Explore Koh Tao

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

If you can't decide which specialty programs are best for you, join the SSI Advanced Open Water Diver program! You will try Deep Diving and Navigation as well as 3 other specialty areas before deciding on a full specialty training. It's a great way to experience what Advanced Open Water Diver training is all about and how valuable it can be for your diving adventures. During the Advanced Open Water Diver program you will learn 5 different specialties by completing one open water training dive per specialty after a detailed briefing with your SSI Instructor. This program gives you complete freedom to explore everything. You can complete the entire specialty training at any time and receive credit for your Advanced Open Water Diver training.

The SSI Diver Stress and Rescue specialty program teaches you the skills you need to protect yourself and other divers. You will learn how to identify stress, how to prevent accidents and be taught practical techniques to conduct rescues and provide emergency care. With a combination of pool and open water practice sessions, you will become well prepared and confident at handling emergency and rescue situations. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Diver Stress and Rescue Specialty certification.

As a Nitrox diver, you can increase your bottom times and safety margins, plus shorten your surface intervals - so you can spend more time diving and less time waiting! In this program, you will learn new skills and increase your diving knowledge whilst learning how to safely plan and dive with enriched air mixtures of up to 40% oxygen. Upon completion, you will earn an SSI Enriched Air Nitrox 32% or 40% certification.

The Diver Stress & Rescue SSI course provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to identify stress, prevent incidents and manage common emergency situations that recreational divers may face. The course lasts 2 days and includes theory from 9:00 to 10:30 each morning, 2 dives in a protected environment (1-5 m) to learn the skills in safe conditions and then 3 dives in a natural environment (5 - 18 m) to apply the newly-learnt skills in real-life conditions.

The Divemaster is done and we are proud of you! You have already gained your first guiding experience, taught some check dives and above all - made many divers happy. Now it's time for the big leap: your Instructor Training Course (ITC) with subsequent Instructor Evaluation (IE) to qualify you as an SSI Open Water Instructor. As with all courses, what we offer goes far beyond the average range of services offered by other diving schools. In our diving school, the ITC lasts 21 days (usually 10 days). We want to take more time for your training. There are also free days planned, which are at your free disposal or are available as voluntary consultations/additional learning units. This means that we are also somewhat flexible in the event of days off. We also recommend that you arrive a few days before the course starts so that you can acclimatize and start the course well rested. The course is divided into two parts: Assistant Instructor (AI) and Instructor Training Course (ITC). The ITC is immediately followed by the Instructor Evaluation (IE) - the diving instructor examination. We offer both parts one after the other. If you want to take more time between the courses to learn and gain valuable teaching experience, you can also complete the individual parts in stages.

The Divemaster program is the first step on an exciting journey. Earn the respect of your dive buddies and become an ambassador for diving by taking the Divemaster program. All you need to get started are 40 verified/logged dives and certifications in Deep Diving, Navigation, Night & Limited Visibility or at least 5 logged/verified dives experience in each area plus Diver Stress & Rescue. You will be certified as a Dive Guide after successfully completing the Divemaster program. When your interest is to turn your passion into a profession by guiding certified divers, teaching Ecology programs, assisting instructors or even becoming an instructor yourself, your next step is the Divemaster Upgrade with a minimum of 60 logged/verified. Upgrade to Divemaster right away or any time after by self-studying the Science of Diving materials, passing the Digital Final Exam which makes you an SSI Professional.

The Instructor Evaluation (IE) is the final step of SSI’s 2-Step Instructor Training Approach Divemasters or equivalent-level professionals will have to successfully complete the Instructor Training Course (ITC) first where you’ll learn how to: • Conduct academic sessions • Lead confined water training • Teach Open Water Diver and various Specialty programs like Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress&Rescue, Perfect Buoyancy and more • Develop student management and communication skills Already an experienced instructor with another agency? You may be eligible for shortened oboarding options where you will only have to complete certain parts of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) followed by passing an Instructor Evaluation (IE). Contact an SSI Training Center near you to learn more. Already certified as an Assistant Instructor with another agency? You could continue your professional journey with SSI. Get in touch with a local SSI Training Center to explore your options.