Grading follows the Federation's official syllabus, adapted to the age of the judoka. Every grading requires a minimum time of practice and the validation of the technical programme: ukemi, tachi-waza, katame-waza, kata, self-defence, refereeing and knowledge (Japanese terminology).

How to use this page:

1. Start with the right age group. Children under 11 — under 12 for the last two steps — follow the first list. Judoka aged 11 and over follow the second list. The same belt does not mean the same programme in the two lists.

2. Find the line that begins with the belt you are wearing today. That line is the exam for your next belt, and it shows the minimum age and the minimum time since your last grading.

3. Click the line to open its syllabus (PDF).

Keep in mind that the syllabus is cumulative. Everything from the earlier levels can be asked again at the exam: a child grading for yellow belt, for example, is also expected to know the white and white-yellow programmes. Work back through the earlier PDFs as well, not only the one for your next belt.

Moving to the full syllabus — a three-year plan. The FBJBV is moving towards the full official requirements progressively. The programme published here is the target, and it will be applied in stages: this year, 60% of the requirements is enough for the belt to be awarded; next year, 70 to 80%; the third year, 100%. This gives judoka and instructors the time to build up to the complete programme, without holding anyone back in the meantime.

White 6th kyu → White-Yellow 6th kyu · from age 5 · 3 months minimum between each stripe
White-Yellow → Yellow 5th kyu · from age 6.5 · 6 months minimum
Yellow → Yellow-Orange 4th kyu · from age 7.5 · 1 year minimum
Yellow-Orange → Orange 4th kyu · from age 8.5 · 1 year minimum
Orange → Orange-Green 3rd kyu · from age 9.5 · 1 year minimum
Orange-Green → Green 3rd kyu · from age 9.5 · 1 year minimum
Green → Green-Blue 2nd kyu · from age 10.5 (U12) · 1 year minimum
Green-Blue → Blue 2nd kyu · from age 11.5 · 1 year minimum

White 6th kyu → Yellow 5th kyu · age 11+ · 6 months minimum
Yellow → Orange 4th kyu · age 11+ · 1 year minimum
Orange → Green 3rd kyu · age 11+ · 1 year minimum
Green → Blue 2nd kyu · age 12+ · 1 year minimum
Blue 2nd kyu → Blue-Brown 1st kyu · age 12.5+ · 1 year minimum
Blue-Brown → Brown 1st kyu · age 13+ · 1 year minimum