The Unbiased Truth About Nova

**ET_Fukuoka** · Feb 15, 2007, 02:31

I know of 2-3 cases in my 5 years Nova history where teachers have not had degrees. In all of the cases NOVA didn't have to sponsor the instructors, and they only worked part time. It all depends on how needy they are for teachers and who is the area manager.

If you want to stay in Japan I would start taking some university classes!! There are several Foreign Universities that offer degree programs.

**fablewarrior** · Feb 15, 2007, 14:14

Hello everyone I am new here and I am planning on getting a spouse visa when I come back to japan, I am currently in the NAVY and will be out soon and want to come back to japan to teach English for a few years and then move on eventualy but can I get a job being that I only have my Naval certification as a Culinary Specialist? I checked with the Diahai Mall here Yokosuks and the pay is 1800$ yen a month and maybe more if you impress them a lttle and they want you.

**Elizabeth** · Feb 16, 2007, 21:29

Originally Posted by fablewarrior

Hello everyone I am new here and I am planning on getting a spouse visa when I come back to japan, I am currently in the NAVY and will be out soon and want to come back to japan to teach English for a few years and then move on eventualy but can I get a job being that I only have my Naval certification as a Culinary Specialist? I checked with the Diahai Mall here Yokosuks and the pay is 1800$ yen a month and maybe more if you impress them a lttle and they want you.

You may want to start a new thread to get more exposure for other types of positions. Many people have an allergy to reading anything NOVA-related.

I know of 2-3 cases in my 5 years Nova history

Man, I bet they were sorry to see you go. Five years at Nova ! Good Heavens ! What was your secret where so many others have failed ?

And to think you could have had a career with them...

**ET_Fukuoka** · Feb 17, 2007, 11:01

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

You may want to start a new thread to get more exposure for other types of positions. Many people have an allergy to reading anything NOVA-related.

Man, I bet they were sorry to see you go. Five years at Nova ! Good Heavens ! What was your secret where so many others have failed ?

And to think you could have had a career with them...

The secret to lasting that long at NOVA is being flexible and being at good schools (find them and transfer ASAP!!). Most of the students were super cool so it out weighed the company politics and Bull_hit. Except for the last year at NOVA I got nice raises, but then they started to cutback and were being very anal about sick days etc. I think that's when they over expanded and were having money problems. I used NOVA, NOVA didn't use me is the way I thought about it. They helped me meet a lot of cool people, funded my drifting habit, and helped me pay off a lot of my debt. The only thing they got from me was someone that went to work and had a good time.

If/When I go back to Japan I probably wouldn't work for NOVA full time. If i HAD too, i would only work part time.

**Carmen** · Feb 18, 2007, 12:36

What a great article, Brooker! I think you are right on. My boyfriend is doing the program now and what you have described is right in line with what you described here. Thanks for a great article. I signed up for an account just to post my appreciation.

**Elizabeth** · Feb 22, 2007, 03:36

Originally Posted by ET_Fukuoka

The secret to lasting that long at NOVA is
being flexible and being at good schools (find them and transfer ASAP!!).

You mean if your manager is a lying tyrant and the other instructors are total freaks who couldn't get a job anywhere else, that's a bad place ? lol

I used NOVA, NOVA didn't use me is the way I thought about it. They helped me meet a lot of cool people, funded my drifting habit, and helped me pay off a lot of my debt. The only thing they got from me was someone that went to work and had a good time.

As long as you don't put this on your application and don't get any student complaints anyone could be there to set up their own business for all they probably care...lol

Sounds like you had a blast,ET_Fukuoka!!!

I'm sure I would love the students too and I'm older than average but what better way to stay young than being in a cubicle with 20 somethings at NOVA all day !!!

**senseiman** · Feb 17, 2007, 02:49

Here's a News Flash about NOVA:

http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/399281

Looks like the company might be in trouble. First they had teachers getting busted for drugs, now the whole company is under investigation for ripping off students.

**Elizabeth** · Feb 22, 2007, 10:22

Originally Posted by senseiman

Here's a News Flash about NOVA:
http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/399281
Looks like the company might be in trouble. First they had teachers getting busted for drugs, now the whole company is under investigation for ripping off students.

A very interesting read. Thanks for posting, senseiman !

I didn't realize the lesson fees at NOVA were cheaper than their competition (assuming this refers to other large eikaiwas), but the company deals with dozens of lawsuits every year and by doesn't seem to lose very many of them. They'll most likely find a loophole to exploit in this case as well that allows them to continue undercutting their clientele.

