The PADI Divemaster course is the first professional level within the PADI system of diver education. Your own dive skills will be improved to demonstration standard and your dive theory knowledge will be raised higher, allowing you to answer any of the questions you will often be asked by trainee divers.

What Will You Learn?

The interaction with your PADI Instructor will be different to your previous training courses. We will involve you in decision making, as well as dive planning and course briefings and debriefing with students. This allows you to see how divers are trained, and apply these techniques to your future students. The goal of the Divemaster course is to improve your skills, and teach you how to effectively work with students to create the best possible divers.

The Divemaster course allows you to work as a training assistant on PADI courses and programs, supervise certified divers during pleasure diving experiences, and conduct some PADI programs independently.

Becoming a PADI Divemaster consists of the following segments: knowledge development through the PADI Divemaster eLearning, water skills development and practical applications. The home study portion of the course covers nine topics that prepare you for the practical sessions needed to complete the Divemaster course.

If you're interested in finding out more, why not sign up for the free introduction to Divemaster eLearning here!

What are the prerequisites for PADI Divemaster Course?

To take the Divemaster Course you need the follwing:

• 18 years old
• PADI Rescue Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organisation)
• Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care (or qualifying first aid and CPR training from another organisation) course completion within the past 24 months
• Have at least 40 dives to begin the course and 60 for certification
• Be fit for diving and submit a Medical Statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months

Other ratings that will really help your progress as a Divemaster include the Deep Diver and Search & Recovery Diver Speciality ratings.

How Does The Course Work?

After enrolling, we will sit and go through paperwork and make sure you understand all the different aspects involved in the course. We run the Divemaster course on an ongoing basis, allowing you to fit your training around other commitments you may already have. This lets you move through the program efficiently and at your own pace, and work with a variety of students and instructors to gain knowledge from each one.

What Scuba Kit Will You Use?

As a Divemaster you are expected to have all your own scuba kit, including dry suit and dive computer. Kit hire can be included in the course, however at this level an investment in your own kit will really help you in the water. There are other required materials such as an RDP table and eRDPML which are used in your theory and exams. These can be ordered if you don’t have them from your previous PADI courses.

Any additional costs?

Upon certification there is an application fee paid directly to PADI. The current application fee for a Divemaster registration is £111.60, and £46.80 for the Discover Scuba Diver Leader rating. This fee also includes the current year's PADI membership fee.

To work in the UK as a diving professional you will need an annual HSE Diving at Work medical. The initial medical costs approximately £120 and each subsequent annual medical is around £90. When working with Hidden Depths Scuba School we will provide you with professional liability diving insurance, however you would also need this if you plan to operate independently. If you have any questions about any of these please get in contact and we can discuss with you.

What You Can Teach?

After becoming certified as a PADI Divemaster you will be authorised to:

• Supervise both training and non-training-related activities by planning, organizing and directing dives
• Assist a PADI Instructor during the training sessions for any PADI Diver course
• Conduct the PADI Skin Diver course and PADI Discover Snorkeling program
• Conduct the PADI Discover Local Diving experience
• Conduct the PADI ReActivate program
• If qualified as a Discover Scuba Diving Leader, independently conduct the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program
• Earn the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Specialty Instructor rating to be able to teach the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer specialty
• Independently guide Open Water Diver course students on the tour portion of Open Water Diver course Training Dives 2, 3 and 4 at a ratio of two student divers per certified divemaster
• Accompany Open Water Diver students under the indirect supervision of a PADI Instructor during:
  • surface swims to and from the entry & exit point and during navigational exercises
  • when the instructor conducts a skill, such as an ascent or descent, a Divemaster can remain with other student divers (with an individual student or buddy team)
• Accompany student divers during Adventure Dives or Specialty training dives under the indirect supervision of a PADI Instructor
• Conduct subsequent dives under an instructor’s indirect supervision for Discover Scuba Diving participants after participants have satisfactorily completed the first dive with a PADI Instructor
• Teach Emergency First Response courses after successfully completing an Emergency First Response Instructor course