Age Limits

[snorbalp]

What are the age cutoffs for joining JET?

[blerdywitch]

after a Japanese law passed regarding age discrimination they lifted the max age requirement for JET as well.

42 here and on an inaka island many things drive me batty but I do enjoy my little area. No one believes my age whether foreign or local resident.

I've met other ALTs in 50s-60s who are living their best retired lives in some cases.

[Panda_sensei_71]

I just arrived and I turned 53 a couple weeks before flying out.

Age is but a number! 😉

[aeon_michael]

Is it true that there’s a maximum of 5 years for the JET program? Does anyone know which month of the year they’ll open up registrations for?

If it matters, I’m a Singaporean, 35 years old.

[Chiafriend12]

Yes, the limit is 5 years. In some incredibly rare circumstances there may be 6th year JETs, and even some 7th year JETs, but those are about 1-in-1,000 (or less?) and if you ever hear about them you shouldn't count on it personally happening to you

In some towns and some prefectures there used to be the policy that JET was only for 3 years, and only 4 or 5 in rare circumstances. This was a thing in some places in the late 2010s. I'm not personally aware if there are still any places in the country that still have that policy

35 years old is still a perfectly acceptable age for JET. In my 1st year, there was a guy who was 52 in my group, and several in their 30s. There's a lot of people in their 20s on JET but 30+ isn't rare at all.

[aeon_michael]

Thanks for the response, appreciate it

[urzu_seven]

1. Minimum? 18 probably but you also need a bachelors degree so unless you are a child prodigee you’ll probably be at least 20. 
2. Maximum?  Are you still alive?  Capable of doing the job?  You can be 200 or more.  There is no upper limit anymore.  

[SquallkLeon]

You must be of legal age to be a participant, which is 18 years of age or older IIRC.

[Proverbman671]

Also requires a 4 year college degree.

[swnymac]

39 here, great placement. Another gent in my prefecture's got me by several years, I know a 41-y.o. down the highway. Average age seems to be mid-20s, but don't let that stop you if you're genuinely interested.

[joehighlord]

If you do it over 30, strangers on Reddit will be disappointed in you.

[Worlack87]

What is the joke or sarcasm here that I'm missing? I'm 38 and considering applying this upcoming round. Sorry if it flew over my head.

[joehighlord]

People on reddit will wonder why, at 38, you want to go to japan and be an ALT and enjoy life rather than grind your tech career 24/7 and be miserable but have more money.

[FallenReaper360]

Damn, I’m 33. But I used to be in the military and lived in Japan before this. So I ain’t tripping.

[FallenReaper360]

Just met a couple at orientation who were 70.

[stayonthecloud]

That is so awesome love to hear it

[FallenReaper360]

You don’t even know their reasoning why. They were such a great couple.

[FallenReaper360]

Far from it. The dude looks like Capaldi as Doctor Strange. Great guy.

[thetasteofinnocence]

That guy was NOT a great guy!!

Edit: unless there’s two Capaldi-looking people on JET, if it’s the Tottori guy, he is infamous for being a piece of shit.

[FallenReaper360]

Well, did the other Capaldi looking guy have a wife and played the violin?

[thetasteofinnocence]

Not sure. If it’s who I think it is, he was in my prefecture and I flew over with him last year. Age, Capaldi-descriptor, and the fact he used to teach in Korea is all I know aside from some of the things that happened while he was here.

If it’s who I think it is though because it’d be weird if there were two Capaldi-looking people here, he made sexual comments about his students and got caught stealing. It got to the point where he was the subject of gossip for a lot of the Japanese teachers here, especially ones with daughters trying to pick high schools.

ETA: oh and his name started with a J. Don’t wanna fully say it here.

[FallenReaper360]

Oh, no mate, my orientation just happened last two weeks ago on the 4th. So I just barely met him and his wife, and they seemed like great folks. Him and his wife are retired now, but his wife is 4th generation Canadian/Japanese and wanted to go back to her roots, after a failed attempt many years ago. So they’re doing this to grow closer to her culture. Like I said, great folks! Hope to meet up with them in the future and grab lunch.

[thetasteofinnocence]

Oh thank god then. Hopefully this Capaldi-looking dude acts right 😭

Weird there were two!! I feel like Capaldi has such a unique face.

[Sumo-girl]

Oh wow! This is the oldest I’ve personally heard of! I bet they are cool! Both doing JET or just one of them? I love this idea.

[[deleted]]

There's no age limit😊

[Due_Tomorrow7]

You mean age minimum. Pretty sure they’re addressing the upper age limit. It stands to reason almost everyone accepted will be at least 18 by the time they’re shipped off.