Schools In China Are Now Making Jiu-Jitsu A Mandatory Subject: “All The Way From Kindergarten”

Several schools in Shanghai and Suzhou have moved Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo from optional activities to required academic coursework, according to a report published May 9, 2026 by BJJ Eastern Europe. Students at the participating institutions are graded on their grappling progress using the same structure applied to standard academic subjects.

The program

The initiative is being led by TJ, owner of EFL Gym in Shanghai. Per the BJJ Eastern Europe report, the curriculum spans the full education pipeline, from kindergarten through university.

TJ described the structure to BJJ Eastern Europe: "We put the Jiu-Jitsu curriculum as a mandatory course in school from kindergarten all the way to the university."

Under the system, martial arts are treated as a core subject rather than an extracurricular. Students must meet grading benchmarks each year before progressing, mirroring the promotion structure used in other academic departments. TJ told the publication: "It's just like the other subjects. You have to fulfill all the grades every year, and then you can level up to the next grade."

Stated rationale

TJ identified Jiu-Jitsu — and to a lesser extent wrestling — as the contact sports the program considers safe enough for mandatory inclusion. According to figures he provided to BJJ Eastern Europe, roughly 90 percent of enrolled students are not expected to pursue competition. The stated objectives of the curriculum are character development, discipline, fitness, and confidence.

Because participation is required rather than self-selected, each class is staffed with multiple instructors to manage a range of skill levels and engagement. TJ said his quality-control benchmark is the least-engaged student in the room: he monitors the lowest-level children in every class and uses their progress as the gauge for the group as a whole.

Context

BJJ Eastern Europe characterized the scale of the rollout as nearly unprecedented outside of Abu Dhabi, which has previously integrated grappling instruction into its school system. The report did not specify the total number of participating schools in Shanghai and Suzhou, the total student headcount, or whether the program operates with formal backing from local or national education authorities.

The report also did not detail grading criteria, belt or stripe structures used inside the school setting, instructor certification requirements, or how the curriculum interacts with existing physical education requirements in the Chinese school system.

TJ indicated that the program is open to expansion and invited operators of other schools interested in adopting a similar curriculum to make contact through EFL Gym. No specific partner schools, franchise structure, or international rollout timeline were named in the source material.