PADI Course Rates
Scuba training at MCP is part of volunteering with us, not a separate dive shop service. As a volunteer you only cover the PADI manual and certification fee, so most courses cost either 65 or 85 USD. All your scuba gear is covered as well, so there's nothing to rent or buy. See the gear we dive with.
- All-inclusiveGear, transport, marine park fees and tuition are all included (and so is our awful humor). The only extras are the PADI Divemaster application fee and trimix gases.
- For volunteers onlyCourses are open to MCP volunteers who stay long enough to complete them. We don't take walk-in students. You can take one PADI course for each four-week period you start, so a 6-8 week stay gives you two courses.
- Estimated durationsWe teach to our own, stricter standards and add extra theory and dives, so our courses take longer than usual. The durations below are estimates based on average student progress.
Scuba courses
About our PADI courses →| Course | Price | Days | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|
| PADI Open Water | 85 USD | 5-6 | None |
| PADI Advanced Open Water | 85 USD | 4-5 | Open Water Diver |
| PADI Rescue Diver | 85 USD | 3-4 | Advanced Open Water Diver |
| EFR - Emergency First Response | 65 USD | 1 | None |
| PADI Divemaster | 240 USD+ PADI application fee, approx. 200 USD* | 56+ | Rescue Diver with 40 logged dives |
* PADI charges the Divemaster application fee directly, in AUD, so the USD amount moves with the exchange rate. The 240 USD includes your Divemaster crew pack.
PADI specialties
About our specialties →| Course | Price | Days | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-Reliant Diver | 65 USD | 2-3 | 100 logged dives |
| Enriched Air Nitrox | 85 USD | 1 | Open Water Diver |
| PADI Deep Diver | 85 USD | 2 | 20 logged dives |
Tec diving
About tec diving →| Course | Price | Days | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tec 40 | 85 USD | 5 | 30 logged dives, Nitrox certified |
| Tec 45 | 85 USD | 5 | Tec 40, 50 logged dives |
| Tec 50 | 85 USD | 5 | Tec 45, 100 logged dives |
| Tec Trimix 65 | 85 USD+ gases | 5 | Tec 50 |
| Tec Trimix 90 | 85 USD+ gases | 5-10 | Tec 50 (10 days) or Tec Trimix 65 (5 days) |
From your first dive to dive professional
If you've never dived before, you start with the PADI Open Water course and work your way up through Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver while you help us survey and protect the reefs of southern Negros. Every dive you log here counts toward your next course.
Staying longer? The PADI Divemaster course is your first step into professional diving, and our Instructor internship takes you on to teaching. If you want to go deeper, our tec diving program runs from Tec 40 all the way to Trimix. You train on the same gear setup we use for our survey dives, and you can read why we dive the way we do.
Learn to dive while you volunteer
Your training happens alongside your conservation work, on the same reefs we survey and protect.
Apply to volunteer Read more about volunteering →
Your PADI certification is valid for life
PADI is the world's largest scuba training organization, and your certification never expires. It's recognized by dive centers all over the world, so the card you earn at MCP lets you dive anywhere. Skills fade with time, so if you take a long break from diving, a refresher is a sensible idea.
Questions before you apply? Read our volunteering FAQ, see all our PADI courses or get in touch.