Advanced Open Water Diver

Advanced Open Water Diver (AOWD) is a scuba diving certification level provided by several diver training agencies, such as Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), and Scuba Schools International (SSI). The equivalent course offered by National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) is the Advanced Scuba Diver. The certification level is roughly equivalent to the CMAS * Diver qualification and the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) Ocean Diver qualification, although some differences occur. For example, BSAC Ocean Divers are trained in the use of Nitrox and basic rescue skills for recreational diving.

The SSI Advanced Open Water program is different from most other organizations, as they require not only training but they also require diving experience. To be certified as a SSI AOWD one needs to have completed four specialty courses and minimum of 24 logged dives. In the absence of a logged dives requirement, it is possible to become certified as AOW with some other agencies while having less than 10 lifetime dives.

Scuba Diving International (SDI) offers an Advanced Adventure Diver course similar to the Advanced Open Water Diver Course offered by the Agencies noted herein.