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Scuba Lessons for College Credit

Earn College Credit for PADI Courses

Yes!  You may be eligible to get college credit for learning how to scuba dive. PADI courses have been recommended by a variety of Institutions for college credit or funding in various countries throughout the world. Choose from the regions below to find out how it works:

earn college credit for your PADI Scuba CertificationUnited States

The American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) has evaluated and recommended college credit for

  • 15 PADI courses
  • 3 DSAT courses
  • 1 Emergency First Response course.

The American Council on Education is the major coordinating body for all the nation’s higher education institutions.

ChanIsl_Mar07_0124Learn more about how you can gain college credit for PADI courses in the U.S. or contact PADI Americas at training@padi.com.

Australia

PADI Divers may receive credit toward various certificates and diplomas for several PADI courses within the Australian national training system. These training providers recognize certain PADI and Emergency First Response (EFR) courses:

  • Technical and Further Education
  • South Australia
  • Australia Fisheries Academy
  • South Australia
  • Victorian Tertiary Admissions Center
  • Victoria
  • Western Australia Curriculum Council

Learn more about college credit for PADI courses in Australia 

Canada

The British Columbia Ministry of Education (External Credentials Program for Industrial and Occupational Courses) has approved the PADI Open Water Diver (2 credits), PADI Advanced or Adventures in Diving Program (4 credits) and PADI Rescue Diver (4credits) courses for school credit.

Grade 10, 11 and 12 students who have been certified in these PADI courses simply present their PADI certification card to the school administration to apply for credit. For information on receiving credit contact your school’s administration. On an individual, merit-base case, divers in Canada may also receive credit for PADI courses through the USA-based American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service as noted under “United States.”

England, Wales and Northern Ireland

PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors can apply to PADI for the Certificate in Scuba Instruction, a Vocationally Related Qualification (VRQ) accredited at Level 3 by the:

  • National Qualifications Framework in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
  • Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) for England
  • Department for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DELLS) for Wales
  • Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) for Northern Ireland.

  • The certificate may be accepted by Further Education institutions as proof of eligibility for attendance at higher level courses. Contact ie@padi.co.uk for an application form.

Europe

ChanIsl_Mar07_1462Divers have received credit for PADI courses in mainland Europe academic institutions and through the military; but since there is no formal recognition process, these have been individual cases. For more information or for a specific request, contact PADI Europe at training@padi.ch 

Japan

  • Those who want to teach diving in Japanese school systems (colleges, universities, vocational schools, etc.) undergo general and specialized course work and testing to become authorized by the Japan Sports Association (JASA), under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

  • PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors are exempt from this specialized course and test, and can attain JASA authorization by taking a general course and certification test. More about college credit for PADI courses in Japan  

New Zealand

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