Frequently Asked Questions

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To begin your Divemaster course, you will need to meet the following requirements: 

• PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and Rescue Diver certified
• minimum 18 years old
• 40 logged scuba dives
• completed an Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care certification course (or equivalent course) within the past 24 months
• medically cleared for diving by a physician within 12 months

To enroll in an Instructor Development Course, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• have been a certified diver for at least six months  
• minimum of 18 years old 
• 60 logged dives to enter the IDC, and 100 logged dives to attend an Instructor Examination 
• complete an Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care certification course (or equivalent course) within the past 24 months 
• medically cleared for diving by a physician within 12 months 

Yes, we do. But let's be clear about what that means.

The PADI Instructor Development Course is performance based. When you pass the performance requirements of the course we will issue a Certificate of Completion. This certificate is valid for one year and you can attend any PADI Instructor Examination worldwide. 

If the course you attend comes to an end and you are not there yet, no problem. You can attend any subsequent IDC with us free of charge until we are confident that you will pass the exam. However, this scenario is rather unlikely as the duration of our IDC allows you to develop without time pressure. 

The same applies if you fail the IE for whatever reason. The IE is also performance-based and we all have a bad day from time to time. In the unlikely event, you fail a segment of the IE, you can repeat this segment at a later IE (at extra cost), but you can join our next IDC free of charge to practice.

To enroll in a PADI IDC Staff Instructor Course, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• Master Scuba Diver Trainer
• Emergency First Response Instructor
• agree to conduct all PADI certification courses and experience programs using methods consistent with PADI Standards and philosophy as outlined in the PADI Instructor Manual and PADI’s Guide to Teaching.
• agree to use the PADI System and components in their entirety.

Unfortunately, there is no easy crossover from other training agencies to PADI. 

There is no crossover for Divemasters. Candidates would have to make a full PADI Divemaster Course fulfilling all performance requirements according to PADI Training Standards before they can run PADI programs. The same applies to instructors. To ensure members' quality and familiarity with PADI standards, non-PADI instructors need to attend an IDC as well and subsequently pass an IE.

However, non-PADI Divemasters are accepted on any PADI Instructor Development course without any crossover proceedings.

Most important is to get the eLearning as soon as possible to start the preparation. The materials not only prepare you for the classroom presentations and workshops, but they also supply you with the electronic Diving Knowledge Workbook, which covers the complete dive theory, and all exams for the PADI core courses (Open Water, Rescue, and Divemaster). 

The course exams help you to detect (and fill) any gaps before you refine your knowledge with the workbook. If you want to go even further, PADI offers the Dive Theory eLearning as an extra module.

To prepare for standards, ensure your working copy of the PADI Instructor Manual is up to date and check the latest Training Bulletins for changes. Whether you use the electronic version or a printout, make sure you have proper orientation within the structure of the Instructor Manual.

If you have access to a confined training area, focus your practice on the 24 skills you already know from the Divemaster Course. But even if your access to in-water training is limited, practice the skills dry. Turn the speed of your demonstration down in the quiet of your bed or living room, find your inner voice to explain, and gain confidence in your demonstration style.

Please bring

• dive gear as outlined in the PADI Instructor Manual (Standard Diver Equipment AND Standard Instructor and Certified Assistant Equipment)
• laptop or tablet, pen, and paper for the classroom
• your logbook to proof the required number of dives

Medical clearance can be obtained in Dahab.

Finding the right accommodation in Dahab is pretty easy. Depending on your budget, there is a huge market of hotels, guesthouses, apartments, and houses for rent. The rental is usually easy and reliable. We can either refer you to the various groups on Facebook or get you in contact with trustworthy landlords for your inquiry.

When entering Egypt make sure you have 25 US$ cash with you to buy a Visa on Arrival. This visa is valid for 30 days and can be extended for a total stay of 6 months. The extension has to be applied for and picked up at the visa office in Sharm el Sheikh. 

We'll be happy to help you to organize your visa trip.