How can I get a teacher’s license in Science in Japan? Already have BS in Biology and I’m not from an english speaking country.

I’m already teaching in a private school and have a BS in Biology, but I’d like to get a teacher’s license.

Most of the information I’ve found is from USA and I’m not sure I can enroll in those. Going back to my home country is not ideal due to my SO.

I thought that maybe someone here could indicate me where to go.

7 comments
  1. 1) Be conversationally fluent in Japanese, with N1 in both JLPT reading and listening…by all levels be a native speaker.

    2) Enroll at a Japanese college that would provide part-time accreditation for a work and learn / blending learning course.

    3) Find an employer, most likely in the commercial sector that would support said course. OR approach a local board of education for something similar.

    4) Join a teaching union or finding any type of teaching job which isn’t an ALT in the future, or to support your learning will be impossible.

    5) Ensure your visa or residents status supports the above and you have suitable financial support because any teaching position that supports the above will pay very little.

    ..long story short without attending a graduate degree in Japan (in Japanese) finding a teaching placement in the Japanese it will be extremely long winded process to be a licensed teacher in Japan.

    There are also the PGCE (UK), Canadian, Australian and New Zealand post-graduate qualifications that will license you to teach in English speaking schools. A level 7 qualification, that is a masters (equivalent to one of the internationally recognized licenses) would also make you suitable to teach at international schools or MAYBE Japanese private schools.

    In short, it will be very labored and long winded to be a licensed teacher via the Japanese public system as it is an inherently institutionalized process with Union protectionism thrown in (so xenophobic as an extension). Sorry if this is dissuasive, but as with many things, not being Japanese or deeply assimilated in the culture is the main problem here.

  2. If you don’t have the Japanese skills to Google the answer yourself, then you probably can’t.

  3. Do you mean that you want to get a Japanese teaching license to teach in a Japanese public school?

  4. There’s probably an online course you can take. I got my Master’s degree online from a university in England while living in Japan.

  5. University of the People Master Degree in Education. If you are able to afford paying more than 5K, you better change careers into IT.

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