Where do we start? There’s just so much to share!

This Caribbean Residential program combines diving, marine sciences, culture, tourism, food, arts, and language all in one. This is one of Dive Mentor’s premiere Summer programs designed to inspire and challenge you with amazing hands on learning experiences.

Some highlights of your program include:

• Regularly dive one of the most spectacular reef systems on the entire planet
• Earn multiple advanced scuba diving certifications recognized internationally
• Explore ancient Mayan ruins on Cozumel, Talum, and at Chichen Itza
• Experience surreal underwater cenote landscapes found only in the Yucatán
• Go on a bioluminescent tour on Isla Holbox that will change your life
• Learn what “tranquilo” means first hand while relaxing on white sand beaches
• Visit sleepy relaxed  villages, dive along Bull Sharks, and make chocolate
• Snorkel the mysterious, elusive, and majestic Whale Sharks

We require a non-refundable deposit of $1000 to book your spot on any adventure program, in advance. The final payment is due approximately 30-90 days before your program starts, depending on the program you’ve signed up for, and can be spread out and paid in a few different ways. We offer an optional Tuition Protection Plan that covers cancelations, which you may wish to consider. We regret that we are unable to reserve spaces for students until they’ve completed their payment. Please contact us for more information.

Your security and safety is our number one priority, without exception. Every program goes through an extensive risk assessment in an effort to identify and mitigate any possible issues that could arise during your time with us. Each program also has specific risk management, safety standards, and procedures that must be adhered to by all members of staff. Dive Mentor’s senior staff responsible for our safety and security policies have extensive training and experience garnered from serving in the armed forces, law enforcement, in private security, and as part of emergency response teams at the highest levels in a variety of environments internationally. Further, all staff regardless of position or level are required to pass strict background checks. They are then heavily trained to handle safety, security, and medical emergencies. As a consequence we’re proud to say that we have a perfect safety record.

All of Dive Mentor’s programs are all inclusive of instruction, food, accommodation, and activities from the time you arrive in country. You are responsible for airfare and other travel costs such as buses or ferry to arrive at our location, spending money (we recommend $150-300) for personal use, textbooks, and any other incidentals or student costs such as medical fees. All of our programs require that you have a full set of scuba gear, which can be rented or purchased from us directly or through one of our partners at a discount. To learn more about program expenses, please click here.

During this once-in-a-lifetime residential program, you’ll be living in the heart of the Caribbean Sea on the Island of Cozumel. Our Dive House is in a safe, authentic neighborhood just a short walk from the water, tons of attractions, stores, and even two movie cinemas that play the newest releases.

Located just off the Eastern Coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, directly across from Playa del Carmen—Cozumel sits like an Emerald jewel against the incredibly azure blue background of the Caribbean Sea. While it’s only 11 miles wide and 32 miles long, Cozumel is by far the most populated islands in the entire Caribbean, but its by far one of the safest tourist destinations you can visit.

Ever since the world renowned underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau was introduced by locals to the beauty of Palancar Reef in 1960, the island has enjoyed a steady growth of tourism. For decades, scuba divers have flocked to it’s warm, crystal clear waters to enjoy amazing coral formations and the plentiful marine life. These coral reefs are protected from the open ocean by the island’s natural geography, so in an effort to preserve (and conserve) the area for generations to come, the Mexican government established the Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park, forbidding anyone from touching or removing any marine life within the park boundaries—making the area the envy of the diving world.

And you get to dive it regularly for 14 to 21 days!

Dive Mentor takes your travel very seriously, as we want you to arrive safely and without any problems. We have a travel partner you can book through, if you’d like. This makes it much easier and more straight forward. Depending on the program and your port of origin, we can offer suggestions for carriers and flight times that you can use to book your travel. While students generally travel independently, they often meet up along the way. Some programs have group booking, which require you fly with us as part of a group. We can discuss the particulars of your program when you book.  In all cases, Dive Mentor instructors and staff will meet students upon arrival. For security purposes, instructors and staff will be wearing specially identifiable t-shirts, and will provide identification. Upon arrival, your parents or guardians will then be sent a photo of you with your instructor before departing the airport. All students will receive a t-shirt in the mail before their trip, which we require them to wear while traveling which makes it easier for other students and our staff to identify you during travel.

Dive Mentor’s instructors are highly experienced, well educated, passionate, supportive, and energetic professionals. The average age of our instructional cadre is 32 years old, with an advanced degree or specific training certification in the subject matter they teach, and they have met specific additional qualifications required for the program they are assigned to. In addition, all staff regardless of position, are required to pass an extensive background check.

