Qualifications, pay and applying

A direct-hire ALT generally needs:

• A university or college degree in any subject (especially if visa sponsorship is needed)
• Native or near-native English, often from a country where English is an official language
• Some prior ALT experience, since training is often not provided

A few specialized roles ask for an education-related major or a teaching qualification. A TEFL or TESOL certificate helps but is not required.

Pay is set by each Board of Education and listed in full on its own posting, so the most accurate figure is always the one on the role you are looking at. Direct-hire positions are salaried public-sector jobs, with pay and conditions fixed by the municipality.

It varies by Board of Education, but as a general rule you need daily-conversation Japanese: enough to communicate with school staff and run your own daily life. Some Boards ask for a JLPT level like N3; many ask for none.

You apply directly to each Board, through its own city or education website. ALT Direct helps you find the openings and links to each official recruitment page, but the application itself always goes to the Board:

• Find the posting and open the Board's official page
• Apply through that Board, using the documents it asks for: commonly a Japanese-style résumé (the rirekisho), degree copies, and reference letters if requested, often by post or fax
• Pass a document screening, then an interview, part English and part Japanese, sometimes with a short demo lesson, usually in person but sometimes by video call

Browse the ALT Jobs Map →

Realistically, this is very difficult from abroad. Boards usually want applicants already settled in Japan, with some ALT experience and the ability to handle daily life on their own. They do sponsor your work visa once you are hired, but they rarely take applicants from abroad and do not cover relocation, so the move and the interview, usually held in person, are at your own expense. Most people get into Japan first, through JET or a dispatch company, then apply directly to the Boards they want.

See what Boards look for →

Seven things come up again and again, ranked by how much they matter to a Board of Education:

• Already in Japan
• Commitment, meaning you finish the contract you sign
• A car and a licence, which most rural roles need
• Self-reliance with your own daily life and paperwork
• Some Japanese
• Knowing the ropes of how a school day runs
• Flexibility

Each one is written out in full, with the reasoning behind it, on the Get Hired page.

Read the seven things →