As a PADI Professional, one of the most common things I hear from divers is that they would love to do their next PADI course but they don’t know if they can find the time. With most people working longer hours during the week it is a legitimate excuse for many… including this writer!
The more and more I hear this response, it seems that the problem isn’t finding the actual time to complete the inwater training of courses, it’s rather the thought of having to sit in a classroom for the day to complete the theory sections that stops a lot of divers from continuing on with their training.
It was only natural that back in 2007 PADI launched the PADI eLearning® program. Now you can study nearly anything online including completing a university degree from some of the world’s leading universities. Back then, PADI started off with PADI Open Water Diver Online in English. As the popularity of PADI eLearning increased, divers demanded new courses, and in turn, more languages. In 2023, there are now nine course available in up to nine different languages, and this is only going to increase with more online courses and more languages.

So what is PADI eLearning in a nutshell?
PADI eLearning lets you complete the knowledge development sections of selected PADI courses online. Traditionally this section was completed in the classroom of the PADI Dive Shop before your course. With PADI eLearning you can complete these sections as long as you are online.
Yes, that is right, if classrooms are not your thing, you can complete the relevant sections at your own pace. Whether this is in the comfort of your own home, on the daily bus or train ride to work, or you can even be a bit sneaky and complete the sections at work… in the lunch break of course!
How Long Does eLearning Take?
Different PADI courses can be completed in different time frames. It also depends on how quickly you’re able to move through the content! When browsing the PADI courses online, you’ll find the time commitment in the “More Info” section on each course page. Certain courses like the Open Water Course have more content and will take longer.

What about the in-Water Part?
Once you’ve completed the necessary knowledge development on your course with eLearning, it’s time for underwater, and out-of-water, skills and experience. Your dive instructor will complete this with you in person. Whether at your local dive shop or on your next dive trip, it can be done at any PADI dive shop!
Start eLearning Now
If this sounds like the option for you, visit www.padi.com/elearning or contact your local PADI Dive Shop and they will be happy to help you! Wether you’re short on time, or simply just prefer learning online, it’s easy to get started!
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