AIDA — International Association for the Development of Apnea

Be 18 years of age or older (16 or 17 years old with parent or guardian consent)

Be able to swim at least 100m non-stop

This course offers a basic knowledge of freediving and introductory skills such as relaxation of body and mind, finning techniques, duck dives and equalisation.

Active AIDA Pool Instructor or Higher

Prerequisite certifications: None

Student to Instructor ratios for pool or confined water: 8:1 with a certified assistant 12:1

Student to Instructor ratios for open water: 4:1 with a certified assistant 6:1

Minimum Classroom Sessions (if teaching): 1 session of min. 90 min

Max depth: 10m

The course should run over at least 1 day (3 hours)

Be 18 years of age or older (16 or 17 years old with parent or guardian consent)

Can swim at least 200m non-stop without fins or at least 300m non-stop with mask, fins and snorkel

The static and dynamic sessions in confined water are used to teach relaxation, breathing, finning and safety techniques. In the open water sessions students will apply the skills they have learned in the pool / confined water sessions and combine them with the basic skills of open water freediving such as equalizing, duck diving, vertical swimming, body positioning, turns and use of buoyancy.

The freediving theory will include: Introduction to Freediving, Freediving Breathing Cycle, Basic Physiology of Freediving, Equalization, Freediving Techniques, Safety in Freediving, Equipment in Freediving, Freediving Disciplines.

Active AIDA Instructor or Higher

Prerequisite certifications: None

Student to Instructor ratios for pool or confined water: 8:1 with a certified assistant 12:1

Student to Instructor ratios for open water: 4:1 with a certified assistant 6:1

Minimum Classroom Sessions (if teaching): 2 (minimum 3 hours total)

Minimum Knowledge Review Session (if self-study): 1 session of min. 90 min

Minimum Confined Water Sessions: 2

Max Confined Water depth: 5m

Minimum Open Water Sessions: 3 over at least 2 days

Max Open Water depth: 20m

The course should run over at least: 2.5 days

Be 18 years of age or older (16 or 17 years old with parent or guardian consent)

Have completed the AIDA2 course or have completed the AIDA2 Crossover Evaluation if crossing over from another freediving agency

The course is designed to further develop skills from previous levels, to acquire new skills and gain a higher knowledge of safety procedures and techniques. The new techniques that are introduced are free-fall, Frenzel Equalizing, the use of training tables, the risks of increasing and decreasing pressure and also how to minimize these risks. Students will train these skills in the most common disciplines of freediving: Static Apnea, Dynamic Apnea, Free Immersion and Constant Weight Bi fins.

The theory will include: Physiology, Equalization, Barotrauma, Lungs at Depth, Buoyancy, Shallow Water Blackout, Training Concepts, The Mammalian Dive Response, Decompression Sickness, Surface Intervals and the Freediver's Code of Conduct.

Active AIDA Instructor or Higher

Student to Instructor ratios for pool or confined water: 8:1 with a certified assistant 12:1

Student to Instructor ratios for open water: 4:1 with a certified assistant 6:1

Minimum Classroom Sessions (if teaching): 3 (minimum 3 hours total)

Minimum Knowledge Review Session (if self-study): 1 session of min. 90min

Minimum Confined Water Sessions: 2

Max Confined Water depth: 5m

Minimum Open Water Sessions: 4 over at least 2 days

Max Open Water depth: 30m

The course should run over at least 3 days

Be 18 years of age or older

Have completed the AIDA 3 course or have completed the AIDA 3 Crossover Evaluation if crossing over from another freediving agency

Have completed a course in First Aid with CPR within the last two years

This course familiarises students with techniques, knowledge and safety procedures for deep freediving that go beyond recreational freediving. The new techniques will include FRC diving, mouth-fill equalization and packing. The skills are developed within these categories of freediving: Static Apnea, Dynamic Apnea, Constant Weight Bi fins, Free Immersion and Variable Weight (Optional). In addition to the in-water skills this course introduces full body warm-ups and stretching, specific stretching of breathing muscles, training concepts and diet that benefits the freediver and help shape their development as a diver. You will also be, acquainted with packing and reverse packing, mainly within vital capacity as a part of the dry lessons.

