BMABA Issued Time-Served Dan Gradings
Time-served Dan gradings recognise the natural progression of senior martial artists who have dedicated years to their practice, teaching, and contribution to the martial arts community. Our process is delivered within our ISO 9001:2015 UKAS-accredited Quality Management System, ensuring nationally recognised, quality-assured certification.
Understanding Time-Served Gradings
We understand that traditional merit-based gradings aren't always possible at senior Dan levels. Many styles don't have formal technical syllabi beyond a certain point, and factors like geography, availability of senior examiners, or the structure of your discipline may make conventional progression impractical.
Time-served gradings provide a dignified pathway for experienced practitioners to have their continued dedication formally recognised, without compromising on standards or integrity.
Eligibility
Time-served gradings are available to instructors holding 4th Dan or above who meet the following criteria:
No formal grading available: There is no technical syllabus or merit-based grading pathway available for your current level in your style
No senior examiner available: There is no higher-graded instructor available to oversee a traditional grading
Time at grade: You have held your current grade for the minimum required period (5 years for 5th Dan, 6 years for 6th Dan, and so on)
Continued practice: You have remained actively engaged in training and practice throughout this period
Community contribution: You have continued to contribute to the martial arts community, typically through teaching
The Application Process
Our streamlined online process makes applying straightforward:
Step 1: Select Your Grade
Log in to your BMABA account and visit the Time Served Gradings Dashboard. Select the discipline and grade you wish to progress from.
Step 2: Confirm Time Eligibility
Enter the date you achieved your current grade. Our system will automatically calculate whether you meet the minimum time requirement for progression.
Step 3: Choose Your Examination Process
Petition of Grade (Recommended) Upload a petition demonstrating community support for your progression. This should include signatures from students, fellow instructors, and peers within your club or association. The more signatures and the more senior the signatories, the stronger your application.
Special Dispensation For exceptional circumstances where gathering a petition isn't possible. You'll need to explain your situation in detail, and we recommend discussing this with our office beforehand.
Step 4: Covering Statement
Provide a statement explaining why you're seeking this progression, your continued engagement with the style, and any relevant circumstances. Be candid about your journey and why traditional progression isn't feasible.
Step 5: Declarations & Submission
Review and accept the required declarations, then submit your application.
What Makes a Good Petition?
A petition of grade demonstrates that your martial arts community supports your advancement. There's no fixed requirement for the number of signatures, but we recommend:
Broad representation: Include students of various grades, fellow instructors, and club members
Senior support: Signatures from higher-graded practitioners carry additional weight
Clear identification: Each signatory should include their name and grade/role
Example petition wording:
"We, the members of [Club Name], wish to nominate [Your Name] for progression to [Grade] in [Style] based upon BMABA's time-served grading criteria. We support this nomination based on their continued commitment, contribution, and dedication to our club and the wider martial arts community."
Signed: A. Smith (Student, 2nd Kyu) B. Jones (Instructor, 4th Dan) C. Williams (Assistant Instructor, 2nd Dan) [Additional signatures...]
Upload your petition as a PDF or image file through the online application form.
Review Process
All time-served grading applications are reviewed bi-weekly by our Executive Committee and Board of Trustees. They examine:
Your eligibility and time at grade
The strength and breadth of your petition (if applicable)
Your covering statement and continued engagement
Alignment with any relevant NGB standards for your discipline
You can track the status of your application at any time through your Time Served Gradings Dashboard.
Costs
£39.00 Administrative Fee – only payable if your application is successful.
This covers:
Review and processing by our Executive Committee
Digital certificate issued via your dashboard
Printed certificate and documentation posted to you
Update to the BMABA national register
There is no charge if your application is unsuccessful.
Who Can Apply?
Instructors may apply for their own time-served progression
Club members may nominate their instructor (with or without their knowledge – surprise nominations for awards ceremonies are welcome!)
Association officials may nominate members
The applicant must be registered as an Instructor or Lead Instructor on BMABA's system.
Club-Level Time-Served Gradings
BMABA respects club autonomy. If your club wishes to award a time-served progression internally, you may do so provided:
No formal technical grading exists for the style and level
The recipient has served the full time-aggregated period between grades
The recipient has broad support from the club community
The grade is formally recorded with a petition of grade retained by the club
For club-issued grades, there is no cost from BMABA to recognise and update our records. Simply update the instructor's grade through your usual channels. You will not be awarded a BMABA issued certificate for a club-level time-served progression. We recommend you also review our NGIES grading integrity framework.
Important: Retain your petition of grade documentation. BMABA's compliance team may request to see this at any time. We recommend keeping both physical and digital copies (cloud storage such as Google Drive or Dropbox is ideal).
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the review process take? Applications are reviewed bi-weekly. Most decisions are made within 2-4 weeks of submission.
Can I apply for multiple grades at once? No, each grade progression must be applied for separately, and you must meet the time-at-grade requirement for each.
What if my application is unsuccessful? You'll receive feedback on why your application wasn't approved. There's no charge for unsuccessful applications, and you're welcome to reapply once any concerns have been addressed.
Do I need to post anything? No. Our process is fully online. Upload your petition and any supporting documents directly through the application form.
Is this recognised outside BMABA? BMABA time-served gradings are issued within our UKAS-accredited quality management framework and recorded on our national register. Recognition by other organisations depends on their individual policies.
Ready to Apply?
Visit your Time Served Gradings Dashboard to start your application.
If you have questions before applying, contact our team at [email protected].