No. All you have to bring with you is a thirst for knowledge and a willingness to meet every challenge with enthusiasm and a determination to overcome and succeed. If you’re already a diver, this will be helpful and will allow you to more quickly move into subsequent levels of training.

This program is perfect for anyone looking to combine their desire for adventure with an opportunity to develop new skills and serve others. During your stay with us, you’ll earn up to ten (10)  internationally recognized certifications, and complete up 10-15 hours of documented community service hours, while also having a ton of fun doing all kinds of amazing activities from diving to visiting ancient Mayan ruins.

The Caribbean Residential Adventure is broken into two phases:

• Phase One is a comprehensive 14 Day program;
• Phase Two is a continuation of the previous phase, for an additional seven (7) full days.

Both programs include incredible field trips, diver training and related activities, non diving activities, community service time, team building exercises, and so much more. Phase one participants will spend hours under the water, log more than 20 dives, and earn the six (6) internationally recognized scuba certifications. They include the following:

• Open Water Diver *
• Advanced Adventurer
• Perfect Buoyancy Speciality
• Drift Diving Specialty
• Marine Ecology Speciality
• Fish Identification Speciality

In both phases you will shore dive, boat dive, learn about navigation, explore a wreck, drift dive, do a deep dive, and go on at least one night adventure.

During the second phase, students will log additional dives and earn at least four (4) more scuba certifications:

• Science of Diving Speciality
• Nitrox Speciality
• Waves, Tides, and Currents Speciality
• Coral Ecology Speciality

Those who complete the full 21 Days will have earned a total of 10 internationally recognized certifications, and will be awarded their Advanced Open Water recognition. In addition, they will attend field trips and other activities that are not included in Phase One.

* If you are already certified as a Scuba Diver, we can substitute the initial certification course with another speciality offered. Please contact us for more information and discuss your options during this Program.

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 a 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. Please contact us for more information.

No. The Coral Conservation component (like the Sea Turtle component) is a part of the Marine Biology add-on to the Caribbean Residential Adventure Program or the Caribbean Voyages Adventure Program. At the time you sign up, you may opt-in to the Marine Biology Program for an additional $500 USD. This includes both Sea Turtle Ecology and Coral Ecology certifications, and specific projects for Marine Biology participants.

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.