An important set of skills concerns managing open water equipment. The use of appropriate knots and braiding techniques, setting the depth on the dive line, constructing a safe bottom weight from a weight belt and diving leads, safe handling of other additional equipment (bottom plate, torches, lanyards, etc.).

One of the purposes of this course is to prepare successful candidates for the role of "Assistant Instructor". This new role will include leading an appropriate warm-up session for confined and open water freediving and supervising students of all course levels during their confined or open water sessions.

The theory sessions will include: Physics - Dalton's Law, Boyle's Law, Henry's law, Decompression Sickness, Nitrogen Narcosis, Failure Depth and how to increase VC and decrease RV, FRC Diving, Mouth-Fill, Packing, Fitness and Training, Nutrition and Diet for Freedivers.

Active AIDA Master Instructor or Higher

Student to Instructor ratios for pool or confined water: 8:1 with a certified assistant 12:1

Student to Instructor ratios for open water: 4:1 with a certified assistant 6:1

Current First Aid certification which includes CPR (no older than two years)

Minimum Classroom Sessions (if teaching): 3 (minimum 3 hours total)

Minimum Knowledge Review Session (if self-study): 1 session of min. 90min

Full Body Warm-up, Stretching and Specific Stretches of the Breathing Muscles

Minimum Confined Water Sessions: 2

Max Confined Water depth: 5m

Minimum Open Water Sessions: 4 over at least 2 days

Max Open Water depth: 38m

The course should run over at least 4 days

Be 18 years of age or older (16 or 17 years old with parent or guardian consent)

Have completed an AIDA1 or AIDA2 pool certification

have completed the Crossover Evaluation if crossing over from another freediving agency

The AIDA Monofin Freediver course is designed to be an introduction to Monofin swimming and to help the student develop the basic skills, techniques and knowledge necessary to start using the Monofin efficiently. Students will be acquainted with different approaches to freediving with a Monofin, exercises designed to work on this swimming style and ways of planning a training program.

The theory sessions will include: History of the Monofin; Monofin construction and design, current manufacturers and how to choose and fit your fin; How to care for and transport your Monofin safely; Freediving categories which use the Monofin, the differences needed in blade and technique and the advantages and disadvantages of monofins over bi-fins; Equipment for use with the Monofin; Dry training to develop the body for Monofin freediving; Physiology for Monofin freediving; Key rules to remember for Monofin freediving safely and Sources of further information.

Minimum age: 18 or older (16 or 17 years old with parent or guardian consent)

Minimum classroom sessions: 1 (2 hours total)

Minimum confined water session: 4

Max Confined Water depth: 5m

The course should run over at least 2 days

Be 18 years of age or older (16 or 17 years old with parent or guardian consent)

Have completed the AIDA2 Freediver course or have completed the Crossover Evaluation if crossing over from another freediving agency

This is a course for anyone who plans on entering an AIDA Competition for the first time and/or wants to know more about how one works. Students will develop their knowledge and skills of the main competitive categories of freediving including Static Apnea, Dynamic Apnea and Constant Weight. The instructor will cover all the competition rules and procedures in the classroom before recreating a competition environment in the pool and/or open water to give the student a real sense of how it can feel to be in a competition situation.

The theory sessions will include: AIDA regulations for International Freediving Competitions- general rules; The 8 disciplines of freediving and why competitions are not held for Variable Weight or No Limits.

Be 18 years of age or older

Have an AIDA2 pool freediving certification or equivalent

Be willing to work in a team and have satisfactory communication skills

Have previous AIDA competition experience (as an athlete, judge or organizer

Fulfil the following physical requirements:

- 100m surface swim in less than 1:45 (no equipment)

- 100m surface swim in less than 1:30 (with equipment)

- 50m surface sprint using fins and floating board in less than 35” (50m pool).

