SSI Dive Center in Austin · Since 1982

Learn to Dive
in Austin, TX

Every diver in the world started exactly where you are today. Tom’s has been turning curious people into confident divers for more than forty years: in a warm indoor pool, with experienced instructors, on your schedule.

Try it for $99 with no commitment. Get your full diving certification for $619. Or call us and we’ll help you figure out the right first step.

Indoor heated pool · 5909 Burnet Rd Weeknight & weekend formats Checkout dives at Lake Travis & Spring Lake
1982Year Opened
18,000+Certified Divers
30+SSI Instructors
400+Five-Star Reviews
90°FHeated Pool

Your First Breath Is Only the Beginning

Breathe Underwater. Then Go Somewhere Extraordinary.

Start in our warm Austin pool. Build real confidence. Then follow the path wherever it takes you: reefs, wrecks, night dives, turtles, travel, rescue skills, precision diving, professional leadership, and the kind of underwater moments most people only see in photographs.

Start with Try Scuba Already Certified? Explore Continuing Education

This is what Open Water certification opens up. Every dive starts from where you are right now. Explore Tom’s dive travel

The Journey

Your Open Water Certification Is Graduation Day

It is not the end of learning. Your dive certification is the day you stop learning how to dive and start discovering what kind of diver you want to become.

Try Scuba
$99
No experience needed
Open Water Diver
$619
Full certification
Continuing Education
Capability pathways
Build real capability
Precision / XR
XR Foundations
Extended range
Lead / Pro
Divemaster
Lead & teach

Every diver starts somewhere

Where Are You in Your Journey?

New to diving, or a little rusty?

Discover

I’ve Never Been Scuba Diving

I’m curious. I want to know what it feels like to breathe underwater. I’m not ready to commit to a full diving course yet.

Try Scuba
Get Certified

I’m Ready. I Want to Get Certified.

I’ve decided. I’m looking for scuba certification courses and scuba diving classes that fit my schedule. I want a real SSI diving certification I can use anywhere in the world.

Open Water Course
Return to Diving

Certified but Out of Practice

You have the card. Life got in the way. The SSI Scuba Skills Update gets you back in the water confidently, at your own pace. Pool-based, no open water required. Schedule with as little as 3 days’ notice.

Scuba Skills Update
Already Certified

Four Recreational Pathways. Two Gated Tracks. One Clear Next Step.

Recreational CE: Control / Comfort · Explore & Enrich · Optimize · Access. Beyond CE: Precision / XR · Lead / Pro.

Explore Continuing Education
Why Tom’s Dive & Swim

We build divers we would trust with our own families.

Tap to expand

That is not a tagline. It is the standard every Tom’s instructor brings to the water, whether you are here for scuba diving lessons, scuba classes, or a complete scuba diver certification. Since 1982, we have believed that confidence comes from preparation, not luck. Real capability is not something a card represents. It is something you feel the moment buoyancy starts to click, navigation feels more reliable, and you are calm in conditions that would have rattled you six months ago.

We get there by coaching before we criticize, by treating every student as an individual with a specific goal, and by building a team of 30 or more active instructors who are genuinely invested in where you go next. Our scuba diving courses run small and personal, not rushed. Over 400 five-star Google reviews and more than 18,000 divers who earned their dive certification with us later, what people tell us they remember is not the card. It is the moment diving clicked.

In business since 1982

Forty-plus years teaching Austin divers

Tom’s opened in 1982. That kind of staying power comes from building a reputation one diver at a time, over four decades, in the same city, with the same commitment to doing it right.

How we teach

We coach before we criticize

When something does not click the first time, that is information, not a problem. Our instructors treat every hesitation as a signal about what to work on next, not a reason to judge. That approach, calm and honest and focused on what you can do, is what builds confidence that holds up outside the pool.

Who teaches you matters

Instructors who are divers first

With 30 or more active SSI-certified instructors, we have the depth to match you with the right person. Working divers, active in the water, who teach because the sport means something to them. That shows up in every session.

Where the learning happens

The right environment changes everything

A 90°F pool warm enough that you are never fighting discomfort instead of learning. Open water checkout dives at Lake Travis and Spring Lake. Four recreational Continuing Education pathways, plus Precision / XR and Lead / Pro when you are ready for more.

Ready to get started?

Try Scuba: $99 · Austin, TX

No experience needed. One pool session. If you love it, $50 applies toward Open Water certification. Call Tom’s or check the calendar below.

SSI Certification · Tom’s Dive & Swim

Why SSI Certification?

Tap to expand

Tom’s has been an SSI Dive Center in Austin since 1982, offering scuba certification courses built for a lifetime of diving. Here is what makes SSI the right choice.

Lifetime Certification

Your SSI Open Water scuba diver certification does not expire. No renewal fees, no expiration dates. The card you earn is yours for life, and if you are out of practice, a Scuba Skills Update is the right way to get comfortable again before your next dive.

