Belt Testing Fees

[MasterH]

"Grades" including all color belts are at $50-$75, Black belts are at a sliding scale starting at $250 for 1st degree and $100 thru 4th degree, 5th degree is $1000. That's as far as I've got.

[fallen_milkman]

Definitely all valid reasons for charging for grading, as long as the money you make from it isn't excessive.

And I definitely didn't realize that is the only way the organizations make their money. I figured they were non-profit or something. Thank you all for sharing, and satisfying my interest.

[tkdBill]

I definitely didn't realize that is the only way the organizations make their money. I figured they were non-profit or something.

Different organizations have different ways to make money. Our organization is there just to serve the schools, and in it's charter it's not permitted to retain earnings. In effect, it does not make a profit. All of the money is used for actual services and expenses.

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[y2_sub]

I payed 250$$ for my nidan certificate from japan

[fallen_milkman]

Yeah, juding by the poll, if most fees are under $50 I wouldn't have too much of a problem paying them. $250 sounds a little insane, but I don't know what nidan means, so it might not be as bad as I think.

[Rateh]

fee's are $25 for stripe testings

belt testings start at $25 and go up 5 dollars for each test (until brown and black)

i think blackbelt was around $200 dollars, and a lot of the money went towards the ceramony, belt(a nice embroydered one), cirtificate, and a katana

the fee's for the school are $85/month (the cheapest in the area)

testing fee's go straight towards keeping the school open

we do have a lot of ranks though

also, we double test on occasion for stripes, double test's are full price for the first test, and half for the second

on a side note, adults only test for brown and black belts, other belts are rewarded when the instructor decides they are ready

[Menjo]

In my dojo and others in the area we generaly pay from 50-100

[fallen_milkman]

I guess I've just been spoiled by a master who chooses not to try and make a living from teaching, and just breaks even on expenses. Not that making money from teching is bad, he just chooses not to deal with it. I have a lot of respect for those who manage to make money teaching their art without lowering their standards.

[tkdBill]

By teaching full-time, I have been able to RAISE my standards. Instead of spending most of my time devoted to some other endeavor to earn a living, I now spend all of my time refining and improving my teaching skills and my school. It's like anything else, the more time and effort you put into something, the better you become.

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[Menjo]

I guess I've just been spoiled by a master who chooses not to try and make a living from teaching, and just breaks even on expenses. Not that making money from teching is bad, he just chooses not to deal with it. I have a lot of respect for those who manage to make money teaching their art without lowering their standards.

My dojo also is non-profit