Every year The JET Program USA receives around 5,000 applications. Of those, approximately 1,000 go on to work as an ALT in K-12 schools in Japan.
Founded in 1987 to promote multicultural understanding between Japan and other countries, the JET Program has since fostered an alumni community of 100,000+ ALTs worldwide.
What exactly is an ALT? The JET Program defines Assistant Language Teacher as “... mainly assigned to local boards of education or elementary, junior high or senior high schools and carry out their duties under the guidance of language teachers’ consultants or Japanese teachers of English (JTEs) as specified by the supervisor and/or principal of the board of education and/or school.”
The JET Program still stands as the most highly respected English teaching program in Japan, but since its founding, several new dispatch companies have flourished under Japan’s English curriculum requirements. As it stands, there are four main dispatch companies that supply contracts and English teachers directly to boards of education.
The main dispatch companies as of 2022 are Interac, Borderlink, Altia Central, and Heart Corporation. There are other, less reputable companies that will not be listed.
In early 2018, I received my email of acceptance on the shortlist from the JET Program. To say I was elated was an understatement. I jumped out of my bed and started crying. After all, this was the culmination of years of work reaching its pinnacle.
I served three years on the JET Program until August, 2021 in rural Okayama prefecture. I was a municipal ALT - meaning I was directly contracted with my town’s, Kibichuo-cho, board of education. There I worked in three elementary schools and one junior high school.
Kibichuo offered me a 4th year on the program with them, but I declined to move to a new city.
This was where I found myself face to face with 就職活動 shushoku-katsudo - the job-hunting lifestyle.
I knew in my area I had three options
After weighing my options, the choice was easy to make. I applied to one of the dispatch companies that serviced Okayama (for privacy reasons I will not say which one, but they all run similarly) and was hired on the spot in the interview.
I worked for the dispatch company for an extra year, this time teaching at five elementary schools for two semesters, and then switching to three elementary schools for one semester.
In total, I have now worked at a staggering eleven elementary schools and one junior high school in Japan.
While I am far from an ALT expert, I do have first-hand experience and a deeper understanding of how the industries work, and now I want to help you make the decision that is best for you.
Here are the pros and cons of the JET Program and Dispatch companies.
The application process for each type of company is vastly different.
The JET Program application is renowned for being a lengthy, in-depth process that takes around a year to complete from start to departure. The application requires two letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and multiple checks.
There is a lot of waiting and months of quiet while things happen in the back-end to get everything together.
The greatest challenge for some aspiring JETs is the in-person interview at the Japanese consulate. This may require you to travel extensively at your own cost for the interview. I was lucky in that my closest consulate was within a two-hour drive, but I met people who had to fly to their interviews.
Most JETs depart their home country in August, but there are early arrival opportunities in April.
Read here for the official application process.
The application process differs from company to company. Many companies have different application processes for overseas applicants and domestic applicants. Oftentimes the overseas application is lengthier.
Opposite to the JET Program, dispatch companies tend to follow the Japanese fiscal year in that ALTs begin work in April. There are usually opportunities for August start dates.
I applied to my company domestically, and the entire application process was shockingly easy. I submitted a standard two-page online application. The next day I had an online interview and was hired on the spot.
Van in Japan, who works at ALTIA Central - known for being the best ALT dispatch company - made a thorough video describing her interview process here. The interview section begins at 10:13.
Borderlink (overseas applicants)
This is where the JET Program and dispatch companies are similar. They will both provide/sponsor your instructor visa. This enables you to work in K-12 schools as a teacher. However, there are some different visa requirements to work in nursery schools/kindergartens - again, all taken care of for you.
Visas for the JET Program start with a three-year validity. When it was time to renew my visa with the dispatch company, I was granted another three-year visa (though I only stayed one).
Here is where JET and dispatch companies begin to differ.
In the JET Program application you can request up to three areas, and specify urban, suburban, or rural placements. While the higher-ups in Tokyo consider these, there is no guarantee that you will be where you want. Some people get their ideal location, and some who request Okinawa will be placed in rural Hokkaido.
There is very little consistency. So, if you are the type of person who will be happy settling in any city and any type of environment, this could be perfect for you!
One thing to note is that your JET placement is set in stone once you arrive. Requesting a transfer is possible, but is typically only granted when the JET is getting married and moving with their partner, or in cases of severe illness.
However, with dispatch companies you can actively pick and choose where you would like to be placed. Your heart is set on inner Tokyo? Do you have family in rural Kagoshima? You can actively make these requests and work with the company to be placed there - provided that the company has openings available.
Transfers are also much easier in dispatch companies.
The JET Program pays for travel from the ALTs' home country to their placement. All airfare, food, and a three-day training in Tokyo are covered. Upon completing the program, airfare is covered as long as the ALT is returning to their home country.
Rules for this differ based on the BOE. For example, if there is an emergency and the ALT has to break contract to leave Japan, it is up to the BOE’s discretion if they fund the flight out of Japan or not. Some do, some do not. Also, if an ALT is moving from Japan to another country that flight may not be covered (though I have heard of ALTs with good relationships with their BOEs covering those flights).
Dispatch companies do not reimburse you for flights. You are required to pay your own way to Japan. Training requirements differ based on the company.
However, you can choose the date you arrive in Japan. So, if you want to squeeze in some travel before you start working, that is possible!
Here is where the dreaded ESID phrase sets in - Every Situation Is Different. Most ALTs abhor ESID, but at its core it is true. JET ALTs are left to the discretion of the BOE they are assigned to. Some JETs move into fully furnished, subsidized apartments. Some JETs have to seek out their own housing and start from the ground up.
