FIRST JUMP COURSE
Start Your Skydiving Training Before You Get to the Drop Zone
The Skydive University First Jumper Course teaches you the ground-school knowledge behind your first skydive, online and at your own pace.
Learn what to expect, understand what you’ll need to do, and arrive at the drop zone prepared and ready to focus on your jump.
$50
Continue your training with Skydive University in Florida and we’ll credit the $50 course cost toward your A License registration.
Learn Before You Jump
Traditional first-jump training packs everything into a 4–5 hour session, often on the same day you jump.
This course lets you learn that information in a calm setting, on your own schedule.
Work through the material over a couple of evenings, revisit anything you need to, and use quizzes throughout the course to check your understanding.
By the time you arrive for your in-person training, you’ll already be familiar with the knowledge behind your first jump.
What You’ll Learn
The course is divided into four modules:
First Jump Techniques
Exit, body position, deploying your parachute and the full sequence of your first skydive.
Deployment Emergencies and Unusual Situations
How to recognize a problem with your parachute, make a decision and respond correctly.
Landing Situations
Steering your canopy back to the landing area, reading conditions, landing safely and handling landings that don’t go to plan.
Jump Preparation
Preparing yourself and your equipment so you arrive at the aircraft focused and ready.
Throughout the course, you’ll learn through illustrated text, photos, diagrams, tables, video clips, animations and an interactive deployment decision tool, with quizzes to check your understanding.
Who Is It For?
The First Jumper Course is designed for people with no previous skydiving experience who want to understand the training before making their first jump.
To be eligible to skydive, you should be:
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18+ in the USA and Canada, or 16+ with parental permission outside North America
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60 or younger
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235 lbs or less
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In good general health
Why Learn With Skydive University?
Skydive University has been teaching skydivers since 1989, combining sports development, adult education and sports psychology with evidence-based learning techniques.
SDU has also been involved in the latest technical rewrites of USPA student training and trains Coaches, AFF Instructors and the Examiners who certify them.
You’re not simply learning what to do. You’re learning from people who specialize in how skydiving is taught.
What Happens Next?
Once you complete all four modules and pass the final quiz, you’ll receive a printable certificate of completion.
If you want to continue into physical training, you can train with Skydive University in:
DeLand, Florida
Chicagoland Skydiving Center, Rochelle, Illinois
Or take what you’ve learned into first-jump training at another skydiving center offering AFF.
You have two weeks after completing the course to begin your first-jump training, and your online access continues as you progress through your solo jumps and toward your A License. A refresher is free within three months of completion; after three months, you can retake the full course for $20.
From First Jump to A License
“For me, the decision to go through Skydive University's AFF program was an easy one… The day of the jump came and I was nervous, but not as nervous as I thought I would be… I was quickly doing 3 ways and 4 ways, progressing to my first 14 way at just over 100 jumps.”
Alix Raymond
Skydive University AFF graduate, 275 jumps
First Jumper Course
$50
Online and self-paced
4 modules + quizzes + final quiz
Can be completed in one day; 2–3 evenings recommended
Printable certificate on completion
Online access continues through solo jumps and A License progression
Training with SDU in Florida? Your $50 course cost will be credited toward your A License registration.
Questions?
Do I need any skydiving experience?
No. The course is designed for complete beginners.
Does this replace in-person ground school?
It covers the essential knowledge, but not the physical training. You’ll still practice exits, body position, deployment and landings in person before your jump.
Do I have to continue training with Skydive University?
No. You can use the course to prepare for first-jump training at any skydiving center offering AFF.
How long does it take?
You can complete it in one day, although 2–3 evenings are recommended.
What happens after I finish?
You’ll receive a printable certificate and can move into your in-person first-jump training.
Ready to Start?
Learn the knowledge behind your first skydive at your own pace, then arrive at the drop zone ready to put it into practice.
$50