Lifeguard Certification Courses

Course Timeline

Full lifeguard certification courses take place over the course of three days. All sessions must be attended and successfully completed to receive a certification.

Course Prerequisites

Participants must be at least 15 years of age on or before the last date of the course to register.

Participants must be able to pass a prerequisite swimming and skills test on the first day of class consisting of the following:

• Continuous 300 (not timed) yard swim, demonstrating proficiency in front crawl (using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing, propellant kick), and breaststroke (using a pull, breathe, kick and glide sequence).
• 2-minute tread without support and without stopping. Participants can use only their legs.
• Retrieve a 10 lb. brick from the bottom of the pool (12 feet) and swim 20 yards with the brick, without the use of goggles. This must be done within 1 minute and 40 seconds.

Course Timeline

Lifeguard recertification courses take place over the course of two days. All sessions must be attended and successfully completed to receive a certification.

Course Prerequisites

Participants must have  a CURRENT lifeguard/First Aid/CPR/AED certification to participate in a lifeguard recertification course.

Participants must be able to pass a prerequisite swimming and skills test on the first day of class consisting of the following:

• Continuous 300 (not timed) yard swim, demonstrating proficiency in front crawl (using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing, propellant kick), and breaststroke (using a pull, breathe, kick and glide sequence).
• 2-minute tread without support and without stopping. Participants can use only their legs.
• Retrieve a 10 lb. brick from the bottom of the pool (12 feet) and swim 20 yards with the brick, without the use of goggles. This must be done within 1 minute and 40 seconds.

Lifeguard Instructor Certification Courses trains instructor candidates to teach American Red Cross Lifeguarding, Shallow Water Lifeguarding, Aquatic Attraction Lifeguarding Waterpark Skills, CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers, and Bloodborne Pathogens Training.

Course Timeline

Lifeguard Instructor certification courses take place over the course of three days.

Course Prerequisites

Participants will be required to:

• Demonstrate proficient Lifeguarding skills
• Teach multiple course lessons
• Be a minimum of 17 years of age by the final day of the course and
• Possess a current American Red Cross Lifeguard certification
• Complete all online sessions prior to the first in-person course date
• Attended and successfully complete all in-person sessions

Custom lifeguard courses are available to groups of 5 or more that need to be certified together. Groups larger than 10 cannot be accommodated. Please fill out our reservation request form to request a custom course.

• Requests must be submitted at least 30 days before the desired certification course date.
• Dates, times, and course capacities for custom lifeguard courses are limited based on facility space and instructor availability.
• All courses utilize a blended learning format in which online course content must be completed before the start of the in-person session. Online learning content will take approximately 7 hours to complete.
• In-person instruction is taught over the course of several days (20 hours). 
• All courses will take place at Fike Recreation Center.
• Course fees are assessed per participant in the course.

• All refunds are subject to a processing fee. Refund amounts will be prorated based on the number of days remaining until the program.
• Refund requests submitted fewer than 7 days in advance of a scheduled program will not be approved.
• All refund requests are subject to approval and are not a guarantee of a refund.
• Requester will be notified of confirmation or denial of their refund.
• Refunds for credit/debit purchases will be returned to the card used on the initial transaction. Refunds for checks will be made in the form of a check from Clemson University.
• A full refund will be offered in the case of any program cancellation. All program registrations should be considered pending until appropriate course numbers are reached.
• Complete a refund request form.