What Is a PADI Open Water Diver Referral?

A PADI Open Water Diver course referral allows you to undertake the majority of your scuba training at home before completing your certification dives anywhere in the world! 

A PADI referral also allows you to support your local dive shop and avoid having to study during your vacation. You’ll complete all the classroom theory in advance, so while you are on holiday you can focus on the fun part of getting underwater and exploring everything to be found beneath the water’s surface! 

Simply put, instead of spending 4 to 5 days of your holiday studying and practicing scuba skills in a pool, you’ll arrive with most of your PADI Open Water Diver course already complete. It’s a win-win and it couldn’t be easier!

So, let’s get into the details of exactly how a PADI referral works.

Prerequisites

To enroll in the PADI Open Diver course or Junior Open Water Diver course, you must be:

• 10 years or older

How To Complete a PADI Open Water Diver Course Referral

As mentioned above, the PADI Open Water Diver course is made up of three parts. So what is a PADI Open Water Referral Course? During this alternate route to certification, you’ll complete the first and the second parts of the course locally. Here’s how to do it:

1. Contact us and sign up for the course you’re interested in completing.
2. Once you’re signed up, use the generated login information on the PADI website to access your PADI Open Water Diver course eLearning (Part 1).
3. Work through the knowledge development, reading the information and completing the knowledge reviews and tests along the way. If you have any questions or issues, contact your PADI instructor for help.
4.  Once you complete the PADI Open Water Diver course eLearning, you can move on to the confined water skills (Part 2).
5. Choose a convenient time and place (usually a swimming pool) to complete your in-water skills.
6. Once Part 1 and Part 2 are complete, your instructor will provide you with your PADI Open Water Diver course referral form. Now you can take this form to any PADI Dive Center around the world within 12 months from the last training segment to complete the remaining part of your scuba course — the open water dives. This final portion of the course typically takes a day and a half to complete. 
7. Once certified, you can use the rest of your vacation time exploring and gaining additional dive experience. But don't forget to come back and try the South coasts diving! It really is full of life.