Level	Prerequisite	Examination Content
	See Notes	Ik kyo	Ni kyo	San kyo	Yon kyo	Go kyo	Shiho- nage	Irimi- nage	Kote- gaeshi	Kaiten- nage	Tenchi- nage	Jiyu waza	Kokyu- ho
5th Kyu	30 days* of practice	Shomen-uchi					Katatedori	Shomen-uchi					zagi
4th Kyu	40 days* of practice after obtaining 5th Kyu	Shomen-uchi	Katadori				Yokomen-uchi	Shomen-uchi					zagi
3rd Kyu	50 days* of practice after obtaining 4th Kyu	Shomen-uchi (zagi and tachi waza)					Ryotedori Yokomen-uchi	Shomen-uchi Tsuki			Ryote dori		zagi
2nd Kyu	50 days* of practice after obtaining 3rd Kyu	Shomen-uchi (zagi and tachi waza) Katadori (zagi and tachi waza)					Katatedori Hanmi-handachi	Shomen-uchi Tsuki(tachi waza) Katatedori		Kata tedori	Ryote dori	Kata tedori	zagi
1st Kyu	60 days* of practice after obtaining 2nd Kyu	Shomen-uchi (zagi and tachi waza) Yokomen-uchi (zagi and tachi waza) Katadori (zagi and tachi waza) Ushiro Ryotedori				Yokomen -uchi	Katatedori Ryotedori Hanmi-handachi waza & tachi waza)	Shomen-uchi Tsuki Katatedori			Ryote dori	Kata tedori Ryote dori Moro tedori	(zagi and tachi waza)
1st Dan	70 days* of practice after obtaining 1st Kyu	Unarmed techniques(zagi, hami-handachi waza, tachi waza) for shoumen-uchi, yokomen-uchi (strikes), tsuki (thrusts), all forms of grasping shoulders, elbows, collar, wrists and hands; all techniques from the rear)
2nd Dan	Minimum 1 year* since 1st dan, with 200 days of practice *	Same as above plus Tanto-dori and Futarigake (by two ukes) Submit an article on some Aikido-related subject*
3rd Dan	Minimum 2 years since 2nd dan, with 300 days of practice*	Same as above plus Tachi-dori, Jo-dori and Taninzugake (more than three ukes) Same as above (Topics will be assigned)*
4th Dan	Minimum 3 years since 3rd dan, with 400 days of practice*	Jiyuwaza for all of the above plus a short essay

 

The above grid is copied from the Aikikai Foundation's website. It is referred to as the Hombu Syllabus. Our syllabus builds on it. An asterisk * indicates the Lancashire Aikikai requirements which vary from the Hombu syllabus requirements and can be read easily by referring back to the Syllabus.

A Practice day is equivalent to one training session. The Lancashire Aikikai figures, * time period requirements, are never lower then shown above. For ease of understanding time in grade requirements switch back to read the Lancashire Aikikai syllabus.

These periods like all gradings are counted from the certificate date not submission date. Our Guidance notes for specific grades can be selected from the Grading Contents page.

 

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NOTES

• Zagi (Suwari waza): sitting.
• Hanmi-handachi waza: sitting vs. standing.
• Tachi waza: standing.
• Be sure you have the required number of practice days before applying for an examination. Application forms and fees should be filed 3 days before the examination. {* LA Practise days & forms and fees - Are both handled differently - See our contents page}
• Essays and articles should be filed 3 days before the examination. {* Not required}
• Successful completion of summer and winter training will be taken into consideration. {* Attendance on our courses}
• Minimum age for 1st Dan is 15 years, and for 4th Dan is 22 years.
• Examinations shall be taken at the dojo where you normally practice. If you wish to take an examination at a dojo other than where you normally practice, approval of both dojos is required.
• Morotedori is two hands holding one hand.
• As a rule partners (uke) in an examination should be of the same rank.
• Continue doing the same technique, left and right, ura and omote, until the examiner says "Stop".

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