GI Bill® Reimbursement Details
- Deep Abyss Scuba and NAUI are proud to announce that you can use your G.I. Bill® to pay for many of our scuba certifications and licenses. You can choose from a wide selection of programs we offer. Are you interested in learning to dive, improve your diving skills, and becoming a dive professional? The G.I. Bill® can help you accomplish this. Through these series of programs, you will learn the basics of diving and progress up this guided path to become a professional diver. We can help "Take You as Deep as You Want to Go!"
- This program is designed BY veterans FOR veterans. Service members who qualify can be reimbursed for their certifications and licensing exams. Restrictions follow same guidelines as the VA licensing and certification reimbursement program – please refer to this website:
https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/how-to-use-benefits/test-fees/ - Service members can use one month of G.I. Bill® benefits per certification or license exam and can progress as far as they want. Service members can use up to one month to six months of benefits to get scuba certified or become a NAUI dive professional. Please see exams, prices and step by step instructions in the next sections below.
DOD SkillBridge
with NAUI Details
NAUI’s internship allows you to use your G.I. Bill® to become a NAUI Dive professional at one of our 75 NAUI VA approved testing centers around the world. We have 5,000 positions around the world where you can use your new license and experience to start a new chapter and/or just explore something you’ve never done before.
If you end up liking what you are doing at your specific internship, there may be an opportunity for you to be hired on after your internship is completed (all based on the need for each location).
If you are a certified dive instructor read Part 1. If you are not a certified dive instructor read Part 2.
Part 1 - Certified Dive Instructors
If you are already a certified dive instructor, you may participate in NAUI’s Skillbridge program as an instructor. If you are certified with an agency other than NAUI, your certification may be used to crossover to a NAUI certification. Instructors will be able to work at one of more than 5,000 NAUI locations across the world for on the job training.
Part 2 - Dive students
NAUI’s SkillBridge program is designed for service members to become a NAUI scuba instructor as well as learn the diving business. The program will last 90-180 days.
Keep in mind that you are responsible for your housing in the location you select, and you will not receive additional housing allowance beyond what you are already receiving. During the internship you could work Monday through Sunday as long as it is not over 40 hours a week.
Service members can begin the program with any level of scuba certification they may already have, or none at all! If you have a certification from another scuba agency, it can crossover to NAUI.
The SkillBridge program allows the use of the G.I. Bill® to fund the certifications and licenses you will need to become a NAUI instructor and be able to make a career in the diving industry. If you do not already have any scuba diving certifications you will use 6 months of your G.I. Bill® benefits to get all the certifications and licenses you need to be a NAUI instructor.
Certifications
- NAUI Basic Level Scuba Certification NES-VA010 $1500
- Open Water Scuba Diver
- Basic Life Support: CPR & First Aid
- Electives: You get to choose ONE elective:
- Underwater Digital Imaging Diver
- Enriched Air Nitrox Diver
- Full Face mask
- Drysuit Diver
- NAUI Advanced Level Scuba Certification NES-VA011 $1500
- Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver
- 02 Provider
- Electives: You get to choose ONE elective:
- Deep Diver
- Underwater Digital Imaging Diver
- Enriched Air Nitrox Diver
- Full Face mask
- Drysuit Diver
- Underwater Hunter and Collector
- Wreck Diver (External Survey)
- Underwater Archaeologist
- Night Dive
- Altitude Diver
- Rescue Scuba Diver Certification NES-VA012 $1500
- Rescue Scuba Diver
- Search and Recovery Diver
- Electives: You get to choose ONE elective:
- Deep Diver
- Underwater Digital Imaging Diver
- Enriched Air Nitrox Diver
- Full Face mask
- Drysuit Diver
- Underwater Hunter and Collector
- Wreck Diver (External Survey)
- Underwater Archaeologist
- Night Diver
- Altitude Diver
- DFA Pro
- Master Scuba Diver Certification NES-VA013 $1500
- Master Scuba Diver
- Training Assistant
- Electives: You get to choose ONE elective:
- Deep Diver
- Underwater Digital Imaging Diver
- Enriched Air Nitrox Diver
- Full Face mask
- Drysuit Diver
- Underwater Hunter and Collector
- Wreck Diver (External Survey)
- Underwater Archaeologist
- Night Diver
- Altitude Diver
- DFA Pro
Professional Licenses
- NAUI Instructor NES-VA001
- NAUI Assistant Instructor NES-VA002
- NAUI Divemaster NES-VA003.
- NAUI Instructor Trainer NES-VA004
- NAUI Course Director NES-VA005
- Force Blue Scientific Diver NES-VA007
- Force Blue Assistant Scientific Diver NES-VA008
- Public Safety Diving NES-VA009
Professionals are defined as Divemasters, Diving Instructors, Instructor Trainers, and Course Directors - all of these professionals licenses are considered true vocational programs. These licenses can provide full-time employment with lucrative pay.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill
Getting Started
STEP 1
- Learn about G.I. Bill® eligibility requirements and find out if you can get these benefits. VA education benefits can help you pay your tuition, pick out a school, choose a career, and more. If you’re an active-duty service member or Veteran, a member of the National Guard or Reserves, or a qualified survivor or dependent, find out if you can get VA education benefits through the G.I. Bill® and other educational assistance programs.
STEP 3
- Find a NAUI approved VA testing center near you by clicking this link: https://www.naui.org/locate-dive-centers/ and (filter by Designation) scroll down until you find NAUI VA testing center.
- Once you find a NAUI Approved VA testing center take your VA statement of benefits you printed in Step 2 to them and schedule the certification or license you want to take.
STEP 2
- Apply for your G.I. Bill® benefits.
- How to apply for the G.I. Bill® and related benefits go to the VA website at: https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/ and follow the directions.
- If you have already applied for your benefits and just need to find out how many months of benefits you have left, please go to the VA website at: https://www.va.gov/education/gi-bill/post-9-11/ch-33-benefit/. and follow the steps on how to check your benefits.
- Print out your VA statement of benefits you will need to take it to your NAUI approved VA testing center.
STEP 4
- Upon completion of all exams, the NAUI VA testing center will give you three documents and a printed step by step instructions so you can submit for your VA reimbursement. (all reimbursements from the VA are done in the order they are received, but it is taking about 30 to 60 days to receive your reimbursement from the VA).
