SSI DiveMaster Bundle — your path to a professional diving career
Includes
All Prerequisites + DM Training
The SSI DiveMaster is the first professional-level certification in recreational scuba diving. It qualifies you to lead certified divers, assist instructors during courses, and work at dive centres worldwide. The FlyingFish DiveMaster Bundle includes all prerequisite courses plus the full 30–60 day DiveMaster internship.
It's the full professional development pathway from advanced recreational diver to qualified DiveMaster, bundled together at a lower total price than booking each piece on its own.
Who it is for: Divers who want a career in scuba diving. People planning a working holiday at a dive resort. Those who want to live and work in destinations like Goa, the Maldives, Thailand, or Bali. Or anyone who wants the deepest possible recreational diving education.
SSI DiveMaster Bundle — full contents
The bundle progresses through three stages:
Stage 1 — Prerequisite Certifications (if not already held)
SSI Open Water DiverThe foundation certification — if you do not already hold this.
SSI Enriched Air NitroxRequired for professional-level diving — extended bottom times for repetitive diving work days.
SSI Advanced Adventurer30m certification and 5 adventure dives — required for DiveMaster depth range.
React Right (SSI First Aid)CPR, first aid, AED, oxygen administration — required for DiveMaster.
SSI Stress & RescueThe rescue course that is a hard prerequisite for DiveMaster training.
Stage 2 — DiveMaster Academic Training
Advanced Dive TheoryPhysics, physiology, equipment, environment, and dive skills to instructor-level theoretical understanding.
Dive Site ManagementDive site assessment, group management, dive briefing structure, environmental impact.
Emergency ProceduresDiveMaster-level emergency response, O2 administration, DAN coordination, accident management.
Stage 3 — 30–60 Day Internship
You work as a DiveMaster intern at FlyingFish: assisting with courses, guiding certified divers at Grandé Island, running equipment checks, giving briefings. You're doing the job, not watching someone else do it.
Prerequisites for SSI DiveMaster
Minimum age: 18 (or 15 for Junior DiveMaster with adult supervision)
SSI Open Water Diver (or equivalent from any major agency)
SSI Advanced Adventurer (or equivalent)
SSI Stress & Rescue (or equivalent)
React Right (or equivalent first aid) — current within 2 years
Medical clearance from a licensed physician
Minimum 40 logged dives before DiveMaster training begins
60 logged dives required for full DiveMaster certification
If you arrive without all prerequisites, the bundle includes completing them. We assess your current certification level on arrival and build a schedule that fills any gaps before starting the DiveMaster program.
Where you'll dive during the internship
The DiveMaster internship is based entirely at FlyingFish Goa — all diving takes place at Grandé Island, 30 minutes by speedboat from Novotel Candolim.
Grandé Island Reef5–18m · All levels
Coral gardens, moray eels, snappers, parrotfish. The primary training reef — gentle conditions and rich marine life.
Suzy's Wreck12–18m · OW+
British-era vessel thick with soft coral. Resident groupers, blue-spotted stingrays, moray eels. Light-zone penetration possible.
Sail Rock14–24m · AOW recommended
Rocky pinnacle with currents and pelagics. Eagle rays, drift diving. One of Goa's most dynamic dive sites.
Shelter Cove6–14m · All levels
Protected bay, very gentle. Nudibranchs, pipefish, seahorses. Ideal for skill-focused dives without current distraction.
Bounty Bay5–12m · All levels
Shallow reef for long bottom times. Macro life — nudibranchs, ornate ghost pipefish. Great for photography and hover practice.
Internship diving volume: During the 30–60 day internship, DiveMaster candidates usually log 50–80+ dives at Grandé Island and get to know every site, how it changes with the seasons, and the marine life. By the end you'll know the underwater layout of Grandé Island about as well as our staff instructors do.
