Passport
Valid for the contract term; the residence card is issued against it on arrival.
teach english in japan · 2026 guide
Teach English in Japan (Degree Usually Required)
Japan is the dream tab people keep open for three years. Make it useful: understand ALT versus eikaiwa work, budget for the move and give the visa process actual runway.
DREAM ROUTE · LONGER RUNWAY
Degree: usually requiredTEFL: helpful, not universalPay: roughly ¥200k–¥350k/monthALT + eikaiwa routes
the quick answer
Requirements at a glance
| Degree | No degree | TEFL | Pay | Hardest part |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usually the clean immigration route; experience alternatives are narrow | Possible only through limited alternatives, not a realistic beginner plan | Not always a visa rule, but improves a first-time teaching application | Roughly ¥200,000–¥350,000 monthly across entry routes | Competitive hiring cycles and upfront moving costs |
how long it actually takes
Visa & paperwork timeline
- 12–8 weeks
Finish your TEFL
Not a legal requirement for the visa, but eikaiwa and ALT dispatch companies increasingly ask for it.
- 23–8 weeks
Apply to ALT dispatch or eikaiwa
Multi-stage: application, video interview, sometimes a group session or demo lesson. JET runs on a fixed yearly cycle with autumn applications and summer departures.
- 31–3 weeks
Offer and contract
Placement location is often confirmed later than the offer. Check hours, paid holidays and whether travel is reimbursed.
- 44–12 weeks
Certificate of Eligibility
Your employer files the CoE with Japanese immigration. This is the long wait — the original is posted to you.
- 53–10 days
Visa at the embassy
Submit the CoE, passport and forms at a Japanese embassy or consulate in your home country.
- 61–2 weeks
Arrival admin
Residence card at the airport, ward-office registration, national health insurance, pension and a bank account.
timings are typical, not promised — queues move.
pack the folder
Documents you need
Bachelor's degree certificate
Original plus scans. Any subject is normally fine for the Instructor or Specialist visa.
Certificate of Eligibility
Issued to your employer by immigration and posted to you — the visa cannot be applied for without it.
TEFL certificate
Optional for immigration, useful for hiring. 120-hour minimum; Level 5 stands out.
Criminal record check
Not always required by immigration, but many dispatch companies and boards of education ask for one.
CV, photos and transcripts
Japanese-style photo CV, passport photos and university transcripts for some employers.
TEFL requirements in Japan
A bachelor's is usually the clean route to sponsored teaching work. TEFL is not a universal immigration requirement, but it shows you understand lesson planning and can strengthen an ALT or eikaiwa application.
- → Bachelor's or qualifying alternative
- → Employer sponsorship
- → Certificate of Eligibility
- → Cash buffer for arrival
Japan teaching visa (any passport)
The employer normally sponsors a Certificate of Eligibility before you apply for the relevant work visa. ALT and conversation-school roles can fall under different statuses, so match the visa to the actual job.
How much English teachers earn
Many entry ALT and eikaiwa jobs pay around ¥200,000–¥350,000 monthly. City rent, unpaid school breaks, transport and setup fees can change whether that feels comfortable.
Can you teach with no degree?
Immigration may accept substantial documented professional experience for some statuses, but that is not the same as a beginner no-degree route. Working Holiday options are temporary and age-limited.
searched at 2am. answered.
People also ask
Can I teach English in Japan without a degree?
It can be possible with a qualifying experience route or other status, but it is not the normal entry-level path. Most beginners need a bachelor's.
Do I need TEFL to teach English in Japan?
Not for every visa or employer. It still strengthens a first application and helps you arrive with actual classroom tools.
What visa does a UK citizen need to teach in Japan?
Usually an employer-sponsored work visa after a Certificate of Eligibility. The exact status depends on the teaching role.
How much do English teachers earn in Japan?
Many ALT and eikaiwa roles sit around ¥200,000–¥350,000 monthly. Housing, breaks, overtime and location change the real package.
Is it better to be an ALT or teach at an eikaiwa?
ALT work follows school hours and calendars; eikaiwa often means evenings and weekends. Contract and lifestyle matter more than the label.
Can I teach in Japan with an ordinary BA?
Usually, yes—a completed recognised bachelor's is what matters. It does not normally need to be English, education or honours.
Can I teach English in Japan with no experience?
Some entry employers hire first-time teachers. Competition is real, so TEFL, a sharp application and realistic location choices help.
How long does it take to get a Japan teaching visa?
Plan in months, not days. Recruitment cycles and Certificate of Eligibility processing make Japan a poor route for fake urgency.
