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Scuba diving certifications explained

What each course actually teaches, how deep it takes you, what it costs and when to take it — from your first Open Water card through to your first professional rating.

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Certifications

PADI · Entry level · 18 m / 60 ft

PADI Open Water Diver

What the PADI Open Water Diver course covers, how long it takes, typical cost, depth limits and how to find dive buddies once you are certified.

PADI · Intermediate · 30 m / 100 ft

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver

The five adventure dives in PADI Advanced Open Water, the 30 m depth limit, realistic costs and how to pick specialities that match the diving you actually do.

PADI · Advanced · Same as your existing certification

PADI Rescue Diver

What the PADI Rescue Diver course teaches, the EFR prerequisite, how hard it is, and why divers consistently rate it the most useful certification they hold.

PADI · Professional · 40 m / 130 ft

PADI Divemaster

Requirements for PADI Divemaster, how long the internship takes, realistic costs, and what divemasters actually do day to day at a dive centre.

PADI · Speciality · Depends on mix and MOD

PADI Enriched Air (Nitrox)

How enriched air nitrox extends no-decompression limits, what the course covers in a day, oxygen exposure limits, and when nitrox is not worth it.

PADI · Speciality · Same as your existing certification

PADI Dry Suit Diver

What the dry suit speciality covers, buoyancy differences versus wetsuits, membrane and neoprene suits compared, and how to dive comfortably through winter.

SSI · Entry level · 18 m / 60 ft

SSI Open Water Diver

SSI Open Water Diver explained: the same 18 m recognition as PADI, digital certification, flexible skill order, and how to choose between agencies.

BSAC · Entry level · 20 m

BSAC Ocean Diver

BSAC Ocean Diver explained: club-based training, 20 m depth limit, how the branch system works, and why UK divers often start here rather than with PADI.

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