Belt fees/Promotion fees

[shihansmurf]

I charge $20 for belt testing . The fee covers the belt, the cert, and room rent for the test(the facility that I teach out of classes are paid for on a punch card system so there is a fee per class). I use six color ranks.

Mark

 

[TSDTexan]

So... is this a bit much?
It's older, but it is what is posted.

My promote to 9 kyu was 18 Dollars.
They didn't charge a promotion fee to start at 10 kyu. But it's being folded into the 9 kyu test.

I really hope it is not cumulative like that from now on.

I like the depth of knowledge of the Shihan.
I love this dojo.

But if 8 kyu is 7 + 11 + 15 = 33.00
And 7 kyu is 7 + 11 + 15 + 18 = 54.00

Then just testing for Shodan will cost 440.00
And Nidan will cost 640.00
Sandan will cost 940.00
Shi/Yon Dan is 1340.00
Renshi 1890.00
Godan would be 2390.00


I find it hard to believe that this is the case.

If it is, (in fact) the case, will I refuse to test out after a certain grade?

This is the reason I started my OP.

I love okinawan karate.
But if this is the case, I may stay in class until Godan.

Or change over to the TKD/BJJ school, for bjj classes and forget about karate in this town.

Oh, and the local dojo doesn't keep the fees. It goes up to the organization honbu to Hanshi Nobuo Ichikawa

 

[Gerry Seymour]

So... is this a bit much?
It's older, but it is what is posted.

My promote to 9 kyu was 18 Dollars.
They didn't charge a promotion fee to start at 10 kyu. But it's being folded into the 9 kyu test.

I really hope it is not cumulative like that from now on.

I like the depth of knowledge of the Shihan.
I love this dojo.

But if 8 kyu is 7 + 11 + 15 = 33.00
And 7 kyu is 7 + 11 + 15 + 18 = 54.00

Then just testing for Shodan will cost 440.00
And Nidan will cost 640.00
Sandan will cost 940.00
Shi/Yon Dan is 1340.00
Renshi 1890.00
Godan would be 2390.00


I find it hard to believe that this is the case.

If it is, (in fact) the case, will I refuse to test out after a certain grade?

This is the reason I started my OP.

I love okinawan karate.
But if this is the case, I may stay in class until Godan.

Or change over to the TKD/BJJ school, for bjj classes and forget about karate in this town.

Oh, and the local dojo doesn't keep the fees. It goes up to the organization honbu to Hanshi Nobuo Ichikawa



View attachment 20464

A couple of thoughts.

First, since they didn't collect the 10th kyu fee separately, it doesn't sound like they are cumulative.

Second, don't worry about what happens at godan. Most of us won't ever have to worry about ranks that advanced, and the policy could be something entirely different 30 or 40 years from now.

 

[JR 137]

So... is this a bit much?
It's older, but it is what is posted.

My promote to 9 kyu was 18 Dollars.
They didn't charge a promotion fee to start at 10 kyu. But it's being folded into the 9 kyu test.

I really hope it is not cumulative like that from now on.

I like the depth of knowledge of the Shihan.
I love this dojo.

But if 8 kyu is 7 + 11 + 15 = 33.00
And 7 kyu is 7 + 11 + 15 + 18 = 54.00

Then just testing for Shodan will cost 440.00
And Nidan will cost 640.00
Sandan will cost 940.00
Shi/Yon Dan is 1340.00
Renshi 1890.00
Godan would be 2390.00


I find it hard to believe that this is the case.

If it is, (in fact) the case, will I refuse to test out after a certain grade?

This is the reason I started my OP.

I love okinawan karate.
But if this is the case, I may stay in class until Godan.

Or change over to the TKD/BJJ school, for bjj classes and forget about karate in this town.

Oh, and the local dojo doesn't keep the fees. It goes up to the organization honbu to Hanshi Nobuo Ichikawa



View attachment 20464

Looking at that sheet tells me what you see is what you pay, not cumulative. If they say they're going to roll the 10th kyu price into the 9th kyu price, I'd take that as just pay the first two prices when you test for 9th kyu rather than pay for each test.

 

[wingerjim]

What does your school charge for belt/exam fees?

And how many ranks in your school/system?

We charge nothing because we have no belts as we are a Traditional Kung Fu school. Sorry this does not help but I actually like this system. The people at our school have no problem identifying who is who as it relates to the teacher, sr students, and jr students.

 

[Mark Lynn]

@Mark Lynn - which part of this post did you disagree with?

Gerry, my bad sorry I didn't mean to disagree with your post. I was sitting in a Whataburger reading MT while awaiting my dinner, before heading off to teach my evening classes. I remember pressing something by accident as I was scrolling down the page. I guess it was the disagree button, I thought I undid whatever I did and forgot about it. Saw your post asking why I disagreed the other day and tried to answer on my phone and it was to much of a pain. So I waited until I got out the trusty laptop computer to write back.