How do I get a TEFL certificate in the UK before teaching in Japan?
Take an accredited online TEFL course UK employers recognise — a 120-hour certificate is the standard entry level and a Level 5 reads stronger. The same accredited online courses are open worldwide, including the US, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Most people finish inside 60 days, then apply for Japan roles.
the course call
Level 5 is the safer bet.
Japan usually rewards the stronger application, so Level 5 is the safer course pick; 120 hours is the starter. Check the exact visa category and employer terms before committing.
Want the lighter start? A credible 120-hour course is still the entry route. Level 5 simply gives your application more weight.
the full directory
Every guide in this cluster
Can you teach English in Japan with a South African passport? →It's possible but harder than for UK, US, Canadian, Australian or NZ applicants.Can you teach English in Japan with a UK passport? →Yes — UK passport holders are among the most commonly hired nationalities by Japan's eikaiwa chains and ALT dispatch companies.Can Filipinos teach English in Japan? →Yes, it's possible, though harder than for UK, US, Canadian, Australian or NZ applicants.Is an online TEFL accepted in Japan? →Often yes for eikaiwa (private language schools) and dispatch ALT companies, if the course is accredited and around 120 hours with a verifiable certificate.Does the JET Programme accept a TEFL certificate? →JET has not required a TEFL certificate as a core eligibility item; selection has focused on your degree, references, personal statement and interview performance.How much do English teachers earn in Japan? →Eikaiwa (private conversation school) pay in Japan typically sits at ¥200,000-¥350,000 a month, which looks modest next to Seoul or Shanghai packages and needs to be measured against Japan's real cost of living, not just the raw number.What does it cost to live in Japan as an English teacher? →Japan's living costs are higher than most of Southeast Asia, and the upfront move-in cost is the real shock: key money, deposit and agent fees can add up to several months' rent before you even unpack.What visa do you need to teach English in Japan? →Teaching English in Japan legally almost always requires an employer-sponsored working visa, generally under the Instructor category for public-facing language teaching or Specialist in Humanities/International Services for other education-linked roles.Can you teach English in Japan with no experience? →Yes, Japan's eikaiwa (private conversation-school) chains are the main route in for first-time teachers, since they train you on a fixed, scripted curriculum before you ever teach solo.Which TEFL course is best for teaching in Japan? →Japan hires mostly on a bachelor's degree, not TEFL hours, so the course question is about which certificate strengthens a weak application, not which one is required.What qualifications do you need to teach English in Japan? →Japan's standard Instructor or Specialist in Humanities work visa legally requires a bachelor's degree (in any subject) and a sponsoring employer; there's no formal TEFL requirement in the immigration rules, but nearly every eligible employer asks for one anyway.Can you teach English in Japan without a degree? →No, not on Japan's standard work visa — a bachelor's degree in any subject is a legal requirement for that route, with no accredited workaround.How do you teach English in Tokyo? →Tokyo hiring runs mainly through large eikaiwa chains, ALT dispatch companies and private schools, and almost all of them require a bachelor's degree for visa sponsorship regardless of TEFL hours.How do you teach English in Osaka? →Osaka's market runs smaller than Tokyo's but works the same way: eikaiwa chains and ALT dispatch companies hire degree-holders for visa sponsorship, with an accredited TEFL certificate as a useful but not legally required extra.Can Americans teach English in Japan? →Yes, Americans regularly teach in Japan on the Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa (or Instructor visa for some public-school roles), and a bachelor's degree from an accredited US institution is the core legal requirement, not a criminal background check.Can Canadians teach English in Japan? →Yes, Canadians are a core JET Programme and eikaiwa nationality, and the legal requirement is a bachelor's degree from an accredited Canadian institution rather than a mandatory background check.Can Australians teach English in Japan? →Yes, Australians can teach in Japan through a sponsored Instructor or Specialist in Humanities visa with a bachelor's degree, and separately through Japan's working holiday agreement with Australia, which doesn't require a degree at all.Can you teach English in Japan on a working holiday visa? →Yes, if you hold a passport from one of Japan's working holiday partner countries — including Australia, Canada, the UK, Ireland, and several others — you can enter without a degree, and many working holiday makers pick up eikaiwa hours, private tutoring or other casual jobs.Can non-native English speakers teach in Japan? →Mostly no for the standard teaching visa route — Japanese immigration typically wants evidence that English is your native language or that you completed higher education taught in English, usually shown through a degree from a country where English is the primary language of instruction.