Statement of Alternative Training (SALT) Table

Anyone is welcome to join our BSAC club, however they have learned to dive. BSAC provides the following table to make sense of all the different diving qualifications, and how they are considered in the BSAC system. As the governing body for UK diving, BSAC has a responsibility to ensure that diving qualifications suit the conditions of UK diving. Where additional training is required to improve your grade this can usually be carried out within the club.

It is possible to:

  1. join BSAC and further your training and gain more expertise with BSAC, or
  2. join BSAC and not continue your training, or
  3. join BSAC and further your training with another agency
Diver Training Organisation BSAC
Qualification
All ‘Entry Level’ qualifications (which typically do
not include rescue training) such as:
CMAS One Star Diver
NASDS Open Water Diver and Advanced Open
Water Diver
NAUI Scuba Diver and Advanced Scuba Diver
PADI Open Water Diver
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver/AOWD Plus
Royal Navy Ships Diver
SAA Open Water Diver
SSI Open Water Diver and Advanced Open
Water Diver
Ocean Diver
All ‘Second Level’ qualifications (which must
include rescue training) such as:
CMAS Two Star Diver
HSE Commercial Diver:
HSE Scuba Diver/HSE Surface Supply Diver/HSE
Surface Supply (Top Up) Diver/HSE Closed Bell
Diver (formerly HSE Diver Part 4, 3, 1 and 2
respectively)
NASDS Rescue Diver
NAUI Scuba Rescue Diver
PADI Rescue Diver
SAA Club Diver
SSAC Third Class Diver/Sports Diver
SSI Advanced Open Water Diver with ‘Stress
and Rescue’ Speciality
Army Compressed Air Diver
Sports Diver
All ‘Third Level’ qualifications (which must include
dive leadership training) such as:
NASDS Dive Supervisor
NAUI Divemaster
PADI Divemaster
SAA Dive Leader
SSI Dive Control Specialist
Dive Leader
Any higher level of qualification, such as:
CMAS Three Star Diver
SAA Dive Supervisor
SSAC Second Class Diver/ Master Diver
Because of the variation allowed in training for the
higher diving qualifications awarded by US diver
training agencies, BSAC is unable to accept them
as being of a similar standard to BSAC Advanced
Diver.
However, Branch Diving Officers can judge
additional experience and training on a case-by-case
basis.
Advanced
Diver

There is one higher level – First Class Diver – but there is no equivalent level in other organisations. There are also different instructor levels. Full details can be found in the following pages of BSAC.com

Equivalent BSAC qualifications

Information for tech divers

Information for instructors crossing over to BSAC

Considering all the benefits of our club, we think you will find the membership fees very reasonable especially when paid by direct debit.