Diving offers unlimited opportunities to explore underwater life and quench your thirst for adventure. Scuba diving courses are a surefire way to learn the sport and improve your level and skills to become a highly-skilled diver. If you have taken an Open Water Diving Course, you can advance your expertise by acquiring the level of SSI Advanced Open Water Diver certification and getting ready to explore some of the most challenging dive sites across the world.
But what exactly are the requirements for the SSI Level 3 Diver or the AOWD course?
Course Overview
The SSI Open Water Diver course is the world’s most popular and widely recognized scuba course, designed for beginners with no prior diving experience required.
To obtain certification, students must complete three phases of training: Academic Training, Confined Water Training, and Open Water Training Dives.
The minimum age to enroll in the SSI Open Water Diver course is 15 years, and participants must demonstrate adequate swimming skills and good physical health.
What is SSI?
SSI (Scuba Schools International) offers a variety of diving certification programs, including introductory courses like Try Scuba, Basic Diver, and Scuba Diver, catering to different levels of experience and time commitment.
SSIs training methodology involves learning new skills while also reviewing previous ones, ensuring divers develop their abilities, increase their confidence, and achieve a natural proficiency in diving.
To begin training with SSI, students must create a MySSI profile, which allows them to access a range of resources including training materials, logbooks, and certification cards available both online and offline.
SSI provides flexible pathways for those who may not complete the Open Water Diver program, allowing credits towards other certifications, and facilitating upgrades to full certifications as training progresses.
Benefits of SSI Certification
The SSI Open Water Diver certification allows divers to explore the underwater world up to depths of 18 meters (60 feet) and is valid for life, providing a lifelong adventure in scuba diving.
SSI training philosophy emphasizes Comfort through repetition, ensuring students gain confidence and competence through continuous practice of their in-water skills.
As a globally recognized certification, SSI Open Water Diver enables certified divers to dive with another certified individual worldwide, enhancing travel and diving opportunities.
SSI offers the ability to credit learning towards other certifications and upgrade training at any time, showcasing flexibility in divers educational pathways.
Comprehensive training practices at SSI focus on creating safe, confident, and qualified divers by combining knowledge acquisition with extensive in-water training sessions.
Where to Get the SSI Open Water Diver Certification?
To acquire the SSI Level 3 AOWD recognition level, you need to head over to an authorized SSI Training Facility store/school. At a diving center, you will be able to learn and improve your diving skills. You will also become an SSI Level 3 AOWD under the expert supervision and guidance of scuba professionals.
If you are in or close to Montclair, CA, the Scuba Schools of America is an ideal destination where you can take the SSI AOWD course. Our center is reputed and well-known to offer various levels of scuba diving courses and training programs by certified and highly experienced instructors. Our scuba professionals teach every learner with strong passion and commitment while abiding by international safety standards. At our center, you can feel confident that your time will be spent in an effective manner, and you’ll have the ideal diving environment to learn, grow, and master advanced scuba skills.
Our website provides complete details of each diving course and program we have to offer. You can also directly talk to one of our professionals and give a direct visit to our center for more details. Call us at 909-326-2989.
Gain Confidence and Advanced Skills with the SSI AOWD Certification for International Diving Adventures
Without proper knowledge and experience, diving in open water around the world can be dangerous. To enjoy international diving tours, you need to acquire the necessary diver certification.
If you plan to become a highly skilled diver, you should enroll in an SSI AOWD course. The program is actually a recognition level, in which you have to dive into challenging dive destinations in different parts of the world. An SSI AOWD recognition certification enables you to gain advanced scuba skills. It will also teach you in-depth scuba knowledge and help you feel comfortable while diving in the open water. If you already have an Open Water Certification, you can go ahead and become certified in four specialty courses and open new avenues for scuba diving adventure.
Once you have acquired this recognition level, you can step into any dive center or shop with confidence. Dive instructors will know from your SSI AOWD certification that you are both experienced and knowledgeable in the adventure of diving. The advantage of the program is that you will complete four specialties of your choice. You will also complete a total of 24 logged dives.
You’ll feel great pride!
The best thing after acquiring the SSI AOWD recognition certification is that you will be only one scuba diving specialty away from becoming an SSI Master Diver, the Level 4 Diver recognition. All you would need is a total of 50 dives and the SSI Science of Diving Program.
What is the Goal of the Open Water Diver Course?
The goal of an SSI Advanced Open Water Diver recognition level is to broaden and deepen your diving knowledge. Getting ready as an AOWD means you will be able to dive at a variety of new diving sites internationally.
With the AOWD recognition level acquired, you will open for yourself excellent new opportunities for exploring different types of marine life and experiencing different diving environments.
The SSI Advanced Open Water Diver training program will also prepare you to learn night diving skills if you choose to have SSI Night Diving as one of your specialties.
We recommend 4 of the following specialties:
- SSI Nitrox Diver
- SSI Night & Low Visibility Diver
- Navigation Diver
- SSI Deep Diver
- SSI Perfect Buoyancy
Eligibility Requirements for the SSI Open Water Diver Certification: Age, Health, and Skills
To get the recognized SSI AOWD certification, you have to fulfill a specific set of eligibility criteria.
