Surf School Alliance · Professional Instructor Education

ISA LEVEL 1 & LEVEL 2 SURF INSTRUCTOR COURSES

Build a professional coaching pathway from your first ISA Surf Instructor qualification through practical experience, continuing development and advanced coaching progression.

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25+ YEARSProfessional instructor education
4,450+Surf instructors trained
285+Schools & camps in the wider network
ISAPresenter-led professional training
The Qualification Pathway

BUILD YOUR COACHING CAREER STEP BY STEP

Level 1 is the professional starting point. From there, your coaching develops through real experience, continuing professional development and advanced training.

ISA Level 1 surf instructor coaching
Professional Foundation ISA LEVEL 1

BEGIN YOUR PROFESSIONAL COACHING JOURNEY

The ISA Level 1 Surf Instructor qualification is the foundation for a professional career in surf coaching.

  • Coaching beginner and early-intermediate surfers
  • Lesson planning and professional delivery
  • Ocean awareness and surf safety
  • Risk management and rescue awareness
  • Professional coaching standards
  • Surf-school operations and customer care

No previous coaching experience is required. The current SSA course page recommends that candidates have been surfing regularly for at least one year.

Find A Level 1 Course
Advanced surf coaching and performance
Advanced Progression ISA LEVEL 2

PROGRESS BEYOND THE FOUNDATION

Level 2 sits further along the professional coaching pathway and is relevant to instructors who are building greater experience, coaching responsibility and long-term career progression.

The existing SSA page does not currently publish a detailed Level 2 syllabus, so this page deliberately avoids inventing course content. Level 2 availability and entry requirements should be checked against the current instructor-course programme.

  • Build on established Level 1 coaching experience
  • Continue professional coach development
  • Progress towards more advanced coaching roles
  • Use CPD, mentoring and practical experience to strengthen your coaching
  • Check current Level 2 availability with SSA
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Professional Development

YOUR QUALIFICATION IS THE BEGINNING

SSA connects the course itself with the wider professional journey — coaching experience, water safety, employment, mentoring and ongoing development.

1

QUALIFY

Complete your professional instructor education and build a strong coaching foundation.

2

GAIN EXPERIENCE

Develop confidence through practical coaching and real surf-school environments.

3

KEEP DEVELOPING

Use water safety, CPD, mentoring and further training to strengthen your professional skill set.

4

PROGRESS

Move towards advanced coaching, senior instructor, management, presenter or surf-school leadership roles.

ISA presenter-led surf instructor education
Learn From Experienced ISA Presenters

TRAINING BUILT AROUND REAL SURF-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

SSA courses are delivered by experienced Official ISA Presenters with decades of surf coaching, instructor education and surf-school experience.

Training is practical and supportive, with a strong focus on preparing instructors for professional work rather than simply passing an assessment.

  • Presenter-led professional education
  • Real-world surf-school experience
  • Practical coaching development
  • Support before, during and after training
  • International professional network
Meet The Education Team
More Than A Qualification

SUPPORT THAT CONTINUES AFTER THE COURSE

The existing SSA course pathway includes ongoing professional support beyond the initial qualification.

01

CAREER GUIDANCE

Support as you move from qualification into real coaching and employment.

02

MENTORING & CPD

Continue developing through professional mentoring and continuing education.

03

EMPLOYMENT & NETWORKING

Connect with the SSA jobs network and surf schools, camps and organisations worldwide.

Ready To Train?

VIEW CURRENT SURF INSTRUCTOR COURSES

Choose your destination, check current availability and book through the dedicated SSA worldwide instructor-training page.

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UK France Portugal Morocco Fuerteventura Indonesia
ISA Instructor Course Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS THE ISA LEVEL 1 SURF INSTRUCTOR COURSE? +
ISA Level 1 is the professional foundation described on the current SSA course page. It covers areas including beginner and early-intermediate coaching, lesson planning, ocean awareness, surf safety, risk management and professional coaching standards.
DO I NEED PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE FOR LEVEL 1? +
The current SSA page states that no previous coaching experience is required and recommends that candidates have been surfing regularly for at least one year.
WHAT IS ISA LEVEL 2? +
Level 2 is part of the advanced professional coaching pathway. Detailed current entry requirements, course availability and syllabus should be confirmed through SSA because the existing public page does not publish those details.
WHERE CAN I TAKE AN SSA INSTRUCTOR COURSE? +
The current instructor-course routes linked from this page include the UK, France, Portugal, Morocco, Fuerteventura and Indonesia.
WHAT SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE AFTER QUALIFYING? +
SSA describes ongoing support including career guidance, professional mentoring, CPD, international networking, employment opportunities and further instructor development.