Exam questions for the "Open Water Diver" diving licence

Learning to dive is a fascinating hobby, but for safety reasons it cannot do without certain theoretical basics. As the OWD diving licence entitles you to dive independently at depths of up to 18 m, it is very important that you as a diving student know the theory well.

For your own safety, there is therefore a short theory test for the diving licence with exam questions based on the theory you have previously learned yourself or been taught by the diving instructor.

What topics do the diving licence exam questions cover?

One of the most important topics that a prospective diver must master is the effect of pressure on the body. During the diving licence exam, this is therefore a topic that is asked in detail; for example, there may be questions on possible barotraumas, the correct assistance, the correct ascent and descent technique and pressure equalisation.

Another category of diving licence exam questions concerns equipment, its components, correct care and handling. Also important are the hand signals that are used internationally for underwater communication and must be understood, as well as the differences between fresh and salt water. Other topics include buoyancy control, correct planning of a dive, correct behaviour in the sea, marine life and responsible interaction with the underwater world. The correct reaction in difficult situations is also tested.

Ultimately, the diving licence exam is for your own safety, and all the topics covered are dealt with in detail beforehand in the theory lessons or in the textbook (which you can also work through independently before the course).

How does the exam for the diving licence work?

The diving licence exam contains around 50 questions on the various aspects covered by the instructor in the theory. The diving licence exam questions consist of questions with different answers to tick, sometimes several answers are correct. A certain number of mistakes may be made.

After the exam, the instructor will go through any incorrectly answered questions with you again to discuss the correct answers. The purpose of the diving licence test is not to torture you with unnecessary test anxiety, but to clarify with your diving instructor that you have understood and internalised the important theory that you need for independent diving. This is the only way to ensure safe and enjoyable diving.