Dan Certification

This application can be used for Dan Promotion Examination or for Dan Conversion, simply select the appropriate box. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat, and do not wish to download, send a request via email to info@ustw.org for the application in another format.

Download the USTW Dan Application

Article #1 – Purpose

The purpose of the United States Taekwondo Won (USTW) Dan Certification and Promotion Regulations is to provide formalized structure and documentation procedures through certification for all members.

Article #2 – Authority

The USTW, its President, and Supreme Dan Promotion Board shall be the governing organization, which has the authority to approve and administer national, state, and local promotion examinations. The USTW, as the governing organization, also reserves the right to issue its own Dan certification in recognition of the promotion examinations.

Article #3 – Obligations

The USTW Supreme Dan Promotion Board is responsible for the administration of promotion examinations for Dan testing for all USTW members.

Article #4 – Examination Administration

The examination comprising the practical techniques and theory tests shall be conducted as follows:

* Classification of Promotion Examination

-National Promotion Examination

-Special Promotion Examination

-State Promotion Examination

-Local Promotion Examination

* The 1^stDan may be tested by the USTW Local Promotion Board

* The 4^th Dan may be tested by the USTW State Promotion Board

* 5th Dan or higher must be tested by the Supreme Promotion Board of the USTW.

However, the Supreme Promotion Board reserves the right to delegate this authority to

a Special Promotion Board, as needed.

* The Supreme Promotion Board of the USTW also reserves the right to supervise all delegated promotion examinations.

Article #5 – Promotion Board

The Promotion Board shall be organized and classified as follows:

· The Supreme Promotion Board shall be headed by a Chairperson – a senior

Dan member appointed by the President of the USTW. The members of the Supreme Promotion Board shall be recommended by the Chair and be approved by the President. All members must hold the rank of 7^th Dan or higher. The Chairperson and all members of the Supreme Promotion Board must be registered members of the USTW.

The Supreme Promotion Board must administer all promotion examinations for candidates seeking 6^th through 8^th Dan.

· The Special Promotion Board shall be headed by a Chairperson – a senior

Dan member appointed by the President of the USTW. The members of the Special Promotion Board must hold the rank of 7^th Dan or higher. This Special Board shall be responsible for administering national Dan level promotion examinations and special promotion examinations. The Chairperson and all members of the Special Promotion Board must be registered members of the USTW.

· The State Promotion Board shall be comprised of senior members of the

USTW state association, holding qualifications commensurate to the level of the rank examined. The Chairperson shall be one of the highest rank holders – but holding 4^th Dan or higher. This Board shall recommend candidates up to two (2) Dan ranks below the rank of the Chairperson or Chief Examiner, The Chief Examiner and all members of the State Promotion Board must be registered members of the USTW.

· The Local Promotion Board shall be comprised of senior members of the school or association holding a minimum rank of 4th Dan and one (1) Dan rank above the rank being examined. The Chief Examiner must be registered with the USTW as a recognized examiner. All members of the Local Board must be registered members of the USTW. The school or club hosting the Local Promotion Board must be registered with the USTW. The Local Board shall recommend up to two (2) Dan ranks under the rank of the Chief Examiner.

Article #6 – General Requirements

Eligibility for all promotions is based on the following criteria:

* Moral Character, attitude, and maturity

* Technical proficiency

* General experience, education, contributions to the development of

Taekwondo

* Time in grade

In addition, all candidates for promotion must be members of the USTW and have the recommendation of his/her instructor.

In unusual circumstances where a candidate for promotion is independent, the procedure is as follows:

· The candidate must provide one (1) letter of reference from a qualified

USTW examiner holding the rank of 5^th Dan or higher and at least two (2) Dan ranks above the candidate (up to 7^th Dan).

· The independent candidate will be considered individually according to his/her recommendations, other letters of reference and supporting materials.

· The Special Promotion Board or the Supreme Promotion Board of the USTW may request an oral interview of the independent candidate.

· All Dan promotion applications from independent candidates are subject to review and acceptance by the Supreme Promotion Board of the USTW.

All candidates for promotion must observe and follow all USTW Rules and Regulations.

All candidates for promotion must wear a uniform approved by the USTW during promotion examinations.

Article #7 – Promotion Requests/Examinations

Affiliated schools and clubs shall conduct promotion examinations on a regular interval. All Special, State, and Local promotion requests must be submitted to the USTW at least thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled promotion date for review and comment.

