bsac diver grades

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BSAC's Discovery Diver course is open to anyone from the age of 10. 

You’ll just need to demonstrate that you can comfortably swim 200m in a pool, and the only kit you’ll need is a swimsuit and towel.

The BSAC's Ocean Diver course is open to anyone from the age of 12. 

You’ll just need to demonstrate that you can comfortably swim 200m in a pool, and the only kit you’ll need is a swimsuit and towel.

BSAC's Advanced Ocean Diver sits between Ocean Diver and Sports Diver and is open to qualified BSAC Ocean Divers (or an equivalent other agency grade) who would like to progress their maximum diving depth to 30m. You will develop your existing Ocean Diver knowledge to support deeper diving.

To enrol on the Advanced Ocean Diver, you must have successfully completed the BSAC Ocean Diver course. It is also open to those who have an equivalent certification from another recognised diver training agency and have completed Nitrox training. You must also be aged 14 or over to be able to progress to depths up to 30m.

Current BSAC Sports Diver trainees who have completed the necessary skills and theory modules and are aged 14 or over can also apply for their Advanced Ocean Diver qualification to dive to 30m.

If you already have some diving experience with an entry-level qualification and want to take your underwater adventures to the next level, Sports Diver is your next step in BSAC’s Diver Training Programme.

There are two routes to becoming a Sports Diver – either from Advanced Ocean Diver, or directly from Ocean Diver.

You will broaden your experience in a variety of challenging open-water conditions and learn essential techniques to prepare you for diving to a maximum of 40 metres.

To become a Sports Diver, you must have successfully completed an Ocean Diver or Advanced Ocean Diver course (or have equivalent certification from another recognised training agency) and be aged 12 or older, but you need to be 14 or older to progress to depths greater than 20m post qualification.

This course is perfect for BSAC members who want to take a more active role in their club and/or become an Open Water Instructor.  

Dive Leaders are key members of their BSAC clubs who are able to lead inexperienced and experienced divers to gain new experiences.  They are also able to organise dives and have the skills to deal with situations where something unexpected may have occurred.

To enrol on a Dive Leader course you must have successfully completed a Sports Diver course, other agency equivalent and have a nitrox qualification.  You must also be aged 14 years or older.

Sports Divers aged between 12 and 14 can complete the elements of Dive Leader training that do not require diving deeper than 20m. 

The qualification is accredited  to the International Standard ISO24801-3 (2014) ‘Training for Dive Leader’.

Advanced Diver training is essential for Dive Leaders who want to organise diving to places they’ve not been before, or Open Water Instructors who want to become Advanced Instructors.

To enrol on an Advanced Diver course you must have already successfully completed a BSAC Dive Leader course (or have equivalent certification from another recognised training agency) and you must be at least 14 years old.

 The highest diver grade First Class Diver is a challenging award to attain. It takes significant dedication, experience and training to get there - but the view from the top is worth it!

There are many reasons why divers want to achieve First Class Diver success, the main one often being the pure personal achievement of earning your place at the very top of the BSAC diving community. You will have demonstrated to BSAC’s most experienced instructors that you can lead safe but challenging national and international diving expeditions.

Also, if you want to progress from Advanced Instructor to National Instructor you will need to be a First Class Diver.

To enrol in First Class Diver training you must have successfully completed an Advanced Diver course. You will also need to have completed 100 dives in a range of conditions since qualifying, at least 20 of which must show experience of diving to depths greater than 30m.

You must also have successfully completed the following SDCs:

• Chartwork and Position Fixing
• Diver Coxswain Award
• Oxygen Administration
• Practical Rescue Management
• Advanced Lifesaver
• First Aid for Divers