Cover photograph: Tian Ci, aka The Shaolin Disciple.
Yes. Foreigners can train with Shaolin monks in China, with no prior martial arts experience, for stays from a single day to a full year. But "training with monks" is only the first of three genuinely different things people mean by this question. Above it sits discipleship, formal acceptance into a master's lineage, and above that monastic ordination. Almost every article on this subject collapses the three into one. Here is what each actually involves, who can realistically reach it, and how to begin.
Three levels, three very different commitments
Train as a student: open to anyone, from $60 to $100 a day all inclusive, no experience or faith required. Become a disciple: formal entry into a master's lineage through a ceremony, normally requiring around three years of full time training, and given rather than bought. Ordain as a monk: a monastic vocation inside the temple community, not something any school can enrol you into.
Who can train with Shaolin monks?
Essentially any healthy adult. The academies that host international students are built for exactly this, and the intake is broader than people expect.
- No experience needed. The international programmes assume nothing. Day one is stances, flexibility and basics.
- No Chinese needed. International groups train with English speaking instructors and translators.
- Age is rarely the barrier. Students range from their teens to their sixties. If you can jog a couple of miles, you can start.
- No religious requirement. You will be immersed in Chan Buddhist culture. You will not be asked to convert.
- Solo travellers are the norm. Most students arrive alone and join an international cohort immediately.
The three levels, compared
| Student | Disciple | Ordained monk | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Daily instruction from masters and warrior monks at an academy | Formal acceptance into a master's lineage through a ceremony | Ordination into the monastic community |
| Open to foreigners | Yes, routinely | Yes, but rare and by invitation | Extremely rare |
| Typical commitment | One day to one year or more | About three years, full time | A life |
| How it happens | You apply, in about ten minutes | The master decides, over years | Monastic vocation, not arranged commercially |
| What it costs | Fees, from $60 a day | Years of your life, not a purchase | Renunciation |
Shaolin discipleship: the path most people have never heard of
Between training as a paying student and ordaining as a monk sits the step that actually matters inside the tradition. A Shaolin master can formally accept a student as a disciple, bringing them into the sangha lineage through a discipleship ceremony, known in Chinese as 拜师 (bàishī), literally "to honour the master."
This is not a certificate, a grade or a paid tier. It is a change in relationship. The master accepts you as a lineage holder, someone who carries their transmission forward and takes a place in the generational line that runs back through the temple's history. It is the same structure that makes a teacher "34th generation" or "35th generation" rather than simply experienced.
What it costs is time. Discipleship normally means committing to full time training for around three years, occasionally a little less depending on the master and the student. It is assessed on character at least as much as on skill, which is precisely what martial virtue exists to measure. You cannot apply for it, and any programme selling discipleship as a package for a fee is selling something else with the word attached.
Worth knowing, and worth treating carefully: there has been talk within the Shaolin community that masters ordained at the Shaolin Temple may now be limited to accepting no more than five disciples each. We have not seen this confirmed in an official published rule, so treat it as reported rather than established. If it does hold, it makes acceptance as a disciple one of the rarest honours available in the martial world, and it explains why nobody credible advertises it as something you can buy.
The practical implication for a newcomer is simple. Discipleship is not a goal to plan a trip around. It is a possible outcome of many years of showing up, training honestly and being the kind of person a master would want carrying their name. Everyone who has ever received it started as an ordinary student on day one.
And becoming an ordained monk?
Different again, and genuinely out of reach for almost everyone reading this. Ordination is a religious vocation involving years of residence inside the monastic community, celibacy and renunciation. It is not a martial qualification, it is not conferred by a martial arts school, and it cannot be arranged commercially at any price.
The distinction matters because the marketing muddle around it is where people get taken advantage of. The training is genuine and taught by genuine lineage holders. The robes are not part of the deal.
What it actually costs to train
Figures below are all inclusive, meaning accommodation, three meals a day and every training session.
| School | Roughly | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Shaolin Tagou | from $60 a day, from $1,150 a month | Scale, competition pedigree, no minimum stay |
| Shaolin Zhong Wu | from $100 a day, $700 a week, $1,500 a month | Flexibility, warrior monk lineage, 1 km from the temple |
| Shaolin Yongzhi | from about $1,500 a month | Small traditional academy, 30 minute walk to the temple |
| Wudang Jingwu | from about $1,120 a month | Internal arts, Taiji and Qi Gong |
Budget beyond the headline fee for a one time application or registration fee, arrival insurance, flights into Zhengzhou, and roughly $100 to $150 a month of personal spending. Schools revise pricing periodically, so treat these as a guide and confirm current rates when you apply. The full breakdown is in our cost guide.
How to apply, step by step
- Choose your school and complete its registration form. About ten minutes.
- Pay the one time application or registration fee.
- Once approved, pay a deposit to lock your start date.
- Receive your official acceptance letter, the key document for your Chinese visa.
- Pay the remaining balance as the school specifies, on arrival or before you travel.
Shaolin Worldwide handles the school liaison, the acceptance letter, pre departure guidance and airport transfer coordination. Fly into Zhengzhou Xinzheng (CGO), roughly 80 km from Dengfeng.
If a month in China is too much
- A retreat. Our 12 day China retreat runs 21 April to 2 May 2027, $2,500 all inclusive, including a full day inside the Shaolin Temple.
- Start from home. The Shaolin Foundations teaches the same basics a first month in China would drill, taught by a 35th generation disciple. Students who arrive with a foundation progress far faster.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners really train with Shaolin monks?
Yes. Academies around Dengfeng run international programmes where students train daily under Shaolin masters and warrior monks. No prior martial arts experience, no Chinese language and no religious affiliation is required. Stays run from a single day to a year or more.
What is a Shaolin disciple, and can a foreigner become one?
A disciple is someone a master has formally accepted into their lineage through a ceremony known as baishi, literally to honour the master. The disciple becomes a lineage holder, taking a place in the generational line that gives teachers designations such as 34th or 35th generation. Foreigners can and do receive it, but it is rare, it is given rather than applied for, and it normally follows around three years of full time training.
How long does Shaolin discipleship take?
Normally about three years of full time training, sometimes a little less depending on the master and the student. It is assessed on character as much as skill, and there is no fixed syllabus that guarantees it. It is a relationship rather than a programme.
Is it true a Shaolin master can only take five disciples?
There has been talk within the Shaolin community that masters ordained at the Shaolin Temple may now be limited to no more than five disciples each. We have not seen this confirmed in an official published rule, so it should be treated as reported rather than established. If accurate, it makes discipleship one of the rarest honours in the martial world.
Can a foreigner become an ordained Shaolin monk?
Realistically no. Ordination is a religious vocation requiring years of residence in the monastic community, celibacy and renunciation. It is not a martial qualification, no school can enrol you into it, and it cannot be bought. Training with monks is widely available and discipleship is possible over years. Ordination is a different thing entirely.
How much does it cost to train with Shaolin monks?
Roughly $60 to $100 a day, or about $1,120 to $1,860 a month, all inclusive of accommodation, three meals a day and all training. Add a one time application or registration fee, arrival insurance, flights into Zhengzhou, and about $100 to $150 a month personal spending. Schools revise rates periodically, so confirm current pricing when you apply.
Do I need to be Buddhist to train at a Shaolin school?
No. The overwhelming majority of international students have no connection to Buddhism. Chan philosophy is part of the culture you will be immersed in, but no school requires you to practise any religion.
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