PADI Divemaster Course in Hurghada

The PADI Divemaster course in Hurghada is for experienced divers who want to step up to professional level. PADI calls Divemaster the most recognised professional scuba certification in the world — it's the first rung of the dive-pro ladder.

You build professional-level knowledge, polish your skills to demonstration quality, and learn to lead: briefing a group, organising divers, assisting instructors and keeping dives safe. Then you put it into practice with supervised experience in the diving centre, alongside qualified professionals, in the varied environments of the Red Sea.

It's a commitment. PADI requires you to be at least 18, a Rescue Diver with first-aid/CPR training from the last 24 months, medically cleared by a physician within 12 months, and to have 40 logged dives to start (60 to certify).

The schedule depends on your experience, progress, diving conditions and instructor availability, and we agree it with you before you start.

PADI Divemaster requirements: your checklist

Before you book, check you meet PADI's prerequisites to start Divemaster training:

• At least 18 years old
• PADI Rescue Diver certification (or a qualifying certification)
• Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care training (or qualifying training) within the last 24 months
• Medical clearance — evaluated and cleared for diving by a physician within the last 12 months
• 40 logged dives to start the course

To be certified as a Divemaster at the end, you need at least 60 logged dives. The dives you make during training count, so you can close the gap while you're with us.

Send us your certifications, logged-dive count and EFR date on WhatsApp and the instructor will confirm you're ready before you book flights.

Short of the 40 dives? Log more on our full-day diving trips before you start. Is your first-aid training older than two years, or is your medical out of date? Sort it out at home first — it's far easier than doing it in Hurghada.

Water skills and stamina: what PADI tests

Divemasters need to be fit in the water as well as skilled underwater. According to PADI, the water skills assessments include:

• a 400-metre swim, nonstop, without swimming aids
• an 800-metre swim face down with mask, snorkel and fins, nonstop
• towing a fully equipped diver 100 metres at the surface
• 15 minutes of treading water, bobbing or floating without aids, with your hands out of the water for the last two minutes

On top of this, you'll show each core scuba skill at demonstration quality — slow, clear and correct, the way students need to see it. PADI also suggests building cardio fitness and practising skills and rescue techniques before you start.

Hurghada's warm water (about 22 °C in February, about 29 °C in August) makes long sessions in the sea much easier than in colder destinations. During the course your instructor also re-assesses your rescue abilities, building on what you learned as a Rescue Diver, with the focus on control, awareness and spotting problems early.

How long does Divemaster take, and what can you do after?

PADI's own answer on duration is that it varies. The online knowledge part takes 10–16 hours of eLearning (not including Dive Theory), but the practical side depends on your experience, progress and how much supervised time you spend in the centre. Our programme includes a practical internship, so plan for a real commitment rather than a holiday add-on — we agree a schedule with you before you start.

Once certified, PADI Divemasters can lead guided dives, assist with classes, give dive briefings and run refresher training. It's also the step before becoming a PADI Instructor. Many Divemasters work seasons in dive destinations; others simply want to dive at the highest recreational standard and help their own groups.

Not there yet? Build your logged dives on our full-day diving trips or a Red Sea diving safari, or start with the Rescue Diver course. Compare every level on our PADI courses page.