How To Get Certified?
Follow these step-by-step instructions and you will soon be a happily certified scuba diver (PADI Open Water)!
1. Join the Auckland University Underwater Club.
2. Get a dive medical (certifies you are fit to dive).
- Contact your personal general practitioner (usually cheaper) but not all GP’s can do dive medicals.
- Visit Student Health on UoA campus, costs $80, book in advance as they only have one doctor who can do dive medicals.
3. Contact the Training Officer to inquire about the next available course.
4. Secure your spot on the course by promptly paying for it. See Ways to Pay.
[NOTE: The Training Officer is a volunteer. Please don't stuff them around by committing to a course and then trying to pull out at the last minute and get your money back. This will cause the course to fall apart and spoil things for everyone (training officer, course participants, dive shop owner). Make everyone's life easier: commit to a course, pay and attend. No refund will be offered if you suddenly decide to cancel on us.]
5. Attend every session of your course.
[NOTE: You will need mask, snorkel, fins, booties for the dive course. The course provider has some great package deals for club members that you can see on the first night of the course. These are your diving 'underwear' and although you can rent or borrow them for the course you will likely want your own at some point. Feel free to ask us if you need any advice on what to choose.]
6. Now you can dive! Enter the phone number for the Divers Emergency Service into your mobile phone (DES: 0800 433 7111). Hopefully you’ll never have to dial it.
7. Sign up for some AUUC trips.
8. Take your diving to the next level by signing up for another course to progress your diving skills. PADI Open Water leads to PADI Advanced Open Water leads to PADI Rescue Diver. There are also some great TDI courses that can teach you about decompression and nitrox diving. Return to Step 3.
