How to learn to scuba dive and get certified

Step 1

Try a dive before you commit

If you are not sure scuba is for you, start with an introductory experience. PADI calls it Discover Scuba Diving, and other agencies have their own versions. After a short briefing, an instructor takes you into a pool or calm shallow water, teaches a couple of basic skills and stays right beside you. Some programs then take you on a shallow dive in open water.

An introductory dive does not certify you, but it answers the big question: do you enjoy it? It sometimes counts toward a full course if you sign up afterwards.

Step 2

Check that you are fit to dive

Before any course, you will fill in a medical questionnaire. It asks about conditions that matter underwater, such as heart and lung problems, asthma, ear and sinus problems, epilepsy, diabetes, pregnancy and certain medications. If you answer yes to any of them, you need a doctor to confirm that you are fit to dive before you get in the water. Getting that sign-off before your trip saves disappointment at the dive center.

You also need basic water skills. Entry-level courses typically ask you to swim a set distance without stopping, in any stroke and without a time limit, and to float or tread water for about ten minutes. Minimum ages vary by agency. Many allow junior certification from age 10, with tighter depth limits for young divers.

Step 3

Choose a training agency and a dive center

The best-known training agencies are PADI, SSI and NAUI, and there are others such as BSAC and RAID. Their entry-level certifications are broadly equivalent and recognized by dive centers around the world, so the choice of agency matters much less than the choice of dive center and instructor.

When you compare dive centers, ask:

• How many students does each instructor take in the water at once? Smaller groups mean more attention.
• Where are the confined-water sessions held, and how many open-water dives does the course include?
• Is the rental equipment well maintained, and does it fit you properly?
• What exactly is included in the price: materials, certification fee, equipment, boat trips?
• What happens if you need more time on a skill? Good centers let you take it.

Step 4

What the open water course covers

The entry-level certification, such as PADI Open Water Diver, SSI Open Water Diver or NAUI Scuba Diver, has three parts.

Knowledge development

You learn how pressure affects your body and your air, how to plan a dive, how equipment works and how to handle problems. Many agencies offer this online, so you can do it at home before your trip and spend your vacation in the water instead of the classroom.

Confined water

In a pool or calm, shallow water, you practice the core skills: setting up your gear, clearing water from your mask and regulator, sharing air with a buddy, and controlling your buoyancy. You repeat each skill until it is easy.

Open water dives

Then you go to real dive sites, usually for four dives over two days or more, repeating your skills and starting to enjoy the dives. Once you finish, you are certified to dive with a buddy to a depth set by your agency, commonly 18 meters (60 feet) for adults.

In total, most people complete an entry-level course in three to four days, or over a few weekends at a local dive center.

Step 5

After you are certified

The best thing you can do after certifying is to dive again soon, in conditions similar to your training. Skills fade quickly if you leave them for a year. If it has been a while, book a refresher with an instructor before your next trip.

When you are ready, the usual next steps are:

• An advanced course, which introduces deeper diving, navigation and other specialties, and usually extends your depth limit to around 30 meters (100 feet).
• Enriched air nitrox, which lets you use air with extra oxygen to extend your no-decompression time on repeated dives.
• Rescue training, which many divers say made them better and more confident buddies.
• Specialties such as drysuit, wreck, night or underwater photography, depending on where and how you dive.

Once you have your certification, it is time to think about equipment. Our guide to scuba gear for beginners explains what to buy first. Keep the scuba diving safety habits from your course, and start planning where to go with our dive destinations.