Scuba diving is a fun hobby that many people enjoy. By attending scuba diving schools, you will learn all the ins and outs of scuba diving. Most scuba diving schools require that students be at least 12 years of age and know how to swim before they can enroll.

The PADI Open Water Scuba certification course is an entry-level course most scuba diving schools teach. It usually consists of three parts: pool sessions, classroom learning and open water check out dives. You should take this class before you take a vacation where you will be scuba diving. The course meetings last approximately four hours. Of that, about 1 ½ hours is spent in the pool and 2 ½ hours in the classroom. To be certified, you must make dives in open water after you have complete the required sessions in the pool and classroom. Some scuba diving schools offer SDI Open Water Scuba certification as well as PADI. The main difference is under SDI, students will use a personal dive computer during their dives. PADI and SDI are both the most widely recognized certifications for scuba diving.

If you already have your open water certification, you can get other scuba diving certifications such as the Adventure Diver. The Adventure Diver certification consists of three dives where divers strengthen their underwater skills by performs dives while taking underwater photography. The Open Water Advanced certification lets those that have completed the Open Water certification gain more confidence in their diving ability by completing five open water dives. You may even be interested in getting your Medic/CRP, Rescue Diver, Dive Master, Assistant Instructor, or Instructor Training certification.

Some scuba diving schools offer a free orientation night where potential students can learn more about their services. So if you want to learn scuba diving, check out some of your local scuba diving schools.