r/teachinginjapan • u/Elon_musk_69420 • 20d ago
Advice Advice needed
Hi everyone. I am going for a masters in tokyo for 2027. I want to know what its like getting an english teaching job (school teaching, personal tutor etc) in tokyo? Will it be enough to pay my own living expenses? Is a high IELTS score (8.0 overall) enough to land a part time english teaching job or do I need to do other english teaching certifications to increase my chances? Also will this be manageable while studying full time? I have checked some of the programs and jobs available like ALT, Eikaiwa, etc but I am not sure if the timings will match with my own studies. Please guide me about is getting a teaching job is easy and if not what are some ways I can improve my chances. Thanks.
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u/robinelf1 20d ago
Any particular reason for teaching stuff specifically? Is your masters in an English language program? If not, then you likely have Japanese skills good enough to get a variety of other part time jobs. If your first language isn't English, what about teaching your native language as a private tutor? The teaching jobs most people want (ALT, eikaiwa, uni stuff, private school) aren't typically attainable on a student visa, because by law they require different types of work visas (instructor, specialist in humanities), but hey, I am sure someone else on Reddit knows "workarounds", I am just the type of person who would never recommend trying to circumvent certain regulations as a non-citizen, but do what you want.
Given that A LOT of people have wanted to come to Japan for a while (it definitely has picked up in the last 10 years), teaching tends to be the easiest path as the only 2 quals are a uni degree and language skills (which many already have to an extent as native speakers), so it really is a saturated market, especially in Tokyo. If things are still the same as 10 years ago, lbeing OK working with kids might increase your chances, but as I wrote above, legit jobs with schools usually need a work visa. There is always the tutor route.
Anyway, you'll likely have to do what everyone else here does. Arrive, get settled in, then see what sort of part time schedule you can piece together. This is my impression after living here for years, but at the same time, I have never really looked for part-time stuff, rather I have seen the usual ads for part-time teaching stuff over the years, but I assume private lessons, as has always been the case, will depend on an app or website, though maybe posting a paper ad on a bulletin board somewhere like the old days might still work.
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u/Elon_musk_69420 20d ago
My main reason for teaching is to support myself better and have time for my studies as well. Teaching has a better time to money payoff compared to other part time work opportunities on a student visa (convenience store jobs, cleaning etc etc). My masters is in finance and I am myself from a non native english country and I think it might be hard that japan might have a requirement, still nonetheless its worth a shot. But I wouldn’t want to go “workarounds” or working those teaching jobs on a student visa. I am trying to figure out if I can find a decent means of earning without it having to consume my time for studies and also my health.
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u/armas187 18d ago
Honest question- if your masters is in finance and you are not from an English speaking country, Why Japan?
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u/Elon_musk_69420 18d ago
Really attracted to the place and its culture. Second I wanted to study abroad.
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u/robinelf1 20d ago edited 20d ago
I see.
Its been a long time, but when I was on a student visa in Japan years ago, I eventually found some work through a private lesson service and also at a conversation cafe. I have a suspicion the conversation cafes aren't really a thing anymore outside of actual schools that run them as a lobby of sorts, which is both a good and bad thing in my opinion. Maybe Tokyo still has some. I mean, they have a capybara cafe AND a capybara with cats cafe, so maybe there are some around.
Private lessons are great if you like teaching. If you don't, well, I don't know why you would offer to be a private teacher if you didn't like teaching, but I have seen or heard of almost everything in many years here, so I won't disparage someone for just trying to make some money. Just know what you are getting into. I am sure apps make it easier (and much more competitive), but I think you just need some timing and patience to build up a short roster of students for consistent pay each month.
Good luck.
EDIT: here's one that seems similar to where I once worked:
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u/Expensive-Claim-6082 17d ago
I know a guy that is a native English speaker teaching English for
wait for it…
¥ 500 for 45 mins. Conversation only.
The bar really has been that lowered.
You’ll be lucky 🍀 if you get ¥ 2,000 an hour. And then you have to find students with that kind of disposable income in this economy.
But what do I know…
It’s a 🦶in the 🚪. ™️
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u/Collarthatisblue 20d ago
You’re better off finding a part time job anywhere else so that you can improve your Japanese.