Applications are now open for the Government of Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme 2027, a fully funded pathway for young graduates to live and work in Japan, with a closing deadline of October 16, 2026.
Administered through collaboration between Japan’s local government authorities, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), the JET Programme is one of the world’s largest international exchange initiatives, with high acclaim domestically and overseas.
The programme’s scale tells its own story: since starting in 1987 with four participating countries and 848 participants, JET has grown to 54 countries and 5,993 participants as of 2025, with more than 80,000 people from 82 countries having passed through over the years.
The Job: Assistant Language Teacher
Participants serve as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs), placed mainly in local boards of education, elementary schools, junior high schools, and senior high schools across Japan.
Working under the guidance of language teachers’ consultants or Japanese teachers of the foreign language, as specified by their supervisor or school principal, ALTs’ duties generally include:
- Assistance in foreign language classes taught in elementary, junior high, and senior high schools
- Assistance in foreign language activities in elementary schools
- Assistance in preparing teaching materials for foreign language instruction
- Assistance in language training for teachers of foreign languages
- Cooperation in extracurricular and club activities
- Providing information on language and related subjects, such as word usage and pronunciation, for teachers’ consultants and foreign language teachers
- Cooperation in foreign language speech contests
- Cooperation in local international exchange activities
- Other duties as deemed necessary by the supervisor or school principal
Duties may vary from one Contracting Organisation to another.
What ALTs Earn
The remuneration is one of the programme’s strongest selling points: approximately ¥4,020,000 in the first year, rising to ¥4,140,000 in the second year and ¥4,260,000 in the third year, for participants who have worked a full year.
That is roughly 4 million yen a year, or about KSh3.4 million, paid for a role that also includes the experience of living in Japan. Participants whose period of participation runs shorter than a year receive prorated remuneration.
Who Can Apply?
The general criteria require applicants to:
- Be interested in Japan, willing to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of the country after arrival, motivated to participate in and initiate international exchange activities in the local community, and committed to starting or continuing Japanese language study before and after arriving
- Be both mentally and physically healthy
- Be willing and able to adapt to living and working in Japan, and determined to responsibly complete their period of participation
- Hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher by the designated arrival date. ALT applicants may alternatively hold, or obtain by the arrival date, certification of completion of a three-year or longer course to teach at primary/elementary or secondary schools
- Be a national, not merely a permanent resident, of the country where recruitment and selection take place, at the time of submitting the application form. Applicants holding Japanese nationality must have submitted their applications to renounce it by the Reply Form submission deadline
Alongside the general criteria, each participating country applies its own selection procedures, so applicants should confirm the requirements and deadlines applicable through the Japanese embassy or consulate in their home country.
The Grassroots Mission Behind the Programme
JET’s primary aim is grassroots internationalisation at the local level. Beyond classrooms, ALTs are embedded in local communities, expected to spark exchange activities and represent their home countries in everyday Japanese life, from school festivals to town events.
For graduates seeking both paid international work and deep cultural immersion, the programme remains the most established route into Japan, four decades on from its founding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the JET Programme?
The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme, a Government of Japan initiative inviting young graduates worldwide to work as Assistant Language Teachers in Japanese schools while promoting grassroots internationalisation in local communities.
How much does the JET Programme pay?
Approximately ¥4,020,000 in the first year, ¥4,140,000 in the second, and ¥4,260,000 in the third, for participants who complete a full year, with prorated payment for shorter periods.
Who is eligible to apply?
Young university graduates who hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher by the designated arrival date (or an equivalent teaching certification for ALT applicants), are nationals of the country where they apply, and meet the programme’s health, adaptation, and Japan-interest criteria.
What is the application deadline?
October 16, 2026.
Do I need to speak Japanese?
You are not required to be fluent, but you must make an effort to start or continue studying Japanese before and after arriving in Japan, and you must be motivated to engage in local exchange activities.
Where will I be placed?
ALTs are placed mainly in local boards of education and in elementary, junior high, and senior high schools, with duties varying between Contracting Organisations.
Can permanent residents apply?
No. Applicants must be nationals, not just permanent residents, of the country where they apply, and dual Japanese nationals must have applied to renounce their Japanese nationality by the Reply Form deadline.