The examination board responsible for administering a test, whether Special, State, or Local must report to the USTW within twenty (20) days of the date of a completed examination. The report must include copies of all promotion applications and test results together with all applicable and predetermined fees due the USTW.

Article #8 – Time in Grade

Time in grade is the time spent in the present rank and is not cumulative. Time in grade is computed from the time the candidate’s present rank was officially registered with the USTW Supreme Dan Promotion Board.

RANK	minimum Time in Grade	Minimum Age
1st Dan	36 months training	10 years & younger
2nd Dan	2 years	12 years old
3rd Dan	3 years	15 years old
4th Dan	4 years	19 years old
5th Dan	5 years	24 years old
6th Dan	6 years	30 years old
7th Dan	7 years	37 years old
8th Dan	8 years	45 years old
9th Dan	9 years	54 years old
10th Dan	10 years	64 years old

Time in grade exceptions may be granted based on a documented record of training. The documentation must be submitted with any request for an exception.

Article #9 – Classification of Promotion Examinations

Promotion examinations shall be classified as follows:

· Regularly Scheduled 1^st through 4^th Dan

· Regularly scheduled 5^th Dan and higher

· Special

An Honorary Dan is granted to an eminent personality who has greatly contributed to the development or promotion of Taekwondo.

Posthumous Dan is a next higher Dan rank granted to a Taekwondo practitioner with remarkable achievements in Taekwondo who has passed away.

Article #10 – Performance of Examinations

The requirements for promotion are the standards of the USTW and must be followed by all Supreme, Special, State, and Local boards of examiners. Testing and evaluation must be conducted by using a combination of practical/physical, verbal, and written examinations.

· All promotion examinations must have a practical test with physical and verbal content for candidates through and including the rank of 8^th Dan with verbal content only for candidates seeking the ranks of 9^th and 10^th Dan.

· Tests for candidates for 5^th Dan or higher must include Theory (written examination or thesis).

Article #11 – Content of Examination

Practical test – shall include forms, free sparring, semi-sparring, breaking, self-defense, and a verbal exam for all Dan Promotion candidates through and including 6^th Dan. Dan Promotion candidates for 7^th Dan shall be void of the free sparring requirement. Dan Promotion candidates for 8^th Dan shall be void of the free sparring and breaking requirements. Dan Promotion candidates for 9^th and 10^th Dan shall be void of the physical content of the practical test and shall only be subject to the verbal exam. Modified practical testing requirements for any Dan Promotion candidate who can legitimately demonstrate a physical disability or other “special need” shall be recommended by the Supreme Promotion Board and approved by the President.

Theory - shall include a written or oral examination or a written thesis on a designated subject (consisting of 10 or more typewritten pages).

Article #12 – Grading System

The grading system used for the Promotion Examinations will be a 10 point scale for each element of the candidate’s examination – with 10 being the highest and 1 being the lowest. A score will be assigned to each element of the candidate’s exam by the members of the Promotion Board, with a minimum grade a 6.5 as “passing”.

Article #13 – Dan Certification Fees

Dan Certification Fee - Only USTW Individual Members, in good standing, are eligible to be issued a USTW Dan Certificate, via Promotion or Conversion, and pursuant to the Dan Certification Fee schedule listed, below, in these Regulations. Dan Promotion Candidates must also pay for the cost of their Promotion Examinations as determined by the Supreme Promotion Board. Dan Conversion Candidates will only pay $50 when their Conversion Application is received simultaneously and in conjunction with another USTW Special Certificate Application (Instructor, Referee, Coach, etc.). All applicable fees are due and payable prior to issuance.

Rank	Certification Fees
1^st Dan	$50
2nd Dan	$75
3^rd Dan	$100
4th Dan	$125
5th Dan	$150
6th Dan	$175
7th Dan	$200
8th Dan	$225
9th Dan	$250
10th Dan	$275

Article #14 – Administrative Issues

All applications/requests for promotion (and supporting documents, if any), test results, and fees shall be first sent to the USTW President’s office.

The Supreme Promotion Board, subject to review, approval, and recommendation, will send all applications/requests, test results, and fees to the USTW President for final approval.

Once approved by the President, certificates of promotion shall be issued and shall be countersigned by the President and the Chairperson of the Supreme Promotion Board.

