BRITISH JU-JITSU AND KOBUDO ORGANISATION

1st Dan (Shodan) 

A minimum of 5 years consistent training.

A minimum age of 16 years.

Successful completion of the examination.

2nd Dan (Nidan)

A minimum of 2 years after 1st Dan (Shodan).

A minimum age of 18 years.

Successful completion of the examination.

3rd Dan (Sandan)

A minimum of 3 years after 2nd Dan (Nidan).

A minimum age of 21 years.

Successful completion of the examination.

4th Dan (Yondan)

A minimum of 4 years after 3rd Dan (Sandan).

A minimum age of 25 years

Successful completion of the examination.

5th Dan (Godan) Masters Grade

A minimum of 5 years after 4th Dan (Yondan).

A minimum age of 30 years.

Successful completion of the examination.

6th Dan (Rokudan)

Although the BJJKO have a specific syllabus for this grade, the grade of Rokudan may be awarded using our time-served criteria, without the need to pass the physical examination.

Minimum of 5 years of consistent training / teaching from 5th Dan (Godan).

7th Dan (Shichidan)

Although the BJJKO have a specific syllabus for this grade, the grade of Shichidan may be awarded using our time-served criteria, without the need to pass the physical examination.

Minimum of 5 years consistent training / teaching from 6th Dan (Rokudan).

8th Dan (Hachidan)

This grade is awarded on a time-served criteria, there is no physical examination for this grade.

Minimum of 5 years consistent training / teaching from 7th Dan (Shichidan).

A minimum age  of 50 years.

Must be ratified and presented by the head of our organisation.

When a student grades at one of our events they will be graded by one of our officials and their grade will be officiated by our Senior Technical Instructors, Andrew McConville Shihan, 8th DAN or Mike Rowan Hanshi 9th DAN.

Although most grading conducted at an organisation level are DAN grades, the following should also apply to Kyu grades graded by one of our club instructors, either at a grading event or at one of our registered clubs.

While conducting the grading the examiner will use the syllabus provided by the club’s senior instructor.

• They will not ask the student to demonstrate anything that is not included within the syllabus provided, nor will they criticise or offer advice, their focus is on conducting and officiating the grade.
• Students will be graded based on the quality of their Ju-Jitsu, regardless of the style they practice, or variation of technique unique to their club.
• The student will be assessed based on the syllabus provided and not asked for revision that is not relevant to the grade.

In short, when a student takes their grading, the grading will be fair.

We do not expect club instructors to put their students forward unless they are ready for the grade, but we understand that on occasion a student will have a bad day. 

Should this happen we will always attempt to help the student through the grade unless there is a reason we can’t ethically continue. 

If we reach this point we will stop the grading, have a conversation with the club’s senior instructor to decide whether to, either:

• Give the student as much time as they need to compose themselves before taking the grade again later in the day. 
• Reschedule the grade once the student feels they have overcome whatever issue they may have. This may be a few weeks later at their own club or at another one of our events. 

It's important to remember that every grade a student takes is a once in a lifetime event, once passed, they will never have the opportunity to perform it again, a student should feel that they have had the opportunity to complete the grading and they feel happy with their performance.