- Adjust based on the available pool if needed (e.g. less than 40” for a 25m pool)

- 50m DYNB

- 8x25m DYNB at fast pace, 15” recovery

- 30” STA at the bottom of the pool (1m-3m)

The purpose of the AIDA Pool Competition Safety by Vertical Blue - Professional Safety Freediver® courses is to familiarise freedivers with the safety procedures and rules in place during an AIDA Pool competition. Students will develop their knowledge and skills so they can be used as a Safety Freediver during AIDA Pool competitions.

Demonstrate proper surface swimming technique while assisting a DYN performance

Demonstrate ability to not disrupt the athlete’s performance, minimize turbulences while finning as well as keeping visual of the judges

Demonstrate satisfactory DYN rescues

Demonstrate satisfactory STA rescues

Ability to manage stress

Pass the theory exam (75% min. score)

Active AIDA Pool Instructor or Higher and AIDA Judge

An AIDA Pool Competition Safety by Vertical Blue - Professional Safety Freediver® is certified to provide safety in STA, DYN, DYNB, DNF for all AIDA pool events

AIDA Pool Competition Safety by Vertical Blue - Professional Safety Freediver® will gain experience points by participating in AIDA pool events, following a mechanism similar to the one adopted for AIDA Judges. The achieved level and number of experience points will be considered upon selecting safeties for events such as the AIDA World Championships.

Experience points are attributed based on the following formula:

Performance Zone Safeties: 2 points per start divided by the number of Performance Zone Safeties.

Warm-up Zone Safeties: the number of points received by a Performance-zone Safety divided by 2

Example: Pool competition with 40 starts, 4 performance zone safeties and 2 warm-up safeties.

Each performance-zone safety receives: (2 points x 40 starts) / 4 safeties = 20 points

Each Warm-up Safety receives: 20 points for a performance zone safety / 2 = 10 points. Safety experience is recognized through 4 experience levels, based on the achieved experience points. To achieve the highest experience level (Level A) a safety must also be approved by the AIDA Sport Officer (following the recommendation of the AIDA Safety committee)

- Pool Safety level D: 100 competition points

- Pool Safety level C: 200 competition points

- Pool Safety level B: 300 competition points

- Pool Safety level A: 400 competition points & Approval by the AIDA Sport Officer based on the AIDA Safety Committee recommendation.

Student to Instructor ratios for pool or confined water: 8:1 with a certified assistant 12:1

Maximum number of students for theory classes: 12:1

Minimum Classroom Sessions (if teaching): 4 (minimum 7.5 hours total)

Minimum Pool Sessions: 3

Max Confined Water depth: 5m

The course should run over at least 2 days (minimum 14 hours total)

Be 18 years of age or older

Hold an AIDA2 freediving certification or equivalent

Have previous AIDA competition experience (as athlete, judge or organizer).

Be willing to work in a team and have satisfactory communication skills

Fulfil the following physical requirements:

Fulfil the following physical requirements:

- 35-40m CWTB

- 30m dive + 30” surface recovery + 20m dive

- 20m dives with 3-5” notice, at fast pace (early turn simulation)

The purpose of the AIDA Depth Competition Safety by Vertical Blue - Professional Safety Freediver® courses is to familiarise freedivers with the safety procedures and rules in place during an AIDA Depth competition. Students will develop their knowledge and skills so they can be used as a Safety Freediver during AIDA Depth competitions

Ability to perform solo rescues from -20m

Ability to perform team rescues from -25m with 30” standby

Ability to assist and rescue from -25m with BOs at random depths (es. 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)

Ability to manage stress

Pass the theory exam (75% min. score)

Active AIDA Instructor or Higher and AIDA Judge

An AIDA Depth Competition Safety by Vertical Blue - Professional Safety Freediver® is certified to provide safety at 20m with a max Standby time of 20” in AIDA depth events limited to 80m depth announcements.

An AIDA Depth Competition Safety by Vertical Blue - Professional Safety Freediver® will gain experience points by participating in AIDA depth events. The achieved level and number of experience points will be considered upon selecting safeties for events such as the AIDA World Championships.

