Tang Soo Do Belt System

NOTE: Black Belt Rankings in Tang Soo Do may also be Midnight Blue Belts rather than the more commonly used Black Belt. The International Tang Soo Do Organization uses Midnight Blue Belts and Midnight Blue Trimmed Uniforms for formal occasions such as tests, belt award ceremonies and tournaments.

	10th GUP WHITE BELT - Beginners enter into their training at this level. There are no requirements to earn White Belt. 3 months are spent at this level. Students learn the forms Gicho Hyung Il Bu & Gicho Hyung E Bu, as well as One-steps 1 & 2, hand and kick, and must learn to make and competently perform all basic drills in class.
	9th GUP YELLOW BELT - Students must test on all materials learned at the White Belt Level. 3 months are spent at this level. Students learn the form Gicho Hyung Sam Bu, One-steps 3 & 4, hand and kick, and must learn several new basic techniques.
	8th GUP ORANGE BELT - Students must test on all materials learned to the Yellow Belt Level. 3 months are spent at this level. Students learn the form Pyung Ahn Cho Dan, One-steps 5 & 6, hand and kick, and must learn several new basic techniques.
	7th GUP ORANGE BELT - Students must test on all materials learned at the 8th Orange Belt Level. 3 months are spent at this level. Students learn the form Pyung Ahn E Dan, One-steps 7 & 8, hand and kick, and must learn several new basic techniques.
	6th GUP GREEN BELT - Students must test on all materials learned to the 7th Orange Belt Level. 3 months are spent at this level. Students learn the form Pyung Ahn Sam Dan, One-steps 9 & 10, hand and kick, and must learn several new basic techniques.
	5th GUP GREEN BELT - Students must test on all materials learned to the 6th Green Belt Level. 3 months are spent at this level. Students learn the form Pyung Ahn Sa Dan, One-steps 11 & 12, hand and kick, and must learn several new basic techniques.
	4th GUP GREEN BELT - Students must test on all materials learned to the 5thGreen Belt Level. 3 months are spent at this level. Students learn the form Pyung Ahn Oh Dan, One-steps 13 & 14, hand and kick, and must learn several new basic techniques.
	3rd GUP RED BELT - Students must test on all materials learned to the 4th Green Belt Level. 3 months are spent at this level. Students learn the form Bassai So, One-steps 15 & 16, hand and kick, and must learn several new techniques.
	2nd GUP RED BELT - Students must test on all materials learned to the 3rd Red Belt Level. 3 months are spent at this level. Students learn the form Bassai Dae, One-steps 17 & 18, hand and kick, and must learn several new techniques.
	1st GUP RED BELT - Students must test on all materials learned to the 2nd Red Belt Level. 3 months are spent at this level. Students learn to perfect the Bassai forms, One-steps 19 & 20, hand and kick, and must learn several new techniques.
	CHO DAN BO - Students must test on all materials learned to the 1st Red Belt Level. 9 months are spent at this level. Evaluations are given every 3 months, the last in the form of a pre-test before testing for 1st Dan Black Belt. Cho Dan Bos must go through an additional test of endurance and spirit known as the Black Belt Challenge before earning the right to wear a Black Belt. Students learn the form Naihanchi Cho Dan, One-steps 21 & 22, hand and kick, and must learn several new techniques, and must learn 10 proscribed self-defense techniques against an unarmed attacker.
	1st DAN - BLACK BELT - Students must test on all materials learned to the Cho Dan Bo Level. 2 years are spent at this level. Black Belts learn the forms Jin Tae, Yuk Ro Cho Dan, Chil Song O Lo, Naihanchi E Dan, Naihanchi Sam Dan, and Sip Soo, must learn Pyung Ahn One-steps 1 through 4, must learn several new techniques, and must learn 3 proscribed self-defense techniques against knife wielding attacker. All Black Belts through 3rd Dan must evaluate every 3 months to keep their certification current for advancement to the next rank. Pre-tests take the place of the last evaluation before Dan Testing for the next level.
	2nd DAN - 2ND DEGREE BLACK BELT - Students must test on all materials learned to the 1st Dan Black Belt Level. 3 years are spent at this level. 2nd Dan Black Belts learn the forms Naihanchi Sam Dan Dae, Jin Do, and Lo Hi, and begin learning more Yuk Ro forms, as well as Pyung Ahn One-steps 5 through 8, must learn several new techniques, and must learn 3 proscribed self-defense techniques against club wielding attacker.
	3rd DAN - 3RD DEGREE BLACK BELT - Students must test on all materials learned to the 2nd Dan Black Belt Level. 4 Years are spent at this level. 3rd Dan Black Belts learn the forms Kong Song Koon, Hwa Sun, and Sei Shan, Pyung Ahn One-steps through 12, must learn several new techniques, and must learn 3 proscribed self-defense techniques against a sword wielding attacker.
	4th DAN - MASTER - 4th Degree Black Belt - Students must test on all materials learned to the 3rd Dan Black Belt Level. 5 years are spent at this level. 4th Dan Masters pre-test for 5th Dan before taking the test for 5th Dan. 4th Dan Masters learn new forms including Wan Shu, Advanced One-steps, and must be proficient in self-defense techniques and have a demonstrated proficiency in teaching.
	5th DAN - MASTER - 5th Degree Black Belt - Students must test on all materials learned to the 4th Dan Master Level. 6 years are spent at this level. 5th Dan Masters learn new forms including Gion, Advanced One-steps, and must be proficient in self-defense techniques and have a demonstrated proficiency in teaching.
	6th DAN - MASTER - 6th Degree Black Belt - There is no test administered for this level. Masters must spend 7 years at this level.
	7th DAN - MASTER - 7th Degree Black Belt - There is no test administered at this level. Masters must spend 8 years at this level. 7th Dan is currently the highest level Master ranking held by an International Tang Soo Do Organization Master.