What's included in this course
Complete DiveMaster training program
All prerequisite courses (as needed)
30–60 day professional internship at FlyingFish
Advanced dive theory
Leadership and group management training
SSI DiveMaster certification card
Complimentary fun dives during the internship period
Not Included
- Accommodation in Goa (we can recommend options)
- Personal expenses
- Travel to Goa
- Specialty courses beyond the bundle prerequisites
Certification: Your digital certification card is issued immediately upon successful completion. You are certified before you leave Goa and can dive anywhere in the world.
After SSI DiveMaster — your diving career begins
Lead certified divers on guided dives at any SSI dive centre worldwide
Assist SSI Instructors during Open Water, Advanced, and specialty courses
Work at dive resorts in Goa, the Maldives, Thailand, Indonesia, Egypt
Qualify for SSI Instructor Development Course (IDC) — the next professional step
Build toward becoming a fully qualified SSI Open Water Instructor
Join the FlyingFish team in Goa (subject to availability)
Work eligibility: SSI DiveMaster qualifies you to work as a paid dive guide or course assistant at any SSI-affiliated dive centre globally. For India specifically, combined with our reference, this certification opens doors at dive centres in the Andaman Islands, Kerala, and Goa's growing dive industry.
Why train with FlyingFish in Goa
Here's what actually sets us apart.
ScubaPro Equipment — Maintained on Schedule
Pro-grade gear serviced every 100 dives or 6 months, not when it fails. MK25/S620 regulator, Hydros Pro BCD, Aladin Sport dive computer. You train on the same equipment working instructors use.
Maximum 4:1 Diver-to-Instructor Ratio
Your instructor knows where you are underwater at all times. No crowded groups. If a skill needs more practice, you get the time — not the time left over after 8 other students.
Both SSI and PADI Certifications at One Centre
We teach both agencies at the same location. You choose which certification fits your future dive plans. We give you honest advice, not a push toward whichever we sell more of.
Professional Base at 5-Star Novotel Candolim
Proper briefing rooms, clean equipment rinsing stations, structured course schedule. The difference between a dive school and a beach shack matters when you are doing a multi-day certification course.
Real work during the internship, not observation
At some centres a DiveMaster internship means carrying tanks and watching instructors. At FlyingFish, interns run briefings, guide certified divers independently (with supervisor oversight), assist on courses, and handle equipment logistics. By Day 30 you're doing DiveMaster work, not reading about it. That's why our internship graduates are employable straight away.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you arrive as a complete beginner (no certifications), the full pathway from zero to DiveMaster takes approximately 60–90 days. This includes Open Water (4 days), Advanced Adventurer (3 days), Nitrox (2 days), React Right (1 day), Stress & Rescue (4 days), logging enough dives (ongoing), and the DiveMaster program itself (30–60 days). For divers who already hold some prerequisites, the timeline is shorter.
SSI DiveMaster is a professional certification from SSI (Scuba Schools International) — one of the two largest scuba certification agencies in the world. It is recognised at SSI-affiliated centres globally. Some PADI-only centres may require a PADI DiveMaster certification for employment. If your goal is to work at a specific PADI resort, we can advise on whether crossover recognition applies.
SSI DiveMaster is the first professional level — you can lead certified divers and assist instructors, but you cannot independently certify new divers. SSI Instructor is the next level — it requires additional training (the Instructor Development Course) and certification, and qualifies you to independently teach and certify new divers. Many DiveMasters work professionally for years before deciding whether to pursue the Instructor level.
The SSI DiveMaster academic materials are available in multiple languages. The practical training is conducted in English at FlyingFish. Dive guiding in Goa is conducted primarily in English, Hindi, and Russian depending on the guest. If English is not your first language but you are conversationally proficient, you will be fine.
Positions for qualified DiveMasters at FlyingFish are available subject to seasonal demand and business need. We cannot guarantee employment after the internship, but FlyingFish DiveMaster graduates have a strong track record of placement — either with us directly or with our network of partner dive centres in Goa and the Andamans.
SSI requires a minimum of 60 logged dives for full DiveMaster certification. Most FlyingFish DiveMaster interns log 80–100+ dives during the program — including prerequisite course dives, internship dives, and complimentary fun dives. The exact count depends on dive frequency during the internship period and seasonal conditions.
Go Pro
