
Programme Close
Thursday November 22nd at 6pm
Email: ukjet@ld.mofa.go.jp
Tel: 020 7465 6668
Address: JET Programme,
Embassy of Japan
101-104 Piccadilly
London W1J 7JT
www.twitter.com/ukjetprogramme
All enquiries on MEXT Scholarship
should be directed to:
Coordinator for Educational Affairs,
Embassy of Japan
Tel: 020 7465 6593
E-mail: scholarship@ld.mofa.go.jp