Divemaster
- Who it's for
- You're a Rescue Diver and you want to work in diving.
- Length
- 4-8 weeks
- The first professional rating
- Guide certified divers
- Free internship with us
Go Pro · IDC + DM
Become a PADI Instructor
Koh Tao certifies more dive professionals than anywhere else in the world. We are one of its 5 Star Instructor Development Centers.
Two courses, one route
Divemaster and the IDC are separate certifications with separate prerequisites. Take one, or book them back to back and do the whole route in a single trip.
IDC - Instructor Development Course
- Who it's for
- You already hold Divemaster and you want to teach.
- Length
- 2 weeks + exam
- Timed to finish right before the monthly IE
- 2 days of theory refresher before we start
- Taught at a PADI 5 Star IDC centre
Divemaster → Instructor, back to back
- Who it's for
- You want the whole route in one trip, without going home in between.
- Length
- 3-4 months
- Two separate courses, one continuous plan
- We schedule your Divemaster to land on an IDC start
- One conversation, one timeline
Course fees depend on the route and your certifications - ask and we'll price it for you.
Instructor Examination dates
The IE is run by PADI, not by us, on fixed dates each month. Our IDC is timed to finish right before it.
| Month | IDC starts | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| April | 7 | 21 |
| May | 5 | 19 |
| June | 9 | 23 |
| July | 7 | 21 |
| August | 4 | 18 |
| September | 8 | 22 |
| October | 6 | 20 |
| November | 10 | 24 |
| December | 1 (Nov) | 15 |
Not sure which one you need?
Tell us what you're certified as and how long you have. We'll tell you honestly which route fits - and if the timing doesn't work this season, we'll say so.
Talk to an instructor