Level 1 · your first certification
Open Water certification: what the course involves
Open Water certification is the beginner scuba course that lets you dive with a buddy, without a professional, for life. Here is what you learn, how the days are organized, and what you need before you start.
What Open Water certification is
Open Water certification is the first full scuba qualification. Once you hold it, you can rent gear, get tanks filled, join boat dives and plan your own dives with a certified buddy, in conditions similar to those you trained in. Every major agency offers it under almost the same name: PADI Open Water Diver, SSI Open Water Diver, NAUI Scuba Diver and so on.
The card does not expire. What does fade is your comfort and your skills, which is why most dive centers suggest a short refresher if you have gone a year or more without diving.
Before you start
You do not need any diving experience. You do need three things:
- To be old enough. The minimum age is 10. Divers aged 10 to 14 usually earn a junior certification with extra limits, which upgrades automatically or with a simple request when they turn 15.
- To be fit to dive. You fill in a medical questionnaire before any water training. If you answer yes to any question, you need a doctor's written approval before you get in the water. Our page on scuba diving medical requirements explains the form.
- Basic water comfort. During the course you will swim about 200 metres or yards without stopping (or a longer distance with mask, fins and snorkel) and float or tread water for about ten minutes. There is no time limit and you can use any stroke.
The three parts of the course
1. Knowledge development
This is the theory: how water pressure affects air spaces in your body and your equipment, why you must never hold your breath, how to plan a dive and stay within no-decompression limits, how to choose and care for gear, and how to handle common problems. Most agencies now offer this as online learning you complete at home before you arrive, with short quizzes and a final exam that your instructor reviews with you.
2. Confined water dives
In a pool or a calm shallow area, you put the gear together, take your first breaths underwater and practice the core skills until they feel routine. These include clearing water from your mask, finding and replacing your regulator, sharing air from your buddy's alternate air source, controlled emergency swimming ascents, and the most important skill of all, buoyancy control.
3. Open water dives
You make four training dives in the ocean, a lake or a quarry, usually over at least two days. On each one you repeat skills from the pool, then spend the rest of the dive exploring. Your maximum depth on these dives is 18 m / 60 ft, and often much less.
Learning at home, diving on holiday: many schools offer a "referral." You do the theory and pool sessions at your local dive center, then complete the four open water dives with another center at your destination. Referrals are usually valid for about a year; check with both centers before you book.
A typical schedule
Schedules vary by school, but a four-day course often looks like this:
| Day | What happens |
|---|---|
| Before you arrive | Online theory, medical questionnaire, paperwork |
| Day 1 | Theory review, gear fitting, first confined water session |
| Day 2 | Remaining confined water skills, swim and float check |
| Day 3 | Open water dives 1 and 2 |
| Day 4 | Open water dives 3 and 4, final exam review, logbook sign-off |
Weekend courses spread the same content over two or three weekends. Neither format is better; what matters is that you get enough time in the water to feel comfortable, not just to tick off the skills.
What you can do once certified
- Dive with a certified buddy, without a professional, to 18 m / 60 ft
- Rent scuba equipment and get tanks filled
- Book fun dives and boat trips at dive centers around the world
- Sign up for Advanced Open Water and most specialty courses
You are trained to dive in conditions similar to those you trained in. If you learned in calm, warm water, get an orientation from a local professional before your first dive in cold water, strong currents or low visibility.
Tips for a good first course
- Finish the online theory before day one. It leaves more time in the water.
- Get a mask that fits. A leaking mask is the most common distraction for new divers. It is worth buying your own; see what to bring to your Open Water course.
- Learn to equalize before you go. Ear discomfort ends more first dives than anything else. Our post on how to equalize your ears covers the techniques.
- Ask to repeat any skill you are not happy with. A good instructor will always say yes.
- Do not dive with a cold. Congestion makes equalizing hard and can damage your ears. Reschedule instead.
Costs vary a lot by location and by what is included. Our page on scuba certification cost shows what to ask for in a quote so you can compare schools fairly. For more practical tips, browse the scuba training blog.
Open Water questions
Open Water certification FAQ
Can I get certified if I wear glasses?
Yes. You cannot wear glasses under a dive mask, but prescription lenses can be fitted to many masks, and many divers dive in soft contact lenses. Ask your optician which option suits your eyes.
What if I cannot do one of the skills?
You practice until you can. Instructors expect some skills to take a few tries, mask clearing especially. If you need more time, most schools will add an extra session rather than rush you.
Is the final exam difficult?
It is a multiple-choice test on the course material. If you have completed the knowledge development and quizzes, you will be well prepared, and your instructor reviews any questions you miss.