PADI IDC Koh Tao: Cost, Requirements & Schools

Featured image: amandicacom, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.

PADI IDC on Koh Tao: The Short Answer

The PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) is the step after Divemaster. It combines the Assistant Instructor (AI) and Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) courses. Schools usually fold in the Emergency First Response Instructor (EFRI) course, though some sell it as an add-on. PADI runs the Instructor Examination (IE) separately, and PADI staff conduct it, not your school. Black Turtle Dive schedules 2 prep days, a 14-day IDC and then the 2-day IE. Another Koh Tao school describes a 17-day IDC, so length varies by school. We'd treat the island as a shortlist of schools, not one product. If you are not yet a Divemaster, start with our Divemaster course guide. For the wider ladder of courses, see our Koh Tao dive course overview.

Who Can Take the IDC (Prerequisites)

Black Turtle Dive lists these requirements to enroll. Check them against current PADI standards, because schools can add their own conditions.

• PADI Divemaster rating or equivalent
• Age 18 or older
• Certified diver for at least 6 months
• 60 logged dives to start, with documented night, deep and navigation experience
• First aid and CPR certificate valid within the last 24 months
• Medical clearance from a physician within the last 12 months
• A scuba review if you have not dived in 12 months

What the Course Includes: Structure, Timing and Exit Requirements

Training splits into classroom, confined water (pool) and open water blocks. Classroom work mixes e-learning with Course Director presentations and workshops. Pool work covers the 24 basic skills, a Rescue Diver skill circuit and teaching presentations. Open water adds descent and ascent workshops, rescue exercises and teaching presentations. There are two stamina tests: a 400 m continuous freestyle swim and a 10-minute float or survival swim. Exit requirements at Black Turtle Dive include 3.4 minimum scores on set teaching presentations. You also need 82 points on the 24-skill circuit and 75% on the Standards and Dive Theory exams. Black Turtle Dive also lists 100 logged dives to complete the IDC and to enroll on the IE. The 60-dive figure gets you in the door; 100 gets you certified. Rescue skills are assumed throughout, so revisit our Rescue Diver course notes if yours are rusty.

A Typical IDC Day on Koh Tao

Sairee Cottage Diving says most days finish between 16:00 and 18:00, with extra help after class when needed. Black Turtle Dive's published schedule shows the rhythm. Day 1 is orientation, a theory review and the 24-skill circuit. Days 4 and 5 bring confined and open water presentations. Days 7 and 12 are boat days with a 07:30 start. Day 9 is a day off. Days 13 and 14 are a mock IE, then a final counselling session on IE recommendations. Expect homework most evenings, mainly e-learning modules and presentation prep. We'd finish as much e-learning as possible before arrival, as Black Turtle Dive itself recommends.

How Much the IDC Really Costs

Prices checked November 2026. Black Turtle Dive lists its IDC at ฿41,900, which covers all course dives, scuba equipment rental, a dive computer, a log book and a pass guarantee. Treat that as one school's price, not an island average. Three more layers sit on top. First, the PADI IDC Crew Pack costs ฿25,000 there and includes EFR materials. Second, PADI fees are billed in Australian dollars: an instructor application of AUD 350, an exam fee of AUD 1,190 and an EFR instructor application of AUD 252, totalling AUD 1,792. Third, you pay for accommodation, food, insurance and travel. IDC Koh Tao, part of the same dive center, listed 2024 PADI fees slightly lower, so ask for the current schedule. Budget for a retake: the same school says it pays the next IE fees if you fail, which is the kind of term worth getting in writing.

How to Choose an IDC School on Koh Tao

Each school's own page sells its own Course Director, so we'd ignore praise and ask questions. Course Director ratings such as Platinum are self-reported on school sites, so attribute them rather than rely on them. A Course Director from Sairee Cottage Diving says most Koh Tao centers are fine and you should pick the one that suits your goals, which is fair advice. Put these questions to every school on your shortlist.

• How many candidates are in the group, and who teaches each block?
• Does the fee include dives, gear, EFRI and PADI materials?
• What does the pass guarantee or retake policy cover, in writing?
• Are there pool and classroom facilities on site?
• Which exam dates will your IDC lead into?
• Is an internship or MSDT package available afterwards?
• Is extra help offered if theory or English is a struggle?

Living on Koh Tao During the Course (Accommodation, Food, Getting There)

IDC Koh Tao quotes a one-month stay from about ฿7,000 and roughly ฿350 a day for food. Those figures come from a school promoting itself, so use them as a starting point, not a quote. Some schools bundle accommodation, and one Sairee Cottage Diving reviewer mentions free accommodation and lunch during the IDC. Koh Tao sits in the southern Gulf of Thailand, past Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. Check current ferry operators and timetables on the operators' own sites. Schools say dive sites sit within about 20 minutes of land and that diving runs year-round. Ask your school how monsoon-season sea conditions affect the course dates you want.

Which Package Fits You: IDC Only, Internship, MSDT, Staff Instructor

Pick by how sure you are about a career. IDC only suits you if you already have work lined up or want maximum flexibility. Sairee Cottage Diving describes an Instructor Career Package that bundles the IDC, EFR Instructor, MSDT and an internship. It calls this its most popular package. Black Turtle Dive and IDC Koh Tao both offer internships too. Their MSDT prep runs 5 or 6 days, teaching you how to organize and market specialty courses. We'd choose the bundled route only if the written terms spell out what the internship includes. If you want to test the profession first, our fun diving guide covers logging dives while you decide.

After You Pass: Careers and Next Steps

Once the PADI examiner sends your paperwork to PADI, you are processed as an OWSI. IDC Koh Tao says new instructors can teach from that point. Many then enroll on an MSDT program with team teaching, which builds experience alongside senior instructors. Specialty instructor ratings are another route, and our underwater photography course shows what one specialty looks like. We can't cite a verified salary figure, so be wary of any school quoting one without a source. Certified divers still on the lower rungs can start with our Advanced Open Water guide. If you are further back, the PADI Open Water Diver course page explains the entry step, and our Open Water on Koh Tao page covers where to take it. Complete beginners can try a one-day try dive first.

Mistakes to Avoid

Most problems we'd expect come from rushing the decision. Cover your health too: dive accident insurance from a provider such as Divers Alert Network is worth pricing before you travel.

• Choosing on fee alone, without comparing inclusions and the retake policy
• Ignoring group size and who teaches each block
• Skipping e-learning before arrival
• Underestimating the IE, which PADI staff run independently of your school
• Forgetting the extra PADI fees, crew pack and living costs

What to Expect at the PADI Instructor Examination

The PADI Instructor Examination is separate from the IDC. PADI staff run it, rather than your Course Director or dive school. On Koh Tao, one published schedule places the 2-day IE after 2 prep days and a 14-day IDC. Confirm the exact examination dates before booking flights or accommodation.

Use the final IDC days to identify weak areas. A mock IE can reveal whether you need more work on theory, the 24-skill circuit, teaching presentations or rescue exercises. The IDC itself requires a 400 m continuous freestyle swim and a 10-minute float or survival swim, so arrive ready to practice rather than learn basic water fitness under pressure.

The listed IE fee is AUD 1,190, separate from the course fee. Black Turtle Dive says its pass guarantee covers the next IE fees if a candidate fails, but retake terms differ between schools. Ask exactly which fees, accommodation days and extra coaching are covered before relying on any guarantee.