Crossover Chart

Crossover Guidance Chart Re Equivalent Qualifications

SAA BSAC PADI NAUI CMAS
Elementary Diver ----- Basic Scuba Scuba Diver -----
Open Water Diver Ocean Diver Open / Advanced Open Water Diver Advanced Scuba Diver 1 Star
Club Diver * Sports Diver * Rescue Diver Sports Diver 2 Star
Dive Leader Dive Leader Dive Master Dive Master 2 Star
Dive Supervisor Advanced Diver ----- Dive Master 3 Star
National Diver Advanced Diver + above ----- ----- 4 Star
* Equates to CMAS 1* Until 10 additional dives have been completed.

This guide gives the highest permitted crossover level. Each Club Diving Officer reserves the right to assess each application on experience as well as qualifications held and may cross applications over at a lower level.

Nothing in this guide alters the policy that Diving Officers may not award certification higher than that held themselves.

Grades above SAA Dive Supervisor may only be awarded by the National Diving Officer.

Instructor Crossover Guide

If you have an Instructor award from another dive agency, the SAA have arrangements to cross over such awards to SAA Instructor certification - this is done by the SAA NDO who should be contacted via Head Office for advice. A crossover chart is reproduved here for guidance only.
The NDO will assess each application individually and will cross over at the level considered appropriate at the time. It was decided by the Executive Committee that crossover of Instructor grades will be limited to SAA Open Water Instructor as a maximum.
This is to support Clubs and Regions by allowing crossovers at that level without the need for any form of Instructor Development Course, whilst preventing crossover candidates fron running courses at Regional Level without the support of experienced SAA Regional Instructors.
SAA BSAC PADI ScotSAC CMAS
Club Instructor Practical Instructor   Branch Instructor + Sport Diver -----
Open Water Instructor Open Water Instructor and above Open Water Instructor and above Branch Instructor + Master Diver and above 1 Star
Regional Instructor       2 Star
National Instructor        
All entry criteria must also be met for all crossovers i.e. Age, Diver Grade, SAA Diver Resuce and SAA Diver First Aid etc. as appropriate and as would be required of an SAA candidate as part of their eligibility to apply for the relevant SAA Instructor course.

For example, a PADI MSDT applying for an instructor crossover would be likely to be awarded SAA OWI provided the applicant was at least 18 years old, had crossed over their diver grade to at least SAA Dive Leader, and had crossed over any rescue qualification to SAA Diver Rescue prior to applying for the crossover.

Any applicant who ommitted a relevant and required qualification would likely be crossed over at the highest available grade, e.g. PADI MDST who had crossed their diver grade over to SAA Dive Leader but did not supply a SAA Diver Rescue Qualification would be crossed over at SAA Club Instructor level. Once crossed over at a level then any progression would have to be attending an SAA Instructor Course rather than subsequently resubmitting the same qualification with SAA Diver Rescue and expecting an upgrade.