Instructor requirements for BSAC's SDCs are summarised in the tables below.
BSAC courses that require either specialist skills (e.g. First Aid or Technical Diving) and/or specialist equipment (e.g. AED) carry 'Approved Instructor' status. Please see the table below for prerequisites and how to gain 'Approved Instructor' status. For teaching purposes, please refer to the SDC instructor materials for details.
SDCs Assistant Diving Instructors can teach:
| Course name | Additional requirements | Instructor materials |
| Beachcomber | Go to materials | |
| Buoyancy and Trim workshop | Must hold Gold Standard buoyancy and be supervised as per DTP. | Go to materials |
| Underwater Photography | Must be supervised as per DTP. | Go to materials |
SDCs Theory Instructors can teach:
| Course name | Additional requirements | Instructor materials |
| Beachcomber | Go to materials | |
| Buoyancy and Trim workshop | Must hold Gold Standard buoyancy and be supervised as per DTP. | Go to materials |
| Marine Life Appreciation | Need Practical Instructor status to teach diving elements. | Go to materials |
| Nitrox Workshop | Any OWI can teach this | Go to materials |
| Underwater Photography | Must be supervised as per DTP for practical sessions. | Go to materials |
| Wreck Appreciation | Only theory sections. | Go to materials |
SDCs Practical Instructors can teach:
| Course name | Additional requirements | Instructor materials |
| Beachcomber | Go to materials | |
| Buoyancy and Trim workshop | Must hold Gold Standard buoyancy. | Go to materials |
| Drysuit Training | Any OWI can teach this (that uses a drysuit) | Go to materials |
| Underwater Photography | Must be supervised as per DTP for theory sessions. | Go to materials |
| Only practical sections. | Go to materials |
SDCs Open Water Instructors can teach:
| Course name | Additional requirements | Instructor materials |
| Advanced Lifesaver Award | Must hold this SDC qualification. | Go to materials |
| Advanced Snorkel Lifesaver | Must hold this SDC qualification. | Go to materials |
| Automated External Defibrillator (AED) | Must hold this SDC qualification. Needs an annual refresher. Need to teach on a Course under the supervision of an Approved AED Instructor. | Go to materials |
| Beachcomber | Go to materials | |
| Buoyancy and Trim workshop | Must hold Gold Standard buoyancy. | Go to materials |
| Compressor Operation | Must hold this SDC qualification. And be able to verify 10 hours of experience. (Verification should be signed by another instructor or club Diving Officer.) |
Go to materials |
| Chartwork and Position Fixing | Must hold this SDC qualification. | Go to materials |
| Dive Planning and Management | Any OWI can teach this | Go to materials |
| Drysuit Training | Any OWI can teach this (that uses a drysuit) | Go to materials |
| First Aid for Divers | Must hold this SDC qualification. Also need to teach on a course under the supervision of an Approved First Aid Instructor. | Go to materials |
| Lifesaver Award | Must hold this SDC qualification. | Go to materials |
| Marine Life Appreciation | Any OWI can teach this | Go to materials |
| Nitrox Workshop | Any OWI can teach this | Go to materials |
| Mixed Gas Blender | Must hold this SDC qualification. Need to teach competently on a course under the supervision of a Gas Blender Instructor. | Go to materials |
| Nitrox Gas Blender | Must hold this SDC qualification. Need to teach competently on a course under the supervision of a Gas Blender Instructor. | Go to materials |
| Must hold this SDC or other relevant training. | No materials | |
| Oxygen Administration | Any OWI can teach this | Go to materials |
| Practical Rescue Management | Any OWI can teach this | Go to materials |
| RNLI Diver Sea Survival Workshop | Any OWI can teach this | Go to materials |
| Search and Recovery | Must hold this SDC qualification. | Go to materials |
| Snorkel Lifesaver | Must hold this SDC qualification. | Go to materials |
| Underwater Photography | Any OWI with the relevant experience can teach this | Go to materials |
| Wreck Appreciation | Any OWI can teach this | Go to materials |
| Wreck Diving | Any OWI can teach this | Go to materials |
SDCs Advanced Instructors can teach:
| Course name | Additional requirements | Instructor materials |
| Compressor Operation | Must hold this SDC qualification. And are automatically credited as Compressor Operator Instructor*. | Go to materials |
| Automated External Defibrillator (AED) | Must hold this SDC qualification. Needs an annual refresher and can apply for Approved Instructor status as an AED Instructor*. | Go to materials |
| First Aid for Divers | Must hold this SDC qualification. And are automatically credited as FAD Instructor*. | Go to materials |
| Mixed Gas Blender | Must hold this SDC qualification. And are automatically credited as Gas Blending Instructor*. | Go to materials |
| Nitrox Gas Blender | Must hold this SDC qualification. And are automatically credited as Gas Blending Instructor*. |
Go to materials |
| *If your record has not been credited as above then you can request the update to allow access to the resources |
All the courses below require 'Approved Instructor' status.
SDCs an Approved Instructor can teach:
| Course name | Additional requirements | Instructor materials |
| Must hold ADP qualification or equivalent. Plus teach on a course under supervision of an ADP instructor. | Go to materials | |
| Boat Handling | Must hold Diver Coxswain Award. An OWI (or above) must teach competently on a course under the supervision of a Boathandling Instructor (BHI). | Go to materials |
| Compressor Operation | Advanced Instructors (or above) who hold this SDC qualification are automatically credited as Compressor Operator Instructors. Open Water Instructors must hold this SDC qualification and be able to verify 10 hours of experience. (Verification should be signed by another instructor or branch Diving Officer) |
Go to materials |
| Diver Coxswain Assessment | Must hold this SDC qualification and Boathandling Instructor. Conduct Assessment under the supervision of a DCA. | Go to materials |
| First Aid for Divers | Advanced Instructors (or above) who hold this SDC qualification are automatically credited as FAD Instructors. Open Water Instructors need to teach competently on a course under the supervision of an Approved First Aid Instructor. |
Go to materials |
| Ice Diving | Can teach course under supervision of Ice Diving Instructor Trainer. | Go to materials |
| Advanced Instructors (or above) who hold a relevant Gas blending qualification are automatically credited as Gas Blending Instructors on obtaining the resources. Open Water Instructors need to teach competently on a course under the supervision of a Gas Blender Instructor. |
Go to materials | |
| As 'Mixed Gas Blender' above. |
Go to materials | |
| Must hold this SDC qualification and have at least 20 dives using a twin-set. Must teach competently on two courses under the supervision of a Twin-set instructor. |
Go to materials |
Technical Instructors can teach:
More details can be found in the Technical Instructor section of BSAC Technical Standards.
