Your Scuba Diving Journey Starts Here

From your first breath underwater to becoming a rescue-ready pro, every dive is a step into a new world.

• Open Water to Advanced

• Specialties & Safety Skills

• Public Safety & Conservation Missions

• Lifelong Brotherhood Below the Surface

Dive. Learn. Explore. Evolve.

SSI Training Pathway

Celebrate your diving achievements with SSI recognition ratings.

The SSI Recreational Diver Recognition Award is a recognition system by Scuba Schools International (SSI) that acknowledges divers’ training achievements as they progress in their recreational diving education. It’s designed to keep divers motivated, encourage continuous learning, and reward milestones along the way.

Recreational Diver Recognition Award

Celebrate your diving achievements with SSI recognition ratings.

Try Scuba

The try scuba experience introduces beginners to the underwater world with the guidance of a certified instructor.

Open Water Diver

You will learn essential diving skills, safety procedures, and how to be comfortable underwater during your dives.

Complete 2 specialties and 12 logged dives.

Specialty Diver

Advanced Open Water

Complete 4 SSI specialty programs to advance and 24 logged dives.

Master Diver

Complete Dive Stress & Rescue and 4 other SSI specialty programs to master, and 50 logged dives.

SSI Recognition Levels

Dive. Learn. Explore. Evolve.

Your Underwater Journey

SSI offers Recognition Ratings that celebrate divers’ achievements as they progress in their diving journey. These are not courses by themselves but milestones acknowledging training, experience, and logged dives.

1. Specialty Diver

• Requirements:

  • Complete 2 SSI Specialty programs (e.g., Perfect Buoyancy, React Right, Navigation, Night, Wreck).

  • Minimum 12 logged dives.

• Recognition: First major step showing skill development.

2. Advanced Open Water Diver

• Requirements:

  • Complete 4 SSI Specialty programs.

  • Minimum 24 logged dives.

• Recognition: Marks you as a well-rounded diver with varied experience.

(Note: Unlike PADI, SSI Advanced Open Water Diver is a recognition level, not a single course. You choose your specialties.)

3. Master Diver

• Requirements:

  • Complete 4 SSI Specialty programs.

  • SSI Diver Stress & Rescue certification.

  • Minimum 50 logged dives.

• Recognition: Highest recreational diver rating in SSI, showing advanced skills, safety knowledge, and broad diving experience.

SSI Professional Levels

After Master Diver, divers can move into Pro Ratings:

1. Divemaster – First professional level; supervise training, assist instructors.

2. Dive Guide – Lead certified divers on guided dives.

3. Assistant Instructor

4. Open Water Instructor (OWI)

5. Divemaster Instructor

6. Master Instructor

7. Instructor Trainer

SSI Awards & Achievements

SSI also gives dive experience recognition badges in the MySSI app:

• Recognition for logged dives: 100, 500, 1000, 5000, 10,000.

• Special recognition cards for milestones and instructor achievements.

• Explorer Programs recognition (Snorkeling, Freediving, Mermaid, Extended Range).

In summary:

• Specialty Diver → Advanced Open Water Diver → Master Diver are the main recreational recognition awards.

• Beyond that, divers can pursue Professional Levels.

• SSI also rewards logged dive milestones and instructor achievements.

SSI Recognition Levels

Celebrate your diving achievements with SSI's milestone recognition for skill development.

SSI Professional Recognition Award

Celebrate your diving achievements with Pro SSI recognition ratings.

Divemaster

First professional level: supervise training, assist the instructor

Dive Guide

Lead certified divers on guided dives.

Assisting Instructor

Assistant Instructor

Open Water Instructor

Complete Open Water Instructor Course

Divemaster Instructor

Advanced Open Water Instructor, plus Science of Diving Instructor and issue a total of 30 diver certifications in different courses

Master Instructor

Assistant Instructor Trainer, plus a total of 250 logged dives and issued a total of 150 diver certifications in different programs

How far do you want to go?

The more you teach and continue your Professional education, the higher the rating. SSI is the only training agency that has a recognition system designed to show the world you are one of the industry’s elite,