We deliberately keep the majority of our programs smaller to allow for more personal instruction. In most cases, the maximum number will be ten (10) students per program or location. This ensures that you receive the attention you need to succeed during the program. We strive for a balance between the genders in all programs, but in our experience the ratio between male and female students has little impact on the success of the program. That said, we seek to encourage young women to enter into diving and marine sciences because the industry remains under represented by females.

Student to Instructor ratios depend upon the program and the scheduled activity. Diving for example, is governed by published ISO and/or agency standards that all Scuba Instructors must follow. For example, during an Open Water course an Instructor may teach up to eight (8) students at a time, and that number can increase by two (2) additional students for every certified assistant (Instructor, Assistant Instructor, or Divemaster) supporting the diving activity. However, Dive Mentor’s policy is to generally not exceed a ratio of 1:4 for any diving activity. There are exceptions of course, such as during academic presentations or during outings. In all instances, our number one priority is your comfort and security. That means ensuring you are properly supported during your program to help you succeed at everything you do.

While we occasionally have friends come together, most program participants actually come on their own. Part of the design of our programs is to allow students to meet new friends so they can develop life-long relationships with others from without of their normal social circles. It’s normal to be a little nervous about meeting new people, but by the end of the first day you’ll be having so much fun that you’ll easily settle right in.

All program participants are required to have a minimum of $100,000 of emergency evacuation coverage, some form of international medical coverage, and a coverage for scuba diving from an organization like DAN. You can sign up here, if you like. If you already have a policy that meets this criteria, we will collect the details from you upon enrollment. If you require assistance with coverage, we can also put you in touch with our partners.

Our programs are deliberately designed to create new experiences, and to focus your attention on the world around you. While we do have high speed internet available and telephones at all of our destinations, we limit access intentionally to specific activities that benefit you during the program. We all know how easy it is to fall into a pattern of dependance on things like social media, so we all largely unplug during  programs so you can focus. Besides, you’ll be far too busy having fun, studying, doing activities, journalling, and spending time with your new friends in the real world to need the Internet. That said, for most programs students have the option of calling home once a week to report in and share their new experiences. In most cases, students will call home with the in-country Program Manager’s mobile phone, or using a service such as Skype or WhatsApp. Parents of course have access to program leaders 24/7 for emergencies. To learn more about our communication policy, please contact us.

We are very sensitive to the fact that some students will have allergies or specific food preferences that will need to be taken into consideration. However, because we operate programs in other countries, it is not always possible to ensure a student will be accommodated. Please contact us to discuss your specific needs in advance so we can determine whether your restrictions will allow you to attend the program of your choice.

We offer discounts for enrollment each Fall, which allows you to benefit from signing up early. The details of which are published at the end of the Summer each year. You can also contact us for more information about these discounts. Additionally, we offer a 5% reduction for individual immediate family members who enroll into the same program together. Terms and requirements apply to all discounts. As a non profit, we also want to ensure that opportunities are provided to those who have a legitimate need. To learn more or about available scholarships, get in touch with us.

Simply put, there’s absolutely nothing like being a dive professional. It’s rad. And, since PADI is the world’s largest and most accepted professional dive association in the world, your certification as a PADI Pro will be recognized in every single location that has SCUBA diving.

In the field of Recreational SCUBA Diving, Divemasters are the first-line professionals most lower-level divers will work with after their initial Open Water certification.

Divemasters play an incredibly important role in the industry, working with new divers and guiding them to the most exciting and awe-inspiring dive locations in the world. Divmasters are respected, admired, and looked up to be other divers.

If you’d like to talk to a Dive Counselor, please request an application.

Divemasters Dive – A LOT. Remember, a Divemaster is the first professional level of the Recreational SCUBA diving industry. They’re no longer simply a diver, but a Professional. They plan and lead dives for other divers, help with gear, teach classes, and are vital assistants to instructors during training programs. Because they are leaders, they are in the water a lot.

Divemasters Provide Leadership. As a professional Divemaster, your job is to provide management and leadership in and around dive environments for recreational dive activities, both from the shore and from boats.

Your role may include working with or assisting qualified instructors during training, at organized dive Schools or resorts, at dive shops, or on your own as a consultant or tour guide. Your actual job duties will vary, depending on where you work.