**senseiman** · Feb 23, 2007, 05:59

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

A very interesting read. Thanks for posting, senseiman !

I didn't realize the lesson fees at NOVA were cheaper than their competition (assuming this refers to other large eikaiwas), but the company deals with dozens of lawsuits every year and by doesn't seem to lose very many of them. They'll most likely find a loophole to exploit in this case as well that allows them to continue undercutting their clientele.

I think this is a cut above the run-of-the-mill anti-Nova lawsuit, Usually the government doesn't get involved. Its definitely not the end of the world for NOVA but this time they are getting way more bad publicity and may face administrative action by the government (as opposed to just paying damages to aggrieved clients). I read that NOVA's stock dropped about 14% the day this story came out.

**Elizabeth** · Apr 4, 2007, 16:42

Originally Posted by senseiman

I think this is a cut above the run-of-the-mill anti-Nova lawsuit, Usually the government doesn't get involved. Its definitely not the end of the world for NOVA but this time they are getting way more bad publicity and may face administrative action by the government (as opposed to just paying damages to aggrieved clients). I read that NOVA's stock dropped about 14% the day this story came out.

It isn't the end of the line by any means, although this ruling today by the Japanese Supreme Court today did go against the company and agreed that refund amounts for cancelled contacts were systematically undercalcuated.
As a result, NOVA has been ordered to compensate the plantiff more than 300,000 yen and will be threatened with a freeze on admitting new students for noncompliance. Anyone know how much their stock price went down the day this ruling was announced ? The publicity is getting more and more damaging. It'll be really interesting to watch the fallout from all this on pending cases as well as NOVA's overall financial health and corporate viability.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-b...0070404a1.html

**名無し** · Jun 13, 2007, 23:27

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

It isn't the end of the line by any means, although this ruling today by the Japanese Supreme Court today did go against the company and agreed that refund amounts for cancelled contacts were systematically undercalcuated.
As a result, NOVA has been ordered to compensate the plantiff more than 300,000 yen and will be threatened with a freeze on admitting new students for noncompliance.

NOVA Dealt Penalty for Deception

Nova Corp., the nation's largest English-language school chain, was ordered by the government Wednesday to partially suspend business for six months for lying to customers about its services.

NOVA Barred from Making Long Contracts

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry said Wednesday it ordered Nova Corp., the nation's largest English language school chain, to suspend for six months its recruitment of customers for new contracts of more than one year or 70 lesson hours, starting Thursday.

NOVA Handed Suspension Order over Tuition Fee Practices

Furthermore, when inviting students to take lessons, the company advertised that they could book lessons any time they wanted, but because of the difficulty in securing teachers, it remained difficult to make bookings.

NOVA's response

**Sukotto** · Feb 23, 2007, 04:06

Originally Posted by senseiman

Here's a News Flash about NOVA:
http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/399281
Looks like the company might be in trouble. First they had teachers getting busted for drugs, now the whole company is under investigation for ripping off students.

coke is foolish,
cannabis is less harmful that beer or cigarettes.
(try to prove cigarettes or beer are less harmful, you won't be able to)
(and no i don't smoke or other things)

But that's not the Nova's fault.
People can hide their nasty habits pretty darn well.
You know, uncombed hair and wacky tshirts don't mean anything (these days). Maybe 30-40 years ago?

**Glenski** · Feb 17, 2007, 08:10

fablewarrior,
If you have a spouse visa, you can work at any place that thinks you are qualified. That is the key, not whether you have a degree or not. (Of course, some employers may want you to have a degree regardless of your visa status.)

**Glenski** · Feb 23, 2007, 07:52

They want you to pee into a cup man! Is that too much to ask?
If they test everyone

Let's stop right here. They DON'T ask everyone. The discrimination is made because the JAPANESE employees don't have to go through this. NOVA has been called on this (in court, I believe, too), and it is ILLEGAL to have such drug testing only for foreigners. The fact that they haven't had the actual testing done in years shows that they know this, but they STILL keep the illegal clause in their contracts.

If someone wants you to pee in a cup, tell them you will if they will, too. THEN, see what they say.

I have not visited this thread much, but a quick glance shows that there is a TON of misinformation here. I wish I had time to straighten things out.

**faustz** · Mar 3, 2007, 23:23

Hi there, this is my 1st psot here and i got a few questions,

1) While working in NOVA, the min salary of 250,000 does it already include the rental fee for the place you are staying at? or must you pay for that yourself from your salary?

