GRADING LEVELS
JKAA adopts and implements the grading level system set by JKA HQ. Under this system, there are 10 ‘Kyu’ levels and 10 ‘Dan’ (black belt) levels.
Beginners will generally start their karate journey with no “kyu” grade level. In order to progress through the grading levels, students will need to undergo a grading process. This requires students to perform a prescribed set of karate techniques in front a panel of JKA-accredited examiners, to demonstrate that they have met the standard required for the grade being tested.
Set out below are the different grading levels from 10th Kyu up to 1st Dan, with the relevant grading syllabus. To view the complete grading syllabus (including syllabus for all Dan grades), please CLICK HERE.
To see JKA HQ’s Kyu and Dan Rank Certification System, please CLICK HERE.

10th Kyu
White Belt
Grading SyllabusSet out below is the grading syllabus to achieve 10th Kyu:
KIHON
In place basics in SHIZEN TAI
-
- CHUUDAN CHOKUZUKI
- JOUDAN AGEUKE
- CHUUDAN SOTOUKE
- GEDAN BARAI
- MAEGERI (HEISOKU DACHI, GEDAN KAKIWAKE)
* “GOREI” command (From right side in turn for each Waza)

9th Kyu
Yellow Belt – White Stripe
Grading SyllabusSet out below is the grading syllabus to achieve 9th Kyu:
KIHON
In place basics in SHIZEN TAI
-
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI
- JOUDAN AGEUKE
- CHUUDAN SOTOUKE,
- MAEGERI (ZENKUTSUDACHI, GEDAN KAKIWAKE)
* “GOREI” command (From right side two action in turn for each WAZA)

8th Kyu
Yellow Belt
Grading SyllabusSet out below is the grading syllabus to achieve 8th Kyu:
KIHON
IDOU KIHON – Moving basics
-
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI (step in)
- JOUDAN AGEUKE (step in)
- CHUUDAN SOTOUKE (step in)
- GEDAN BARAI (step in)
- KOKUTSU SHUTOU UKE (step in)
- MAEGERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEAGE (in HEISOKU DACHI, right and left 2 times each)
KATA
TAIKYOKU SHOUDAN
KUMITE
GOHON KUMITE
-
- JOUDAN JUNZUKI
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI

7th Kyu
Orange Belt
Grading SyllabusSet out below is the grading syllabus to achieve 7th Kyu:
KIHON
IDOU KIHON – Moving basics
-
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI (step in)
- JOUDAN AGEUKE (step back)
- CHUUDAN SOTOUKE (step in)
- CHUUDAN UCHIUKE (step back)
- KOUKUTSU SHUTOU UKE (step in)
- MAEGERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEAGE (in KIBA DACHI, stepping in, right and left)
KATA
HEIAN SHOUDAN
KUMITE
GOHON KUMITE
-
- JOUDAN JUNZUKI
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI

6th Kyu
Green Belt
Grading SyllabusSet out below is the grading syllabus to achieve 6th Kyu:
KIHON
IDOU KIHON – Moving basics
-
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI (step in)
- JOUDAN AGEUKE (step back)
- CHUUDAN SOTOUKE (step in)
- CHUUDAN UCHIUKE (step back)
- KOUKUTSU SHUTOU UKE (step in)
- MAEGERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEAGE (in KIBA DACHI, right and left) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEKOMI (in KIBA DACHI, right and left) (step in)
KATA
HEIAN NIDAN
KUMITE
KIHON IPPON KUMITE
-
- JOUDAN JUNZUKI – right and left
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI – right and left

5th Kyu
Blue Belt
Grading SyllabusSet out below is the grading syllabus to achieve 5th Kyu:
KIHON
IDOU KIHON – Moving basics
-
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI (step in)
- JOUDAN AGEUKE, GYAKU ZUKI (step back)
- CHUUDAN SOTOUKE, GYAKU ZUKI (step in)
- CHUUDAN UCHIUKE, CHUUDAN GYAKU ZUKI (step back)
- KOUKUTSU SHUTOU UKE (step in)
- MAEGERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEAGE (in KIBA DACHI, right and left) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEKOMI (in KIBA DACHI, right and left) (step in)
KATA
HEIAN SANDAN
KUMITE
KIHON IPPON KUMITE
-
- JOUDAN JUNZUKI – right and left
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI – right and left
- CHUUDAN MAEGERI – right and left, (in GEDAN KAKIWAKE)

4th Kyu
Purple Belt
Grading SyllabusSet out below is the grading syllabus to achieve 4th Kyu:
KIHON
IDOU KIHON – Moving basics
-
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI (step in)
- JOUDAN AGEUKE, GYAKU ZUKI (step back)
- CHUUDAN SOTOUKE, GYAKU ZUKI (step in)
- CHUUDAN UCHIUKE, GYAKU ZUKI (step back)
- KOUKUTSU SHUTOU UKE, ZENKUTSU NUKITE (step in)
- MAEGERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEAGE (in KIBA DACHI, right and left) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEKOMI (in KIBA DACHI, right and left) (step in)
KATA
HEIAN YONDAN
KUMITE
KIHON IPPON KUMITE
-
- JOUDAN JUNZUKI – right and left
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI – right and left
- CHUUDAN MAEGERI – right and left, (in GEDAN KAKIWAKE)
- CHUUDAN YOKOGERI KEKOMI – right and left

