If you qualified with PADI, SSI, SAA or another agency, perhaps you’ve been anticipating getting back into the water and you’re not sure where to start? If that’s you, you're in the right place...
The great thing about being already qualified (as well as hopefully having a passion for the sport already) is that it is easy to start diving with BSAC.
Other agency qualifications are recognised (PADI, SSI, SAA, ScotSAC, NAUI etc) and no further training is necessary unless you’d like to progress with more advanced diver training. You can just start diving with a BSAC club on your existing PADI (or other agency) qualification.
Meet like-minded people and continue your scuba journey, with a club near you...
Meet Alex. He joined BSAC as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver. Listen to Alex’s story…
Further your scuba training with BSAC
If you would like to further your training with a more advanced scuba certification, your diver grade is recognised so you can progress to the next higher BSAC grade (no need to retrain, you can simply progress).
Have a PADI Open Water or Advanced Open Water certification?
These qualifications are similar to: BSAC Ocean Diver
Your next more advanced scuba certification would be: BSAC Sports Diver
This is a more advanced diver certification than the PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water certifications. As a Sports Diver, you’ll be competent to dive to 40 metres. It allows most divers to do all the diving they want in the UK and abroad.
At these depths, you can access the majority of UK wreck diving, and with Sports Diver skills you can extend your dive times safely and relax to take in your surroundings and any wildlife you encounter.
If you are a PADI Rescue Diver?
This is similar to: BSAC Sports Diver
Your next advanced diver training course would be: BSAC Dive Leader
As a Dive Leader, you become an essential team member helping to organise activities at your BSAC club. This more advanced diver training also prepares you to dive to depths of up to 50 metres in a range of challenging conditions, following a series of post-qualification depth progression dives.
What about instructor crossover and progression?
While other agency divers and instructors can dive with BSAC without any further training necessary, instructors will have to take a crossover course if they would like to start teaching BSAC courses.
BSAC welcomes instructors from all agencies to join and crossover, and even progress their instructor grades beyond Open Water Instructor to Advanced Instructor and National Instructor.
BSAC equivalency chartBSAC instructor crossover
Haven’t dived in the UK?
If you haven’t dived in the UK before, we’d love to introduce you to UK diving, we promise you’ll be amazed! We can teach you everything you need to know at your own pace. BSAC clubs can help you with a little extra training if necessary – such as drysuit training.
Haven’t dived for a while?
If it’s been a while since you dived or did your training course such as PADI Open Water or Advanced Open Water certification, BSAC can help you refresh your skills. BSAC Scuba Refresher session is perfect for you if you haven’t been diving for a while and need to refresh your scuba skills.
Want to get started on more advanced diver training? Find a club near you today.
