Scuba Diver
This program is designed for students who lack the time to complete the Open Water Diver program and provides you with the training and experience needed to dive in open water under the supervision of a professional diver. You will obtain the SSI Scuba Diver certificate, which with additional training you can upgrade to the SSI Open Water Diver certificate.
- Minimum age: 10
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: none
- Academic lessons: online program
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: 3
- Number of open water dives: 2
- Maximum depth during training: 12 meters / 40 feet
- Suggested duration: 10 – 16 hours
Open Water Diver
This globally recognized certification program is the perfect way to begin your lifelong adventure as a certified diver. Personalized training is accompanied by in-water exercises to ensure you gain the skills and experience needed to feel completely at ease underwater. You will earn your SSI Open Water Diver certification.
- Minimum age: 10
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: none
- Academic lessons: online program
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: 6
- Number of open water dives: 4
- Maximum depth during training: 12 meters / 40 feet (10 – 15 years), 18 meters / 60 feet (15+ years)
- Suggested duration: 16 – 32 hours
Advanced Adventurer
This program allows you to experience five different open water dives from five different SSI specialist programs without having to complete the entire specialist program. If you’re not sure about your next step, this is the perfect way to improve your diving skills and experience and determine which specialist programs interest you. Upon completion of this program, you will receive the SSI Advanced Adventurer certificate.
- Minimum age: 10, 12 if deep diving is included
- Prerequisites for certification: Open Water Diver, note: maximum depth is 30 m / 98 feet if deep diving is included.
- Academic lessons: online program
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: no more than 5
- Number of dives in open water: no more than 5
- Maximum depth during training: varies
- Suggested duration: 16 – 10 hours
Perfect Buoyancy
Do you want to increase your buoyancy control, reduce your breathing gas consumption or move effortlessly above the ocean floor? The SSI Perfect Buoyancy program teaches you the skills and techniques necessary to maximize your diving experience, increase your comfort in the water, and get the most out of your equipment. You will acquire the SSI Perfect Buoyancy Specialty certificate.
- Minimum age: 10
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: Open Water Diver
- Academic lessons: online program
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: 1+
- Number of dives in open water: optional
- Maximum depth during training: optional
- Suggested duration: 6 – 10 hours
Deep Diving
A number of exciting diving sites are located in deeper waters. Without proper training, this type of diving puts you at risk. The SSI Deep Diving Specialty program will provide you with the ability to safely and comfortably plan and execute dives at depths greater than 18 meters and is a prerequisite for certain advanced training. Upon completion of this program, you will obtain the SSI Deep Diving Specialty certificate.
- Minimum age: 15
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: Open Water Diver
- Academic lessons: 1
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: optional
- Number of open water dives: 3
- Maximum depth during training: 40 meters / 130 feet
- Suggested duration: 6 – 10 hours
Wreck Diving
Many of the best ocean diving spots have artificial reefs or wrecks that have sunk over the centuries. This program provides you with the skills and knowledge necessary to safely dive above and around these underwater treasures. Upon completion of this program, you will receive an SSI Wreck Diving certificate.
- Minimum age: 10
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: Open Water Diver
- Academic lessons: online training
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: 1 optional
- Number of open water dives: 2
- Maximum depth during training: varies according to age
- Suggested duration: 6 – 10 hours
Night diving & Limited visibility
This program provides you with the skills and concepts necessary to dive safely and comfortably at night or in conditions of limited visibility. Some of the most fascinating ocean creatures only come out of their shelters at night, so your dive doesn’t have to end at sunset. You will learn how to enter and exit the water, how to use specialized equipment, and how to communicate and dive with a partner in the dark or in conditions of limited visibility. Upon completion of this program, you will obtain the SSI Night Diving and Limited Visibility Specialty certificate.
- Minimum age: 10
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: Open Water Diver
- Academic lessons: online training
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: optional
- Number of open water dives: 2
- Maximum depth during training: varies according to age
- Suggested duration: 6 – 10 hours
Stress & Rescue
Stress is a major cause of diving accidents and negatively affects rescue operations. This program teaches you the skills and knowledge needed to recognize and deal with stressful situations, prevent accidents and properly respond to emergency situations that divers encounter. Upon completion of this program, you will obtain the SSI Diver Stress and Rescue Specialty certificate.