3rd Kyu
Brown Belt
Grading SyllabusSet out below is the grading syllabus to achieve 3rd Kyu:
KIHON
IDOU KIHON – Moving basics
-
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI (step in)
- JOUDAN AGEUKE, GYAKU ZUKI (step back)
- CHUUDAN SOTOUKE, GYAKUZUKI (step in)
- CHUUDAN UCHIUKE, GYAKU ZUKI (step back)
- KOUKUTSU SHUTOU UKE, ZENKUTSU NUKITE (step in)
- MAEGERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE) (step in)
- REN GERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE CHUUDAN, JOUDAN) (step in)
- MAWASHIGERI
- YOKOGERI KEAGE (in KIBA DACHI, right and left) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEKOMI (in KIBA DACHI, right and left) (step in)
KATA
HEIAN GODAN
KUMITE
KIHON IPPON KUMITE
-
- JOUDAN JUNZUKI – right and left
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI – right and left
- CHUUDAN MAEGERI – right and left, (in GEDAN KAKIWAKE)
- CHUUDAN YOKOGERI KEKOMI – right and left

2nd Kyu
Brown Belt
Grading SyllabusSet out below is the grading syllabus to achieve 2nd Kyu:
KIHON
IDOU KIHON – Moving basics
-
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI (step in)
- JOUDAN AGEUKE, GYAKU ZUKI (step back)
- CHUUDAN SOTOUKE in ZENKUTSU DACHI, changing stance to KIBA DACHI, YOKO ENPI, YOKO URAKEN UCHI (step in)
- CHUUDAN UCHIUKE, GYAKU ZUKI (step back)
- KOUKUTSU SHUTOU UKE, ZENKUTSU NUKITE (step in)
- MAEGERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE) (step in)
- REN GERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE, CHUUDAN, JOUDAN) (step in)
- MAWASHI GERI (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEAGE (in KIBA DACHI, right and left) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEKOMI (in ZENKUTSUDATI) (step in)
KATA
TEKKI SHODAN
KUMITE
JIYUU IPPON KUMITE
-
- JOUDAN JUNZUKI – right
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI – right
- CHUUDAN MAEGERI – right
- CHUUDAN YOKOGERI KEKOMI – right

1st Kyu
Brown Belt
Grading SyllabusSet out below is the grading syllabus to achieve 1st Kyu:
KIHON
IDOU KIHON – Moving basics
-
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI (step in)
- SANBON RENZUKI (step in)
- JOUDAN AGEUKE, GYAKU ZUKI (step back)
- CHUUDAN SOTOUKE, YOKO ENPI, YOKO URAKEN UCHI (ZENKUTSU DACHI changing stance to KIBA DACHI) (step in)
- CHUUDAN UCHIUKE, GYAKU ZUKI (step back)
- KOUKUTSU SHUTOU UKE, ZENKUTSU NUKITE (step in)
- MAEGERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE) (step in)
- RENGERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE CHUUDAN, JOUDAN) (step in)
- MAWASHIGERI (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEAGE (in KIBA DACHI, right and left) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEKOMI (ZENKUTSUDACHI) (step in)
KATA
Student’s choice:
-
- BASSAI DAI; or
- KANKU DAI; or
- ENPI; or
- JION
KUMITE
JIYUU IPPON KUMITE
-
- JOUDAN JUNZUKI – right
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI – right
- CHUUDAN MAEGERI – right
- CHUUDAN YOKOGERI KEKOMI – right
- JOUDAN or CHUUDAN MAWASHIGERI – right

1st Dan
Black Belt
Grading SyllabusSet out below is the grading syllabus to achieve 1st Dan:
KIHON
IDOU KIHON – Moving basics
-
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI (step in)
- SANBON RENZUKI (step in)
- JOUDAN AGEUKE, GYAKUZUKI (step back)
- CHUUDAN SOTOUKE, YOKOENPI, YOKOURA KENUCHI, GYAKUZUKI (ZENKUTSU DACHI changing stance to KIBA DACHI changing stance to ZENKUTSUDACHI) (step in)
- CHUUDAN UCHIUKE, KIZAMI ZUKI, GYAKUZUKI (step back)
- KOUKUTSU SHUTOU UKE, ZENKUTSU NUKITE (step in)
- MAEGERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE) (step in)
- RENGERI (GEDAN KAKIWAKE CHUUDAN, JOUDAN) (step in)
- MAWASHIGERI (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEAGE (KIBADACHI – right and left) (step in)
- YOKOGERI KEKOMI (ZENKUTSUDACHI)
KATA
Student’s choice:
-
- BASSAI DAI; or
- KANKU DAI; or
- ENPI; or
- JION
KUMITE
JIYUU IPPON KUMITE
-
- JOUDAN JUNZUKI – right
- CHUUDAN JUNZUKI – right
- CHUUDAN MAEGERI – right
- CHUUDAN YOKOGERI KEKOMI – right
- JOUDAN or CHUUDAN MAWASHIGERI – right