Question about the Application Process? READ!!

[shanePC]

Anyone with a question about application procedures should take note that the application process, interviews, and acceptence are done through the Japanese Embassy and Consulates in your home country, and thus the system (like the online application) will be different in each country.

Better to direct inquiries regarding the application and interview process to the Japanese embassy/consulate in your home country, as we at CLAIR in Tokyo are not involved, and any given JET answering your question may be from a different country from your own (and ultimately might answer the question based on experience that doesn't apply to you).

[shanePC]

I'm noticing a lot of questions that ask about specific countries' application process, so I thought I'd bump this thread. If you are going to ask a question about the application - remember that people here don't know where you're from and your application is different from elsewhere!

Please state where you are from! Get answers from people in the same location!

[Margaret Fylstra]

I am a current Peace Corps Volunteer serving in Senegal West Africa. I will be done with the Peace Corps in a couple months and planning on applying to the JET program once I return home. I am originally from Chicago, IL USA. I was wondering if the JET program had options for couples applying. Would it be possible to be placed somewhere together? Or if one did the JET program, could the other move to the location with the JET participant and share the living circumstances even if he or she was not a JET teacher?

Thank you for the help!
Margaret Fylstra

[Jason]

I am a current Peace Corps Volunteer serving in Senegal West Africa. I will be done with the Peace Corps in a couple months and planning on applying to the JET program once I return home. I am originally from Chicago, IL USA. I was wondering if the JET program had options for couples applying. Would it be possible to be placed somewhere together? Or if one did the JET program, could the other move to the location with the JET participant and share the living circumstances even if he or she was not a JET teacher?

Thank you for the help!
Margaret Fylstra

Hi Margaret, though i'm sure Shane will be on here before too long to give you a more official response, i'm sure i could help flesh things out till then.

Historically the JET programme has been very supportive of couples applying to the program, and every year you see many couples accepted, as well as in the majority of cases placed together, or near each other. If anything, applying as a couple (assuming you are both reasonably well suited to the program) could work as an advantage to getting accepted, as because you have your significant other there to support you, you are more likely to be able to cope with any culture shock issues that arise. With this support in mind, it is usually the case that every effort is made to have couples placed together.

If you aren't both taken on with JET, it is definitely possible to still share living arrangements. It's just necessary that you inform JET of this during you application so that, if you are accepted, the proper steps could be taken to accommodate you.

[5pool]

Hi hi,

I emailed JET about this but I'm also going to ask here to see if I get a quicker response. For the police check, I did my interview in Toronto (which is also where my permanent residence is) but I live in another city, and I was wondering if anyone knows if I could get my police check done here instead? I figure it's all the same thing, and all the email/forms say is that it has to be done by a municipal police department. It would be much easier, faster and cheaper to get it done where I live now.

Thanks!

[Jason]

Hey again 5pool, there should be no reason you can't get the check done in your town (i assume Kingston? ) I know that's what i plan to do, and my permanent address is in Alberta. I'm pretty sure that the location you get the check done is irrelevant, as long you're getting it done in Canada

[AVN]

Most of the local police force criminal checks also check the RCMP database so it shouldn't matter where you get it done.

[Margaret Fylstra]

Thanks for the help with my question on being placed as a couple with the JET program. One more follow up question. To be considered as a couple do we have to be married to apply together? What about if he's not a JET applicant, but finds other work in Japan?

Margaret

[RC_Fagan03]

I know this is probably the most common and silly question on the forum (maybe not the most silly, however...). I read about the acceptance rates for the program for American applicants and naturally, it got me very worried. As such, I was wondering if anyone with an idea of what the admissions officials look for could tell me if I have a snowballs chance in heck of making it in. I am a recent graduate from Northern Illinois University, I have a Bachelors in Art and a Minor in Japanese Studies, I have studied abroad in Japan at Kwansei Gakuin University in the Hyogo Prefecture in Nishinomiya City and while there I participated in the elementary school visits to help teach English to children in Japan. I have a good understanding of the Japanese language and would probably rank at about a level 3 in JLPT. I have every interest in furthering my knowledge of Japanese language, culture, and history and am very open minded and open to trying new things. Additionally, if this has ANY bearing on the whole process, I am a 6'2", 185lb, 23 year old Caucasian Male. Silly to think it would make a difference, however, I have read some strange things on this forum. Thanks for checking this out and please reply as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Robert Fagan

[NatalieHiroshimaPA]

I'm sorry Mr. Fagan Caucasian males are out for next season
I joke. You sound fab, so just apply and see what happens. You won't know unless you try.

[miami_coordinator]

Okay, maybe it's tacky, but I'm going to promote my own page (the link in my signature). There's a really big FAQ page there that includes some questions about chances of being accepted. Here's the response that I wrote for one of those questions (although, please note that other countries and other coordinators may have different parameters from mine, but in general I think most would agree with me):

What are my chances of being accepted?

We do not release official statistics relative to received applications, interviews, or acceptances. It is true that the JET Program is extremely competitive, and with the current economic situation, it is only becoming more so. However, we encourage all those who are qualified to apply. Unlike applying for graduate schools and jobs where specific grades and academic majors can be the deciding factor for acceptance, JET has participants from a number of different academic and cultural backgrounds who share an interest in promoting their cultures and language abroad. Therefore, despite the JET Program's competitivity, we do not want qualified applicants to be afraid or intimidated to apply, as it may turn out that they could be some of our top candidates.

[hpotter11]

I am planning to apply for the JET program this fall for the following year and am also concerned about acceptance. I will be graduating from Michigan State University in the spring with a degree in packaging, which I know is unrelated to teaching English in Japan, but I have been to Japan many times to visit my mother's side of the family. I have been speaking Japanese since I could talk and have always been interested in everything about my heritage. I also took a year of Japanese during my first year of college. Are accepted JETs typically more formally educated in Japanese and/or Japanese culture? I have just been so excited about doing this program since I heard about it several months ago and would really love to be able to participate

[stanntz]

I am not really sure if I'm posting my question at the right spot, but I saw in the brochure that you have to be a citizen in order to apply. However, I'm a permanent resident here in Toronto. Does it mean I have to go back to my home country in order to apply or can I do it right here? My friend's working there and I've heard only good things about it.That's why I was considering it for a long time, but this is just getting me confused.Thanks in advance

[AVN]

I am not really sure if I'm posting my question at the right spot, but I saw in the brochure that you have to be a citizen in order to apply. However, I'm a permanent resident here in Toronto. Does it mean I have to go back to my home country in order to apply or can I do it right here? My friend's working there and I've heard only good things about it.That's why I was considering it for a long time, but this is just getting me confused.Thanks in advance

Yes you will have to return to your citizenship country for the interview if you wish to apply. What is your home country?

[stanntz]

I'm from Bulgaria, but I haven't been there for the last 3 years. Is it 100% certain? It's really bad if it's true