City and regional hubs
Cities such as Sapporo, Sendai and Kumamoto, with good transport, food and nightlife. Central big-city roles are the rarest and most requested.
Public School English Teaching Jobs in Japan | ALT
Work as an Assistant Language Teacher in Japan with Interac. Visa sponsored, flights reimbursed and no fees to apply. April and mid-year starts, no Japanese needed.
Teach English in Japan with Interac
Spend a year, or several, as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) in a Japanese state school. Interac is Japan's largest private provider of ALTs, and it sponsors your visa, finds your apartment and pays you ¥2.4–3 million a year.
You don't need to speak Japanese or have teaching experience. You need a bachelor's degree in any subject, native-level English and a real interest in living in Japan. Applying through ESLstarter is free, and our recruitment team will help you from the first form to your first lesson.
ALT salary and benefits in Japan
Interac's package is built for people moving to Japan from abroad, so the costs that usually put people off (visa, flights, finding a flat) are handled or reimbursed.
¥2.4–3Ma year, about £13,000–£16,500
¥200–250ka month, paid 12 times a year
US$1,200maximum flight reimbursement
£0to apply through ESLstarter
- Instructor Visa sponsorship. Interac prepares your visa paperwork and reimburses visa and registration costs when you show receipts.
- An apartment near your schools. Interac finds the flat and helps you move in. You pay the rent, which averages around ¥53,000 a month.
- Flights paid back. Up to USD $1,200 towards your airfare, repaid in two instalments with your salary.
- Pay through the holidays. Your salary is split into 12 equal payments, so August and New Year don't leave you short.
- Commuting costs covered. Approved travel to school is reimbursed monthly, and driving roles come with a vehicle allowance.
- National health insurance. You join Japan's national scheme, with help getting your insurance card when you arrive.
- A reason to stay. There's no limit on renewals, and you may receive a bonus when you renew your contract.
- Local support. Regional branches run training and events, so you're never the only foreigner in town without backup.
What a day as an ALT looks like
ALTs work school hours, usually in elementary and junior high schools. You team-teach with a Japanese Teacher of English (JTE): they lead on grammar and exam content, and you bring the spoken English, the games and the pronunciation.
Between lessons you'll plan activities, mark worksheets and chat with students who want to practise. Lunch is usually eaten in the classroom with a class, and after the final bell there are sports and culture clubs you're welcome to join.
Evenings, weekends and school holidays are yours. Unlike most private language school jobs, you won't be teaching until 9pm.
Where in Japan you could teach
Interac places ALTs from Hokkaido to Kyushu through five regional divisions. Most placements aren't in the middle of Tokyo or Osaka, and that's often the best part.
Suburban towns
The most common placement: one to two hours from a major city, with cheaper rent and a real local community.
Rural Japan
Mountains, coast and small schools where everyone knows the ALT. Ideal if you want the deepest cultural immersion.
You can list preferred regions when you apply. Being flexible about location is the single biggest thing that speeds up an offer.
Life in Japan after the school bell
Japan's trains make a weekend in Tokyo, Kyoto or Hiroshima easy from almost any placement. Spring brings cherry blossom, summer brings festivals, and the school holidays give you time for longer trips around Asia.
Requirements to teach English in Japan
- A bachelor's degree
- Any subject, from an accredited university. It must be a full degree: Japanese immigration doesn't accept diplomas or HNDs.
- Native-level English
- Born and schooled in a recognised English-speaking country, or 12+ years of education entirely in English.
- An eligible passport or residency
- Interac recruits from 30+ countries, including the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
- Aged 20 to late 50s
- You need to finish a full contract year before Japan's retirement age of 60.
- No Japanese and no experience needed
- You'll be working alongside a Japanese Teacher of English from day one.
How to apply for ALT jobs in Japan
- Apply onlineCreate your Interac profile through the ESLstarter link. It takes a few minutes.
