I’m thinking about applying to JET programme when apps open but my one concern is the location. I would much much prefer a city as I would not want to live in the countrysides.
Did you guys get to pick your preferred locations? And if so what are the odds you get what you ask for?
Thank you! ありがとう!
17 comments
i hear it’s usually pretty rare so my case might not be anything to go by, but i got placed at my first preference ! and other people i know got to be either near their preferred locations or in a place similar to their preferred location
You can put some preferences but there’s no guarantee that you’ll end up where you selected.
If you aren’t open to a random placement, you should probably apply to a dispatch company like Altia instead of JET. Some people do get their placement request, but frankly it is unlikely.
I guess it depends on what you mean by city- a huge number of applicants put down the major hub cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka. Because so many people put those down as options, of course some people will get them as their 1st-3rd options. Luck of the draw really.
If you do some research and find some other cities you wouldn’t mind living in, you may have a better chance. Each prefecture has a capital city, some larger than others, so maybe start there 🙂
You can’t choose your placement, only give your “preference”. Many people say that saying you don’t have a drivers’ license gives you higher odds of a city placement, or at least suburban! I don’t recommend lying on your application but…food for thought 😅
This is a VERY commonly asked question, and the answer is always the same 😭
Edit to add:
You shouldn’t apply if placement location is at all a deal breaker. There are more rural placements. Many people (many many) do not get anything close to their preference.
I got my first choice, but my first choice was rural Akita. And it was still just a matter of luck. There’s no way of knowing and general concensus is that your preferences aren’t high on the priority list for placement.
Preferences are just preferences. You have no control of where you will be placed if you get hired. Some JETs get one of their 3 choices while others don’t and could get placed in total opposite ends in Japan from their location preferences. If location is not too important, I always say have an open mind on working/living from anywhere in Japan.
if you can’t embrace the location ESID game you shouldn’t do jet
Your preferences are just that, preferences. Some get them, others (like myself) don’t get anywhere close. But don’t let the possibility of not getting your placement scare you, just be open to the experience!
If you have a valid reason for a placement (medical, family), it is a higher chance that your placement requests will be taken into account. But even then, it’s not a guarantee.
For example, there is one clinic in all of Japan that specializes in a condition I have. I was still placed 90mins away (each way) by train. This was considered extremely lucky…
Otherwise you’re at the luck of the draw. It’s actually a good way to see a country from a perspective you wouldn’t otherwise get a chance to – so keep an open mind.
You get to express up to 3 location preferences.
There’s no guarantee you will get any of them
If it’s a deal breaker do not apply. Like everyone else says, esid. Chances are pretty high that you’ll be placed inaka.
Its ok to have a preference but it will mean other people will get chosen over you. Do you have any solid reasons for not wanting to live in the countryside or is this some idea of what you think the lifestyle is?
Life in Japan is fairly uniform I don’t think you’re going to recognise much of a difference across prefectures. What matters the most is your work environment since you’ll be spending most of your time there. If you get a city placement but with awful schools you’re more likely to quit than the person in the countryside with good schools. Its a complete roulette.
In your application, it will have a section stating:
“Living area classification preferences”
□Island □Rural □Urban □No Preference
I selected Urban and was assigned a city.
So make sure to select Urban and not “No Preference”
CLAIR matches JETs with contracting organizations located throughout Japan. The application does ask for placement preferences, but ultimately, your location will be determined based on CLAIR’s priorities. The nature of the program is that you may be placed anywhere in Japan – the JET program looks for applicants who demonstrate flexibility for this reason.
I do believe CLAIR considers people’s preferences to an extent. However, a “市” (city) with a population of 20,000 people could technically qualify as fulfilling a request for an urban placement. Likewise, if you state that you can’t drive, you will be placed in a location where you won’t need to drive to work. This could result being placed in a large city with a robust public transportation system. Or it could mean being placed in a rural area, in a town where the ALT’s apartment is only a 10 minute walk from school.
Doesn’t sound like JET is right for you.
There are a few posts with some unofficial surveys on this subreddit. Tldr, placement preferences will not guarantee anything, but they also don’t mean nothing. It’s roughly a 40% chance you get one of your top 3 choices. 40% not getting it, and 20% not specifying. The majority of people who got tokyo had it as their first preference. If you look up placement requests data the post should come up.