Mount Fuji behind the Chureito Pagoda in autumn, Japan, where the JET Programme places English teachers

Edition 218 August 20265 minute read

JET 2027: get your application ready before the window opens

The official JET timeline runs the application from October into late November or early December, and says the exact deadline is set country by country, so the Irish date comes from the Embassy of Japan in Dublin rather than from JET directly. The strongest applications are assembled before the form opens, not during the final week. Here is what needs your attention, plus the live openings we verified for this edition.

Katie Troy, Managing Director at The TEFL Institute

Katie TroyManaging Director, The TEFL Institute. With teaching experience and a degree in education, Katie has taught young learners in Zambia and Abu Dhabi.

Updated 18 August 2026. After this edition went out by email we re-checked every figure against the official page cited for it. The JET timeline and the EPIK application wording have been corrected here, and two figures we could not find on the pages we cited have been removed. The emailed version carries the earlier wording. If a deadline or a salary changes after we send, we correct the web edition and say so.

The big oneJET 2027: the window opens this autumn

The official programme timeline gives a guideline window of October to late November or early December, marked subject to change, and says the deadline varies by country. The 2027 dates for Ireland are not published yet. Last cycle the Irish deadline was 5 December, with interviews in late January and February, results in April and departure the following July. Work to that shape, then confirm against the embassy page once this year’s dates go up. Read the official timeline.

Pay: 4,020,000 JPY a year in year one, about 21,800 EUR at the ECB reference rate published 17 August 2026. Salary is paid monthly, with insurance, pension and employment insurance deducted. The JET FAQ refers to yearly paid leave, nenkyu, without publishing a number, so confirm your entitlement with your contracting organisation.

JET requires two academic or professional recommendations, official transcripts from every college or university attended, proof of a bachelor’s degree or expected graduation, and a two-page, double-spaced statement of purpose. The required-documents page is the checklist to follow. Start by asking referees now.

Openings board

Program	Salary	Deadline	Status
JET Japan	4.02M JPY / year about 21,800 EUR	Oct to early Dec 2026 exact date set by embassy	OPENING SOON STEADY
EPIK Korea	2.1M to 2.8M KRW / month about 1,280 to 1,710 EUR	Rolling	LIVE WIRE STEADY
TFETP Taiwan	Current official page does not publish a figure	Rolling until filled	LIVE WIRE STEADY
UK ESOL vacancies	£32,606 to £42,000 FTE about 38,100 to 49,100 EUR	Various, Aug to Sep	LIVE WIRE STEADY
NALCAP Spain	800 EUR / month about 930 USD	Closed 30 Jun 2026	LINE CLOSED COOLING

Last verified 18 August 2026. EUR conversions use European Central Bank reference rates published 17 August 2026. Salary figures are gross unless the programme says otherwise.

On the wireMore routes worth watching

EPIK is open and rolling

The official Apply page is currently headed EPIK Fall 2026 Application and says applications are processed in the order received. The Spring 2027 guide is not up yet, so watch that page rather than working to a date we cannot source. Pay is commonly quoted at 2.1M to 2.8M KRW a month, about 1,280 to 1,710 EUR, depending on level and office of education. EPIK publishes its scale as level and region codes rather than plain figures, so treat that band as indicative and get your own figure in writing before you accept a placement. The package around it matters as much as the number: housing leased for you, settlement and completion allowances, and a share of your medical insurance premium. The official salary page publishes the scale by level and region and not the allowance figures, so get every one of them confirmed in writing in your contract. Check the official salary page.

TFETP remains open until places fill

Taiwan’s official 2026/2027 recruitment page is open on a rolling basis. The current application page does not publish a salary figure, so this edition leaves the number out rather than guessing. Apply through TFETP.

UK sponsorship eligible ESOL roles are live

The government Teaching Vacancies board shows sponsored ESOL and English lecturer roles. Read each advert for its exact closing date, qualification band and sponsorship wording. Search the official board.

NALCAP is closed for this cycle

The Spanish Ministry lists the 2026 to 2027 window as 2 June to 30 June 2026, with an 800 EUR monthly stipend and 14 to 16 classroom hours each week. Use the quiet period to prepare. See the ministry notice.

Also on the wireSix things we checked this morning

italki closed English applications this week

italki’s own language availability list shows English closed to both professional teachers and community tutors for the week of 17 to 23 August. The list updates every Monday and languages close again once enough people apply, so have your profile and intro video ready before you look. Applications are desktop only. Check this Monday’s list.

Cambly is still limiting new tutors, Preply is open

Cambly publishes 0.17 dollars a minute, 10.20 an hour, and 0.20 a minute on Cambly Kids, and says it is temporarily limiting new tutors to protect existing schedules. Preply is reviewing profiles within five working days, with English tutors averaging 15 to 25 dollars an hour and commission falling from 33 per cent to 18 per cent as your hours build. Preply’s teacher page.

Hong Kong pays the most and is not hiring

The government NET Scheme runs from 35,080 to 67,850 Hong Kong dollars a month in primary schools, about 3,900 to 7,500 euro, plus a 20,989 dollar monthly allowance for overseas-based appointees and a gratuity of 10 per cent of basic salary. The 2026/27 round closed on 24 April and no new date is published. Education Bureau details.

Two school years start on 31 August

The UAE Ministry of Education calendar opens the year on 31 August, and Mexico’s SEP year runs 31 August to 9 July. The fortnight before a term starts is when unfilled posts turn urgent. For the UAE you need a degree, criminal clearance, a medical fitness report and attested qualifications, and in Dubai the school submits your file to KHDA for approval. UAE teacher requirements.

Chile is recruiting online volunteers now

English Opens Doors runs online workshops from 28 September to 20 November, one to two hours a week per group, most sessions between 13:00 and 18:00 Chile time. It is unpaid and it comes with a Ministry of Education reference, which carries weight on a first application. No deadline is published, so apply early. Volunteer details.

Colombia results land on 28 August

The ICETEX international experts round that closed on 7 August publishes results on 28 August. The next committee closes on 1 October with results on 26 October. Note the programme does not fund activity taking place in December. ICETEX programme page.

CV corner: build the JET file now

Ask for references early. Give each referee the official programme link, your draft statement and a clear due date.

Order transcripts. Request official transcripts from every college or university attended, including study abroad.

Keep the statement specific. JET asks for a two-page, double-spaced statement of purpose. Show how you will contribute in a classroom and community.