# Martial arts schools: Memberships, belt testing and trial classes for martial arts schools

Source: https://backpr.com/solutions/martial-arts. Last updated: 2026-10-19.

URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/martial-arts

Martial arts schools and youth programs sell memberships on autopay, turn trial classes into enrolled students, collect belt testing fees and check students in at the door.

Common problems:
- **Trial students who never come back:** A family tries a class and leaves happy, and the follow-up waits until someone at the front desk has time to call.
- **Billing that needs a person every month:** Expired cards, two siblings on different plans and a student moving from two classes a week to three keep the office busy.
- **Testing day on a clipboard:** Who is ready to test, who paid the testing fee and who needs a bigger uniform, all tracked at the front desk.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Trial classes that turn into memberships:** New families book a free trial class online and get a follow-up afterward to enroll. Families who start registering but don't finish get a reminder.
- **Memberships on autopay:** Sell monthly memberships charged to a saved card or bank account. Declined payments are retried and families update their own card. Sibling discounts apply automatically.
- **Belt testing for the right students:** Open testing registration to students at the right rank with skill-level prerequisites or a private access code, and collect the testing fee at sign-up. Attendance history shows who has been training.
- **Check-in at the door:** Students check in at a kiosk tablet with a PIN or QR code. Parents can get a notice when their child is checked in and checked out.

Most-used features:
- Monthly memberships
- Autopay with cards and bank accounts
- Failed payment retries
- Free trial classes
- Abandoned registration follow-up
- Belt testing registration and fees
- Skill-level prerequisites
- Kiosk check-in
- Attendance history
- Uniform and equipment sizes
- Sibling discounts
- Referral codes

Martial arts programs that are registered nonprofits use BackPR free, and for-profit schools get pricing by quote.

**Can new students try a class first?**
Yes. Offer a free trial class online and follow up afterward so families can sign up for a membership.

**Can we limit belt testing to students who are ready?**
Yes. Use skill-level prerequisites or a private access code so only students you've approved can register and pay the testing fee.

**Can we apply our cancellation policy?**
Yes. Set a cancellation policy for each program, and BackPR applies it when a family cancels. Some states have rules for membership contracts, autopay and cancellations, so check your state's rules when you write your policy.

**Is there a long-term contract with BackPR?**
No. There's no long-term contract, and you can cancel anytime. Onboarding and data import are free, and you can export your data whenever you want.