Marine Scientist Training - Costa Rica

On arrival in San José, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to the coastal town of Quepos on the Pacific coast. Once settled into your accommodation, you’ll meet your group, get familiar with the dive centre, and prepare to begin your training.

Begin your journey with core scuba certifications, completing your PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses in your first week.

From there, you’ll move into hands-on marine conservation training, learning key research and survey techniques used to monitor reef health. You’ll gain experience in fish identification, reef ecology and data collection, before putting your skills into practice on real reef surveys.

You’ll also complete specialist courses in Marine Conservation, Coral Restoration, and Shark Awareness –developing a deeper understanding of marine ecosystems and the challenges they face.

By the end of week four, you’ll be a confident, certified diver with practical conservation experience and a strong foundation to build on.

The second phase of your programme focuses on safety, specialisation and professional development.

You’ll begin with Emergency First Response and Rescue Diver training, equipping you with the knowledge and confidence to handle real-life dive scenarios.

Your marine science journey continues with distinctive specialties such as Nudibranch Awareness and Octopus Ecology, sharpening your species knowledge and underwater observation skills.

In the final four weeks, you’ll progress to Divemaster training – the first professional level in diving. This is a highly practical phase where you’ll assist instructors, guide dives and develop leadership skills in a real dive centre environment.

By the end of the programme, you’ll have transformed from a beginner (or intermediate diver) into a professional with real-world experience.

Mornings often begin with dive briefings followed by one or two dives, where you’ll practise skills or take part in surveys. Afternoons may include classroom sessions, workshops, or data logging from your dives. Evenings are usually free to relax, socialise or enjoy the local area.

Your evenings and most weekends give you time to unwind and explore. Relax on nearby beaches, enjoy local cafés and restaurants or take part in optional activities such as hiking, wildlife tours or surfing.

It’s the perfect balance of structured training and free time to experience the Costa Rican lifestyle.

4-week programme certifications:

• PADI Open Water

• PADI Advanced Open Water

• PADI Marine Conservation

• PADI Coral Restoration

• PADI AWARE Shark Specialty

10-week programme certifications:

• PADI Emergency First Response

• PADI Rescue Diver

• PADI Nudibranch Awareness

• PADI Octopus Ecology Specialty

• PADI Divemaster

No prior dive or scientific experience is required, making it suitable for a wide range of participants – from students seeking practical experience to complement their studies, to those looking to learn a new skill and gain experience in a brand new field.

Participants must be 18 or over, able to swim 200 metres, and have a reasonable level of fitness. You’ll also need a signed medical form confirming you’re fit to dive.