 

[Mark Lynn]

In regards to my school, it is a flat fee of $20.00 per belt test up to black. At black belt the American Karate/TKD test was $30.00 and the Modern Arnis Lakan test will probably be $100 or so. Why the rate hike for the Modern Arnis test, you ask?

Well the belts for the lakan/black belts are what drives the price up. Century's just came out with a belt (black with red trim) and it is $75 (aprox) wholesale. When I promoted my first two black belts in Modern Arnis I purchased the belts, I think I paid $40-50 ea. at the area martial arts supply store. Not sure what they cost now. My Modern Arnis black belt was a regular black belt and I paid someone to put the red trim on it, What a hassle and my students have better quality belts than me.

The progression for the American Karate/TKD is; White, Yellow, Gold, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple, Brown (3rd), Brown with a solid black stripe (2nd), Red (1st) and then Black (1st dan).

In our Modern Arnis curriculum it is; White, White belt with solid yellow stripe, Yellow, Yellow belt with solid green stripe, Green, Green with solid blue stripe, Blue, Blue with Brown stripe, Solid brown, Brown with solid black stripe, Black belt with red trim (Lakan Isa). I'm not having a probationary black rank in my Modern Arnis ranking.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Gerry, my bad sorry I didn't mean to disagree with your post. I was sitting in a Whataburger reading MT while awaiting my dinner, before heading off to teach my evening classes. I remember pressing something by accident as I was scrolling down the page. I guess it was the disagree button, I thought I undid whatever I did and forgot about it. Saw your post asking why I disagreed the other day and tried to answer on my phone and it was to much of a pain. So I waited until I got out the trusty laptop computer to write back.

No worries, Mark. I thought I'd missed something somewhere, and we'd have something to talk about. So, how was the burger?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

In regards to my school, it is a flat fee of $20.00 per belt test up to black. At black belt the American Karate/TKD test was $30.00 and the Modern Arnis Lakan test will probably be $100 or so. Why the rate hike for the Modern Arnis test, you ask?

Well the belts for the lakan/black belts are what drives the price up. Century's just came out with a belt (black with red trim) and it is $75 (aprox) wholesale. When I promoted my first two black belts in Modern Arnis I purchased the belts, I think I paid $40-50 ea. at the area martial arts supply store. Not sure what they cost now. My Modern Arnis black belt was a regular black belt and I paid someone to put the red trim on it, What a hassle and my students have better quality belts than me.

The progression for the American Karate/TKD is; White, Yellow, Gold, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple, Brown (3rd), Brown with a solid black stripe (2nd), Red (1st) and then Black (1st dan).

In our Modern Arnis curriculum it is; White, White belt with solid yellow stripe, Yellow, Yellow belt with solid green stripe, Green, Green with solid blue stripe, Blue, Blue with Brown stripe, Solid brown, Brown with solid black stripe, Black belt with red trim (Lakan Isa). I'm not having a probationary black rank in my Modern Arnis ranking.

My instructor solved the issue of black belt being more expensive by letting us get our own. We would buy them from wherever we wanted (some went cheap, some spent $100), added the single stripe to it, then handed it to him for him to present when our certificates came in. I prefer the idea of the instructor buying it and presenting it, but not for any practical reason.

 

[PhotonGuy]

In regards to my school, it is a flat fee of $20.00 per belt test up to black. At black belt the American Karate/TKD test was $30.00 and the Modern Arnis Lakan test will probably be $100 or so. Why the rate hike for the Modern Arnis test, you ask?

Well the belts for the lakan/black belts are what drives the price up. Century's just came out with a belt (black with red trim) and it is $75 (aprox) wholesale. When I promoted my first two black belts in Modern Arnis I purchased the belts, I think I paid $40-50 ea. at the area martial arts supply store. Not sure what they cost now. My Modern Arnis black belt was a regular black belt and I paid someone to put the red trim on it, What a hassle and my students have better quality belts than me.

The progression for the American Karate/TKD is; White, Yellow, Gold, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple, Brown (3rd), Brown with a solid black stripe (2nd), Red (1st) and then Black (1st dan).

In our Modern Arnis curriculum it is; White, White belt with solid yellow stripe, Yellow, Yellow belt with solid green stripe, Green, Green with solid blue stripe, Blue, Blue with Brown stripe, Solid brown, Brown with solid black stripe, Black belt with red trim (Lakan Isa). I'm not having a probationary black rank in my Modern Arnis ranking.

Interesting, in regards to the cost of your belts. At my Karate dojo whenever you went up a belt you would then buy your new belt for $5. The cost was $5 regardless of the color with the exception of the black belt in which case they would give it to you. When you pass the black belt test they give you the belt and you don't pay anything for it. You do have the option of buying a fancier black belt with your name on it in addition to the black belt they give you which I believe costs around $30 but aside from that, all of the belts including the black belt that they give you if and when you pass the test, they are just plain belts, no stripes or trims or decorations.

