Our Application and Departure Process
The application for the 2025 JET Program is closed. Applications for 2026 departures to Japan will open Fall 2025.
2025 JET Program Departure Dates
Spring Departure (“Early Departure Group”): Saturday, April 6th, 2025 (and addition departures following until July 2025)
Summer Departure 1 (“Group A”): Saturday, July 26th, 2025
Summer Departure 2 (“Group B”): Saturday, August 2nd, 2025
Summer Departure 3: After August 2nd, 2025*
*Exact date will be determined later. This date(s) are reserved for alternates who are upgraded and JET participants who could not depart in the first or second wave due to extenuating circumstances (e.g. contracted Covid-19).
TIMELINE (2025 JET Program Cycle)
Application Available: Monday, September 23, 2024
Application Deadline: Friday, November 15, 2024 at 11:59pm HST
Interviews: Late Jan – Early Feb 2025
Announcement of Results: March-April 2025
Notification of Placement (for Groups A & B): May 2025
Orientation and Preparation: June – July 2025
Departures (for Groups A & B): July/August 2025
*Please note that the interview dates are set by the individual interview locations and may vary depending on location.
ROUGH TIMELINE (2026 JET Program Cycle)
Application Available: September 2025
Application Deadline: November 2025
Interviews: Late Jan – Early Feb 2026
Announcement of Results: March-April 2026
Notification of Placement: May 2026
Orientation and Preparation: June – July 2026
Departures: July/August 2026
*As dates have yet to be determined, please check back in closer to the 2026 JET Program application cycle for updates.
Application Process
The JET Program application is open once a year between late September to mid-November. All applications must be submitted during this time via our secure online portal. The deadline is final, and no applications will be accepted after it has passed. After the deadline, applications are checked for completion and then evaluated. Incomplete applications are removed from consideration at this time. Regardless of the status of your application, you will receive your interview notification in January.
Interviews are typically held in late January or early February. Interview dates are set independently by each interview location. After successfully completing the interview stage, you will hear back about your final result in late March to mid April.
Selection Results
Candidates who make it to the interview stage will receive one of three possible results after Tokyo has reviewed the results of their application and interview. Candidates typically receive notification of their results in late March to mid April.
Short-List Candidates
A short-list candidate is someone who scored highly in the selection process and is invited to participate in the JET Program. Candidates who are short-listed and receive a placement location but then drop out will not be eligible to re-apply for a one year period from the year they applied (ie. a short-listed candidate for the 2025 JET Program who drops out at this point will not be eligible to re-apply until the 2027 JET Program).
Alternate Candidates
Candidates who scored well in the selection process but did not make it onto the shortlist will be considered ‘alternate’ candidates. These candidates may be invited to participate in the JET Program if a position opens up between mid April and the second week of December of the departure year. If an alternate candidate accepts the invitation, they may have less time to prepare for departure compared to short-listed candidate. If a candidate refuses an upgrade invitation, they will not be offered a second one but will remain eligible to reapply for the next JET Program year if they so choose. If a candidate is not upgraded by September, they are welcome to re-apply for the next JET Program cycle.
Unsuccessful Candidates
Candidates who do not meet the standards we require for our participants will receive notification at the same time as successful candidates. If you are not invited to be either a short-list candidate or alternate candidate, you are still eligible to apply again the following year if you feel that the JET Program is the right career opportunity for you.
Departure
Departure Groups
On the application, applicants are asked to choose an interview location. In principle, the interview location will also be the candidate’s departure location if they are selected to participate. It is possible to interview at one location and depart from another. Please see all departure locations here.
Early Departure
Candidates who are willing and able to depart on a faster schedule may request to be considered for Early Departure. Early Departure candidates may leave between April and July of their departure year. Candidates who request consideration for Early Departure on their application must submit a Certificate of Health and FBI Background Check to their interview location by the time of their interview. They must also have their Bachelor’s degree conferred no later than March 1st of the departure year.
Very few Early Departure positions open up each year, so the majority of our Early Departure hopefuls are not chosen to depart in April. Candidates who are not chosen for Early Departure will still be considered for a position in the summer departure group. If you are selected for the summer departure group rather than the Early Departure group, you will receive your acceptance notification in early April.
Summer Departure
Unless otherwise specified, all JET Program applicants apply to depart in the summer of the program year. Candidates who are seeking consideration for the summer departure do not need to prepare a Certificate of Health or FBI Background Check* in advance of their interview. The deadline for when summer departure candidates must have their degree conferred by is typically in mid-summer. Candidates leaving in the summer will receive a 3 day orientation upon their arrival in Japan. To learn more about the training opportunities the JET Program offers, please see here.
*Candidates who indicate a criminal background on their application are required to provide an FBI Background Check prior to their interview without exception.