- Pre-screeningInterac checks your degree, English background and eligibility, usually within a few working days.
- Interview and grammar testA video interview plus a short test. Revise parts of speech and American spelling.
- Contract offerSuccessful applicants receive an offer and are matched to a region.
- Visa and arrivalInterac processes your Instructor Visa, arranges your housing and supports you when you land.
Interac or the JET Programme?
Both place English teachers in Japanese state schools. JET pays a little more but has one application window a year and fierce competition. Interac lets you apply whenever you're ready and stay as long as you like.
| Interac (via ESLstarter) | JET Programme | |
|---|---|---|
| When you can apply | All year, online | Once a year |
| Choosing a location | Regional preferences considered | Assigned by the government |
| How long you can stay | No renewal limit | Up to 5 years |
| Starting salary | ¥2.4–3M a year | About ¥3.36M a year |
| Flights | Up to US$1,200 reimbursed | One-way flight provided |
| Housing | Found by Interac, rent paid by you | Depends on placement |
| Competition | Lower, with rolling intakes | Very high |
Teaching in Japan with Interac: FAQs
Do I need to speak Japanese to teach in Japan?
No. As an Assistant Language Teacher you team-teach with a Japanese Teacher of English, and your lessons are delivered in English. Learning a few everyday phrases before you fly will make the supermarket, the train and the staffroom easier, and most ALTs pick up a good amount of Japanese during their first year.
Does my degree subject matter?
Your subject doesn't matter, but the type of qualification does. Japanese immigration requires a full bachelor's degree from an accredited university for the Instructor Visa, so diplomas, HNDs and foundation degrees won't qualify. Keep your original degree certificate to hand, as you'll need it for the visa.
How much do English teachers earn in Japan with Interac?
Interac ALTs earn ¥2.4–3 million a year, which works out at roughly ¥200,000–250,000 a month before deductions, or about £13,000–£16,500 a year. Pay arrives in 12 equal monthly instalments, so school holidays don't leave a gap. On top of salary you get up to USD $1,200 back on flights, approved commuting costs reimbursed and a possible bonus when you renew. Interac ALTs pay around ¥53,000 a month in rent on average.
When do Interac contracts start?
The main intake is April, when the Japanese school year begins, and there are mid-year starts as well. Applications are open all year, but the Instructor Visa takes time to process, so applying several months before you want to start gives you the best choice of placements.
Can I choose where in Japan I'm placed?
You can tell Interac which regions you'd prefer during your application, and they'll try to match you where schools have vacancies. A specific city isn't guaranteed. Being open to suburban and rural areas is the quickest way to an offer, and placements in the centre of big cities are the hardest to get.
Do I need a TEFL certificate to teach in Japan?
It isn't a legal requirement for the visa, but it strengthens your application. A TEFL shows Interac you can already plan a lesson and manage a class, which helps in the interview and the grammar test. ESLstarter applicants can get a discounted TEFL course before they apply.
Can South Africans teach in Japan with Interac?
Yes. South Africa is one of more than 30 countries Interac recruits from, alongside the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. The same requirements apply: a full bachelor's degree and native-level English, meaning you were born and schooled in a recognised English-speaking country or had 12+ years of education entirely in English.
What's the difference between Interac and the JET Programme?
JET is run by the Japanese government, recruits once a year, assigns your placement and caps contracts at five years. Its starting salary is higher, at about ¥3.36 million. Interac recruits all year round, takes your regional preferences into account and has no limit on renewals, and competition for places is lower.
Why apply through ESLstarter rather than directly?
It costs you nothing, and you go through exactly the same Interac selection process. Applying through ESLstarter, an Interac referral partner, also gets you a recruitment team who can check your application, help you prepare for the interview and grammar test, and answer questions along the way.
Start your Japan application today
It takes a few minutes and costs nothing. Our team will support you from your application through to your first day in the classroom.
Applications are open year-round for April and mid-year starts.
