This is my first post to this forum, so I’m not sure if this topic has been covered before, but I’m curious as to funding options for those students who wish to study kung fu full time, if any.
I study Seven Stars Praying Mantis Kung Fu and Luk Hup Ba Fa (Lui He Ba Fa) in Red Deer, AB, Canada under Sifu Mike Purnell, and am interested in opening my own school some day. This is both my own, and my fiancee’s goal.
We have been studying the two systems for about two and a half years, and the more training we get, the more we enjoy it.
We’ve both recently returned to college as full-time students, but after next year, we would like to dedicate our full attention to training.
Of course, this sort of thing is difficult to do without money to live on. Our Sifu is very reasonable in his costs, so the actual money to train is minimal, but our living expenses would need to be covered.
I called ALIS (The group responsible for student funding in Alberta, Canada) and was told that they do not provide student loans for the study of martial arts.
Does anyone know of any other options? “Scholarships” or something similar?
Lots of people work their way through college. If your sifu’s costs are really reasonable, just get a part-time job that just covers rent, food, and training cost. After a few more years, maybe your sifu will forgo training costs for helping him or her with the newer trainees.
If you want to train for even 10 hours a day, that still leavs 14 others out there. Leave 8 for sleep and you’ve still got time for a 6 hour a day, 7 days a week job. That’s a 42 hour work week.
One of the important Gong Fu values – hard work. Look into the history. Unless you are already rich, you are going to work your way through your studies.
Going back to school, then taking time off to practice Martial Arts?
Sounds like a plan. For a washout.
I’m not sure I’d respect someone who hasn’t done anything their entire life but train and then immediately start teaching the martial arts. Kind of like college professors that go directly from being students to being teachers.
My original sifu, Dr. Fred Wu, had a career as a plant biochemist for years before retiring to teach kung-fu full-time. My current instructor, who was Dr. Wu’s senior student, taught guitar lessons and drove a bus for the county for 13 years while training at least 3 or 4 hours per day. He still has both of those jobs, and teaches kung-fu in addition to all these other commitments. People who don’t work and set their goal on becoming a martial arts instructor as quickly as they can put the goal before the path, and are more likely to start teaching before they’re really ready, I think.
On the other hand, if my master offered me the opportunity to sleep at the school and do nothing but train for K1, I think I would do it in a heart beat. I would just need my surfboard so I can take the train out to the beach.
I can’t say I’m surprised by the tone of many of the replies thusfar. The feeling of superiority I get from replies such as “… for a washout” makes me ill. Get off your high horse.
I anticipated as much when I stated I had returned to college. What many seem to be assuming is that I’m some layabout college kid. I am not. I am a mature returning student. I am an ex-bouncer of 6 years, ex-private investigator of 3 years. I simply decided I’d like to change to a computer programming career and so I returned to college.
I have no aversion to hard work. I’ve had my “own place” since I was 15 years old (I’m 25 now), and anything I have, I got by working hard.
My simple and plain question was if anyone knew of funding alternatives. I didn’t ask for attitude. Keep it to yourself. You may feel so much more morally superior, but you’re not helping anyone.
To those who simply posted a “Sorry… no funding that I’ve ever heard of…” reply, thanks… that re-enforces what I’ve found myself. To the rest… why bother posting a reply that isn’t helpful? Simply read the post and move on.
To the original poster–you are engaged to be married. Have you given thought to supporting your family? Or is your wife going to sleep on the mat with you at the training hall? Perhaps you would live with your parents? How do you plan to open up a school? Make money doing this? You have some source of income?
You haven’t responded, but this is reminding me of my friend who opened a pottery studio with his new wife shortly after they graduated with M.F.A’s. It never broke even and they had to get out of the business after a couple years.
My wife-to-be also studies the same styles I do. It is how we met, in fact. She is just as interested as I am.
As for the accumulation of funds to open a school… Obviously I’m not planning on going out and opening my own school immediately after I “finish” training (although, we never truly finish). I never made any such claim. I asked for funding options for full-time study. Nothing more.
How about you let me worry about how I’ll go about opening a school if/when it happens, instead of making inferences about my life… something you know absolutely nothing about.
As I stated in my post above… get off your high horse.
Hello Hau Tien. Don’t know of any options for financial aid, but your best bet is to call Berkely, as they’re the only university I’m familiar with that has a martial arts program.
Good god, people are just a little uptight on this thread. Lay off the coffee.
The guy asks for advice and gets it. Sorry I didn’t sugar coat it.
Here is dwid’s new and improved advice version 2.0:
I’m so very sorry, but funding opportunities in the cruel world of the martial arts do not avail themselves to students to study full-time. I can see from your posts that you are a disciplined and virtuous martial artist, and you will go far in the arts, but sadly you will have to obtain some gainful employment to buffer you against the difficult road that lies ahead. Worry not, however, as the fruits of this labor are sweet, and you will never fail to find fulfillment on this path, no matter how difficult it may seem at times. A life-partner who shares your vision will prove an invaluable asset in this journey, so it seems you are doubly blessed…
