How to Teach at an International School in Japan

Why would you want to teach at an international school in Japan?

Are you a teacher who is ready for their next adventure? Getting the opportunity to teach at an international school in Japan is a great way to experience a completely different lifestyle while continuing to advance your teaching career. This means that you can explore Japan on the weekends and during the school holidays you are ideally located to travel around Asia! 

International schools are private schools created for the international community and you can find them across most countries. Individual schools usually follow an internationally recognised educational framework (like International Baccalaureate) and are targeted towards a certain part of the international community such as American or British international schools. 

They are popular places for expats to send their children so that students can transition to and from their home countries with little interruption to their education. Moving overseas can be a daunting experience so going to an international school that follows the same curriculum can take a lot of stress off students. 

In Japan, another big part of the demographic of international school students are Japanese students looking to continue their education overseas during high school or university. Classes at international schools in Japan are mostly taught in English and students will often take Japanese language studies to help them navigate life in Japan.

If you haven’t worked at an international school before then this is a great option for teachers who want to get experience working in diverse settings, learn from teachers from around the world, and get paid to live and work overseas.

What you will find here

In this post you will find a step by step guide to the basics of getting a job at an international school in Japan. I taught at a couple of international schools in Japan over 7 years so this is based on my own experience. I hope this helps get you closer to your dream of living and working in Japan – and opens your eyes to the wonderful world of teaching abroad!

How to teach at an international school in Japan

1. Get a teaching registration/licence

First and foremost, any good international school will require you to have a valid teaching license or registration in your home country. A teaching license and current registration means that person has an understanding of child development and that person has been vetted as safe to work around children. I would be very wary of any school that allows just anyone in a classroom. If the school doesn’t care about the safety of the children, what else don’t they care about?

2. Get to know the international school environment in Japan

The next step is understanding which schools you can teach at (You can find a list of the Japan Council of International Schools here). It is no good applying for a school in Okinawa if you want to live in a big city like Tokyo, so make sure you do some research to understand where you want to live and what schools would apply to you.

It is also important to understand what roles each school has on offer. Not every international school in Japan is going to have a dedicated design teacher so you’ll need to research what subjects are on offer at each school. Many international schools in Japan are small-medium size so they may not offer all years of education. Make a list of the names of the schools that offer the years/subjects that you would be willing and able to teach so you know which schools to apply to.

3. Check if you need a visa for Japan to teach

Most of us will need to be sponsored for a work visa in order to live and work in Japan to teach (if you’re interested in learning more about visa options I have another post explaining all the different visa pathways that may be available to you). This is something that an employer should state they offer when you are applying for jobs. That means they will support you in the process of applying for the correct visa and advise you throughout the process.

4. Apply for international school jobs in Japan

The three best places to look are Schrole, Search Associates, or apply directly via a school website. For more tips on how to get a job at an international school, I have a blog about that here.

Travel Tip: It is often better to apply outside of Japan as most schools will offer a package that can cover flights, moving costs, and organise accommodation for you. Parts of these deals may not apply to you if you already live near the school.

5. Compare which international school in Japan is the best school for you to teach at

Not all schools are created equal so consider which job is right for you. Some things to look out for are:

– Is there convenient transportation from your future apartment to the school campus?

– Do they provide any support for dependents? (visa for spouse, free/cheap tuition for school-age children)

– What benefits are written into your contract? (holidays, accommodation, professional development, flights home, contract completion bonus etc.)

– Which position will leave you better off after the contract ends?

6. Accept a job offer

Every international school in Japan has a different process that may include demo lessons, Zoom/Teams interviews, contacting references, or providing transcripts and proof of education. Once you’ve gone through the process they should offer you a contract to review and sign. Then you’ll be able to work with them to apply for your work visa and ta-da! You’re now an international school teacher.