View source for Go apprentice

{{Unreferenced|date=February 2010}}

A '''go apprentice''' ({{nihongo|insei|院生|insei}} is a student learning to play [[Go (game)|Go]] at an institution, typically with the aim of becoming a [[Go_players|professional player]]. In [[Japan]], such a student is called an ''insei'' (literally, "institution student"). Institutions for insei include the [[Nihon Ki-in]] (Japanese Go Association) and the [[Kansai Ki-in]] (Kansai Go Association). The equivalent of Go insei in [[Korea]] is "Yeon'gusaeng"({{ko-hhrm|연구생|硏究生|Yeon(-)gusaeng}}), read "kenkyūsei" in Japanese. 

== Qualifications and study ==
In Japan, once a year 3 or 4 apprentices who qualify in a yearly tournament become professional players.  

Asian players are required to become a professional before the age of 18 while studying as insei, but foreigners have the chance up to the age of about 30.

To become an insei, a person requires a professional to sponsor them, and an application to the Nihon Ki-in.  There is no official way to contact a professional for sponsorship.

While insei, many people live with their professional sponsor, who tutors and supports them. Some insei just visit their professional sponsor several times a week. The professional sponsor acts as a mentor for the insei.

==External links==
* [http://www.nihonkiin.or.jp/index-e.htm Nihon Ki-in]
* [http://www.361points.com/inseidetails/ Insei in Japan]
* [http://insei-league.com/ Korean-style Insei League online]

[[Category:Go (game)]]

[[fr:Insei (go)]]
[[he:אינסיי]]
[[ja:院生]]