Certifications

AIDA is the global governing body of freediving competitions, like FIFA is for soccer. They organize the freediving World Championships each year, ratify World Records, handle doping tests, and certify people in professional roles like Judges, competition Safety Divers, and Instructors.

AIDA also offers certifications to recreational freedivers, which demonstrate that you have learned to freedive safely, and let you access commercial freediving opportunities like deep pools and trips.

AIDA's certifications come in four levels (1-4). You start at level 1 and can upgrade your level as your skills progress. Higher levels offer you more access during trips and at deep pools. You also need to pass through the highest level 4 before being admitted to Freedive Instructor Training.

On this page you can find the complete list of tests for each AIDA certification level:

Plus:Video submission of challengesComparison to other agencies

Beginner (AIDA 1)

For AIDA's level 1 certification, you must demonstrate that you know how to freedive safely, and can look after yourself and others.

Intermediate (AIDA 2)

For AIDA's level 2 (Intermediate) certification you must meet a general level of freediving proficiency, plus pass a written test and an open water safety test.

Written test

  • Pass the online AIDA 2 written exam with a 75% score

SAFETY TEST

Successfully complete the following safety challenges in the presence of an AIDA Instructor:

  • Buddy at depth from 5m*
  • Rescue from 5m

GENERAL PROFICIENCY

Demonstrate the ability to:

  • Freedive to 10m*
  • Hold your breath for 2 minutes
  • Swim underwater in a pool with fins for 40m

*Depth prerequisite for Cold Water as defined by AIDA as <12°C below 10m.

Advanced (AIDA 3)

For AIDA's level 3 (Advanced) certification you must meet a general level of freediving proficiency, plus pass a written test and an open water safety test.

Written test

  • Pass the online AIDA 3 written exam with a 75% score

SAFETY TEST

Successfully complete the following safety challenges in the presence of an AIDA Instructor:

  • Buddy at depth from 15m
  • Rescue from 10m
  • Tow 50m
  • Self rescue: loss of mask from 10m
  • Self rescue: 1 fin ascent (simulated leg cramp) from 12m
  • Self rescue: arms only ascent from 15m

GENERAL PROFICIENCY

Demonstrate the ability to:

  • Freedive to 20m*
  • Hold your breath for 2:45 minutes
  • Swim underwater in a pool with fins for 55m

*Depth prerequisite for Cold Water as defined by AIDA as <12°C below 10m.

Master (AIDA 4)

For AIDA's level 4 (Master) certification you must meet a general level of freediving proficiency, plus pass a written test and an open water safety test.

Written test

  • Pass the online AIDA 4 written exam with a 75% score

SAFETY TEST

Successfully complete the following safety challenges in the presence of an AIDA Instructor:

  • Rescue from 20m then tow to shore
  • Rescue with 1 fin (simulated leg cramp) from 15m
  • Line rescue from 20m
  • Self rescue: loss of mask from 20m
  • Self rescue: 1 fin ascent (simulated leg cramp) from 20m

GENERAL PROFICIENCY

Demonstrate the ability to:

  • Freedive to 30m*
  • Hold your breath for 3:30 minutes
  • Swim underwater in a pool with fins for 70m

Plus:

  • Buoy setup and knots
  • Body stretching
  • Lung stretching

*Depth prerequisite for Cold Water as defined by AIDA as <12°C below 10m.

Depth Competition Safety

The challenges for AIDA's professional Depth Competition Safety role are as follows:

  • Ability to assist and rescue from -25m with BOs at random depths (surface, 10m, 25m, in random order) covering all team roles (Safety 1, Safety 2 and Safety 3), including extraction (hand-off to the medical team)
  • Team rescues from -25m with 30 second standby
  • Solo rescues from -20m
  • 30m dive + 30 second surface recovery + 20m dive
  • 20m dives with 3-5 seconds notice, at fast pace (early turn simulation)
  • Pass the online theory exam with a 75% score

Instructor

The challenges for AIDA's professional Instructor role are as follows:

Written

  • Pass the written Instructor exams parts 1, 2a and 2b

Depth

  • CWT 35m
  • FIM 35m
  • Long CWT 30m 1:30
  • Long FIM 30m 2:00
  • 15m x 5 CWT dives with 1 minute surface interval in between
  • Rescue from 20m then tow 50m
  • Rescue from 15m after 30s hang

Pool

  • Hold your breath for 4 minutes
  • Swim underwater with fins for 90m

Note that the depths for some challenges reflect the cold water (<12°C below 10m) modifications specified by AIDA Education Officer Andy Buhl.

Guidelines to submit challenges by video

In special circumstances, challenges that don’t require depth may be submitted by video. If you are submitting a challenge by video, please follow these guidelines:

Breath holds

Breath holds (“statics”) should be done on land, lying down in a comfortable place like your bed. You can film yourself with a stationary camera and you don’t need to have a buddy.

Underwater swims

For underwater swims (“dynamics”) you must have a buddy. Your buddy should film you while swimming on the surface next to you. If you don’t have a waterproof camera, you can mount your camera at one end of the pool, as long it has a clear field of view of you and your buddy swimming next to you the whole time.

Comparison to other agencies

Here are some tables showing how AIDA's certification requirements compare to those of other agencies. Some observations:

  • In PFI and NAUI the dynamic is optional, which is a nice feature when pool access is difficult.
  • Molchanovs and NAUI do not offer a Beginner certification. Their lowest level certification requires students to dive to 10-12m.