(Mention you were here on our website and get 1 free month of classes)
Fees / Rates
Membership Dues: (Dues subject to change.) Dues are to be paid by the 1st week of each month, there after a late fee of $25 may be applied to your dues after the first week of each month if dues are not paid on time. (No Exceptions!)
Dojo members understand they must pay their dues every month, regardless of how many, or few, classes they choose to attend in a month, for as long as they consider themselves members of the dojo
(NO CONTRACTS)
Dues of $100 to be paid monthly.
One time Admin/Registration fee $65
(All new members, the first 3 months of tuition & registration fee must be paid in full at sign up)
Private Classes available contact us for current rates
Want to host a Aikido Seminar at your place! Call us for times, availability and affordable rates.
Mat Fee: Our mat fee is $20 per class for students visiting our dojo. Visiting students must get permission from Sensei Araujo prior to any class they wish to train.
At the present time we do not require contracts. It is the student's responsibility to keep up with their dues.
Bushido Tenshin Aikido Organization/Federation Yearly Fee:
$50.00 yearly.
Our Monthly Dues/Financial Policies is as follows..
The following Monthly Dues/financial policies prevent us from having to do what many martial arts schools do, which is to force students to sign what we consider to be unfair, long-term, time-based contracts.
Our monthly dues/financial policies are extremely fair and generous to our students, and (unlike many other schools) our policies put the student in complete control of their martial arts costs.
Therefore, it is solely the responsibility of the student to follow these policies. Please do not ask for an exception to any of these policies. Such puts all parties in an unfair and uncomfortable position.
Frequently Asked Financial Questions:
How does being a student work?
Dojo membership works very similarly to that of a fitness gym membership or a country club membership. Students pay a flat monthly rate. The full monthly tuition is due on or before the 1st of each month regardless of how many classes a student chooses or is able to attend that month. Just like a fitness gym or country club membership, there are no exceptions or discounts in monthly membership for people who go on vacation, become sick or injured, or are too busy to attend class.
Our policy is very simple: You are either a student at Aikido Of Bristol County or you are not. There is no in between. There is no coming and going due to travel, vacation, illness or injury, or being just too busy to come to practice. No exceptions. Students pay their monthly dues each month or they may quit without financial penalty and return to training another time.
Returning students
students will not receive new student sign up incentives such as promotional rates or promotional items. Returning students may not test for their next rank until they have been training with the school for at least 3 consecutive months after their return. Also returning students will not lose their earned rank.
Every martial arts school has monthly operating expenses that must be met in order to continue offering martial arts training. Rent must be paid, and other operating expenses keep our doors open. Our monthly expenses fluctuate in proportion with number of students in our programs. As such, we must have an accurate way of predicting our monthly revenues so that we don't over or under-pay our monthly expenses.
If the school pays rent on a student that we expect will pay their dues each month, and that student subsequently chooses not to pay his tuition or pays late, the school suffers by unnecessarily paying higher expenses than it needs to. Our teachers and staff do not make a living teaching martial arts and, therefore, they shouldn't have to "chase down" students to pay their tuition on time each month.
Can I put my membership on hold?
No. Our Rules/policy is very simple: You are either a student at Aikido Of Bristol County or you are not. There is no in between. There is no coming and going due to travel, vacation, illness or injury, or being just too busy to come to practice. No exceptions. Students pay their monthly dues each month or they may quit without financial penalty and return to training another time. It is the student's responsibility to terminate their membership in a timely manner by speaking to Sensei if they wish to stop paying their tuition.
What if I am injured? Do I still have to pay the monthly tuition?
Yes. Injured students are expected to pay their tuition, come watch classes, and return to training once able. Each class an injured student attends and watches counts toward that student's accumulated hours/days of practice. Or, if an injury is expected to last several months, an injured student may terminate their membership and return to training when they are healed. Students are not permitted to put their membership on "hold."
What if I want to take a month or two off from training?
Students are required to keep their membership dues current even if they are on vacation, travelling for business, too busy to come to class or just want to take some time off. Of course, students may quit without financial penalty at any time and return to training when they are ready to continue. (If you are injured see what if I'm injured)
Please read the answer to the first question on this webpage for policies regarding returning students.
I didn't come at all last month. Can I get a refund or a credit?
No. Schools like ours, that treat people fairly by not forcing them to sign time-based contracts, not charging excessive monthly fees or imposing punitive early termination fees, cannot stay open if students only pay when it is convenient for them. It is the student's responsibility to terminate their membership in a timely manner by speaking to Sensei if they wish to stop paying their tuition. All dues/tuitions are non-refundable and no refunds or credits will be honored. Please do not ask for such. It puts all parties in an uncomfortable and/or unfair position.
I prepaid dues/tuition for several months ahead and have since decided not to continue. Can I get a refund?
No. All pre-paid dues/tuitions are non-refundable.
I am not able to train at all this month. Do I still have to pay the full monthly fee?
Yes. A student's monthly dues/tuition represents more than just a fee for instruction. It represents their support of the school and their commitment to the art as a whole. The rules or policy of Aikido Of Bristol County is very simple: You are either a student or you are not. There is no in between. Students are not permitted to put their membership on "hold." Students may either pay the monthly tuition or they may quit but It is the student's responsibility to terminate their membership in a timely manner by speaking to Sensei if they wish to stop paying their tuition.
The simplicity of this policy keeps us from having to raise the cost of tuition considerably and keeps us from having to do what most other martial arts schools have to do, which is to implement what we consider to be unfair, time-based contracts upon their students and impose punitive early termination fees. We believe our rules and policies are incredibly fair and generous to students and, therefore, we expect students to not complain about or expect an exception to these policies. Please do not ask for such. It puts all parties in an uncomfortable position.
Students are required to keep their membership dues current even if they are unable to attend any classes during any given month. This policy functions much like a fitness club or golf club membership. A student pays the full monthly tuition regardless of how many or how few classes they choose to attend or are able to attend. A fitness club member pays the full monthly membership fee regardless of how many times the member visits the club to exercise that month. Even if a member does not go to the gym at all during any given month, he/she still pays the full monthly fee. So, too, it is with a martial arts school.
Of course, students may quit without financial penalty at any time and return to training when they are ready to continue. It is the student's responsibility to terminate their membership in a timely manner by speaking to Sensei if they wish to stop paying their tuition. (If you are injured see “What if I am injured?”).
Please read the answer to the first question on this webpage for policies regarding returning students.
If I'm a member and I can only attend one class per week. Can I pay a reduced fee or a per class fee?
No. If you are a member All students must pay the flat monthly fee. Some student only choose to train 1 time per week (or 2 hours per week) or 3, so if you are a member and you can only come 1 time per week, you are just like other students who pay the full tuition amount.
(For non-members or visiting students please see Mat Fee at the top of this page. )
Aikido Of Bristol County reserves the right to update and/or modify these rules and policies at any time and for any reason.
Because these policies are subject to periodic changes, the policies here supersede any written policies on any new student paperwork.
Thank you for taking the time to read and understanding, John Araujo Shihan
AIKIDO OF BRISTOL COUNTY BUSHIDO TENSHIN AIKIDO FEDERATION HEADQUARTERS