Experience points are attributed based on the following formula:

Performance Zone Safeties: 3 points per start divided by the number of Performance Zone Safeties.

Warm-up Zone Safeties: the number of points received by a Performance-zone Safety divided by 4

Example: depth competition with 20 starts, 3 performance zone safeties and 2 warm-up safeties:

Each Performance-zone safety receives: (3 points x 20 starts) / 3 safeties = 20 points

Each Warm-up Safety receives: 20 points for a performance zone safety / 4 = 5 points Safety experience is recognized through 4 experience levels/landmarks, based on the achieved experience points.

- Depth Safety level D: 50 competition points

- Depth Safety level C: 100 competition points

- Depth Safety level B: 150 competition points

- Depth Safety level A: over 200 competition points

Step I: Accumulation of experience points

A certified AIDA Depth Competition Safety by Vertical Blue - Professional Safety Freediver® accumulates experience points through their participation as official safety in AIDA depth competitions.

Step II: Certification as AIDA Depth Competition Safety by Vertical Blue - Professional Safety Freediver®

A total of 200 experience points allows to enroll in the AIDA Advanced Depth Competition Safety by Vertical Blue - Professional Safety Freediver® course. Upon successfully completing the advanced course, the student will be certified as AIDA Advanced Depth Competition Safety, which certifies them to provide safety at maximum 30m depth with a maximum standby time of 20” in all AIDA depth events (including AIDA depths events beyond 80m depth).

Step III: Certification as AIDA Advanced Depth Safety Instructor

AIDA Instructor certification

AIDA Advanced Depth Competition Safety by Vertical Blue - Professional Safety Freediver® certification

400 Safety experience points

AIDA Safety Committee recommendation and approval by the Education Officer

The AIDA Advanced Depth Safety Instructor has the competence to certify AIDA Advanced Depth Competition Safety freedivers

Student to Instructor ratios for Open water: 4:1 with a certified assistant 6:1

Maximum number of students for theory classes: 6

Minimum Classroom Sessions (if teaching): 4 (minimum 8 hours total)

Minimum Open Water Sessions: 3

Max Open Water depth: 40

The course should run over at least 2 (minimum 14 hours total)

Be 18 years of age or older

Have completed the AIDA2 Freediver course or have completed the Crossover Evaluation if crossing over from another freediving agency, or have entered a freedive competition as an athlete and/or as a safety diver

Be a member of a AIDA National

This course provides the knowledge and skills for planning and organisation of AIDA competitions, safety, problems and risks during

Practical sessions teach set-ups for competition line measurement and coding, safety procedures and a refresh on latest rescue techniques.

Students learn to act as a judge in the training scenarios or in actual competition.

By successfully passing this course the candidates gain the status of AIDA Judge level E or E-pool.

AIDA Judge Level: AI

AIDA Judge level E allows judging at national competitions and at international competitions under the supervision of a more experienced judge.

Be 18 years of age or old.

Having achieved a first aid certification from a recognized agency within the last two years.

Holding an AIDA4 certification (or equivalent, and complete a crossover evaluation).

Requirements must be fulfilled before starting the course.

CWTB 40-50m

FIM 40-50m

CNF > 20m

Slow CWTB (30m > 1:30)

Slow FIM (30m > 2:00)

Solo rescue from 25m + 50m tow and rescue breaths

Rescue with standby: 1:00 standby at 15m + solo rescue

Stamina Test: 5x20m CWTB with max 1:00 surface recovery

Demonstrating proper technique in all disciplines

Demonstrating rescue techniques

STA 4:00-5:00

DYNB > 90m

DNF > 50m

Demonstrating proper technique in all disciplines

Demonstrating rescue techniques (STA, DYNB)

Teaching theoretical concepts using AIDA2 slides

Teaching theoretical concepts using AIDA3 slides

Teaching AIDA2 pool skills

Teaching AIDA3 pool skills

Teaching AIDA2 open water skills

Teaching AIDA3 open water skills

Conducting a stretching & breathing session

Demonstrating ability to handle ropes, perform knots, set-up buoys and open water equipment

Participating in teaching a course attended by real students under the supervision of the instructor trainer

Research and oral presentation on a topic which extends the standard material of AIDA courses. Candidates will be assigned a topic by their instructor trainer at least 1 month before the course starts, and will need to deliver a written essay and a slide set in advance, in such a way that the material can be reviewed by the trainer. The instructor trainer will evaluate both the quality of the material and the presentation skills.

