Scuba diving, like most adventure sports, has risks. Our goal is to teach students how to prevent risks by diving “conservatively”, and teach students how to manage possible emergency situations. We encourage students to always plan ahead and never dive beyond their limits.

A typical diving kit weighs around 35-45 pounds. It feels fairly weightless in water, but students will need to be able to lift their kits on land.

You can start by stopping by or calling us at 972-416-8400 (Carrollton) or 214-227-2494 (Frisco) to purchase your course. We have classes starting every week.

You’ll spend about 8 to 15 hours on your own to complete Step 1 – eLearning.

Next, you’ll spend a Saturday and Sunday completing, or three evenings (Mon, Wed, Mon, or Tues, Thurs, Tues) 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Step 2 – Pool Training with your class and instructor.

Finally, you will make 4-6 (depending on which package you sign up for) dives during Step 3 – Open Water Dives over a Saturday and Sunday with your class and instructor. So, self-study time plus two weekends with your class and instructor is all it takes to earn your Open Water Diver scuba certification. The exact course schedules are on our Open Water Diver Course page. Private course options are also available. Stop by or call us for details.

We have options for you. A private course built around your schedule, a referral to complete the open water training dives at your vacation destination or the Scuba Diver certification may be right for you. Stop by or give us a call for more information about these options.

In addition to the course tuition price, there are a couple of other costs associated with becoming a diver. Then, once certified as a diver, you will enjoy a lifetime of underwater adventures.

Essential Personal Gear

For fit and comfort, you will need your own diving mask, snorkel, fins, boots, gloves (in colder months), and a mesh gear bag. You will also need a small bottle of mask defog and mask cleaner. By purchasing these items at International Scuba, know that you will be professionally fitted in quality scuba gear. We will also waive the $150 scuba equipment rental. Pricing for your essential personal gear can range from $350 to $600 depending on the gear you select. Most divers spend around $400 for their essential personal gear. Your course tuition includes all of your training with our professional instructors and divemasters. Since we utilize a privately owned scuba park to conduct the open water dives, student divers will need to pay admission and for air fills at the scuba park. Plan on $80 to cover costs at the scuba park.

Children as young as 10 years old can get Scuba certified. Due to the longer pool sessions on the weekends, we do not allow 10-11-year-olds in our weekend pool training, but we will happily add them to our evening pool sessions.

One-on-one training with a custom schedule is available. There are many options for a private course. Upon registration, you will be put in contact with one of our professional instructors to make arrangements for completing your course components. Please contact us for personalized options and pricing.

We also have concierge training services where we come to your house with the gear to fit you and train you in your pool. This service is ideal for those that want to get certified but does want to waste time driving to and from our location, has special scheduling needs, or just prefers to take the course from the comfort of their own home.

The short answer is you can dive practically anywhere there’s water – from a swimming pool to the ocean and all points in between, including quarries, lakes, rivers, and springs. We have several group trips each year where you can travel with one of our experienced instructors and gain new dive buddies!

Your Open Water Diver certification will never expire. However, if you go several months or longer without making a dive, we highly recommend a one-night ReActivate program to brush up those rusty scuba skills before your next big adventure. Or, you might consider adding some new skills in the process and opt for the Adventure Diver or Advanced Open Water Diver course.

Yes! Validating the quality of the PADI System of diver education, many institutions and national educational councils around the world recommend PADI scuba courses for college credit, occupational certificates, or educational funding. See our Get College Credit page for more information.

No, assuming you have no irregularities in your ears and sinuses. The discomfort is the normal effect of water pressure pressing in on your ears. Fortunately, our bodies are designed to adjust for pressure changes in our ears – you just need to learn how; which you’ll do during your first confined water dive in the pool.

Not necessarily. Any condition that affects the ears, sinuses, respiratory function, and heart function or may alter consciousness is a concern, but only a physician can assess a person’s individual risk. You and your physician(s) can also consult with the Divers Alert Network (DAN) as necessary when assessing fitness to scuba dive. See the Important Medical Information section on the Open Water Diver Course page for more information.

Being able to see clearly underwater is important, for avoiding injury, being able to read your dive gauges, and seeing directions from your instructor. If you wear glasses, then we recommend either using contacts (if you can) or having prescription lenses installed in your dive mask before you begin the confined water portion of your training. There are many options for prescription dive masks, and International Scuba can help you obtain the correct mask and lenses. Allow ample time for lenses to be ordered, cut, and installed in your dive mask. This is not something to leave until the week you start your class.

Sunburn and seasickness, both of which are preventable with over-the-counter preventatives. The most common injuries caused by marine life are scrapes and stings, most of which can be avoided by wearing an exposure suit (wetsuit), staying off the bottom, and watching where you put your hands and feet.

Although wearing a lot of equipment may seem awkward, many people find the “weightlessness” of scuba diving to be quite freeing. Modern dive masks are available in translucent models, which you may prefer if a mask makes you feel closed in.

When you’re lucky, you get to see a shark. Although incidents with sharks can occur, they are very, very, very rare and with respect to diving, primarily involve spear fishing or feeding sharks, both of which trigger feeding behavior. Most of the time, if you see a shark it’s passing through and a relatively rare sight to enjoy.

Aside from pregnancy, no. Because physiologists know little about the effects of diving on the fetus, the recommendation is that women avoid diving while pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Menstruation is not normally a concern.

Scuba diving gives you a unique way to face challenges and transform your life in new ways. Becoming a diver can give you confidence that spills over into the way you face life every day. Start Diving Today!