Ultimately though, Divemasters supervise SCUBA diving activities and assist with diver training, manage, maintain and repair equipment, manage dive centers, engage customers, and provide over-all critical operational and logistical support.

If you’d like to talk to a Dive Counselor, please request an application.

Divemasters master diving.

That may seem like a trite heading, but it’s how one truly becomes a DiveMASTER. Spending time in the water isn’t enough, nor is regurgitating the contents of a handful of manuals. To become a bona fide divemaster―mastering diving is critical.

Divemasters are Divemasters because they not only dive, a ton, but because they’ve completed comprehensive programs that ensure they understand diving―to the level of mastery. This is often in the form of an Internship, which depending on your current level of certification and skill, will take you through Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Specialities, into Rescue Diver, which includes Primary and Secondary Care, and then into the actual Divemaster Program itself.

The standards for these recreational programs have been built on the back of more than 50-years of real-world experience by organizations in the dive industry like SSI, PADI, NAUI,  the YMCA and of course, those in the Military and Commercial sectors. We adhere to industry standards.

But ultimately, the only way to become a Divemaster is to dive. Just as you cannot become a marathon runner by sitting on the couch (in other words, you must actually run), there is no pathway to become a divemaster that doesn’t include diving.

If you’d like to talk to a Dive Counselor, please request an application.

The Short Answer

This is one of the most common questions we’re asked, and that’s no surprise given the reality that becoming a professional in a field is generally quite an expensive undertaking. You can do the research on your own, but you’ll find that almost all SCUBA diving schools around the world are profit driven. That’s not a bad thing, but with that model comes a number of inherent problems, at least for students on budgets.

We’re a Charity

We’re not like everyone else in the market: we’re a fully recognized IRS 501C3 non-profit organization, and our entire focus is on creating an environment that facilitates your success, not lining our pockets. While we’re not against capitalism, we are against taking advantage of students.

We Award Grants and Scholarships

​One of the things that makes us truly different when compared to other programs is that we offer a number of needs-based Scholarships to cover part of, or all of, the tuition costs​ associated with our Divemaster Internships. To determine an applicant’s eligibility for financial assistance, we utilize the EFC code and other relevant information found on the FASFA.

We Don’t Force Square Pegs Into Round Holes​

The reality is, every single applicant comes to us with their own unique situation. Some are non-divers, others are Rescue Divers, and still others are Commercial or Military Divers with hundreds, if not thousands of dives under their weight-belt. To try to lump everyone in the same category, and charge entirely based on one’s certification level, is intellectually dishonest. Instead, we work with each individual to determine the most economical pathway for them to archive their goal of becoming a fully qualified Divemaster.

We’re Not Ducking The Question​

No, seriously. We don’t have a one-size-fits-all pricing structure.

To determine costs, we factor in a number of things such as your dependency status, your financial need, employment status, current certification level (or lack thereof), how many dives you have or will need to satisfy program requirements, where you’d like to train, if you have your own gear or would need us to provide it, if you require housing, if you want to also complete our Diver Medic program during your Internships, and how long we believe it will take for you to complete all of the requirements to be certified.

Many of the companies you’ll already have contacted have simply copied each other’s fee structures in an effort to be competitive, but that’s not how we operate. But, if you need a hard number, it’s fair to estimate that the cost of a Divemaster Internship from Open Water will run anywhere between $2000-$5000 USD on average. In other cases, the cost of your professional program can exceed $8000 USD for Recreational programs, and upwards of $35,000 for Commercial programs. We have conducted extensive research of program costs worldwide for Divemaster training, and have developed a pricing structure that is not only competitive, but provides students with a greater return on their investment by including additional certifications, training modules, one-on-one mentoring with a variety of experienced and knowledgeable instructors during different parts of the program, and other incentives that few, if any schools in the industry, can match.

We Pay All Certification and Membership Fees

BTW, we even pay your certification fees and membership dues during your Divemaster internship. That’s an industry first!

If you’d like to talk to a Dive Mentor, please request an application.

Like any professional, Divemasters should expect to earn an income or derive personal economic benefit from their efforts. Exactly what that looks like, will depend on who you work for, what your duties are, and many other factors.

Divemasters Often Earn More Than Instructors

It’s true, Divemasters often work more often and for longer hours than the average instructor does, and therefore, often earn a lot more. According to Simply Hired, Divemasters make an average of $69,000 USD. On the low end, Divemasters earn in the $30K USD range, and in exceptional cases six-figures!

