TEFL Guide: Japan

Written by Premier TEFL Published 1 January 2016 ~1 min read

Japan is becoming one of the biggest TEFL destinations by far these days. A powerful IT society, a fantastic selection of foods like Sushi, and a youth who are clamouring to learn the English language to be part of a more global community. In Japan there are plenty of places to teach English, and these days Japanese society is especially interested in learning from native speakers from places such as the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland etc. In addition these speakers must also have a TEFL qualification before they can teach. Getting a TEFL qualification is tremendously important and those who have one have distinct advantage over those who don’t.

"A powerful IT society, a fantastic selection of foods like Sushi, and a youth who are clamouring to learn the English language to be part of a more global community."

What do I need to teach in Japan?

You need at least a BA degree to teach English in Japan on top of a TEFL Qualification due to the higher standards expected in Japanese schools. If you have an experience in teaching English in a school then you are obviously at an advantage already.

When can I begin to teach?

If you are keen to work in a public school, the semester starts in April, with applications being accepted two months prior. On the other hand, if you decide to join the JET programme, you can travel to Japan as an English teacher. Private schools, in comparison, accept applications throughout the year.

What can I earn?

The average salary from a Private school is around 1,900 euro per month and some private language schools give extra incentive pay depending on skill level and performance. Those on the JET programme can earn up to 2,100 euro in the first year.

Where can I teach?

Without getting too specific there should be plenty of available places to teach in urban areas like Tokyo and Osaka. However, in rural areas like Aichi, Chiba and Saitama prefectures it is hard to find English teacher positions. Tokyo is by far the most prolific place to teach English as there were around one thousand English schools in the city as of 2009, with many more popping up since.