All the info you need

On this page you can find which prerequisites you must meet in order to participate in the dive course of your choice. Click on the sections below for more specific details.
For the specialty courses, the prerequisites differ per age group.

  • 12 years old
  • Certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver*
  • Certified as a PADI Adventure Diver* that has completed the Navigation Adventure Dive
  • EFR Primary and Secondary training that was completed within the last 24 months, this can be completed alongside the Rescue Diver Course
  • Fit for diving (see medical questionnaire)
  • At least 18 years old
  • Certified as a Padi Advanced diver, or advanced diver from another recognized organization
  • Certified as Padi rescue diver , or as a rescue diver from another recognized organization.
  • Proof of affiliation OR employment with a public safety team. ( Law enforcement, firefighters, paramedic , dive rescue team etc ) or hjas documented plans to form a public safety team in the future , OR is training to qualify for a public safety team

For each specialty you want to take, you have to be fit for diving (see medical questionnaire).
For Emergency Oxygen Provider there is no minimum age.

When you are 10 years old and you are a PADI Open Water Diver* you can do the following specialties:

  • Boat Diver
  • Digital Underwater Photographer
  • Dry Suit Diver
  • Equipment Specialist **
  • Fish Identification Diver
  • Peak Performance Buoyancy
  • Reef Renewal Diver
  • Underwater Naturalist
  • Underwater Navigator
  • Underwater Videographer

When you are 12 years old you can do the following specialties:

  • Aware – Dive Against Debris
  • Aware – Shark Conservation Diver
  • Delayed Surface Marker Buoy (DSMB) Diver
  • Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) Diver
  • Drift Diver
  • Enriched Air Diver (nitrox)
  • Night Diver
  • Search & Recovery Diver***

When you are 15 years the following specialties are available:

  • Deep Diver, must be Adventure Diver
  • Lionfish Hunter, must be Open Water Diver* Additionally, Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty and a buoyancy check dive are required.
  • Sidemount Diver, must be Open Water Diver*
  • Wreck Diver, must be Adventure Diver

When you are 18 years old the following specialties are coming into reach. For these 2 specialties, you need to be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver*

  • Cavern Diver
  • Self-Reliant Diver****
  • 12 years old
  • Certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver*
  • Certified as a PADI Rescue Diver*
  • Have completed 5 PADI Specialty and/or PADI TecRec courses.
  • Show proof of 50 logged dives.
  • 18 years old
  • Certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver*
  • Certified as a PADI Rescue Diver*
  • Show proof of 40 logged dives before start of the course
  • Show proof of 60 logged dives at the end of the course
  • EFR Primary and Secondary training* that was completed within the last 24 months
  • Show a medical clearance attesting fitness for scuba diving, signed by a physician within the last 12 months

To become a PADI OWSI (Open Water Scuba Instructor), most commonly called PADI Instructor you first must successfully complete an IDC or in the case that you are already a PADI Assistant Instructor, you must complete the OWSI part of an IDC.
Subsequently after your IDC you need to successfully complete a standardized exam, which will be conducted by an impartial examiner, working for PADI, this is called the IE, Instructor Examination. Finally there a some additional post IE criteria that need to be met to become a PADI OWSI.

Instructor Development Course Participation

  • 18 years old
  • PADI Divemaster or leadership level with another training agency
  • Show proof of 60 logged dives
  • Documented experience in:
    * Deep Diving
    * Night Diving
    * Underwater Navigation

If not a PADI Divemaster, you must complete the PADI Divemaster course rescue assessment
Be certified as diver for at least 6 months.
Show a medical clearance attesting fitness for scuba diving, signed by a physician within the last 12 months
EFR Primary and Secondary training* that was completed within the last 24 months

Instructor Examination

  • Successfully have completed and IDC or OWSI program in the last 12 months
  • Because Buddy Dive is a 5 star CDC, you do not have to have 100 logged dives at the moment of the IE.

OWSI Certification

  • Successfully have completed the IE
  • Show proof of 100 logged dives
  • Be certified as an EFR Primary and Secondary Instructor*
  • PADI Advanced Open Water Diver with PADI Rescue Diver recommended
  • PADI Enriched Air Diver
  • 15 years old
  • Show a medical clearance stating fitness for scuba diving, signed by a physician within the last 12 months.
  • Have completed Level 0: Essentials of Human Factors in Diving by The Human Diver*

* Check our readiness page  and ask us for a course admission link if necessary

  • PADI Advanced Open Water Diver with PADI Rescue Diver recommended
  • PADI Enriched Air Diver or qualifying certification
  • PADI Deep Diver or proof of 10 dives to 30 meter’s/100 feet or deeper
  • 30 logged dives
  • 18 years old
  • Show a medical clearance stating fitness for scuba diving, signed by a physician within the last 12 months.
  • Have completed Level 0: Essentials of Human Factors in Diving by The Human Diver*

* Check readiness page and ask us for a course admission link if necessary

  • PADI Tec 40 Diver or qualifying certification
  • PADI Rescue Diver or qualifying certification*
  • 10 dives deeper than 30 meter’s/100 feet
  • 50 logged dives
  • 18 years old
  • Show a medical clearance stating fitness for scuba diving, signed by a physician within the last 12 months.
  • Have completed Level 0: Essentials of Human Factors in Diving by The Human Diver**

* If meeting this with a qualifying certification, provide proof of CPR/First Aid training within previous two years

** Check readiness page and ask us for a course admission link if necessary

  • PADI Tec 45 Diver or qualifying certification
  • PADI Rescue Diver or qualifying certification*
  • 100 logged dives or 75 hours logged
  • 18 years old
  • Show a medical clearance stating fitness for scuba diving, signed by a physician within the last 12 months.
  • Have completed Level 0: Essentials of Human Factors in Diving by The Human Diver**

* If meeting this with a qualifying certification, provide proof of CPR/First Aid training within previous two years

** Check readiness page and ask us for a course admission link if necessary

* An equivalent certification from another training agency is also accepted.
** You can do this course also if you are a PADI (Junior) Scuba Diver
*** To do this course you need to be (Junior) Advanced Open Water
**** Additionally, you have to show proof of 100 logged dives