PADI Open Water Diver Course

What is the PADI Open Water Diver Course?
This is the most popular dive programme in the world and your ticket to a lifetime of intense adventure. Once you have passed your course, you will become a PADI Open Water Diver, a qualification which is recognised worldwide and allows you to dive to a depth of 18m.

What does the course involve?
The course consists of an orientation, five knowledge development sessions, five pool dives in one of our heated pools and four open water dives. Each pool session is two and a half hours long, which means over twelve and a half hours in total! You also have the option of attending extra sessions for a minimal fee. You also have the option of completing the Knowledge Development portion of the course online, in the comfort of your own home! Keep reading for more details.

Where does the course take place?
The Knowledge Development sessions take just over two hours each and take place in one of our on-site classrooms, or it can be completed online (read on for more details). Using state of the art audio-visual equipment we will help you learn all you need to know to keep you safe in the water. The pool sessions take place at the Hewett School pool, which is heated and is one of the best pools for scuba diving in the Norwich area. The open water dives take place at Gildenburgh Water in Whittlesey, which is a freshwater quarry with lots of artificial wrecks for divers to see.

When does the course take place?
Our standard course takes place over 6 consecutive weeks on Thursdays and 5 consecutive weeks on Sundays. The Thursday course is at 6pm-7.30pm the first week, and then 6pm-10pm the other weeks. The Sunday course is at 9.30am-4.30pm the first week, and then 9am-2pm the other weeks. The Open Water Dives normally take place over two days on a Friday and Saturday. Friday is the best time to do your first dives as the dive sites get a little busy over the weekend. Often on a Friday we will have the site to ourselves which will help to keep your stress levels to a minimum. We understand it can be a little difficult to have a Friday off work, but when you are investing money and time in becoming a diver we want you to have the best experience possible. The visibility on a Friday is always better than weekends. Our courses start up every 1-2 weeks.

Who can take the course?
Virtually anyone with good health and fitness can learn to scuba dive. You must be able to swim 200m and float/tread water for 10 minutes. Participants as young as ten, may complete the PADI Open Water Diver programme and receive a junior credential until they reach fifteen years of age. However, due to our health and safety policy, we will only accept children of 12 years and above on the Open Water Diver Course and will only take them diving when the water temperature is above 10oc. Children aged between 10 and 12 years, may complete the referral option (see below for details). Due to regulations regarding online learning, you must be aged 13 years or older to participate in the Online Open Water Diver Course (eLearning).

Are there different options for completing the course?
There are 4 options for completing the course:

Standard Open Water Diver Course - £395
This involves completing 5 knowledge development sessions, 5 pool sessions and 4 open water dives here in the UK. The start dates are all scheduled on the course dates page.

Referral Open Water Diver Course - £295
If completing your dives in a quarry in England doesn’t sound like much fun then this could be the option for you. You will complete all the hard work with us like your knowledge development and pool sessions and then we will refer you to another centre abroad so you can complete your course on your holiday. You get up to a year to complete your final Open Water Dives and once you are qualified you can always come back and have a go in our UK waters.

Holiday Open Water Diver Course - £375
This is a very popular option with our customers. Just like the referral, you do all the hard work with us here but then you relax and let us take you on holiday to finish your course. Our holidays are a great way to become a very competent diver and to make some new friends at the same time. Our staff will accompany you for the duration of the trip so we are always available to answer any questions you may have. We arrange all the diving as well as the evening entertainment. See our travel centre page for some dates and locations.

Online Open Water Diver Course (eLearning) - £375
If you're not too keen on attending classroom sessions, you don't have to anymore! Learning to scuba dive has never been more convenient. Whether you're on the go or want to take it slow, now you can complete the Knowledge development portion of the Open Water Diver Course online with PADI eLearning. Whilst you're working through the online course, or after you have completed all of the online sections, you can print your eLearning record (which records your progress on the course) and bring it in to us at Norwich Scuba to start your underwater adventures. When completing the pool dives of this course with us, you don't need to be able to commit to our usual 5 week schedules. You can pick and choose when you wish to complete your pool modules, as long as they are on days that we have pool sessions scheduled (Thursdays and Sundays). Your pool sessions will usually take place on a 1:1 basis, which gives you plenty of time for extra practice! Payment is $120 (approx £62) for the eLearning portion of this course. This is taken via a secure online payment system. There are additional charges for the inwater training with us (£375). As an eLearning student you will have convenient access to Knowledge Development course material for one year, as well as unlimited and unrestricted access to an online version of the PADI Open Water Diver Course manual. You are able to complete Knowledge Development assessments at your own pace and in your own time. If you have any problems while you are completing your Knowledge Development online, don't worry, you can contact us at anytime during our usual opening hours.

Sign Up for the PADI Open Water Diver Course Online (click here to find out more information and to sign up for eLearning)
Sign In to PADI eLearning (Already an eLearner? Click here to sign in)


Executive Course Option
We also arrange tailor made courses. If you have a hard time committing to our standard five week course or have a few friends you would like to learn with, we can arrange a course on dates that suit you better. This does cost a little extra but you will have your own Instructor for the whole course and can complete your sessions at your own convenience. A one to one executive course is also a very good way to learn if you are nervous or feel you need a little more time to take things in. If you are not sure if this type of course would be suitable for you we can advise you during a Discover Scuba session.

What about my safety during the course?
At Norwich Scuba we only teach in small groups. There will be a maximum of 4 students to 1 Instructor and Assistant, in the classroom, pool and open water. As a result, we are able to spend more time keeping you safe whilst helping you develop your scuba skills and making you a competent diver. Your safety is a priority to us. All of our staff are First Aid trained and attend regular updates/seminars with PADI. We have an in house quality assurance program, part of which involves our most experienced instructors assessing all our team on a regular basis. We also conduct regular Rescue workshops for our staff and club members to assure all our courses remain as safe as possible.

What is included in the price of the course?
The price of our courses include a manual, dive tables and log book (except the eLearning option). Equipment hire, pool hire, instruction and your certification card from PADI are included in all of our courses.. The dive sites we use are developed for diving and there is a minimal entry fee to pay. This is not included in the course price. You will also need to purchase your own mask, snorkel and fins. These are quite personal items, and will make you more comfortable during your course. We can assist you in choosing the right mask, snorkel and fins for you.
Keep an eye on our Specials page for any Special Offers on the above courses.

How do I enrol on the course?
For our Standard, Referral and Holiday Courses, simply come into our shop, pay a deposit and fill in some paperwork. Alternatively, you can download, print and fill in the 3 forms below. Have a look at our Course Schedule page to find a start date that suits you. Then post the forms back to us with a £75 deposit. We will then contact you to confirm your place on the course, and post you an Open Water crewpak (manual, dive tables and logbook), as well as a schedule for the course. The rest of your balance can be paid in instalments (contact us for details.) For the online (eLearning) course, click on the link above to sign up and pay for the Knowledge Development portion of the course. Once you start your pool dives with us, you can pay for your inwater training in instalments (contact us for details).

Downloadable Forms (click on each one to download)
Medical Statement (Fill in only the first side of this form. If you have to say 'yes' to any of the medical questions, you will need to take the entire form to your doctor to sign you off as fit for diving.)
Standard Safe Diving Practices (Fill in entire form)
Statement of Risks and Liability (Fill in entire form)

If you have any more questions regarding this course, please give us a call or pop into the Dive Centre. We recommend you also take some time to read our How do I choose the right Centre to learn with section that follows.