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From Open Water to instructor, all in one place.

The eDive lifelong-education institute, affiliated with Scuba Times (filing planned for Q4 2026), teaches nine courses, and PADI 5-Star CDC course directors teach the instructor courses themselves.

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  • 9 courses
  • 300+ instructors trained
  • Since 2006

A lifelong-education institute for diving

The eDive Lifelong Education Institute is a lifelong-education facility attached to Scuba Times, the registered online newspaper eDive publishes in Gyeonggi Province (Gyeonggi-A54682), set up under Article 37 of Korea’s Lifelong Education Act. Registration with the local education office is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. Courses follow the PADI standard curriculum and list the matching units of Korea’s national competency standards (NCS) for diving, marine sports instruction and first aid, so they can later be recognized under government training programs.

  • 2026 Q4Registration of the institute (planned)
  • PADI standardsCourses and assessments follow the PADI standard curriculum
  • 3 NCS fieldsDiving (14080501), marine sports instruction and first-aid units, listed from the first cohort
  • 2028Target for recognition under the national training-card program

Scubainfo’s course directors have run 84 instructor development courses and trained more than 300 instructors. eDive carries that program forward and adds a lifelong-education institute so a dive career can start from a classroom in Korea. Open Water through Divemaster are taught by PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors or higher; the instructor courses (OWSI, IDC) are taught directly by course directors. The team’s training center has held PADI’s highest rating for instructor development, 5-Star Career Development Center, since 2018.

From first breath to instructor

The institute teaches nine courses from Open Water to instructor. Classes run 09:00–18:00, and hours assume PADI eLearning has been completed beforehand; students who want classroom theory get one extra day.

  1. 1

    Open Water Diver

    First certification. Theory 8 · pool 8 · open water 15 · assessment 1 h. Age 10 and up, weekend class, 8 students.

    4 days · 32 h
  2. 2

    Advanced Open Water

    Five adventure dives: deep, navigation, buoyancy, DSMB and boat. Theory 8 · open water 8 h. Weekend class, 8 students.

    2–3 days · 16 h
  3. 3

    EFR (first aid)

    CPR and AED on manikins, primary and secondary care. Theory 2 · practical 5 · assessment 1 h. 10 students.

    1 day · 8 h
  4. 4

    Rescue Diver

    Tired and panicked divers, missing-diver search, oxygen and CPR. Theory 6 · pool 8 · open water 8 · assessment 2 h. EFR first, 6 students.

    3–4 days · 24 h
  5. 5

    Divemaster

    First professional level. 24 skill demonstrations, briefings, search and recovery, practical assessments with students. Theory 12 · pool 18 · open water 24 · assessment 2 h. 6 students.

    7 days · 56 h
  6. 6

    Assistant Instructor (AI)

    Stage one of instructor training: classroom, pool and open-water teaching. Theory 10 · pool 18 · open water 18 · assessment 4 h. 4 students.

    5–7 days · 50 h
  7. 7

    Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI)

    Preparation for the PADI Instructor Examination, including a mock IE. Theory 40 · pool 30 · open water 28 · assessment 2 h. 6 students. IE fee separate.

    5–7 days · 100 h
  8. 8

    Full IDC (AI + OWSI)

    Assistant Instructor and OWSI in one course. Theory 60 · pool 45 · open water 43 · assessment 2 h. 6 students. IE fee separate.

    10–14 days · 150 h
  9. 9

    EFR Instructor

    Teaching first aid, plus Care for Children. Theory 10 · practical 6 · assessment 2 h. 8 students.

    2 days · 18 h

From enrollment to certification

  1. 1

    Apply

    Send the application, the health questionnaire (PADI medical statement) and a copy of your ID. If the questionnaire flags anything, a doctor’s note is required; minors need a guardian’s consent.

  2. 2

    Sign the course contract

    You receive a copy of the contract stating the course, dates, fees, refund terms and safety rules.

  3. 3

    Train and be assessed

    50-minute classes with 10-minute breaks. Both theory and practical standards must be met.

  4. 4

    Complete and certify

    Complete all hours to receive a certificate of completion. The PADI certification card is applied for separately under PADI standards.

Classes and safety

All practice follows PADI standards and the safety rules of Korea’s Underwater Leisure Activities Act. Theory is taught in our Seongnam classroom; pool and open-water practice take place at contracted external facilities.

  1. 1

    Students per instructor

    Up to 8 in the pool, up to 4 in open water.

  2. 2

    Instructor qualifications

    Open Water through Divemaster: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor or higher. Assistant Instructor: IDC Staff Instructor or higher. Instructor courses: course directors. EFR Instructor: an EFR Instructor Trainer or course director.

  3. 3

    On-site equipment and emergency plans

    Emergency oxygen, a first-aid kit and communications on site, and an emergency assistance plan (EAP) for every course. In open water a PADI instructor or divemaster supervises each group directly.

  4. 4

    Weather limits

    Open-water practice stops when wind, waves or visibility pass the limits. Cancelled classes are made up by arrangement with students.

  5. 5

    Insurance

    Liability insurance covering student accidents.

Fees and refunds

Course fees are tuition plus materials and are refunded under the Lifelong Education Act. Pool use and equipment rental are charged separately and refunded for what you do not use. Amounts will be announced when the first cohort opens.

  • Our cancellationIf the institute cannot hold the course, you get a full refund.
  • Before the startIf you cancel before the course starts, you get a full refund.
  • After the startThe remaining sessions are refunded session by session.
  • 5 business daysRefunds are paid within five business days of the reason arising.

Roadmap

  1. 2026 Q4Lifelong-education institute registered; first cohort recruited
  2. 2027K-Move overseas employment training, first cohort
  3. 2027 AprApplication for recognition under the national training-card program
  4. 2028Target: training-card courses open

Scubainfo dive centers

Daejeon · Yongin · Mungyeong

The institute is in registration; course schedules and fees will be published on this site when the first cohort opens.

Ask about courses

Questions and answers

When does the institute open?
eDive plans to register the institute, a lifelong-education facility attached to Scuba Times under Article 37 of the Lifelong Education Act, in the fourth quarter of 2026. Course schedules and fees will be published on this site when the first cohort opens.
Which courses are taught?
Nine courses at the institute: Open Water Diver (4 days, 32 h), Advanced Open Water (2–3 days, 16 h), EFR (1 day, 8 h), Rescue Diver (3–4 days, 24 h), Divemaster (7 days, 56 h), Assistant Instructor (5–7 days, 50 h), OWSI (5–7 days, 100 h), Full IDC (10–14 days, 150 h) and EFR Instructor (2 days, 18 h). Class sizes range from 4 to 10.
Who teaches?
Open Water through Divemaster are taught by PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors or higher; the instructor courses (OWSI, IDC) are taught by course directors at our training center, which has held PADI’s 5-Star Career Development Center rating since 2018. The team has run 84 instructor development courses and trained more than 300 instructors.
Where are the courses held?
Theory in our Seongnam classroom; pool and open-water practice at contracted external facilities. Our teaching bases are three owned dive centers in Daejeon, Yongin and Mungyeong.
Can I get a refund if I cancel?
Yes, under the Lifelong Education Act: a full refund if the institute cancels or you cancel before the start; after the start, the remaining sessions are refunded session by session, within five business days.
What do I receive on completion?
A certificate of completion once you finish all hours and meet the assessment standards. The PADI certification card is applied for separately under PADI standards.
Can I use the national training card?
Not yet. Courses list the national diving competency units (NCS 14080501) from the first cohort; the application for recognition is planned for April 2027, with a target of opening training-card courses in 2028.