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Studies & Degrees in Skydiving

Skydiving is the sport of jumping from an aircraft, falling freely for a short time and landing under a parachute. It is taught at drop zones: airfields where a club or company runs the aircraft, the equipment and the instruction. Learning to skydive is practical sports training, not an academic degree. It leads to a licence issued by a national federation or association.

Students learn how to leave the aircraft, how to hold a stable body position in freefall, when and how to open the parachute, how to steer it to the landing area and what to do if something goes wrong. Theory comes first, on the ground, and every jump is briefed and reviewed with an instructor.

Qualifications and levels

National bodies describe three ways to make a first jump. British Skydiving lists the tandem jump, Accelerated Free Fall and a static-line route in which the parachute opens automatically; the United States Parachute Association (USPA) lists the same methods as the first step towards its A licence.

  • Tandem jump. The student is harnessed to an instructor and they share one parachute. USPA says the training generally takes less than 30 minutes. It is an experience jump: British Skydiving notes that most first-time jumpers begin here.
  • Accelerated Freefall (AFF). After several hours of ground school, the student jumps with their own parachute, held in freefall by two instructors. Freefall lasts 30 to 60 seconds and the student is expected to open the parachute and fly it to the landing area.
  • Static line or instructor-assisted deployment. The student leaves the aircraft alone and the parachute is opened for them at the exit.

The first licence comes after the course. Under USPA rules the A licence requires a total of 25 jumps, a practical check dive, an oral exam and a written exam passed with 75%. Its holders may jump without supervision, pack their own main parachute and take part in formation skydives. Higher licences and instructor ratings follow with more jumps.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists one active skydiving school, in Spain: Skydive Madrid, a sports club that gives its address as the Lillo airfield, at exit 81 of the A-4 motorway. In Spain the sport comes under the Real Federación Aeronáutica Española (RFAE), whose national parachuting commission regulates the discipline and organises the Spanish championships.

The club's AFF course, known in Spain as PAC, shows how a typical course works. It starts with one day of theory. Seven jump levels follow: the first three with two instructors and the last four with one. According to the club, a student makes three jumps a day on average. Levels that have to be repeated are paid for separately. After the seven levels the student keeps jumping under supervision until obtaining the first licence, called Título A.

The club sets these requirements: a minimum age of 16, with the consent of a parent or guardian for those under 18; a weight of less than 100 kg; and a basic medical certificate, which it requests under RFAE rules. When this page was checked in October 2026, the club listed its basic seven-level course at €1,995 and a single first-level jump with theory at €710, without the federation licence. Its tandem jumps are made from 4,000 metres, with about 50 seconds of freefall and about five minutes under the parachute.

Rules differ by country. USPA states that in most cases a person must be at least 18 years old to skydive in the United States. Instruction is given in the language of the drop zone, so ask about English-speaking instructors before booking a course abroad.

Careers

Most skydivers are amateurs. A small number work in the sport: as tandem or AFF instructors, as coaches, or as jumpers who film students, and some take part in competitions or display jumps. These jobs require the federation's instructor ratings on top of licences and a large number of jumps. Work is usually seasonal and depends on the weather. There are no official employment statistics for the sport.

Frequently asked questions

How many jumps do I need before I can skydive alone?

In the AFF course of Skydive Madrid, a student who passes the seven levels can jump alone under an instructor's supervision. A licence takes longer: the USPA A licence requires 25 jumps.

Do I need previous experience or a tandem jump first?

No. The AFF course is designed for beginners. Skydive Madrid recommends a tandem jump first to find out whether you like freefall.

How safe is skydiving?

It carries real risk. USPA reports that its members made 3.47 million jumps in 2025 and that there were 16 civilian skydiving deaths in the United States, a rate of 0.46 per 100,000 jumps. In its member survey, 5.6% reported an injury that needed medical treatment that year. Student equipment includes a device that opens the reserve parachute automatically.

Is there a minimum age?

It depends on the country and the school. Skydive Madrid accepts students from 16 with parental consent; USPA says that 18 is the usual minimum in the United States.