FAQ

The ALC Online Japanese School uses Skype (toll-free) in a convenient and efficient approach to providing Internet-based private Japanese lessons. Whether at work or at home, anyone can take courses as long as they have Internet access. Every lesson is private, allowing the student more time to talk than with class or group lessons. This makes for lessons that are more satisfying and fulfilling.

"The intensive courses cover business telephone conversation, business honorifics, business etiquette, business e-mails, and other business Japanese.

We will be gradually adding new courses covering topics such as daily conversation and topic-based conversation. Our list of currently available courses can be found here.

Please see the "lesson's target skill level" shown for each course.

We provide original teaching materials that can be downloaded free of charge from our website.

Students take private lessons with an instructor using Skype, a communications service that offers free calling. During lessons, you and the instructor can see each other on screen and use Skype's chat function. Please see Getting Ready for more information.

You can take lessons with smartphones such as iPhones or android phones, as well as tablets such as the iPad. Just install the Skype application for your device and you're set. Please note, however, that wired networking environments are recommended, and that wireless environments may result in communication failures or voices cutting out.

Yes, as long as your smart phone or tablet has an application for viewing PDF files. If it doesn't, you will need to download one (many are free) from the App Store or Android Market and install it.

Lessons are provided every day from 6am to 11pm Japan time.

All of our instructors are highly-capable native instructors who have extensive training and who have met our rigorous recruiting standards.

We do have instructors that speak languages other than Japanese. Please see the Supported Languages section on the Our Instructors page. However, lessons are generally given only in Japanese. Communicating only in Japanese is the fastest way to improve.

Yes, you will receive an automatic reminder e-mail 30 minutes before the lesson.

Yes. An instructor will provide comments within 24 hours after a lesson finishes. Comments can be viewed from the "Evaluation from Instructor" under "Lesson History" on My Page.

After each lesson, students use a 5-point scale to evaluate things such as their instructor's teaching methods. You may also leave comments about your instructor. These evaluations can be submitted up to 24 hours after a lesson finishes.

If you don't receive a Skype call from your instructor, check your Skype application as you may not have clicked "Accept" to your instructor's "I'd like to add you as a contact". If you have not received a "I'd like to add you as a contact" from your instructor, follow the steps below.

Click the "Contact Instructor" button under "About Lessons" in the "Reserved Lessons" section on My Page. Your instructor will receive an e-mail.

If you do not get a Skype call from your instructor even after contacting him using the "Contact Instructor" button, please contact the ALC Online Japanese School administrative office using the "Contact Form". You will receive a reply within regular business hours, and will be refunded for any lessons you are unable to take.

ALC Online Japanese School Administrative Office
Contact Form

Free trial lessons use a special format and can only be taken once.  

You will need Internet access (a wired connection is recommended), a computer with the toll-free service Skype installed, a headset, and a Web camera.

System requirements are as follows:

[System requirements for using the login site and My Page site]
Windows
OS：Microsoft Windows 10
Browser：Google Chrome/Microsoft Edge

Mac
MacOS：Mac OS X v10.11.6 at least
Browser：Safari11

[System requirements for taking lessons using Skype]
https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA10328/
(Links to Skype's website)

System requirements are as follows:

[System requirements for using the login site and My Page site]
Smartphones / tablets
OS：iOS 13 at least
OS：Android 8.0 at least

Skype is a toll-free service provided by Microsoft. Skype and the Skype logo are trademarks of Skype.

Please see the following information:

Download Skype
http://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-computer/
(Links to Skype's website)

About installing and setting up an account with Skype
https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA11098/
(Links to Skype's website)

Please also refer to this manual. Skype Setup Manual (PDF, approx. 1.6MB)

Calls and data transfer between Skype users are generally free.

Not having a Web camera may be detrimental to the lesson. Please make sure to have one.

Unfortunately, we do not rent out headsets. You will need to acquire your own.

We recommend students use wired connections when taking lessons. The wireless connections at Internet cafés or in outside environments can result in communication failures or voices cutting out.

Yes. Free trial periods last two weeks beginning from member sign-up.

No, there are no enrollment fees.

Payments via VISA and MasterCard are accepted, but please note that we do not accept payments in installments.
To make a payment, complete your registration, log in to "My Page" and complete the payment from Course Purchase page.

Yes, you will receive an automatic confirmation e-mail. After making a purchase, My Page will also show you which courses you have purchased. Go to "Purchase/Usage History" for expiration date information.

We issue receipts in PDF format. If you wish to use a company name for billing purposes, please contact the support center with your company name (official name), name, and the name of the course, after completing your payment.

Please check to make sure your Skype name and password have not been entered incorrectly.   If this does not resolve the issue, please see the following page:
https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA109/
(Links to Skype's website)

Please see the following page:
https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA10858/
(Links to Skype's website)

Please see the following page:
https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA1170/
(Links to Skype's website)

Please check to make sure your e-mail address and password have not been entered incorrectly.   Forgotten passwords can be reset from the Login screen. If you forget your ID, please use the following to contact us.

ALC Online Japanese School Administrative Office Contact Form

Yes, the e-mail address you provide will be your ID. It will also be where automatic reply e-mails are sent. If you are using a webmail service such as Gmail or Yahoo! Mail and do not receive these e-mails, please check your junk e-mail folder.

Your login e-mail may not necessarily be the same as for your Skype account (user name).

Please use a password with between 8 and 16 alphanumeric characters, and include at least one letter and one number.

Please contact us using the form below.

ALC Online Japanese School Administrative Office
Contact Form

Click the "Forgot your password?" link underneath the ID and password entry field. This will allow you to reset your password. To have a new password set, you will need to supply the e-mail address you originally registered.

Once a course has been purchased, cancellations or changes will not be permitted, whether it is before the start of the course, or during the course. Therefore, please check the level, contents, texts, etc. from the "Course List" before purchasing.

It is possible up to reserve or cancel a lesson 24 hours (1 day) before the lesson start time. Please reserve or make changes via "My Page".

You can book up to 5 lessons at a time.

Log into My Page on the ALC Online Japanese School website and you will see your reserved lessons under "Reserved Lessons". Click the reservation date and time. Then click the "Cancel Lesson" button that appears. Clicking the "Cancel" button will cancel that reservation. Lessons scheduled to begin in less than 24 hours cannot be canceled.

Your attendance will be marked as 'absent'. Therefore, if you cannot attend a lesson, please be sure to change your reservation before the allotted time frame.

Please check the following if you are unable to hear the instructor.
(1) Is your headset connected properly?
(2) Are you using the latest version of Skype?
(3) Is there a problem with your network connection?

Please see the following page for more information:
https://support.skype.com/en/fa348/

Please check the following if the instructor is unable to hear you.
(1) Is your headset connected properly?
(2) Are you using the latest version of Skype?
(3) Is there a problem with your network connection?

Please see the following page for more information:
https://support.skype.com/en/faq/fa348/

If, despite using a wired connection and meeting the recommended system requirements, a lesson is interrupted for 10 minutes or more due to a communications failure, ALC will refund you for that lesson. In such cases, please contact the ALC Online Japanese School administrative office.

ALC Online Japanese School Administrative Office
Contact Form

Please refer to the following:
ALC Online Japanese School Administrative Office
Contact Form

Before contacting us, please check the FAQ for a solution.