PADI Open Water Diver eLearning™ – Program Details

The PADI Open Water Diver course is the world’s most popular scuba certification course, with millions of people having started their diving adventures as PADI Open Water Divers. Now, PADI Open Water Diver eLearning™ adds the ease and convenience of tablet-based learning, allowing you to access the PADI Open Water Diver Manual, videos and other content while offline. (You will, however, need an internet connection to complete quizzes and to submit Knowledge Reviews.) Use PADI Open Water Diver eLearning to complete knowledge development – facts, principles, concepts – and review dive skills you will learn, including techniques and methods. PADI Open Water Diver eLearning provides the knowledge development portion of the course, then you learn and practice dive skills with a PADI Instructor at your local PADI Dive Center or Resort.

What are the course prerequisites?

To be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver, you need to be at least 10 years old*, medically fit for diving and able to swim. You need to be at least 10 years old (and have access to a tablet) to use PADI Open Water Diver eLearning. A parent or legal guardian will be required to authorize and pay for the courseware.

* In some regions the minimum age is higher.

What’s so great about PADI Open Water Diver eLearning?

As you progress through the material, you’ll be presented with interactive presentations including videos, audio, graphics and text. Short quizzes gauge your progress, and review and correct anything you might miss. This allows you to progress efficiently and at your own pace. In order to complete the five required Knowledge Reviews, you must be connected to the internet and logged in. After completing each Knowledge Review, you’ll receive an email from padilibrary@padi.com with the results, so please check your spam filter or junk mail folder in case you don’t see one. If you don’t receive an email, you can log into the PADI eLearning Portal with your email address and password to confirm your Knowledge Review. Once logged in, click on View eRecord to see if you have a score for the Knowledge Review you just completed. This also applies to the quizzes and exams.

What else is required to complete the course?

Prior to certification as a PADI Open Water Diver, you’ll visit your PADI Dive Center or Resort to complete your training. You’ll take a short Quick Review to confirm your understanding of safety-related material from the course, and you must successfully complete five confined water dives and four open water training dives with your PADI Instructor. You learn and master each of the required skills in confined water (swimming pool-like conditions) first before moving on and showing your instructor that you can comfortably repeat those skills in open water. As a PADI Open Water Diver, you will be a certified entry-level diver able to rent dive gear, get air fills and dive anywhere in the world in better or similar conditions to those you’ve trained in.

What does PADI Open Water Diver eLearning cost and cover? Is the fee refundable?

The cost of PADI Open Water Diver eLearning varies by region and is nonrefundable. The fee covers your knowledge development training and unlimited access to PADI Open Water Diver eLearning via the PADI Digital Library. Your PADI Dive Center or Resort will charge an additional fee for the in-water portion of your course. You may also need to purchase a mask, snorkel, pair of fins and other personal dive equipment. Your PADI Dive Center or Resort will help you choose equipment suited to your needs, and you may also need a Recreational Dive Planner (Table or eRDP version) and log book. Contact your dive center for all of these things and to find out the total course cost.

How long do I have to complete the program? How long does it take?

PADI Open Water Diver eLearning will be available for one year from the time of program registration. Though you must finish the online portion of the course within that time frame, you will have perpetual access to an online version of the PADI Open Water Diver Manual through the PADI Digital Library app. The PADI Open Water Diver eLearning should take approximately 12 to 15 hours to complete.

How do I document that I’ve completed the knowledge development portion of the program?

Once you finish PADI Open Water Diver eLearning, your dive center is notified that you have completed it and that you are ready for the practical portion of the course. At the end of the Open Water Diver eLearning program, you will need to print out your eRecord and bring a copy of it with you to your selected PADI Dive Center or Resort, or email it to them.

Is PADI Open Water Diver eLearning available for Apple? Android? Windows?

PADI Open Water Diver eLearning is currently available for Apple and Android operating systems only.