Many questions were asked at the Senpai Talk event. Here are the questions and answers that were asked on the question form.
JET program
Study Abroad Program
Getting job in Japan
Living in Japan
JET program
- May I have a bit of a simpler explanation of the JET program? I was kind of confused and what I understood was that it’s a program that offers opportunities to study abroad in Japan and have work experience.
- Please see the FAQ on the JET official website. The program is not a study abroad program – it is for people who have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree (i.e., you will need to graduate from university first before you can participate).
- Would you recommend the JET program to someone who is interested in learning the language/culture but not interested in pursuing a teaching career? If so, does the program take these kinds of applicants?
- To clarify, the majority of JET participants serve as Assistant Language Teachers. So if you are not okay with teaching, or working with children or teenagers at all, then JET is not for you. If you are fine with that, but just aren’t interested in pursuing Education/teaching long-term, then Yes, they definitely take applicants who are not interested in pursuing Education as a career path. (I did not consider it, originally!) Whatever your future career or academic goal is, however, you just need to be sure that you can logically connect it to the experience you expect to gain from your time on JET.
- What is the age range of people that The JET program takes?
- From the official website FAQ: No, as long as applicants meet all other eligibility criteria, there is no age requirement limit. However, applicants will be judged on maturity, professionalism, and ability to adjust to other cultures.
Study Abroad Program
- I have an interest in applying for studying abroad during the summer of 2023. Aside from getting the opportunity of immersing myself in the culture, is there anything else to be expected of me to do during that time?
- I think this will really depend on the program you are on, and the kind of activities you will be doing. For example, will you be participating in a homestay, attending lectures at a local university, visiting shrines/temples, etc.? (Nicole)
- I second what Nicole mentioned. Certain programs are very language intensive, others closer to the typical high school or university classroom experience, etc. If you’ve already pinpointed the summer program you’re interested in, I would seek out participants from previous years to learn about the experience from them. Otherwise, just go in with an open mind! (Courtney)
- Other than taking your classes seriously and learning the language there’s no particular expectation. Just have fun, to be honest. It’s a rare experience and you should make the most of your time. Travel and experience different facets of the culture. When I was there, I spent a lot of time doing homework on buses, trains and ferries and that really helped me free up as much time as possible. It may not work for everybody but I encourage you to use your time wisely and don’t forget to enjoy! (Zak)
- Are there scholarships and other programs that I could apply for which could possibly cover the expenses of studying abroad?
- Yes! Here are a few to check out:
- JASSO Scholarships for Study in Japan
- Bridging Scholarship for Japan
- Toshizo Watanabe Scholarship - Gives preference to First-Gen Students and Students who come from single-caregiver households
- Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) Scholarship
- Critical Language Scholarship Program
- First Trip Scholarship - For students who have never been abroad before
- Freeman-ASIA Award - Must qualify for need-based aid
- Gilman Scholarship - Must qualify for need-based aid
- Boren Award - For students interested in working in US Government/Foreign Service/Department of State/National Security positions after graduation - Large award but requires a significant post-program commitment
- Additionally, many universities and most study abroad program providers have their own scholarships available, so don’t forget to ask! (Nicole)
- You should definitely check to see if your home university allows financial aid to travel, and if they offer scholarships for things like airfare expenses. Back when I was at Emory that was the case, so I was able to live off of my scholarship since tuition in Japan was much cheaper than Emory’s tuition! (Courtney)
- Yes! Here are a few to check out:
Getting job in Japan
- How’s the programming interview process for Japanese companies? Is it the same as American companies? How was the interview experience for you?
- For all companies I’ve applied for I’d say it’s pretty much the same as America but those companies are pretty western so I think Japanese companies may be different a little bit but for the more international companies expect a mix of coding exercises, system design and behavioral interviews. If you go to Boston career forum like I did, you may be able to have a more accelerated process which is nice. Your usual resources like leetcode and grokking the system design interview still apply. My interview experience was positive overall and I’d say my main issues didn’t have much to do with Japan specifically but more just the way the tech industry handles interviews. (Zak)
Living in Japan
- Did you have any trouble finding housing as a foreigner in Japan?
- In my case I haven’t had much trouble personally but that’s because my company provided resources for me by providing an English speaking agent and paying many of the crazy fees that signing a lease in Japan involves. There are a lot of landlords in Tokyo who refuse to accept foreign tenants, so I would highly recommend using an English speaking agent. Their fees are not cheap (usually one month’s rent, only if they successfully find you a place) but they handle all of the details and already know where to look for foreigner-friendly housing. If you’re lucky and you land a job with a big international company, they’ll usually make it much easier for you. Alternatively a lot of foreigners choose to live in “share houses” where you get your own room in a big house shared among many people. The main benefits are they are cheaper than individual housing and you get to make friends with the people that live there. Kind of like a dorm. (Zak)
- Are there any aspects of Japanese living/culture that aren't talked about enough but should be known before going?
- If you go to Japan after college on a program like JET, forming friendships with coworkers is very different from forming friendships with students on a campus during study abroad. I lived in a dorm during my semester at Kansai Gaidai and made several Japanese friends who I still keep up with. In contrast, while I got along very well with many of the teachers at my school during JET, most of those relationships didn’t evolve into friendships outside of work/work-related events. I found that those I’ve stayed in contact with are teachers who had life experience outside of Japan. To qualify - I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but it can be a different coworker dynamic compared to some U.S. office environments. (Courtney)
- What level would you say is necessary to earn a job in, for example, a Japanese writers and directors board for a publishing company? Do you have any advice about applying to a creative-central job in Japan? I want to hear all of your points of view on this!
- Going into publishing at a Japanese company, I would imagine you’d need at least N2-level Japanese. (Courtney)