In order to participate in a PADI IDC you must of course meet all the prerequisite requirements:

• Be certified as a PADI Assistant Instructor, PADI Divemaster, or as an instructor with another recreational diver training organization.
• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be fit for diving and submit a medical form signed by a physician within the last 12 months.
• Have been a certified diver for at least six months, logged at least 60 open water dives with experience in night, deep and navigation prior to begin the Instructor Development Course (IDC) and logged at least 100 dives prior entering the Instructor Examination (IE).
• Submit proof of CPR & First Aid training within the last 24 months.
• For those whose CPR / EFR training has lapsed we can arrange an update prior to or in conjunction with the IDC.

50% deposit is required to reserve your place - deposits may be paid on-line (by far the simplest & easiest method) or by bank transfer - contact us for bank transfer details. SIGN ME UP

Necessary documentation

• Certification cards from Open water to Divemaster / Assistant Instructor. If you are missing any cards, no problem. We will print out a list of your courses from the PADI web-site for you.
• Non-PADI certifications make sure that you have photo copies as you will need to submit these to PADI with your IDC paperwork at the IE.
• "PADI Medical Certificate" signed by a Doctor. You may download the form from www.padi.com and have it signed by a Doctor in your own country!!!
• Logbook to show proof of 60 logged dives for the IDC and 100 logged dives for the IE.
• 4 passport photos.

During the IE, exams are available in over 20 languages. Should the exam not be available in your native language you will be credited with extra time.

Please note that exams other than English need to be ordered from PADI well in advance of the IE, so please let us know as early as possible.

Check all your dive equipment and make sure everything is serviced, up-to-date and ready for action. Scuba Nation stocks a complete range of extra items such as computers, compasses, knives, wetsuits, slates, clips, slates, clips, straps and the like. Contact us in time if we don’t have stock and need to order something for you.

1. If you already own a candidate workbook you should complete the 16 IDC Knowledge Reviews. The ideal is that you have them all complete before the IDC starts: it will save you time that you can use for other topics.

   At the beginning of each Knowledge Review you will find listed the necessary pre-study reading assignments you need to read before answering the knowledge reviews.

   These assignments can be found in: your Instructor Manual, IDC Candidate Workbook, The Best of the Undersea Journal, the Law & the Diving Professional and The Business of Diving.

2. Please make sure that you are confident with your level of dive theory knowledge before the IDC starts.

   The best way to do this to buy a copy of The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving and Diving Knowledge Workbook (you must have these anyway for the IE) and work your way through along with the Divemaster exams. You will have loads of other things that will keep you busy during the IDC without having to worry about dive theory questions such as "what are partial pressures" or "how do I find minimum surface intervals with the eRDPml?"

   You know when you have mastered the information when you can not only arrive at the correct answer but also explain WHY each of the other answers is wrong!!!

3. Dive as much as possible - nothing replaces real life experience. You must have 100 dives before you can participate in the IE

   Practice all your skills - especially the 20 skills of the PADI skill circuit. Concentrate especially on your buoyancy skills: hovering and fin pivots, out of air skills: Buddy Breathing and Alternate Air Source both stationary and swimming, the controlled emergency swimming ascent (CESA) and your removal skills: scuba unit and weight belt - both at the surface and underwater.v

   Remember although an Open Water Diver can do the skill, this is usually a long way off from the demonstration quality expected of an Instructor. You can always review the skills on the PADI Open Water video or CD-Rom.

4. If possible get your PADI instructor to watch you perform Rescue Diver Exercise #7: "Unconscious Diver on the surface." You can review an excellent demonstration of this on The PADI Rescue Diver video.

For those unable to find the time or access to materials to complete the independent learning and/or the water skills before the start of the IDC – don’t worry, a special 3 day extra IDC Prep Course (before the IDC) is available FREE of charge!!!

During the Prep course your Course Director and IDC Staff members will lead you through the reading assignments helping you understand and become familiar with PADI standards, provide some training suggestions and other background information necessary to complete your IDC program. They will also review your dive skills and conduct a rescue workshop.

Lastly relax...

Remember the more prepared you are, the less of a workload you will have during the IDC, leading to a more relaxed and enjoyable IDC and, believe it or not, IE!!!