Anyone already teaching swim! It is great for newer swim instructors as a foundation and it’s great for experienced instructors as a refresher.
To apply for the CFSI, you must submit a 30-hour attestation form completed by a swim school owner or manager. This attestation verifies 30 hours of hands-on experience and is essential for ensuring that all CFSIs are experienced and meet USSSA standards, especially since our certification program is fully virtual.
This certification is designed for individuals who are already actively teaching swim lessons. It is not intended for those who have not yet begun teaching. If you are new to swim instruction, we recommend gaining hands-on experience first. You can explore opportunities by checking the USSSA Job Board, which features positions from our member swim schools. There may also be additional swim schools in your area that are hiring, so we encourage you to explore those options as well.
Certified Fundamental Swim Instructor (CFSI)
The Certified Fundamental Swim Instructor (CFSI) is the certification offered by the United States Swim School Association. The program emphasizes water safety, teaching fundamentals, and best practices in learn-to-swim instruction, ensuring that every certified instructor is well-prepared to create a positive and impactful learning environment.
Certified Fundamental Swim Instructor with Curriculum Endorsement
In addition to the standard CFSI certification, we now offer an optional Curriculum Endorsement. This version includes an additional curriculum component designed for those who want more structured guidance or need to meet specific state or organizational certification requirements. Not all states require this level of endorsement, so we encourage you to reference your state’s regulations to determine if the CFSI with Curriculum Endorsement is necessary for you. This option serves as an added credential that offers a solid foundation for professional swim instruction.
Some states require this level of endorsement, so we encourage you to reference your state’s regulations to determine if the CFSI with Curriculum Endorsement is necessary for you.
If you are looking for curriculum or lesson plan ideas you may want to add the curriculum endoresement. At this time, there is no additional cost for the curriculum endoresment!
|
Description |
USSSA Member Fee* |
Non-member Fee |
|
CFSI Certification (includes required courses and one take of the exam) |
$110 |
$330 |
| Retake exam (2nd or 3rd exam attempt) or Cancelled/No Show Exam Reschedule Fee | $55 | $55 |
| Recertification via CE (every 3 years) | $75 | $175 |
| Recertification via exam (every 3 years) |
$100 |
$200 |
| Recertification late fees | $30 |
$30 |
*Must Keep Your Membership Status Active to Retain Member Pricing and Discounted Bulk Pricing.
This certification promotes standardized knowledge and expectations among swim instructors, covering a breath of topics not seen all together anywhere else. We recommend you use CFSI to prepare instructors to handle most situations they could encounter in the field and then use your training to teach your instructors how to teach your curriculum as well as the emergency action plans specific to your facility.
Approximately 12 hours total:
- Fundamental Swim Instructor Online Course 5 hrs
- Creating Next Level Baby Teachers (formally Infant-Toddler Course) 4 hrs
- Play with Purpose Online Course 2 hrs
- 100 question multiple choice proctored exam 1 hr
Yes, USSSA members can purchase at bulk pricing starting with a purchase of 10 or more registrations. Pricing ranges from $55-$99 each depending on the number purchased.
For details and to purchase visit: https://bit.ly/CFSIbulk
Yes! The three required courses are online courses. Certification also requires CPR and First Aid certification, a passed background check from a nationally recognized organization, and an owner or manager to attest that the certification candidate has received at least 30 hours of in water training.
No, the required courses are all online and include:
- Fundamental Swim Instructor Online Course 5 hrs
- Creating Next Level Baby Teachers 4 hrs
- Play with Purpose Online Course 2 hrs
When you sign up for the certification you should receive an email with login instructions into the USSSA Online Portal. The courses will be under My Learning Plan, scroll to the bottom of the learning plan under the section USSSA Certificate Courses.
We accept any nationally recognized background checks.
If you need a background check, you can create an account with SportsEngine and complete the background check here. Cost of the background check is $36 and is good for two years and includes Abuse Prevention Online Training. Learn More.
No, the fee to take the exam is included in your certification registration. The only potential fees would be:
- Rush Fee: requesting a test date within the next 72 hours
- Retake Fee: fee to retake because of a no show or cancellation without a 48 hour notice
ProctorU is unable to reschedule exams. The steps you need to take depend on how much notice you provide.
If you are canceling more than 48 hours before your scheduled exam:
Cancel your exam through ProctorU.
Email certification@usswimschools.org and request to have the exam reassigned to you.
Once the exam has been reassigned, you can schedule a new exam date through ProctorU.
If you cancel with less than 48 hours’ notice or miss your scheduled exam:
ProctorU considers this a no-show and charges the full exam fee. The retake fee is $55.
You will need to register and pay for a new exam attempt.
Return to the certification registration page and, in Step 1, select:
“My last exam was canceled or I did not pass my exam on my last attempt and am retaking it.”
You will need to be ready to take your exam in a quiet area while sitting at a table or desk with the area around your computer cleared. Your phone cannot be near you and you can only be connected to one screen. You will need to download Guarding Browser from link provided. Chromebooks are not compatible with the exam platform. For full test taker details visit: https://bit.ly/CFSITestTakerTips
For immediate assistance or if the test taker encounters issues connecting to a proctor: contact ProctorU immediately via chat at https://auto.proctoru.com/chat or call at +1-855-772-8678.
Certified Fundamental Swim Instructor:
What is it?
The Candidate Experience:
What to Expect During Your Remote Proctored Exam
