I’m hoping to be a jet one day, but I’m worried about how long it’s going to take to fulfill the requirements.
You obviously need a bachelor’s, but due to my degree, it’s not going to take the normal 4 years, it’s gonna be 6. Add on top of that applying, and even if I got in my first try, that’s basically adding minimum another year to that. If I get rejected, it’s another year each try. I could be a decade away from being a jet, if I’m lucky.
I’m just having anxiety about the time commitment, and the whole uncertainty about it. TEFL is something I really wanna do, but it seems so far out of my grasp.
Thoughts?
9 comments
Look, I’m assuming you are in high school. Forgive me if I’m wrong.
You are young. You have time. Pursue your degree. Make sure it’s one that will serve you in the future. Are you planning to be a teacher long term? Get an Ed degree. Just want to do the esl thing to travel for a bit? That’s fine, get a good degree that will lead into a job or graduate study well.
Don’t worry about time. It flows at the same pace for everyone.
I’ll give you advice that I desperately wish I had listened to when I was younger: “Don’t wish your life away.”
Let’s cover the most important thing. JET isn’t a career, rather it’s an exchange program with a maximum of 5 years.
With that said, go and do a degree in whatever you want. Think about what career you want after JET and focus on that. Once you are in the final year of your degree you can apply to JET and leave that following summer, if shortlisted into the program. If you don’t make it there are other options for dispatch companies or you can apply the following year. In total it would take you 6-7 years to get into the program if your degree takes you 6 years. At the end of the day you will have a degree which should increasing your hire-ability for your future career.
JET Program and Japan will always be around. Focus on your education. Make sure to know what you want to do post-JET program. Being in ALT through JET is a temporary experience and job. Its not a good idea and not worth it to plan your education around getting into JET. Just focus on the now and your education. When you get to your final year of college/uni, you can apply to JET or who knows you might change your mind and pursue other opportunities by that time.
It took me five years to complete my degree and I didn’t apply to JET until a year after that. I got in and that was that. I came back in 2021 and I’m planning to re-apply this year for 2024. Feels like forever away, but if you’re passionate about it enough then time doesn’t matter. Just use the time wisely and take advantage of good opportunities until JET happens.
JET and Japan aren’t going anywhere.
Some of us applied in our 30s as a break from our careers – so you definitely aren’t running out of time.
Focus on getting your degree; you can always visit Japan in the meantime.
You shouldn’t do a degree just to get on jet. You should do it for other reasons, like you find it interesting, helps you get a better paid job ect ect. Shouldn’t pin your hopes on JET. If coming to Japan is your goal, there’s lots of different ways to do that.
Tons of non JET TEFL jobs here. You should apply to many different ones and you’ll be perfectly fine.
I came here on JET at 34 as a career break, at first I was worried it wasn’t the right timing, but it was definitely the best time. I know other ALTs older than me, too. Wouldn’t worry about timing/age too much.
I had the exact same time anxiety 5 years ago. Time anxiety is very normal for young adults. And middle-aged adults. And older adults.
Today I’m working here on JET in Japan, and if I hadn’t done that I still wouldn’t be any younger. It’s worth planning for alternative options, but the time is going to pass whether you aim for JET or not. If you’re committed you can probably make it work, and if not other opportunities in life have a habit of opening up once you start working towards your goals.
If you have that long to prepare you can study some Japanese, maybe find a way to study abroad. If you’re in the states your state probably has a Japan America Society that you could look into volunteering with. This is a great way to meet people with common interests. Chasing the dream will help you realize sooner if it’s for you or not. The skills you polish, the people you meet, the experience you gain, even if they don’t get you to the destination you set out for they’ll influence the direction you go in life.