Already a Diver
Did you qualify with PADI, SAA, SSI or another agency?
Great! Continue the adventure…
join great people in your area on some memory-making scuba diving.
It’s easy for qualified divers to dive with BSAC. It doesn’t matter who you trained with, if you’ve never dived in the UK before or if you haven’t dived for a while – the doors are open to all.
We are a BSAC club providing BSAC training courses. You don’t have to continue your training if you don’t want to – you can continue diving under your existing qualifications, but most members end up training for the next grade.
No matter your skill level, you can join any BSAC club without the need to retrain.
Oxford BSAC welcomes divers trained from all of the major diving agencies, in fact many of our newcomers have already qualified abroad with PADI or similar.
If you’ve been out of the water for a while you could simply do a little refresher training with us. And if you’ve only dived overseas before we’d love to introduce you to UK diving and can help with any additional training requirements such as drysuit training.
If you did wish to progress your training to gain additional diving skills with us then we can offer many BSAC Skills Development Courses and diver qualifications – all recognised worldwide.
We also own our own stable hard boat currently located in Plymouth. She accommodates up to twelve divers so boat diving is always a cheaper option within the club.
Compare Qualifications
It is very hard to compare qualifications.
The great thing about being already qualified (as well as hopefully having a passion for the sport already) is that it is easy to start diving with BSAC.
Other agency qualifications are recognised (PADI, SSI, SAA, ScotSAC, NAUI etc) and no further training is necessary unless you’d like to progress with more advanced diver training. You can just start diving with a BSAC club on your existing PADI (or other agency) qualification.
For example the BSAC Sports Diver qualification allows you to undertake dives that require mandatory decompression stops, but it does not have as much emphasis on rescue skills as PADI’s Rescue Diver qualification.
To help divers who join from another agency, BSAC have put together the table which shows where other agency divers enter the BSAC training programme.
Crossover to BSAC
If you cross-over your qualification, you do not automatically gain the BSAC qualification – it’s just a guide to what your next course should be.
To cross over, you will need to bring along your existing log book and qualification card and take a couple of theory lectures. Get a introduction to the club and how we work – events and activities, how to book on a trip, organise training, etc.
If you want to continue learning about diving, we will then provide you with a BSAC qualification book and the student notes for the next dive grade you will be progressing on to.
To support divers transitioning from other agencies, BSAC has created a table that aligns your current scuba diving certification with its equivalent BSAC qualification. if you’d like to further your training, you simply continue from there.
This table highlights how divers from other agencies can seamlessly integrate into the BSAC training program.
Who knows — one day, you might join the elite ranks of First Class Divers, achieving the highest level of BSAC certification, a qualification unrivalled by other diving agencies.
Benefits for already trained divers
- Access to club diving – the club has a compressor, Hard Boat and pool
- Access to great quality and value training
- Programme of diving trips, holidays and socials
- Theory lectures are free to attend
What will it cost?
You would need to join BSAC, £68.50 for one years membership.
We also have our monthly branch fee, currently £20 per month or £240 a year – and that’s it.
If you would to progress your training with Training Packs depend on the course but usually around £50.
Going diving has never been such great value!
Please note that family, junior and student membership costs are lower.
Meet Alex. He joined BSAC as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver.
Listen to Alex’s story…
Further your scuba training with BSAC
If you would like to further your training with a more advanced scuba certification, your diver grade is recognised so you can progress to the next higher BSAC grade (no need to retrain, you can simply progress).
The great thing about being already qualified (as well as hopefully having a passion for the sport already) is that it is easy to start diving with BSAC.
Other agency qualifications are recognised (PADI, SSI, SAA, ScotSAC, NAUI etc) and no further training is necessary unless you’d like to progress with more advanced diver training. You can just start diving with a BSAC club on your existing PADI (or other agency) qualification.
For example the BSAC Sports Diver qualification allows you to undertake dives that require mandatory decompression stops, but it does not have as much emphasis on rescue skills as PADI’s Rescue Diver qualification.
To help divers who join from another agency, BSAC have put together the table which shows where other agency divers enter the BSAC training programme.
Have a PADI Open Water or Advanced Open Water certification?
These qualifications are similar to: BSAC Ocean Diver
Your next more advanced scuba certification would be: BSAC Sports Diver
This is a more advanced diver certification than the PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water certifications. As a Sports Diver, you’ll be competent to dive to 40 metres. It allows most divers to do all the diving they want in the UK and abroad.
At these depths, you can access the majority of UK wreck diving, and with Sports Diver skills you can extend your dive times safely and relax to take in your surroundings and any wildlife you encounter.
If you are a PADI Rescue Diver?
This is similar to: BSAC Sports Diver
Your next advanced diver training course would be: BSAC Dive Leader
As a Dive Leader, you become an essential team member helping to organise activities at your BSAC club. This more advanced diver training also prepares you to dive to depths of up to 50 metres in a range of challenging conditions, following a series of post-qualification depth progression dives.
What about instructor crossover and progression?
This is similar to: BSAC Sports Diver
Your next advanced diver training course would be: BSAC Dive Leader
While other agency divers and instructors can dive with BSAC without any further training necessary, instructors will have to take a crossover course if they would like to start teaching BSAC courses.
BSAC welcomes instructors from all agencies to join and crossover, and even progress their instructor grades beyond Open Water Instructor to Advanced Instructor and National Instructor.
Haven’t dived in the UK?
If you haven’t dived in the UK before, we’d love to introduce you to UK diving, we promise you’ll be amazed!
We can teach you everything you need to know at your own pace.
BSAC clubs can help you with a little extra training if necessary – such as drysuit training.
Haven’t dived for a while?
If it’s been a while since you dived or did your training course such as PADI Open Water or Advanced Open Water certification, BSAC can help you refresh your skills.
BSAC Scuba Refresher session is perfect for you if you haven’t been diving for a while and need to refresh your scuba skills.
Get in touch to arrange a visit
Contact us to arrange a visit or to come diving with us!
Find out where Oxford BSAC Diving Club could take your diving and social life!