AIDA exam-day guide
AIDA · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID matching your registration
Bring the original document (passport or national ID card) used when you booked. Accepted forms vary by school and country, so confirm with the provider which ID is required and whether a copy is acceptable.
Course confirmation and payment receipt
Have your booking confirmation, e-learning completion record, and any balance payment ready on your phone or printed. Instructors often check prerequisites and certification level before the water session starts.
Signed medical declaration or medical certificate
Many AIDA levels require a self-declaration or a physician's clearance, and some schools require a certificate for all in-water courses. Confirm with the provider which form your level needs, and get it signed before exam day.
Completed liability waiver and emergency contact details
Fill in the emergency contact name and phone number in advance rather than at the briefing. Keep a paper copy in your bag in case phone reception at the dive site is poor.
Logbook (paper or app)
Bring a record of your training dives and course progress. Instructors may review it to confirm prerequisites; confirm with the provider whether an app-based log is accepted.
Your own well-fitted mask, snorkel, and fins
Test every strap and buckle at home before the exam day. Confirm with the provider exactly which items the school supplies and which you must bring, especially for depth sessions where a backup mask can be useful.
Freediving computer or depth/time watch
Check the battery and know how to read depth, time, and surface-interval values. Confirm with the provider whether the school provides instruments or whether you must bring your own at your level.
Lanyard and any discipline-specific accessories
Depth disciplines normally require a lanyard, and some divers use a nose clip or fluid goggles. Confirm with the provider what safety equipment is mandatory and what the school provides.
Wetsuit, warm layers, towel, and a change of clothes
Water can be colder than expected and surface intervals cool you quickly. Pack a windproof layer, a hat, and dry clothes so you stay warm between sessions and during long briefings.
Water, electrolytes, and light snacks
Hydrate steadily rather than in one large volume, and eat small portions between sessions. Avoid heavy meals close to water time and skip alcohol entirely in the final 24 hours.
Sunscreen, notepad, and pen
Sun protection matters on open-water days. A small notepad helps you record briefing points, correction cues, and your own dive results so you can review them between attempts.
A written plan of your warm-up and breathing routine
Decide in advance how many warm-up dives you will take, how long your breathe-up will be, and what your surface protocol looks like. A rehearsed routine reduces decision-making on the day.
Plan the day
Stop hard training and taper. No maximum attempts or heavy pool work in the last two or three days; light stretching and easy breathing drills only. Confirm the meeting point, start time, equipment rental, and whether the session is pool or open water. Re-read your course manual and notes, verify that your medical form is signed, and confirm with the provider whether any prerequisite certification or dive count must be shown.
Pack your bag completely: mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit, lanyard, computer, towel, warm layers, water, snacks, ID, forms. Check every strap, buckle, and battery. Eat normally, hydrate through the day, avoid alcohol, and get an early night. Skip intense exercise, hot yoga, or anything that leaves you congested or fatigued.
Eat a light, familiar breakfast roughly two to three hours before water time. Arrive early enough to park, sign in, and set up without rushing. Attend the full briefing, ask about the order of events and rest intervals, check your equipment with your buddy, and warm up gently before the first official attempt. Mention any congestion, injury, or medication to the instructor before you get in.
Follow the briefing exactly and dive only on the instructor's signal. Use the warm-up and breathe-up you rehearsed, keep the surface protocol clean and unhurried, and report to your buddy immediately after each attempt. Hydrate and re-warm between sessions, note corrections from the debriefs, and never extend a dive or a breath-hold to chase a number. If something feels wrong, abort and tell the instructor.
Rules to check
Never dive alone: the buddy system and instructor supervision apply for every in-water attempt, including warm-ups. Stay within the announced depth, time, and pool layout, and surface when signalled even if you feel you could continue.
Bring the ID that matches your registration and keep your signed waiver and medical declaration with you. Accepted identification and medical evidence vary, so confirm with the provider in advance rather than on the morning of the test.
No alcohol or recreational drugs in the preceding 24 hours, and declare any medication, illness, or ear and sinus problem before entering the water. Withholding relevant health information is grounds for the instructor to remove you from the water.
Rest intervals, the number of attempts allowed, and the order of evaluation are set by the instructor on the day. Do not negotiate extra attempts mid-session; ask about the schedule during the briefing instead.
A performance is judged on the required depth or distance or time plus a correct surface protocol and safe technique. Confirm with the provider the exact pass standard for your level, how the surface protocol is assessed, and what happens if a dive is aborted.
Rescue and safety skills may be assessed alongside personal performance, and an unsafe or poorly executed rescue can affect the overall result. Confirm with the provider how rescue, theory, and in-water performance are weighted in your certification.
Breaks between sessions are for rest and warming up, not for extra training. Do not practise breath-holds or dive unsupervised during lunch or downtime, and keep your gear and buddy checks consistent even when you feel tired.
If you must withdraw, are injured, or fail a component, ask the instructor directly about retake and appeal options. Retake, refund, and certification timing policies are provider-specific, so confirm them in writing rather than relying on verbal assurances.