Application Process

My JET experience stated like everyone else’s, with an application. If you are interested in applying to JET, know that it is a long – but well worth it – process. For my 2013 departure, I had to start my application in the fall of 2012. There are two parts to the application. First is a paper application that includes three copies of up to fourteen documents. My paper application was due in November of 2012. If you pass this initial application, the next step is an interview. My interview was held at the Consulate General of Japan in Boston on a Friday in February 2013. I found out about my status as a short list candidate (accepted, but pre-placement) at the end of April 2013 and I found out my placement on May 21^st, 2013. So the entire application process from the first draft of an essay to leaving for Japan is almost a year, September 2012 to August 2013 in my case.

The paper application is the first step. This part is pretty straight forward. There are fourteen pieces, but depending on which position you’re applying for you won’t necessarily need every part. I only needed eleven out of the fourteen components. The others (Physician’s Form, FBI Criminal Background Check, and Certificate of Health Form) I either didn’t need or filled out after my acceptance to the program. You might not need all of the forms if you have not studied abroad or if you are not a certified teacher. The papers you need to turn in range from self-assessed medical forms to copies of your passport and diploma.

The Statement of Purpose is the only section of the paper application that can be creative with. It is a short essay with very specific margins that must fit on two pages. You need to incorporate relevant experience and motivation in respect to teaching and Japanese (or any) travel as the topics of the essay. Since this is the only chance you have to express your personality before the first round of cuts, it is incredibly important. I stated my essay by talking about an experience I had student teaching. I was teaching math, not Japanese, but could still talk about my teaching style and classroom management. I also wrote about one of my students who was interested in Japanese. I helped teach her some basic Japanese phrases and culture. I also described my time abroad in Japan. Even if you don’t have experience teaching a traditional class you can write about helping a younger sibling, friend, or anyone else. As long as you show some personality, education experience, and interest in Japan you should be good to go.

While the paper application is pretty straight forward and mostly filling out the correct forms, the interview is all about you. Before my interview, I Googled other peoples interview experiences. I read about people being asked everything from talking about geographical and political issues to teaching a mock lesson on the spot. I even read about someone who was asked what they would say if questioned about Americas motivation for dropping the bomb in WWII. I read about interview panels that were so belligerent they were described as a tribunal and panels that were almost too friendly. I prepared answers for everything – remembering dates, people, political parties, island names, and city names. I’ve never been good at memorization and thankfully I wasn’t asked about any of those things.

I had an interview with a panel of three women who were all very nice. The interview lasted about twenty minutes and I was mostly asked about what I would teach and how I would teach it. The questions centered around what I thought was the most important thing to teach the students in Japan about America, how I would keep the students engaged, and how I would deal with disruptive students. I was also asked why I wanted to go to Japan rather than somewhere else. Answering the questions confidently is important, just let your personality come through.

All of the information about the application can be found here on the JET website. The process can change year to year, but the format is always the same and all required documents are usually the same.