What are the JET Programme requirements?

Last checked: 2026-11-06

You generally need a bachelor's degree or higher by your arrival date, and you do not need a TEFL. These are the 2027 rules, for people arriving in 2027. Each embassy publishes its own copy, so read the one for your country.

Rules for all applicants, 2027

Rule	What the guidelines say
Degree	Bachelor's degree or higher by the designated arrival date. Some embassy pages say any subject is accepted, including the UK, Ireland and Canada. The Philippines said the same in its 2026 FAQ.
ALT alternative to a degree	A certificate of completing a course of 3 years or more to teach at primary or secondary schools.
Nationality	You must be a national of the country where recruitment takes place. Permanent residency is not enough.
Language	Strong pronunciation and ability in the designated language. This is English in English-speaking countries.
Interest in Japan	Real interest in Japan, and an effort to study Japanese before and after arrival.
Past JET participation	Not on the Programme since March 2024, and not more than 6 years in total.
Past residence in Japan	You must not have lived in Japan for 6 or more consecutive years in total since 2017, at the time of application. See the note below.
Criminal record	No disqualifying criminal history.

Wording differs here. The New Zealand, India, Singapore and Philippines guidelines use the rule above, and Ireland's page matches. The UK embassy page says 6 or more years in total in the 10 years before your departure year, and JET Program USA uses a similar 10-year rule. If this applies to you, ask your embassy.

Asked about age or dual citizenship? See the JET age limit page. For the language rule outside JET, see non-native speakers.

Extra points for ALT and CIR

Position	What the guidelines say
ALT (Assistant Language Teacher)	Interest in Japan's education system and willingness to work with children. The language criterion reads: "Qualifications as a language teacher or a strong enthusiasm for language education." The UK embassy says prior Japanese is not mandatory.
CIR (Coordinator for International Relations)	A working command of Japanese. Singapore's guidelines describe this as equal to N1 or N2 of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test. The UK embassy says you need not have passed the exam, but your ability should be enough to pass it.

Not sure which fits you? Compare CIR vs ALT.

Do you need a TEFL for JET?

No. The JET FAQ says a teaching certificate, diploma or TESOL/TEFL certification is not required to take part, but that such certifications are an asset during selection. The 2027 guidelines say language teaching experience or qualifications are not part of the eligibility criteria, but that extra consideration is given to applicants who have them.

See do you need a TEFL to teach in Japan for more, and TEFL vs TESOL vs CELTA for how the courses differ.

Term and dates

The basic term is one year. With agreement from both sides you can be reappointed twice, for three years in total. Participants considered outstanding can stay up to five years. See contract length and renewal.

The 2027 guidelines give main arrival dates of July 25 or August 1, 2027. Deadlines differ by country. For example, Canada listed November 13, 2026 and Ireland December 4, 2026. Some other deadlines have already passed. See the full application timeline. India's dates conflict: the guidelines say October 31, 2026, and the embassy page we saw in search said October 30.

How we checked: on November 6, 2026 we read the New Zealand, India, Singapore and Philippines guidelines, and the UK, Ireland and Toronto pages, from the originals. The JET Programme website showed a maintenance notice that day, so the FAQ text was read through a search tool. We saw India's October 30 date only in search text. Each embassy publishes its own copy, so read the one for your country. We did not cover the SEA position in detail.