You Got To Get The Job First

Of course, don’t get in a hurry to start counting your cash just yet―the industry can be competitive and just as in any career field, having a qualification doesn’t remotely guarantee employment. Any school that tells you otherwise, should be avoided.

But, one of the things that sets us apart as a diver training organization is, our directors and instructors are all very well educated and highly experienced professionals, not just in Diving, but in other areas of commerce.

The benefit to our interns is, not only do you receive the highest possible level of diver training, but we also work with you in other areas to make you far more competitive than many of your contemporaries.

Of course none of this matters, if you don’t first earn your Divemaster Certification.

If you’d like to talk to a Dive Counselor, please request an application.

Dive Mentor offers limited spots for Divemaster Trainees during each cycle. Therefore, we are very selective. You will be required to complete a comprehensive application process, that may take several weeks. It includes, but is not limited to, completing the enrollment form, financial assistance form (if required) and a variety of user agreements and releases from both Dive Mentor and our affiliated training agency. Each application then goes to an Admissions Committee and is evaluated based on the information you provide (subject to terms of service and user agreements). Additionally, because Divemaster Candidates work with children and teens, we will conduct a full background check. We strongly encourage applicants to be thorough and to provide our team with as much relevant information as possible so we can make an informed decision. For that reason, we encourage you to apply early as this allows ample time should we require additional information from you. We also require a non-disclosure agreement, which protects the confidentiality and privacy of both parties, and an Internship Agreement that spells our respective obligations. No application will be processed without the submission of all required documentation.

Our goal is to help you become the best SCUBA diver possible. The more you learn, the better you’ll become. During the Internship, time permitting, you may also be able to earn a number of diver specialities (at an additional cost unless granted to you), or ancillary training. Some of these courses or certifications include, but are not limited to:

• Emergency O2 Provider
• Enriched Air Diver (NITROX)
• Deep Diver Specialist
• Wreck Diver Specialist
• Underwater Media Diver
• Coral Conservation
• Marine Ecology
• Advanced Medical Responder
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
• Diver Medic

But, our program is not just limited to “diving” based learning. We want to help you become the best Divemaster possible, which is why we also require our Interns to learn about business, marketing, sales, and most importantly, leadership. All of our programs are overseen by high-ranking instructors (often an Instructor Trainer) to ensure that the highest level of standards are met, and different elements of the program are taught by a variety of experienced and knowledgeable professional dive instructors with the backgrounds required to give our students a well rounded education.

Divemasters are leaders, not just guides. They’re influencers, not just dive buddies. Divemasters play an incredibly important role in the industry, and we take our role as your Dive Mentor very seriously.

As a dive professional, you’ll want to have all your basic scuba equipment.

Some of the most common items are a dive computer, a dive knife, and at least two surface signaling devices. During practical skills exercises, like underwater mapping and search and recovery, you’ll use a compass, floats, marker buoys, lift bags and slates.

Your Mentor may suggest additional gear that will be useful throughout your diving career. We provide deep discounts to our Interns, which helps make owning your own gear more affordable. During training, we can provide the gear you need to learn, but we require you have your own mask, snorkel, fins, underwater flashlight, and DSMB at a minimum. Your Mentor can answer any questions about equipment.

You Have To Be Professional. ​We accept applications from anyone interested in becoming a contributing member of the dive community. No scuba diving certification is required, but generally, we find that most successful candidates already have earned Open Water certification.

You must love the water, love the environment, care about others, and it’s a good idea to be in shape or be committed to becoming physically fit. But the most important thing we look for is someone who is driven, willing to learn, humble themselves, and approach the Internship with enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment.

Generally, candidates are 21 years or older when they start the Internship. However, in rare instances, we will accept a younger applicant who display an exceptional attitude, aptitude, and promise. What you share with us in your application, and what we discover about you on social media will play a significant role in helping us make such a decision.

A Word of Warning

If you’re all about partying, you should look somewhere else. We won’t accept you. If you get past our checks and then act in ways that are irresponsible, childish, immature, and unprofessional—there’s a good chance you’ll end up on probation, an Instructor will refuse to sign off your Divemaster Application because you failed the Professional Evaluation section, or you’ll be removed from the program entirely without a refund.

Take this seriously, because we do.

We require a non-refundable deposit of $500 to book your spot on any adventure or professional diving program, in advance. The final payment is due approximately 30-90 days before your program starts, and can be spread out and paid in a few different ways. We regret that we are unable to reserve spaces for students until they’ve completed their payment. Please contact us for more information.