Recognized Worldwide

SSI certifications are recognized at dive shops, resorts, and liveaboards around the world. Your card is accepted broadly, though individual operators may have their own requirements for certain sites, depths, or conditions.

Digital-First Training

Complete academics at your own pace on the MySSI app. No heavy manuals. Your certification card lives on your phone.

Flexible Schedule

Study on your own schedule through the MySSI app. Come to Tom’s for pool sessions and open water checkout dives when you are ready.

One of the World’s Leading Agencies

SSI is one of the world’s leading scuba training organizations with dive centers in more than 110 countries.

Full Education System

From Open Water through continuing education, technical diving, and professional training. All of it available at Tom’s.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Tap any question to expand the answer.

How much does scuba certification cost in Austin?
Here is the breakdown: the SSI Open Water Diver course at Tom’s is $619 per diver for group classes, or $719 for a private course. This includes all pool sessions, SSI online training materials, rental gear for checkout dives, and your lifetime certification. You will need to purchase or rent a mask, snorkel, booties, and fins separately. Tom’s can help you get properly fitted before class.
How long does it take to get scuba certified in Austin?
Most students complete the Open Water course in two weeks with weeknight classes (Mon/Wed or Tue/Thu) or in a condensed weekend format. Online academics take 4 to 6 hours at your own pace through the MySSI app. From first class to certified diver in as little as 10 days.
Do I need to know how to swim to take a scuba course?
Yes. All students complete a watermanship test on the first day: a 200 meter swim and 10 minute tread in our pool. You do not need to be a strong swimmer, but you need to be comfortable in the water. If you need help building swim confidence first, we offer swim lessons for all ages.
What is the difference between SSI and PADI?
SSI and PADI are both globally recognized scuba certification agencies. Your certification is accepted everywhere regardless of which agency issued it. The key differences: SSI is digital-first, with training and certification records available through the MySSI app, and SSI recreational certifications do not expire. If you’ve been researching PADI scuba certification, a PADI open water class, or PADI open water diver training, know that Tom’s teaches SSI, not PADI: the certifications are comparably recognized worldwide, but SSI academics live in the MySSI app and SSI Open Water certification never expires. Tom’s has been an SSI Dive Center in Austin since 1982, offering a full pathway from beginner through continuing education, Precision / XR, and Lead / Pro professional training.
What age do you need to be to get scuba certified?
The minimum age for SSI Open Water certification is 15 years old. Younger divers aged 10 to 14 can earn a Junior Open Water Diver certification. There is no maximum age. Many of our students are in their 50s, 60s, and beyond. Scuba is one of the most age-inclusive sports there is.
Is scuba diving safe?
Recreational scuba has an excellent safety record when divers are properly trained. The risks are real but manageable, and good training is what makes them manageable. At Tom’s, we treat every certification as proof of capability, not just course completion. That means we take the time to build genuine skill and judgment, not just move students through a checklist. Over 18,000 certified divers and more than forty years of teaching in Austin is the record we stand behind.
Should I get certified on vacation or at home in Austin?
We usually recommend getting certified at Tom’s before your vacation. Resort courses can be excellent, but they are often compressed into a short travel window. Training at home gives you more time to learn in our 90°F pool, ask questions, get properly fitted for gear, and arrive at your destination ready to enjoy the diving instead of spending vacation time in class.
Where can I get scuba certified in Austin?
Yes. Tom’s Dive & Swim has been Austin’s SSI Dive Center since 1982, located at 5909 Burnet Rd. Tom’s offers the full path from Try Scuba through Open Water Diver certification, all taught locally in our heated indoor pool.
What are scuba diving classes in Austin like?
At Tom’s, scuba diving classes combine online academics through the MySSI app with in-person pool sessions in our 90°F indoor pool, followed by open water checkout dives at Lake Travis or Spring Lake. Classes run in small groups on weeknight (Mon/Wed or Tue/Thu) or weekend formats, so you can find scuba classes near you that actually fit your schedule.
Do I need a scuba diving license?
Recreational divers do not need a government-issued scuba diving license. What you need is a recognized certification card, sometimes casually called a scuba license, from an agency like SSI, issued after completing an Open Water Diver course. Tom’s Open Water certification never expires and is accepted at dive operators worldwide.
Are there dive schools in Austin?
Yes. Tom’s Dive & Swim has been Austin’s dive school since 1982, teaching scuba diving courses out of our indoor heated pool at 5909 Burnet Rd. As one of the longest-running dive schools near Austin, we offer everything from a single Try Scuba session to full SSI Open Water certification and continuing education.

Ready to Begin Your Journey?

Whether you want to learn to dive, try scuba, get certified, refresh your skills, or choose your next step, Tom’s has a class for where you are right now:

Mon / Wed Weeknights
Tue / Thu Weeknights
Weekend Format
Private: Your Schedule
View Class Schedule Call Tom’s Email Tom’s
Continuing Education · Meet Our Instructors
Request a Private Class
Try Scuba · SSI Open Water Diver · Swim Lessons · Dive Travel
 

Hours Of Operation:

Monday – Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: Closed

top