The dive agency equivalent certifications chart below is useful when enrolling on a new scuba diving course with Ocean Tribe. If you have been certified through SSI, NAUI or CMAS, then you will need to know which PADI course your diving certification allows you to enrol on. While there are other diver training organizations we have listed the ones that meet the ISO safety standards and are recognized as the largest.
Ratings are shown as to what the direct equivalent is and therefore you can enter the next course below on the scale. So for example a SSI Open Water Diver is equivalent to an PADI Open Water Diver and therefore able to enroll on the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver program.
If you have any questions about entry requirements for any of the scuba diving courses in Kenya, held at Ocean Tribe then please contact us
Here’s a comprehensive certification equivalency chart that starts with SSI levels and includes major WRSTC/ISO-aligned agencies—PADI, SDI, NAUI, RAID, plus CMAS and BSAC, using ISO standards for reference:
| SSI Level | PADI | SDI | NAUI | RAID | CMAS | BSAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Try Scuba / Basic Diver | Discover Scuba | Try Scuba / Shallow Water Diver | Scuba Diver (intro) | Recreational Diver (entry) | — | Discover Diver |
| Scuba Diver (Supervised, ISO 24801‑1) | PADI Scuba Diver | Supervised Diver | NAUI Scuba Diver | Recreational Diver | CMAS 1★ Diver¹ | Ocean Diver |
| Open Water Diver (Autonomous, ISO 24801‑2) | Open Water Diver | Open Water Scuba Diver | NAUI Scuba Diver | Open Water 20 | CMAS 1★ Diver¹ | Ocean Diver / Autonomous Diver¹ |
| Advanced Adventurer / AOWD | Advanced Open Water Diver | SDI Advanced Adventure | NAUI Advanced Scuba Diver | Advanced Open Water Diver | CMAS 2★ Diver² | Sports Diver |
| Diver Stress & Rescue (ISO 24801‑3) | Rescue Diver | Rescue Diver | Rescue Scuba Diver | Rescue Diver | CMAS 2★ Diver² | Sports Diver |
| Dive Control Specialist / Divemaster | Divemaster | Divemaster | Divemaster | Divemaster | CMAS 3★ Diver³ | Dive Leader |
| Assistant Instructor (ISO 24802‑1) | Assistant Instructor | Assistant Instructor | Assistant Instructor | Assistant Instructor | CMAS 1★ Instructor³ | Club Instructor |
| Open Water Instructor (ISO 24802‑2) | Open Water Instructor | OW Scuba Dive Instructor | Scuba Instructor | Open Circuit Instructor | CMAS 2★ Instructor³ | Open Water Instructor |
| Master Diver (non‑leadership) | Master Scuba Diver | Master Scuba Diver | Master Scuba Diver | Master Diver | CMAS 3★ Diver³ | Advanced Diver |
Key Citations & Notes
Supervised Diver (e.g., SSI Scuba Diver, PADI Scuba Diver, CMAS 1★) aligns with ISO 24801‑1 .
Autonomous Diver (e.g., SSI Open Water Diver, PADI OWD, SDI OWD, CMAS 1★) aligns with ISO 24801‑2 .
Diver Stress & Rescue and leadership certifications (e.g., SSI Rescue, PADI Rescue, CMAS 2★, BSAC Sports Diver) align with ISO 24801‑3 Dive Leader standards .
Instructor levels (Assistant & Open Water Instructor) are standardized under ISO 24802 across agencies .
CMAS star system equivalencies summarized from multiple sources:
- 1★ ≈ Open Water Diver
- 2★ ≈ Rescue Diver/Sports Diver
- 3★ ≈ Dive Leader/Divemaster .
Benefits for Divers
Clear Progression: SSI’s structure guides you through from beginner to instructor, and nearly every level maps directly to PADI, SDI, NAUI, RAID, CMAS, BSAC equivalents.
Global Compatibility: Your SSI certification is recognized by agencies worldwide—making it easy to crossover or continue with another organization.
Leadership & Teaching Routes: Climbing SSI ranks opens doors to equivalent professional roles like Divemaster or Instructor in other systems.