Scuba Diving Education Agencies

ACUC – American Canadian Underwater Certifications – The American Canadian Underwater Certifications, Inc., now popularly known as ACUC International, has grown to become an international leader in high-quality sports diver training.

ANDI – American Nitrox Divers International – ANDI International (ANDI) is one of the world’s fastest-growing diver training agencies. ANDI began by specializing in training programs for Enriched Air Nitrox ( SafeAir ) diving.

BSAC – British Sub-Aqua Club – Internationally recognized for more than 40 years as the leading sports diver training agency, the BSAC has more than 400 schools and 55,000 members in over 50 countries.

CMAS – World Confederation of Underwater Activities – The World Underwater Federation was founded in 1959 and by now it comprises over 130 federations from 5 continents. It can be associated with elaborating one of the oldest and most extensive dive training systems.

DAN – Divers Alert Network – DAN is Divers Alert Network, the diving industry’s largest association dedicated to scuba diving safety. Serving scuba divers for more than 30 years, DAN provides emergency assistance, medical information resources, educational opportunities, and more.

Dive Rescue International – Founded in 1977 by dedicated law enforcement officials, Dive Rescue International has remained exclusively committed to providing training and equipment for all public safety professionals involved in aquatic incidents.

ERDI – Emergency Response Diving – ERDI is the Public Safety diving (PSD) agency that trains Police, Fire, and other public safety organizations in Search and Rescue techniques in just about every submerged environment known.

HSA – Handicapped Scuba Association – The HSA was founded in 1981 by Jim Gatacre and is now the world’s leading authority on recreational diving for people with disabilities. HSA INTERNATIONAL extends its underwater educational programs worldwide.

IANTD – International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers – IANTD is the world’s largest scuba diving training organization for open-water, nitrox, enriched air, overhead environment, cave, wreck, rebreather, trimix, gas blenders, technical scuba divers, instructors, and instructor trainers.

IDEA – International Diving Educators Association – IDEA was originally established in 1952 as part of the Florida Skin Divers Association, which later became the Florida Scuba Divers Association (FSDA). Currently, IDEA is recognized as the fourth largest certification agency worldwide.

MDEA – Multinational Diving Educators Association – Multinational Diving Educators Association International, Inc. (MDEA) was founded in 1984 by a group of diving professionals from all areas of the diving industry.

NACD – National Association for Cave Diving – In August 1968 several experienced cave divers held a seminar at Hornsby Spring, near the town of High Springs, Florida. They addressed the growing number of drownings of divers, untrained in cave diving techniques.

NASE – National Academy of Scuba Educators – The National Academy of Scuba Educators (NASE Worldwide) is a training organization that provides state-of-the-art teaching materials, programs, and leadership to dive professionals around the world.

NAUI – National Association of Underwater Instructors – Formed in 1960, NAUI Worldwide offers a full range of training programs from Skin Diver through Instructor Course Director, with dozens of specialty courses including nitrox and technical diving.

PADI – Professional Association of Diving Instructors – PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) is the world’s largest recreational diving membership organization.

PDIC – Professional Diving Instructors Corporation – The Professional Diving Instructors Corporation (PDIC) is an international scuba training and certification agency. With an estimated 5 million active recreational divers, this adventure sport is being enjoyed by divers from all walks of life.

PSAI – The Professional Scuba Association International – The Professional Scuba Association International is the only certification agency that has been teaching both sport diving and extended range diving for over 50 years! PSAI has a full range of sport diving, technical diving, cave diving, wreck diving, SCR & CCR rebreather, and technician certification programs.

PSS – Professional Scuba Schools – The trade name PSS, which stands for Professional Scuba Schools, was founded in the 1990s, thanks to the passion and commitment of a few experts who had been involved in training divers for over twenty-five years.

S.C.U.B.A. – S.C.U.B.A. is a diving organization based in Switzerland with strong ties to the international diving community. S.C.U.B.A. stands for Swiss Company for Underwater Breathing & Activities.

SDI – Scuba Diving International – Scuba Diving International was created in 1999 and grew out of the success of the sister company TDI (Technical Diving International), which specializes in the more advanced disciplines of dive training.

SNSI – Scuba Nitrox Safety International – In 1995 Umberto Pepoli founded Scuba Nitrox Safety International mainly as an instructional and training Nitrox-oriented agency. SNSI has always stood out from the competition for its innovative ideas such as realizing didactic programs.

SSI – Scuba Schools International – Scuba Schools International grew out of the passion of a few avid divers who were intent on making it possible for anyone to learn how to scuba dive. SSI provides training, scuba diving certification, and educational resources for divers, and dive instructors.

TDI – Technical Diving International – TDI is the largest technical certification agency in the world. As one of the first agencies to provide training in mixed gas diving and rebreathers, TDI is seen as an innovator of new diving techniques and programs.