ITF Taekwondo Belts – Levels & Ranks

This page provides details regarding ITF Taekwondo belts such as levels & ranks. It looks at ITF color belts and black belts. Students progress over time from an initial white belt until they reach the coveted black belt levels in ITF Taekwondo. In order to be awarded these ITF Taekwondo belts, students must pass belt tests that can have sections on ITF Taekwondo patterns, kicks, punches & hand strikes, sparring, terminology, etc.

In ITF Taekwondo, color belt student ranks are called Geup or Gup and black belt ranks are called Dan. Students should also add “Nim” (an honorific) to all higher ranks out of respect. Due to this policy and to help students, we have added “Nim” to the black belt titles below. While many ITF schools follow the belt levels and ranks below, there are some that operate with different systems. Check with your instructor.

ITF Taekwondo Belt Levels & Ranks

Color Belt Levels

  • 10th Geup (Gup) – White Belt
  • 9th Geup – White Belt with Yellow Tip
  • 8th Geup – Yellow Belt
  • 7th Geup – Yellow Belt with Green Tip
  • 6th Geup – Green Belt
  • 5th Geup – Green Belt with Blue Tip
  • 4th Geup – Blue Belt
  • 3rd Geup – Blue Belt with Red Tip
  • 2nd Geup – Red Belt
  • 1st Geup – Red Belt with Black Tip

Black Belt Levels

  • 1st Dan – 1st Degree Black Belt
  • 2nd Dan – 2nd Degree Black Belt – Rank for Boo Sabeom Nim (Assistant Instructor)
  • 3rd Dan – 3rd Degree Black Belt – Rank for Boo Sabeom Nim (Assistant Instructor)
  • 4th Dan – 4th Degree Black Belt – Rank for Sabeom Nim (Instructor)
  • 5th Dan – 5th Degree Black Belt – Rank for Sabeom Nim (Instructor)
  • 6th Dan – 6th Degree Black Belt – Rank for Sabeom Nim (Instructor)
  • 7th Dan – 7th Degree Black Belt – Rank for Sahyeon Nim (Master Instructor)
  • 8th Dan – 8th Degree Black Belt – Rank for Sahyeon Nim (Master Instructor)
  • 9th Dan – 9th Degree Black Belt – Rank for Saseong Nim (Grandmaster)

ITF Instructor Titles

  • Assistant Instructor – Boo Sabeom Nim (also written as Bu Sabum Nim, Bu Sabom Nim, etc.)
  • Instructor – Sabeom Nim (also written as Sabum Nim, Sabom Nim, etc.)
  • Master Instructor – Sahyeon Nim (also written as Sahyun Nim, Sahyon Nim, etc.)
  • Grandmaster  – Saseong Nim (also written as Sasung Nim, Sasong Nim, etc.)

ITF Taekwondo Patterns

To see the ITF patterns associated with these belt levels, students should visit Black Belt Wiki’s section on ITF Taekwondo Patterns.

Order of ITF Taekwondo Belts

ITF Taekwondo Black Belt

ITF Taekwondo Belts

Image provided by Wikimedia Commons

 

Reference Sources

  1. Wikipedia, International Taekwon-Do Federation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Taekwon-Do_Federation