AIDA 2, 3 and 4 theoretical exams, passing rate > 90%

Instructor course exams (exam 1, exam 2A - open book, exam 2B), passing rate > 75%

Classroom sessions cover a variety of topics such as teaching methodologies, effective communication, risk management, planning, marketing, and budgeting.

Water sessions are devoted to performance requirements and skills demonstration

The candidate instructor needs to demonstrate repeatable performances under stress and with impeccable technique, in every discipline and phase of the dive (relaxation phase, body position, finning, equalization, surface protocol, etc.).

Meeting the required performance requirements sporadically or with bad form/technique will not be considered satisfactory to pass the course.

Blackout or loss of motor control happening during the course entail failing the course.

Active AIDA Instructor Trainer

An AIDA Instructor is qualified to teach the AIDA1, AIDA2 Freediver Course, AIDA3 Advanced Freediver Course and the AIDA Monofin Course.

An AIDA Instructor is also qualified to teach the AIDA Competition Freediver and AIDA Competition Safety Freediver if the Instructor is also an AIDA Judge.

Minimum Classroom Sessions (if teaching): 8 Minimum duration 8 x 1.5 hours for each session

Minimum Knowledge Review Session (if self-study): 8 session of min. 8 x 15min

Minimum Confined Water Sessions: 3

Max Confined Water depth: 5m

Minimum Open Water Sessions: 5 over at least 3 day

Max depth: 50m

Maximum number of Instructor Candidates on course: 8

The course should run over at least 7 days

An AIDA Master Instructor is an AIDA Instructor who has been active for minimum 12 months and has issued at least 50 AIDA Certifications, of which at least 20 have to be AIDA2 and at least 10 have to be AIDA3 certifications. The number of certs may be made up of certifications from another organization which will only count as half a credit. You will still need 50% of the credits coming from AIDA certifications.

For example you have 25 AIDA certifications of which at least 10 are AIDA2 and 5 are AIDA3 you will then need a further 50 certifications at the required levels from another agency to become eligible for application to become Master Instructor.

In exceptional cases an application can be made to the EC for promotion without meeting all the requirements stated above. As an absolute minimum you will have to have been active as an AIDA Instructor for at least six months and you should have at least 50% of the certs needed. We will then consider your application on other merits such as competition experience, education experience, more years experience with limited number of certs, voluntary activity within AIDA, other sport activities experience as instructor, work undertaken for the Education committee to advance freediving, be it translations, surveys, education material creation, etc.

freediving, be it translations, surveys, education material creation, etc. The AIDA education committee may use feedback surveys on an instructor`s performance and adherence to standards to evaluate whether they are ready to become an AIDA Master Instructor. AIDA Instructors who have met these requirements may submit the AIDA Master Instructor Application Form by email to support@aidainternational.org together with the application fee to gain this recognition.

An AIDA Master Instructor is qualified to teach the AIDA1, AIDA2 Freediver Course, AIDA3 Advanced Freediver Course, AIDA4 Master Freediver Course and the AIDA Monofin Course.

An AIDA Master Instructor is also qualified to teach the AIDA Competition Freediver and AIDA Competition Safety Freediver if the Instructor is also an AIDA Judge.

An AIDA Instructor Trainer is an AIDA MI who has been active for minimum 12 months and has issued a minimum of 100 certifications, with a minimum of 30 AIDA2 certifications, 20 AIDA3 certifications and 10 AIDA4 certifications. The number of certifications may be made up of certifications from another.