There is very little consistency country-wide, so it is a toss-up of what your living situation will be.
Supervisors assist ALTs in setting up bank accounts, enrolling in insurance programs, and registering at city hall.
Dispatch companies, while still mostly ESID, have a bit more consistency. For most companies, you can actively put in requests for the type of apartment you want. The dispatch companies partner with local real estate agencies and guide you through the housing process. Usually, ALTs end up living in Leo Palaces, though not always.
This, however, is an expensive process almost entirely shouldered by the ALT. Most companies recommend $3,000+ USD for start-up costs.
Who does an ALT go to when there is a problem?
For each type of program/company there is a designated structure.
For JET it is loosely:
Dispatch companies follow a company HR structure.
The HR department typically consists of a team of other foreigners/English speakers, usually with ALT experience, and a team of other Japanese natives. There is no guarantee that these people will be in the same prefecture as the ALT. Email is the primary form of communication between ALT and the HR department.
Because of the high number of ALTs, the HR department is in charge of, sometimes things can take a while to be addressed - but the same can be said for JETs.
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This is another part of the JET Program that has little consistency. 年休 - Nenkyu - paid time off, is at the discretion of each BOE. Japanese law dictates a mandatory amount of provided paid leave days per amount of working days. This means that most JETs get a minimum of 10 days. But, some BOEs provide up to 20 days and special summer leave - though this is not the standard.
Some JETs also receive 病休 - byokyu - paid sick leave, but some do not.
Dispatch company paid leave is where things get trickier. As a whole, dispatch ALTs work fewer official days than JETs. Typically, all of August is considered a nonworking month. Some dispatch workers receive more time off and only work a full seven months out of the year.
During my time working with a dispatch company, I had no shortage of unpaid time off. This meant that even though I wanted to travel around Japan, I was too broke to actually do so. So how did I spend my 1.5 months of spring vacation with no money? I did a volunteer exchange for free accommodation!
For one month I lived rent free in Hiroshima City, exploring the beautiful and historical area. The premise was simple: I volunteered a hostel a few hours a day doing basic things like cleaning, reception work, and general management in exchange for free accommodation! You can read more about my experience here. Does this sound like something you'd want to do?
Check out Worldpackers! This is a volunteer exchange platform that connects hosts with volunteers in over 140 countries around the world, and there are some especially cool opportunities in Japan. Anyone fancy living in a samurai house for free?
Because of the fluctuation in scheduling, the amount of paid leave varies per contract. The minimum is typically five days per contract, and companies strongly urge you to save these days in case ALTs get sick.
One of the hardest parts of moving abroad is finding a new community. Most long-term expats understand the difference between friends out of convenience and close bonds.
Because ALTs are lumped together in a similar situation, forming groups and support networks is a vital part of living as a foreigner in Japan.
The JET Program is structured to bring ALTs together. Most prefectures have a local AJET (association of JETs) to plan events and connect ALTs. People also meet one another at welcome events, structured training sessions, and through the JET grapevine.
Dispatch ALTs have reported that it is a little more difficult to initially meet friends and local ALTs. Prefectural training is where people make the quickest, easiest connections.
Some prefectural dispatch ALTs have set up Line groups to build that support as well.
Another major difference, and perhaps the most important, is the salary.
The JET Program provides a comfortable, livable salary for a single worker in Japan. Most JETs report that with basic budgeting, they were able to save between 80,000 yen - 130,000 yen per month. This varies based on rent prices, marital status, and travel.
JETs also receive a steady raise for each year completed at contract renewal.
The pay scale is as follows
Every JET will be enrolled in the national/social health insurance. Most pay into the pension fund, but can receive the full lump sum back up to 5-years as of 2022.
However, JETs are not allowed to legally make any income outside of their salary. Any suspicion of taking on a part time job or freelance work during the contract period is technically a visa violation and can put your residency at risk.
Dispatch companies get their bad reputation when it comes to salary. Each company has their own policy and pay scale. The average salary is 2.4 million yen - 2.7 million yen. Generally, pay is prorated for dispatch ALTs.
The highest paying dispatch company is ALTIA Central which promises no prorated pay. They also provide a bonus once a year.
That is an average of one million yen a year difference in salary between the JET Program and dispatch companies.
Several dispatch ALTs report struggling financially during months of prorated pay. However, most dispatch companies do not restrict outside work. With permission from the company, employees can receive special visa permission to take on extra work - if the funds pass through a Japanese bank account.
Many dispatch ALTs report teaching English online, tutoring private students, freelancing, or taking on eikaiwa/side work during the school holidays to pad their pockets.
As for transportation, each contract functions differently. Some JETs and dispatch ALTs receive a transportation allowance (whether by car or public transportation). Some do not and are required to pay out of pocket to go to work.
A school is a school. Each school has its own atmosphere, rules, staff, and students. That being said, though procedures for communication might be different between higher ups, teaching classes and lesson planning with JTEs does not vary that much.
Whether you choose JET or a dispatch company, you can expect your own school life to be just that: yours.
Some ALTs report hardly being used and sitting at their desk most of the day while some teach the entire six lessons with no chance to sit down. It is possible to even teach at more than one school in a day.
Carefully consider your goals and what you want to accomplish by coming here. Each type of program/company has different pros and cons for different lifestyles.
Teaching English in Japan can be a lifechanging, rewarding experience. You will have students that you can make an impact on, and will in turn change you.
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