JET Programme 2027 for Filipinos: Salary, Requirements, and How to Apply by November 20

Japan is hiring foreign graduates to assist English teachers in its schools, and applications for 2027 are open. You do not need a teaching degree. You do not need to speak Japanese.

This round is run by the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines for Filipino citizens. The online application closes on Friday, November 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Philippine time. If you live in another country, check with the Japanese embassy there for your own deadline.

What the JET Programme Is

JET stands for Japan Exchange and Teaching. It is a Japanese government program that places foreign graduates in schools and local government offices across Japan.

It started in 1987. More than 80,000 people from 82 countries have joined. Three Japanese ministries (internal affairs, foreign affairs, and education) run it together with the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR).

The program itself does not employ you. A contracting organization does, usually a prefecture, a city, or a private school. That organization pays your salary and your flight.

The Philippines recruits for two roles:

• Assistant Language Teacher (ALT), open to graduates from any field
• Coordinator for International Relations (CIR), which needs Japanese at about JLPT N1 or N2 level

This guide covers the ALT role.

What an ALT Does

You assist Japanese teachers of English. You work in an elementary, junior high, or senior high school, or from a local board of education. You support the lead teacher. You do not run the class alone.

Your tasks usually include:

• Helping in foreign language classes
• Preparing teaching materials
• Joining club activities and school events
• Supporting speech contests
• Taking part in local international exchange events

Your supervisor can assign other tasks too, so your mix of duties depends on your placement.

You work about 35 hours a week, not counting lunch. The usual schedule is Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Weekends and national holidays are off. You get at least 10 paid holidays a year, and the exact number depends on your contracting organization.

Who Can Apply

You need to be a Filipino citizen. Permanent residency is not enough. You also need a bachelor’s degree by your arrival date, so final-year students can apply if they will graduate before departure.

There is one alternative to a degree: a certificate showing you finished a course of three or more years to teach at the primary or secondary level.

You must also meet these conditions:

• Good mental and physical health, and a plan to finish your full term
• Real interest in Japan, in how Japanese schools teach languages, and in working with children, plus a language teaching qualification or strong enthusiasm for teaching languages
• A real effort to study Japanese before and after you arrive
• Excellent English, including pronunciation, rhythm, intonation, and clear writing
• No JET participation since March 2024, no more than six years in total, and no six or more years of living in Japan since 2017
• No declined placement in the previous program year without a valid, unavoidable reason
• No criminal history that makes you unsuitable, such as drunk driving, drug offenses, sexual offenses, or crimes involving children

Read these rules in the official application guidelines (a PDF from the Embassy) before you spend time on your application.

Do You Need an Education Degree?

No. Engineers, nurses, accountants, IT graduates, and others all qualify. A degree in English or Education earns extra points, but it is not required.

The same goes for a teaching license, classroom experience, other teaching qualifications, Japanese ability such as a JLPT pass, and time spent living or traveling abroad. Each one helps your score. None of them is a condition to apply.

Do You Need to Speak Japanese?

No. Japanese counts only as a bonus.

Shortlisted applicants do face two tests, though: a teaching demonstration in English and a Japanese conversation test. Learn basic Japanese before the interview. Even simple greetings and self-introductions will help you.

How Much You Earn

A first-year ALT earns about ¥4,020,000 a year. Pay rises when you renew:

• First year: ¥4,020,000
• Second year: ¥4,140,000
• Third year: ¥4,260,000
• Fourth and fifth years (exceptional participants only): ¥4,320,000

The first-year pay is about ¥335,000 a month. At roughly ₱0.38 per yen, that is around ₱127,000 a month, or close to ₱1.5 million a year. That is before deductions, and the exchange rate moves, so treat the peso figures as estimates.

Expect these deductions:

• Japanese income tax and residence tax, where they apply
• Health insurance through the mutual aid association
• Pension and employment insurance

The insurance and pension shares come out of your pay each month. Part of your residence tax may also be collected in one lump sum before you leave Japan.

Your contracting organization buys your plane ticket from your departure airport to Narita or Haneda. Filipino participants fly out of Manila, Cebu, or Davao.

What You Pay For Yourself

Budget for these costs before you accept a placement:

• Housing. You find and pay for your own place. Two to six months of rent may be due soon after you arrive.
• Getting to the airport, document fees, visa fees, and extra baggage.
• Your family. A spouse or children who come with you need separate dependent visas, and you cover their travel and living costs.
• Late withdrawal. If you pull out after getting a placement, you may owe half the ticket price when you confirm 15 to 30 days before departure. You may owe the full price when you confirm 14 days or fewer before departure.

How Long You Can Stay

The standard term is one year. It starts the day after the main arrival date, July 25, 2027. If your contracting organization is happy with your work, it may renew you, generally up to three years in total. Exceptional participants may stay up to five. Pay goes up with each renewal.

How to Apply

Apply online at ph.jetapplication.com. The Embassy does not accept mailed or hand-delivered papers. It can still ask for physical copies if it needs extra checks.

Here is the order to follow:

1. Read the official application guidelines. The Embassy says following instructions is the first step of screening.
2. Fill out the application form and the medical self-report in the portal.
3. Write your statement of purpose in the portal. It cannot run past two pages.
4. Upload your documents. Each file must stay under 10 MB.
5. Finish everything before November 20, 2026. Early is better.

You must upload these:

• A certified transcript, with one PDF for each degree
• A certificate of graduation, or a certificate of expected graduation if you have not finished yet
• Letters of reference in Japanese or English. If you have not graduated, one referee must come from your university.
• A copy of your passport or birth certificate

Upload these only if they apply to you:

• A statement from your physician, if your medical self-report calls for it
• A criminal record, if you have one
• A teaching license, such as a PRC license
• A TEFL, TESOL, or similar certificate
• A JLPT or similar Japanese test result (course completion certificates are not accepted)

Leave out everything else. The Embassy says to skip resumes, photos, extra reference letters, and certificates of recognition. An application with missing required documents at the deadline will not be considered.

After you submit, written applications get screened first. Interviews run from January to early February 2027. The shortlist comes out in March. Shortlisted applicants take the English teaching demo and the Japanese conversation test.

Quick Answers

Can I apply if I am still in my final year? Yes, if you will graduate before departure.

Do I need a PRC license or teaching experience? No. Both earn extra points, but neither is required.

Will I teach alone? No. You assist a Japanese teacher of English.

Can I bring my family? Legal spouses and children can come on dependent visas. You arrange and pay for everything for them.

Download the official guidelines today. Check the six-year rule and the criminal history rule first, since those end an application fastest. Then list your documents so you have days left before November 20.