Age:
If you plan to enroll in this recognition program, you must be at least 10 years of age or older.
Physical Health:
The candidate has to be in good physical health. You should not have any kind of chronic health condition. If you have certain specific medications, you should consult with a doctor first.
Swimming:
To start the SSI AOWD certification program, you will need to pass the SSI Watermanship Evaluation.
OWD Certification:
You will be eligible to go for the SSI AOWD certification only if you are already OWD certified.
At our dive center, you will get detailed information on all the requirements you need to fulfill. If you have a question or doubt, feel free to talk to one of our specialists at the Scuba Schools of America.
SSI AOWD Course Content
The bundled program allows you to learn a variety of dives and take your dive skills to an advanced level. The SSI AOWD certification is recognized by all dive operators on a worldwide level.
The total number of included activities is eight specialty dives. You will be required to achieve at least 24 verified dives as well as complete four scuba diving specialties. Once you have completed all these and fulfilled the requirements properly, the dive center will award you an SSI AOWD certification. You will be provided the SSI Digital Download material from the dive center. This means you will need to complete only the practical applications at the center.
Our diving instructor will explain to you everything in detail. You will be asked to schedule a Professional Orientation before signing up.
As per the specific needs of a candidate, the instructor can make some changes in the order and length of course parts.
The Scuba Diving Gear You’ll Need
A certified SSI dive instructor will expertly train you so that you can successfully acquire the AOWD certification. Before you can start the course, you will need to be well-equipped with the entire set of scuba gear. Given below is a quick look at what you will need.
- In some Types of Environmental Protection, most use dry suits.
- Mask and snorkel
- Integrated B.C.D. (buoyancy control device)
- Fins
- SS1
- Weights
- Scuba tank (200 bar)
- Dive Computer
In addition to these, you may also be required to equip yourself with other gear as per the requirements of a specific diving specialty. Our dive instructor will work closely with you to help you properly equip yourself for the logged dives. We will also help you prepare for the specialty dives for your SSI Advanced Open Water Diver certification.
At the Scuba Schools of America, you will have all the diving gear available to start and complete the SSI AOWD recognition level. We offer this advanced-level diving course, which includes full diving gear. Once you have enrolled in this course at our center, our professionals will guide you. They will offer you the best level of assistance to prepare and carry the entire gear to the beach. Our professionals at the dive center will also help you with gear maintenance.
Achieve the SSI Open Water Diver Certification Level and Unlock New Diving Adventures Worldwide
With the SSI AOWD recognition level, you can travel to more ambitious and challenging international dive destinations. You will become an advanced-level diver, ready to explore newer, more thrilling adventure opportunities in some of the most popular locations. After you have acquired this level, you may wonder what to do next. You may also ask what can take you even further as a skilled diver.
During your orientation with one of our certified diving instructors, you will get a broader view of what you can do next. The diving instructor will help you make the right decision as to what you should select going ahead and whether you want to finally become a Master Diver.
Try Scuba Diving Options
The SSI Try Scuba program is an introductory diving adventure that allows participants to explore the underwater world and earn a recognition card, making it a family-friendly option for experiencing scuba diving.
The program is conducted in shallow water, providing a safe and exciting opportunity for beginners to experience scuba diving.
The SSI Basic Diver program allows individuals to discover scuba diving through both open and confined water diving while learning essential dive skills in a concise and fun course format.
The SSI Scuba Diver program equips participants with the necessary skills to dive up to 12 meters deep under the supervision of an SSI Professional, serving as an exciting preliminary step towards obtaining full certification.
These introductory programs serve as stepping stones to the globally recognized SSI Open Water Diver certification, facilitating a seamless transition to advanced diving education and experiences.
Why Choose Scuba Schools of America to Get SSI Open Water Diver Certification?
When you want to get an advanced-level scuba certification, you should only rely on highly reputed dive centers with a proven track record for sticking to the highest standards in the diving industry. One such name is the Scuba Schools of America. Located in Montclair, CA, our dive center has been providing a variety of beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level scuba diving certifications and training programs. If you plan to get SSI AOWD certified, you should head straight to our center and learn from the best diving instructors. We have been in business since 1959!
We are also the most active dive center in Southern California. No other dive center has more training and diving opportunities for you.
We also have the distinction of running the only full-service professional dive store in San Gabriel/Pomona Valleys and the Inland Empire.
Our dive center in Southern California offers Open Water Diver classes, Claremont College Scuba Program, Universal Studios Technical Services Diver, SSI Advanced Open Water Diver certification, and Extended Range Training as well classes in snorkeling and swimming. Our experts also plan and arrange local and international diving tours.
Learn More and Enroll in the SSI Open Water Diver Certification Program at Scuba Schools of America
To find detailed information and get enrolled in the SSI AOWD program, you should visit the Scuba Schools of America. Give one of our certified instructors a phone call or write us an email.
