Programme Details
Scuba Qualifications
There are different diving qualification levels, each of which is pre-requisites before undertaking the next level of diving. The main qualifications are outlined below:
1. Level 1 - PADI Open Water (1 week) - this four-day course gives you your basic license to dive anywhere in the world to a maximum depth of 18 metres. It consists of studying five academic modules, with four open water dives and additional confined dives.
2. Level 2 - Advanced Open Water - this course takes two to three days to complete (depending upon the electives chosen), with certification allowing you to dive to 30m. You need to complete five dives, choosing from night dive, deep dive, underwater photography or videography and more.
3. Level 3 - Emergency First Response (EFR) - this non-diving qualification is a pre-requisite course for all divers, looking to go beyond Advanced Open Water Level. It teaches you both primary and secondary care, which involves learning how to resuscitate someone, develop CPR skills, identify how to treat someone etc. This course is completed at the same time as the Rescue Diver qualification on this programme, though in most cases it is conducted separately.
Level 4 - Rescue Diver - included as part of the EFR programme above, this four-day programme requires you to complete five academic modules that enable you to be a competent rescue diver. You learn emergency management, how to identify equipment problems, ways of identifying diver stress and panic, and how to administer diver first aid.
Level 5 - Divemaster - this professional qualification is the most sought after of all diving qualifications and a starting point for a scuba diving career. It allows you to work in a scuba diving school/centre and to work alongside Instructors, teaching real students. The course takes eight full weeks (42 dives) to complete and covers a wide range of theory, practical instruction and dive mentoring. We offer four programmes which include this qualification, depending on your experience. You must have completed 60 logged dives overall to qualify for the Divemaster Course.
Level 6 - Instructor Development Course - this course takes 11 days and requires all students to have completed the modules/qualifications above. The course is split into two main parts; the first is the Assistant Instructor programme, where you help to train students in various modules and you assist the main instructor. The second part is the OWSI (Open Water Scuba Instructor) Programme. The purpose of these two different parts is to prepare students with business skills and all other necessary skills to work in and/or run a dive centre. To qualify for the Instructor Course you must have completed Open Water at least six months prior to starting the Instructor Course, and you must have completed 100 logged dives overall.
Diving Add-ons or Alternatives
If you already hold some diving qualifications we also offer a paid videography internship - this allows you to train to be an underwater cameraman and then receive paid work opportunities recording people’s first diving experiences. It’s a great way to get extra dive experience and to subsidise your travels!
Dive Equipment
If you are training to be a PADI divemaster, included in your programme fee is a full set of diving equipment to keep; this is very important for anyone looking to pursue a career in the diving industry. The dive equipment includes:
1. Wet-suit
2. Buoyancy Control Device (BCD)
3. Regulator and gauge
4. Kit bag
5. Dive knife
6. Safety Pack (signalling devices)
7. Fins
8. Mask and snorkel
9. Wetsuit boots
10. Safety marker buoy
The equipment consists of some of the leading brands in Scuba Diving equipment including Scuba Pro, Mares and Seakodive. If you already possess your own set of equipment, then the cost of the equipment you possess can be subtracted from the programme. If you wish to upgrade some of your equipment to higher performance gear (not necessary but some may choose to), then this can be done locally at the start of your programme. The cost to do this varies, according to which items you upgrade.
What’s Included in the Programme
- All accommodation
- All meals
- Professional instruction
- Course materials
- Your own diving equipment to keep (included in some programme options only)
- Pre-departure assistance from a travel adviser
What’s Not Included in the Programme
- International flights to Thailand
- Health and travel insurance, which must cover you for scuba training
- Bangkok stopover and arrival transfer from Bangkok airport
- Transfers between Koh Tao and Bangkok
- Any necessary visas
- Any trips/excursions above the mentioned itinerary
Prices and Durations
Thailand Scuba Diving Courses: Open Water Course (1 week)
£329
Thailand Scuba Diving Courses: Advanced Open Water (1 week)
£359
Thailand Scuba Diving Courses: EFR and Rescue Diver + 4 Fun Dives (1 week)
£329
Thailand Scuba Diving Courses: Fun Dives - 8 dives (1 week)
£329
Thailand Scuba Diving Courses: Fun Dives - 14 dives (1 week)
£439
Thailand Scuba Diving Courses: Open Water to Divemaster (inc Scuba Gear to keep) (12 weeks)
£3,299
Thailand Scuba Diving Courses: Advanced Open Water to Divemaster (inc Scuba Gear) (12 weeks)
£3,199
Thailand Scuba Diving Courses: EFR to Divemaster (inc. Scuba gear to keep) (10 weeks)
£3,099
Thailand Scuba Diving Courses: Divemaster (8 weeks)
£2,639
Thailand Scuba Diving Courses: PADI Instructor Course Add-on (4 weeks)
£2,999