2) I live in Singapore, i have not attended University yet but i have got a diploma in engineering, is a diploma counted or must you still have to attend and get a degree from a Uni?

Thanks

**Iron Chef** · Mar 4, 2007, 02:11

Rent is not included in your base salary and must be deducted accordingly. And yes, you must have some sort of accredited University degree in any academic discipline. Not sure what the credentials are on your Diploma but it probably wouldn't be enough.

**faustz** · Mar 4, 2007, 02:26

ahh, may i know how much on average is the rent?
Thanks for the reply

**ET_Fukuoka** · Mar 4, 2007, 14:52

55000-59000 I think is what I paid for a NOVA apartment. Thats sharing too. It's a good place to start but I would recommend getting out as soon as you can if you plan on staying in Japan for any longer than a year.

**Glenski** · Mar 5, 2007, 11:38

Rent depends on location. If ET Fukuoka is living in Kyushu, he will probably pay less. Most people I have seen on the forums will quote you roughly 70,000 yen/month per PERSON in a shared apartment, but as much as that is highway robbery, it includes utilities (up to about 8000 yen/month, I think).

Look at NOVA's web site. It clearly lays out how much you get paid depending on location (and bear in mind the early months are lower because you are on probationary salary).

**Mike Cash** · Mar 5, 2007, 13:57

Putting several teachers into a Nova-sponsored apartment and then charging each of them the full rent for the place (while acting like they're doing the teachers a favor) is a time-honored Nova tradition.

**GaijinPunch** · Mar 5, 2007, 14:15

The discrimination is made because the JAPANESE employees don't have to go through this. NOVA has been called on this (in court, I believe, too), and it is ILLEGAL to have such drug testing only for foreigners.

It is? The same way it's illegal for the police discriminate by doing 'random' ID checks only on foreigners? The same way a real estate agent can simply stop a foreigner at the door and say, 'sorry, we don't have any places that rent to foreigners'. This would also be the discrimination found in Onsens in Hokkaido I would assume. Despite it's legality, it is painfully clear that protection against such practices is non-existant. Nova isn't going to get in trouble to ask it's employees for proof that they're not doing something very illegal.

**Monolake** · Mar 5, 2007, 23:34

Hi everyone,

I have a few questions for all the Nova experts in the house. I rather whimsically applied on-line to Nova the other day and they contacted to come on in for an interview. I am living in Japan (7 years), married to a Japanese National and study at a Japanese University. I only want to work part-time but can't work out if they actually employ part-time or not.

One other comment: from the tone of this thread, I may be far to qualified to work at Nova (even if it is basically only for some Yen). I have an M.A. and I'm chewing my way through a Phd. Seems like a recipe for disaster!....

Cheers

**Glenski** · Mar 6, 2007, 09:06

It is [discrimination]? The same way it's illegal for the police discriminate by doing 'random' ID checks only on foreigners? The same way a real estate agent can simply stop a foreigner at the door and say, 'sorry, we don't have any places that rent to foreigners'. This would also be the discrimination found in Onsens in Hokkaido I would assume.

Yup, all of those are examples of discrimination. Pretty clear.

Despite it's legality, it is painfully clear that protection against such practices is non-existant.

Legality of discrimination? Discrimination is illegal, as evidenced by Japan signing the 1995 anti-discrimination treaty. HOWEVER, as you pointed out, the rub is that Japan has not followed up on that by enacting any laws to put teeth into the treaty. So, yes, there are few, if any, protective practices against discrimination. Not sure what point you were making unless it was related to the next point.

Nova isn't going to get in trouble to ask it's employees for proof that they're not doing something very illegal.

Oh, really? How do you know that? They have not done drug testing since the mid-1990s for a reason. The union won a court case against them showing that it was discrimination to test only foreigners. These 2 links show the start of the process.
http://www.novaunion.com/zet/M3.html
http://www.novaunion.com/zet/NPS11.html (Ignore the statement in this article that says NOVA is going to have all employees drug tested, not just foreigners. That never happened.)

Monolake,
Downplay your degrees. Nod a lot in the interview. Accept their teaching policy and you'll have a better chance of getting a job there, for what it's worth.

As far as PT hours go, it depends on you how many hours you want to teach.

**Monolake** · Mar 6, 2007, 09:38

Monolake,
Downplay your degrees. Nod a lot in the interview. Accept their teaching policy and you'll have a better chance of getting a job there, for what it's worth.
As far as PT hours go, it depends on you how many hours you want to teach.[/QUOTE]

Glenski,

Cheers for the advice.

M