Organization which will only count as half a credit. You will still need 50% of the credits coming from AIDA certifications. For example, you have 50 AIDA certifications of which at least 5 are AIDA 4 you will then need a further 100 certifications from another agency with at least 10 level 4 equivalents to become eligible for application to become Instructor trainer.

To be promoted from AIDA Master Instructor to AIDA Instructor Trainer, the AIDA MI must first obtain required number of certification and after that co-teach a full AIDA Instructor Course with an experienced AIDA Instructor Trainer who has issued a minimum of 10 AIDA Instructor Certifications. Only after co-teaching may the AIDA MI apply to by e-mail to support@aidainternational.org for promotion to AIDA IT Status by filing in a completed AIDA IT Candidacy Form. AIDA Education Committee (EC) will then make a recommendation to the AIDA Board for the promotion.

An AIDA Instructor Trainer is qualified to teach the AIDA1, AIDA2 Freediver Course, AIDA3 Advanced Freediver Course, AIDA4 Master Freediver Course, the AIDA Monofin Course and AIDA Instructor Course

An AIDA Instructor Trainer is also qualified to teach the AIDA Competition Freediver and AIDA Competition Safety Freediver if the Instructor Trainer is also an AIDA Judge

Confirming, waiting to upload.

Freedivers who already completed some training with another freedive agency can crossover to the AIDA Education system. The AIDA Instructor will conduct a Crossover Evaluation sessions with each student wishing to enrol on a course of the next level.

To participate in an AIDA3 Advanced Freediver Course, the crossover candidate will be evaluated on all skills as outlined in the AIDA2 Course Completion Form. To participate in an AIDA4 Master Freediver Course, the crossover candidate will be evaluated on all skills as outlined in the AIDA3 Course Completion Form. To participate in the AIDA Instructor Course, the crossover candidate will be evaluated on all skills as outlined in the AIDA4 Course Completion Form.

For a successful AIDA3 Evaluation, the candidate must pass the AIDA2. The successful candidate for an AIDA4 Crossover candidate must pass the AIDA2 and AIDA3 exams.

knowledge assessment by a written exam with passing rate of 75%

assessment of all Confined Water and Open Water Skills

Min. 1 Confined Water Session

Min. 1 Open Water Session

A certification may be issued on the assessed course level, but it is not a prerequisite to join a course of the next level.

Active AIDA Instructor or Higher: AIDA2, AIDA3

Active AIDA Master Instructor or Higher: AIDA2-4

Be 18 years of age or old.

Having achieved a first aid certification from a recognized agency within the last two years.

Have an equivalent qualification from another freediving organisation

Requirements must be fulfilled before starting the course.

CWTB 40-50m

FIM 40-50m

CNF > 20m

Slow CWTB (30m > 1:30)

Slow FIM (30m > 2:00)

Solo rescue from 25m + 50m tow and rescue breaths

Rescue with standby: 1:00 standby at 15m + solo rescue

Stamina Test: 5x20m CWTB with max 1:00 surface recovery

Demonstrating proper technique in all disciplines

Demonstrating rescue techniques

STA 4:00-5:00

DYNB > 90m

DNF > 50m

Demonstrating proper technique in all disciplines

Demonstrating rescue techniques (STA, DYNB)

Teaching theoretical concepts using AIDA2 slides

Teaching theoretical concepts using AIDA3 slides

Teaching AIDA2 pool skills

Teaching AIDA3 pool skills

Teaching AIDA2 open water skills

Teaching AIDA3 open water skills

Conducting a stretching & breathing session

Demonstrating ability to handle ropes, perform knots, set-up buoys and open water equipment

Participating in teaching a course attended by real students under the supervision of the instructor trainer

Research and oral presentation on a topic which extends the standard material of AIDA courses. Candidates will be assigned a topic by their instructor trainer at least 1 month before the course starts, and will need to deliver a written essay and a slide set in advance, in such a way that the material can be reviewed by the trainer. The instructor trainer will evaluate both the quality of the material and the presentation skills.

