Belt Testing Information

For White Belts & Blue Belts

Students will test for their Blue Belt and Yellow Belt in class on an individual basis.

Instructors will set a testing date with students (or their parent/guardian) two to three weeks prior, so students have time to practice and prepare. We welcome parents and family members to come and watch the test.

Requirements: All six curriculum stripes.
Format: Testing will occur in the last 10 minutes of their regularly scheduled class. Students will perform all curriculum required at their current belt rank.

For Yellow Belts & Green Belts

Students will test for Green Belt and Purple Belt at formal belt testing, which occurs semi-annually in May and December. Students will receive an invitation to test 2-3 months before the next scheduled formal test. 

We welcome parents and family members to come watch the test in its entirety, or to come at the end of the test for the awarding of belts and diplomas.

Requirements: All six curriculum stripes.
Format: Formal testing occurs semi-annually on a Sunday in May and December. The test runs 10AM-2PM; students will participate in the test for the duration of that time period. Students will perform all curriculum required from White Belt through their current belt rank.

For Purple Belts & Brown Belts

Students will test for Brown Belt and Advanced Brown Belt at formal belt testing, which occurs semi-annually in May and December. Students will receive an invitation to test 2-3 months before the next scheduled formal test. 

We welcome parents and family members to come watch the test in its entirety, or to come at the end of the test for the awarding of belts and diplomas.

Requirements:
– All six curriculum stripes.
– A completed stamp card for Specialty Class attendance and Blue/Yellow Belt Class attendance

Format: Formal testing occurs semi-annually on a Sunday in May and December. The test runs 10AM-2PM; students will participate in the test for the duration of that time period. Students will perform all curriculum required from White Belt through their current belt rank.

For Advanced Brown Belts & Black Belts

Students will test for Black Belt (and all Dan rank) at formal belt testing, which occurs annually in December.

Students will receive an invitation to test 5-6 months before the next scheduled formal test. 

We welcome parents and family members to come watch the test in its entirety, or to come at the end of the test for the awarding of belts and diplomas.

Requirements:
– All six curriculum stripes
– A completed stamp card for Specialty Class attendance and Blue/Yellow Belt Class attendance
– Black Belt Essay / Research Project

Format: Formal testing occurs annually across two Sundays December. The test runs 10AM-2PM on both days; students will participate in the test for the duration of that time period. Students will perform all curriculum required from White Belt through their current belt rank.

2025-2026 Formal Testing Dates

 

 

2026

 

 

Sunday, April 12, 2026 — Optional Pre-Test and Review
1:00pm-3:00pm for all color belt (kyu) candidates

Sunday, May 3, 2026 — Kyu Rank Test
10:00am-2:00pm Green Belt Candidates through Advanced Brown Belt Candidates

Sunday, November 22, 2026 — Optional Pre-Test and Review
1:00pm-3:00pm for all color belt (kyu) candidates; 1:00pm-4:00pm for all black belt (dan) candidates

Sunday, December 6, 2026 — Kyu Rank Test + Dan Rank Test (Part 1)
10:00am-2:00pm Green Belt Candidates through Black Belt Candidates

Sunday, December 13, 2026 — Dan Rank Test (Part 2)
10:00am-2:00pm Black Belt Candidates

Frequently Asked Questions

Most frequent questions and answers about our martial arts programs

My child has _ stripes on their belt. When will they be ready to test for their next belt rank?

Every student is different and progresses at their own pace! If your child is in our Tigers program, or a White or Blue Belt, they’re working toward earning 6 curriculum stripes on their belts. When they have all six stripes, their instructor will set a testing date with you for them to earn their new belt! More advanced students go through our formal testing process, either in May or December. Students will be invited to test when their instructor feels they are ready.

It’s not appropriate to inform your instructor that you’re “ready” for your next stripe or belt, but it’s perfectly acceptable to ask what you can be working on to become ready!

Most importantly, remember that progress isn’t just a result of showing up for class, it’s also about the practice you put in between classes. Be sure to check out www.edge-ma.com/digital-dojo and download the Spark App to access our instructional video library for FREE!

It’s always challenging to navigate when kids have an expectation of how something will unfold, and then it unfolds differently. As the adults in their lives, it’s important that we help frame those expectations in a healthy and productive way! 

If your child was hoping to test (maybe they’ve been at their current belt rank for awhile, or maybe they see some of their classmates being invited to test), it’s important to check-in on some contextual questions first: 

— How frequently are they training? Some students at the earlier belt ranks (White, Blue, and Yellow Belt) may only be attending one class per week; others may be attending two, three, or four times a week. That frequency makes a huge difference in skill acquisition and overall progress. Increasing training frequency may be a great tool to get your child closer to their goals.

— Are they practicing at home? Taking class is about learning new skills and receiving feedback and refinement on existing skills. Practice at home is where we get the repetition we need. Remember: practice makes permanent! The Spark App is always there as a great resource to help you practice, with hours of instructional video material absolutely free of charge.

If their training frequency is solid, and they have strong practice habits at home, then it’s incumbent on students (and their parents) to trust the process and trust that their instructor knows when that “right time” to test will be!

Congratulations! This is a big milestone in your child’s karate journey, and it was earned through a lot of hard work. 

If your child is testing for their Blue Belt or Yellow Belt, then your child’s instructor has already set a date with you for when that test will take place in their regular class (usually during the last 5-10 minutes). Your child should practice all six curriculum stripes worth of material they needed to get to this point — they’ll demonstrate it all as part of their test.

If your child is testing for the rank of Green Belt or higher, then the next few months of preparation are all about sharpening their skills from White Belt all the way through their current belt level. They’ll also have an optional pre-test event a few weeks prior to the test where they can get feedback on areas they need to practice! 

For candidates for Brown Belt or above, they’ve also received a stamp card for a certain number of Specialty Classes and a certain number of Blue or Yellow Belt Classes attended. This is due by the pre-testing date, and is a requirement for testing.

There is no testing fee for any test conducted in class (for Tigers, White Belts, or Blue Belts).

For students testing during the formal testing process, the testing fee includes both the test and pre-test, their belt (and embroidery for black belts), and their diploma. The testing fee also covers additional classes during the preparation period — please come and train as much as you’d like, to feel as prepared and confident as possible!

The testing fee for Kyu Rank Testing (formal testing for colored belts) is $100; the testing fee for Dan Rank Testing (formal testing for black belt ranks) is $200. We accept all usual forms of payment (credit card, check, Zelle, cash).