Article #15 – Privileges

Under special circumstances such as advanced education, special contribution to the development of Taekwondo, or International tournament experience, the Supreme Promotion Board may grant one reduction in a specific aspect of a promotion examination. This consideration may be taken only one time in the career of a candidate.

The following are examples of special circumstances, but are not all inclusive:

*Outstanding people - those individuals documenting involvement in exceptional

Training and research

*Eminent personality – those individuals with documented contribution to promotion and development of Taekwondo

Article #16 – Chairperson of the Supreme Promotion Board

The Chairperson of the Supreme Promotion Board shall be recognized as having the authority to administer all promotion examinations for candidates seeking USTW promotion status. This authority is derived from the USTW Dan Certification Promotion Regulations, as published and approved by the Board of Directors.

Article #17 – Promotion Examination Administration

*All applications for promotion, supporting documentation, test results, and fees must be

Submitted to and approved by the office of the President. The President will refer

applications to the appropriate Promotion Board for handling.

*The Supreme Board of the USTW must review all applications and test results and

Submit recommendations for promotion to the President within twenty (20) days after

receipt from the Special, State, or Local Promotion Board.

*The USTW Supreme Promotion Board must issue certificates of promotion (if

Warranted) or notices of declination (if warranted) within thirty (30) days after

receipt of the original promotion recommendations.

Article #18 – USTW Gup Certificate Program (optional)

All affiliated school and club members, in good standing, may elect to participate in the optional USTW Gup Certification Program when conducting and administering their promotion examinations for ranks below the 1st Dan or Poom. Official USTW Gup Certificates, in blank and in bulk, shall be ordered strictly from the USTW and shall only be used by eligible school/club members or certified Instructors that elect to participate in the optional USTW Gup Certification Program, pursuant to the Regulations and program fees approved by the USTW Board of Directors.

The Regulations applicable to all eligible school/club members or certified Instructors, that elect to participate in the optional USTW Gup Certification Program, are as follows:

• General Requirements—Eligibility of the candidates for all USTW promotions below the 1st Dan or Poom is based on the following criteria: moral character, attitude and maturity; technical proficiency; and, time in grade. All candidates for such promotions must be current members of a USTW registered school/club or students of a USTW certified Instructor, in good standing, who observe and follow all USTW Rules and Regulations, and must wear a uniform approved by the USTW or the examining school/club member or Instructor. The USTW reserves the right to determine the eligibility of the candidates for all USTW promotion examinations below the 1st Dan or Poom that are conducted by eligible school/club members or certified Instructors who elect to participate in the optional USTW Gup Certification Program.

• Examination Performance/Content—The requirements for all USTW promotions below the 1st Dan or Poom are the standards of the USTW and must be followed by the examining school/club member or certified Instructor. All such promotion examinations must have a practical test. Testing and evaluation by the examining school/club member or certified Instructor must be conducted by using a combination of physical and verbal components. The content and the grading system to be used for all such promotion examinations shall be established and determined by the examining

school/club member or certified Instructor. The USTW reserves the right to approve, monitor and supervise all USTW promotion examinations below the 1st Dan or Poom that are conducted by eligible school/club members or certified Instructors who elect to participate in the optional USTW Gup Certification Program.

• Administrative Issues—All applications, supporting documentation, test results and fees for all USTW promotions below the 1st Dan or Poom shall be submitted to, approved, recorded and maintained by the examining school/club member or certified Instructor. The examining school/club member or certified Instructor must issue a USTW Gup Certificate (if warranted) or a Notice of Declination (if warranted) within thirty (30) days after completion of the promotion examination. All USTW Gup Certificates issued by the examining school/club member or certified Instructor must be countersigned by a USTW individual member in good standing who holds a current USTW Dan Certificate. The USTW reserves the right to approve, monitor and supervise all eligible school/club members or certified Instructors who elect to participate in the optional USTW Gup Certification Program.

Gup Certification Fee – Only USTW School or Club Members, in good standing, are eligible to order USTW Gup Certificates to be issued pursuant to the Regulations, at the cost of $5.00 per certificate, plus shipping. All applicable fees due and payable prior to delivery.

Dan Promotion and Conversions Application Forms

To view the application using your browser, click the desired link. To save the application to disk, right click the desired link and select Save Target As (internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Netscape).