AIDA 2-4 theoretical exams, passing rate > 90%

Instructor course exams (exam 1, exam 2A - open book, exam 2B), passing rate > 75%

Classroom sessions cover a variety of topics such as teaching methodologies, effective communication, risk management, planning, marketing, and budgeting.

Water sessions are devoted to performance requirements and skills demonstration

The candidate instructor needs to demonstrate repeatable performances under stress and with impeccable technique, in every discipline and phase of the dive (relaxation phase, body position, finning, equalization, surface protocol, etc.).

Meeting the required performance requirements sporadically or with bad form/technique will not be considered satisfactory to pass the course.

Blackout or loss of motor control happening during the course entail failing the course.

Active AIDA Instructor Trainer

An AIDA Instructor is qualified to teach the AIDA1, AIDA2 Freediver Course, AIDA3 Advanced Freediver Course and the AIDA Monofin Course.

An AIDA Instructor is also qualified to teach the AIDA Competition Freediver and AIDA Competition Safety Freediver if the Instructor is also an AIDA Judge.

Minimum Classroom Sessions (if teaching): 8 Minimum duration 8 x 1.5 hours for each session

Be an active AIDA Instructor

Hold a current First Aid Child Care qualification including CPR for children valid within the last two years

Minimum Knowledge Review Session (if self-study): 8 session of min. 8 x 15min

Minimum Confined Water Sessions: 2

Max Confined Water depth: 5m

Minimum Open Water Sessions: 3 over at least 2 days

Max depth: 50m

Maximum number of Instructor Crossover Candidates on course: 8

The course should run over at least 5 days

The candidate may apply for the AIDA Instructor Trainer (AIDA IT) crossover by submitting an AIDA IT Candidacy form to support@aidainternational.org. The AIDA Education Committee (EC) will individually assess each application, and may require that the candidate gains additional experience before they can be granted the AIDA IT status, such as co-teaching an AIDA Instructor Course with an experienced AIDA IT or teaching a certain number of AIDA courses to familiarize with the AIDA educational system. Candidates receiving a positive evaluation from the EC will be recommended for promotion to the AIDA Board, which will decide with simple majority to either approve the promotion, reject it, or ask the candidate to meet additional requirements.

Crossover, Special Promotion (the part number of the certifications made up from another organization), Validation of Acquired Experience to application to become a Master Instructor or Instructor Trainer only limited open on freedive least undeveloped countries and with review business plan.

AIDA Youth Programme teaches water skills to children from 6 to 15 years old.

There are three courses for children from 6 to 11 years old: Bronze Dolphin, Silver Dolphin or Gold Dolphin. Each of them takes from 3 days of teaching. 4 day AIDA Junior course is for adolescents from 12 to 15 years old. Each of the Youth courses has a section for parents educating them on proper post-course supervision of children in the water.

Be 18 years of age or older

The FEMR course is available for freedivers of any association. It trains for emergency care in freediving accidents, along with traditional first aid that includes non-freediving related injuries and illnesses. The theoretical material is available for home study previously to the course. It extensively covers pathophysiology, first aid and prevention for numerous situations in the water, including pressure- and hypoxia-related conditions, injuries and illness related to marine life. The practical part of the course trains to act in a number of first aid scenarios and teaches using some of the medical equipment, such as bag valve masks, suction devices, oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airway. Participants also learn taking full vital signs, including blood pressure and pulse oximetry.

Be an active AIDA Instructor

The FEMR Instructor course is only available for AIDA instructors. It teaches to train Freediving Emergency Medical Responders, completely covering the material of FEMR course and explaining how it is taught. AIDA FEMR Instructors master their own skills and learn how to teach and evaluate these skills working with their students.

FEMR Instructors will need to refresh their practical skills with an FEMR Instructor Trainer every two years.

A manual for Teaching Freediving to Visually Challenged People was added to AIDA educational materials in 2018 at the initiative of AIDA instructors who volunteered the method that they developed over the years. It provides adaptations of AIDA courses for non-sighted and partially sighted divers. Using this method, instructors can include visually impaired students in their courses along with sighted people.