- Minimum age: 12
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: Open Water Diver
Participants must have proof of current training within two (2) years of completing the First Aid and CPR program. - Academic lessons: 2
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: 2 (+1 optional)
- Number of open water dives: 3
- Maximum depth during training: 30 meters / 100 feet
- Suggested duration: 10 – 15 hours
Search & Recovery
This program provides you with the skills and concepts needed to safely plan and execute search and recovery dives. You’ll learn about search patterns, specialized dive plans, underwater communications, and how to retrieve small and medium-sized objects using specialized equipment such as lift bags. Upon completion of this program, you will obtain the SSI Search and Recovery Specialty certificate.
- Minimum age: 12
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: Open Water Diver
- Academic Lessons: Online Learning
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: 1, mandatory before diving in the open sea
- Number of open water dives: 2
- Maximum depth during training: varies according to age
- Suggested duration: 6 – 10 hours
Navigation
This program provides you with the skills and concepts needed to navigate safely and comfortably underwater while diving. You will learn how to use a compass and natural navigation techniques, how to estimate distance, basic navigation patterns, and how to leave and return to a specific point. Upon completion of this program, you will obtain the SSI Navigation Specialty certificate.
- Minimum age: 10
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: Open Water Diver
- Academic Lessons: Online Learning
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: optional
- Number of open water dives: 2
- Maximum depth during training: varies according to age
- Suggested duration: 6 – 10 hours
Enriched Air Nitrox
The SSI Enriched Air Nitrox program will teach you how to safely plan and dive with enriched air mixtures containing up to 40% oxygen. Diving with enriched air can increase your no-decompression time, increase your safety, and reduce the required length of your surface intervals compared to air. Upon completion of this program, you will obtain the SSI Enriched Air Nitrox 32% or 40% certificate.
- Minimum age: 10
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: Open Water Diver, if water training is included
- Academic Lessons: Online Learning
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: optional
- Number of dives in open water: optional
- Maximum depth during training: optional
- Suggested duration: 6 – 10 hours
- Specialized equipment: knowledge program
Extended Range Nitrox Diving
This program provides you with the knowledge and experience needed to independently plan and execute a limited decompression dive to a maximum depth of 40 meters using a Nitrox mixture of up to 50%. This basic program introduces you to the techniques and skills of Extended Range training and can be completed wearing a standard single tank configuration. Upon completion of this program, you will be certified in SSI Extended Range Nitrox Diving.
- Minimum age: 16
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: Deep Diving certificate, Enriched Air Nitrox 40% certificate, 24 recorded dives
- Academic Lessons: Online Learning
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: optional
- Number of open water dives: 4
- Maximum depth during training: 40 meters / 130 feet
- Suggested duration: 16 hours
- Specialized equipment: see SSI standards
SCOOTER / DPV DIVING
This program is related to the use of underwater scooters / Seabob scooters and provides you with the skills and concepts necessary to safely plan and execute dives using underwater scooters. You will learn special precautions for using a scuba scooter, how to maintain contact with your partner and control your equipment, and how to safely enjoy the new experiences of scuba diving with the use of a scuba scooter. Upon completion of this program, you will obtain the SSI Seabob Diving Specialty certificate.
- Minimum age: 12
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: Open Water Diver
- Academic lessons: 1
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: 1 optional
- Number of open water dives: 2
- Maximum depth during training: varies according to age
- Suggested duration: 6 – 10 hours
SCOOTER / DPV DIVING
This program is related to the use of underwater scooters / Seabob scooters and provides you with the skills and concepts necessary to safely plan and execute dives using underwater scooters. You will learn special precautions for using a scuba scooter, how to maintain contact with your partner and control your equipment, and how to safely enjoy the new experiences of scuba diving with the use of a scuba scooter. Upon completion of this program, you will obtain the SSI Seabob Diving Specialty certificate.
- Minimum age: 12
- Prerequisites for obtaining the certificate: Open Water Diver
- Academic lessons: 1
- Number of lessons in the pool / indoor water: 1 optional
- Number of open water dives: 2
- Maximum depth during training: varies according to age
- Suggested duration: 6 – 10 hours