Affiliated Schools Programme

Our Affiliated Schools Programme provides qualified instructors with the opportunity to establish their own Wing Chun schools while teaching the proven Training Programme and Grading System of Grandmaster Jim Fung's Wing Chun Kung Fu®.

As an Affiliate, you can operate under your own school name while benefiting from the reputation and endorsement of the International Wing Chun Academy.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the Affiliated Schools Programme, you must have achieved the rank of Level 1 (black belt equivalent) in Grandmaster Jim Fung's Wing Chun Kung Fu® and completed the Instructor Course at the International Wing Chun Academy.

Disclaimer

This page provides a general overview of the Affiliated Schools Programme. It does not form part of the Licensing Agreement for Grandmaster Jim Fung's Wing Chun Kung Fu® (the 'Affiliate Agreement').

Anyone considering opening an Affiliated School should seek independent business and legal advice before entering into the Affiliate Agreement.

Benefits of Affiliating

Licence to teach Grandmaster Jim Fung's Wing Chun Kung Fu®

As an Affiliated School, you will receive a licence to teach the unique, world-renowned Training Programme and Grading System of Grandmaster Jim Fung's Wing Chun Kung Fu® exclusively within an agreed territory for the duration of the Affiliate Agreement.

The Training Programme and Grading System form the foundation of teaching at the International Wing Chun Academy. Initially developed by Grandmaster Jim Fung, this unique methodology has been refined and optimised for over 50 years and is proven to be one of the most effective and engaging ways to learn the complete Wing Chun system.

The Training Programme and Grading System are exclusive to the International Wing Chun Academy and its Affiliated Schools, protected under law.

Certification of Students

As your Affiliated School will be licensed to use the Academy's Grading System, the Academy will provide you with all necessary materials to assess your students to its world-renowned standards.

All graduates of Gradings conducted by your Affiliated School will receive an Academy-issued Grading Certificate and Badge, certifying the achievement of their relevant Grade or Level in Grandmaster Jim Fung's Wing Chun Kung Fu®.

Alternatively, your Affiliated School may choose to refer its students for direct assessment by the Academy and receive a commission in return.

Your Own School Under Your Name

As the Affiliated Schools Programme is a licensing agreement and not a franchising agreement (see below), you will have the freedom to use the Training Programme and Grading System under your own school name, with your own distinct logo, branding and uniform.

You'll benefit from the reputation of our Academy and Training Programme by being licensed to use taglines such as:

Licensed to teach Grandmaster Jim Fung's Wing Chun Kung Fu®.
Official Affiliate of the International Wing Chun Academy.

Continuous Improvement

While operating your Affiliated School, you can continue developing your skills by attending the Academy's Advanced Classes, taught by our top instructors. Your Affiliated School's instructors will also have the opportunity to attend these classes.

Affiliates will also have access to guidance and feedback from Senior Instructor Tristan Fung, who has managed the Academy since 2007 and has backgrounds in law, business and accounting.

Website Listing

Affiliated Schools will receive their own listing and dedicated page on the Academy's website, providing the following information:

Training Location and Address
Contact Details
External URL
Background Information
Class Timetables
Class Prices

This information will be provided in a mobile-friendly format, making it easy for prospective students to find your Affiliated School through our website.

Online Exposure

Our website ranks highly for search terms related to Wing Chun and related topics.

Establishing and promoting a new martial arts website from scratch can be costly and time-consuming, particularly in such a competitive search environment.

By having a dedicated page on our website, your Affiliated School benefits immediately from our reputation and search engine visibility, helping prospective students discover your school from day one.

Apply Now!

Applications Now Open

The Academy is currently accepting applications for new Affiliated Schools in Australia and worldwide.

To express your interest in our Affiliated Schools Programme, please contact us and provide the following information:

Your name, address, email address and phone number.
A summary of your training history at the Academy.
Your intended location for your Affiliated School.
Why do you consider yourself to be a suitable candidate for the Affiliated Schools Programme?

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some of the overheads involved in running a martial arts school?

Broadly speaking, the types of costs you would need to anticipate are:

Affiliated School Fees (see below)
Premises and Occupancy Costs
Staff and Employment Costs
Martial Arts Insurance
Accounting, Legal and Compliance Costs
Equipment and Depreciation
Banking and Financial Costs
Supplies, Consumables and Uniform Costs

This list is a general outline only. You should perform your own due diligence and seek independent advice before starting your Affiliated School.

Here are some useful guides from:

What are the Affiliated School Fees?

We've strived to keep our Affiliated School fees as low as possible to support the growth of our Affiliates. Our fees are among the lowest compared to other similar licensing agreements in the martial arts and fitness industries.

As a general guide, the following Affiliated School fees apply:

Establishment Fee - a fee payable once for the establishment of each Affiliated School.
Membership Fee - a fee payable for each member enrolled at the Affiliated School. For a moderately sized Affiliated School charging membership fees similar to those of the Academy, this equates to as little as 5-15% of the student's membership fee.
Grading Fee - a fee payable for each member who attends a Grading conducted by the Affiliated School. This covers the provision of assessment materials, as well as Academy-issued Certificates and Badges.

As an alternative to conducting your own Gradings, you may send your students to attend their Gradings at the Academy and receive a commission in return.

Exact fees will be provided upon submission of your expression of interest.

Do I need to own or lease full-time premises?

No. The Affiliated Schools Programme allows you to start small and scale up as your Affiliated School grows. You could start by hiring a hall for a few hours a week, and then build out your timetable as your classes grow, eventually moving to full-time premises, much like the way Sifu Jim started the International Wing Chun Academy.

The main requirements for your premises are that they are safe and suitable for martial arts instruction, and that your insurer accepts them.

Where may I establish my Affiliated School?

Your Affiliated School should be at least 10km away from an Academy training location, and at least 5km away from any other Affiliated School, measured in absolute distance on a map.

If you wish to establish your Affiliated School closer to an Academy training location, a Proximity Fee will be payable.

Is the Affiliated Schools Programme a franchising agreement?

No, the Affiliated Schools Programme is a licensing agreement, under which the Academy allows you to use its intellectual property, specifically its Training Programme and Grading System, under licence.

Franchising agreements can be very restrictive, with the franchisor exercising tight control over the franchisee's business and requiring the franchisee to follow prescribed business systems.

In contrast, the Affiliate Agreement will give you the freedom to operate under your own school name, with your own logo, branding and uniform, and to make your own decisions about how you run your Affiliated School.

The Affiliate Agreement prescribes some guidelines for implementing and delivering the Training Programme and Grading System. These guidelines help ensure that all Affiliated Schools maintain standards comparable to those of the Academy, ultimately benefiting your Affiliated School.

I am from another Wing Chun school or lineage. Can I apply to become an Affiliate?

Because the delivery of the Training Programme and Grading System of Grandmaster Jim Fung's Wing Chun Kung Fu® is at the heart of the Affiliate Agreement, you must be sufficiently skilled, knowledgeable and experienced in both to open an Affiliated School.

If you would like to apply to open an Affiliated School, you must first attain the rank of Level 1 in Grandmaster Jim Fung's Wing Chun Kung Fu® and complete the Instructor Course at the International Wing Chun Academy in Australia.