 

[PhotonGuy]

My instructor solved the issue of black belt being more expensive by letting us get our own. We would buy them from wherever we wanted (some went cheap, some spent $100), added the single stripe to it, then handed it to him for him to present when our certificates came in. I prefer the idea of the instructor buying it and presenting it, but not for any practical reason.

Why not just sell the belts right at the school? It doesn't have to be a fancy belt. They could sell plain black belts for around $5 along with all the other colors. That way students would have the option of buying their belts right there at the school unless they wanted to break the bank as you mentioned some of the students did.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Why not just sell the belts right at the school? It doesn't have to be a fancy belt. They could sell plain black belts for around $5 along with all the other colors. That way students would have the option of buying their belts right there at the school unless they wanted to break the bank as you mentioned some of the students did.

The $5 belts aren't as durable. There are reasonable options that are pretty durable. Mine (from Bujin Design, still $39 today) is somewhat faded, but unfrayed after 15+ years. Some of that may be due to the fact that I wear hakama about half the time, which covers the belt.

No sense stocking them (to sell at the school) - there simply weren't enough BB promotions for that. At most, maybe once a year, and not always the same size, of course.

 

[DanT]

50 for red
100 for green
200 for blue
400 for black
500 for gold

My Sifu teaches full time 6 days a week, this is his job and I understand that, thus I have no problem paying. Then again over his 50 years of teaching only 6 people have reached black or higher, because the standard is so high.

 

[PhotonGuy]

The $5 belts aren't as durable. There are reasonable options that are pretty durable. Mine (from Bujin Design, still $39 today) is somewhat faded, but unfrayed after 15+ years. Some of that may be due to the fact that I wear hakama about half the time, which covers the belt.

No sense stocking them (to sell at the school) - there simply weren't enough BB promotions for that. At most, maybe once a year, and not always the same size, of course.

My belt has withstood over 12 years of heavy use and its still in good shape although it has faded a bit here and there. But that just reflects my progress.

 

[PhotonGuy]

50 for red
100 for green
200 for blue
400 for black
500 for gold

My Sifu teaches full time 6 days a week, this is his job and I understand that, thus I have no problem paying. Then again over his 50 years of teaching only 6 people have reached black or higher, because the standard is so high.

So with your system gold is the highest belt color.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

My belt has withstood over 12 years of heavy use and its still in good shape although it has faded a bit here and there. But that just reflects my progress.

If it's a $5 belt, it's a better $5 belt than I've seen. In any case, the larger issue for stocking them in the school is that it's a waste of space. Given the range of sizes likely to be promoted, an instructor would probably need a 4, 5, and 6 on hand. At best, most years, one of those would be used. It's easier to just order as they are needed. Students can always opt for an inexpensive belt from AWMA or whatever - it's their choice. Since most will never progress beyond shodan, that one belt is probably the last most will ever need, and spending a bit more on it is inconsequential.

 

[DanT]

So with your system gold is the highest belt color.

Yes in my lineage Gold Sash means full instructor (Sifu). I think this is common in Wing Chun lineages that use sashes.

 

[Dirty Dog]

We do "test" for 10th geup, but there is no fee. After passing the test for 10th geup, students are allowed to buy and wear a dobak and white belt.
Our testing fees start at $42 for 9th geup and go up to $62 for 1st.
The cost of new belts, rank certificates, and breaking materials comes out of these fees.
Chodanbo is $75.
1st Dan is $300 for Moo Duk Kwan and $400 for Kukkiwon.
The fees cover the embroidered belt (and no, they're not $5), rank certificate, framing of the certificate, breaking materials, and bringing Masters in to serve as simsakwan.
The extra $100 for the KKW covers the KKW registration fee.

 

[PhotonGuy]

If it's a $5 belt, it's a better $5 belt than I've seen. In any case, the larger issue for stocking them in the school is that it's a waste of space. Given the range of sizes likely to be promoted, an instructor would probably need a 4, 5, and 6 on hand. At best, most years, one of those would be used. It's easier to just order as they are needed. Students can always opt for an inexpensive belt from AWMA or whatever - it's their choice. Since most will never progress beyond shodan, that one belt is probably the last most will ever need, and spending a bit more on it is inconsequential.

The $5 belts that I see are usually made out of cotton. As a matter of fact they might be more than $5 by now, its been awhile since I've bought a standard belt without a uniform so the price might've gone up by then. But from what I know cotton is a good material and my belt has outlasted four or five uniforms including a really good, really expensive Tokaido uniform which Im about to dispose of. But from what I know cotton is quite a durable material for martial arts belts.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

The $5 belts that I see are usually made out of cotton. As a matter of fact they might be more than $5 by now, its been awhile since I've bought a standard belt without a uniform so the price might've gone up by then. But from what I know cotton is a good material and my belt has outlasted four or five uniforms including a really good, really expensive Tokaido uniform which Im about to dispose of. But from what I know cotton is quite a durable material for martial arts belts.

Most of the belts I've used were cotton (maybe all of them), certainly my BB is. I prefer them, too. I prefer the beefy feel of the one I have over some of the less expensive ones, but that's a personal preference.