JET Application Information

JET Program applicants have their choice of requesting to be interviewed at any of the Consulates in the US or the Embassy, located in Washington, D.C. on their application form. For a list of all interview locations, please access the JET Program USA webpage.

Please note that some Consulates run interviews in more than one location, so please read through the list completely. This cannot be changed once you submit your application. In principle, interview locations are also departure locations.  However, it is possible to change to a different departure location within the same group (e.g. an individual who interviewed in a Group A city could choose to depart from another Group A city, but not a Group B city, and vice-versa). 

Applicants are usually informed in January whether or not they have been selected for an interview. Candidates who have successfully moved on to the interview phase of the application process will be interviewed at a predetermined time on one day during the interview period. Candidates are only interviewed once during the selection process. There are not multiple interview phases. Please see the interview page for more information on interviews.

The number of successful candidates changes every year due to several reasons. Every year the number of CIR and ALT positions which become open on the JET Program fluctuates. The number of JETs choosing to return to their home-countries varies annually. In addition, the JET Program recently extended the maximum number of years to participate on the program to five years. As a result, some JETs are opting to stay on the JET Program for the full five years to maximize their time in Japan, thus reducing the normal amount of turnover in many positions. At the same time, more JET positions are opening up in the elementary schools, therefore creating more positions.