STCW Fort Lauderdale: 5 Schools, Prices and Refreshers 2026
How much is an STCW course in Fort Lauderdale?
A full STCW Basic Training course (also called Basic Safety Training, or BST) in Fort Lauderdale costs $1,299–$1,550 and takes 5 days: four modules, classroom plus practicals. There's also a blended option from $1,095, with the theory online and then 2 practical days. Refreshers and revalidations cost $525–$899 and take 1–3 days.
Most Fort Lauderdale schools are USCG-approved rather than MCA-approved. The UK MCA accepts basic safety certificates issued by any administration on the IMO STCW "White List", and the US is on it (MIN 643, section 4.4). So a USCG-approved STCW is normally fine for yacht work, but check with the yacht or management company first.
Prices and dates checked on each school's own website on 16 October 2026. Schools change prices, so confirm before you book.
What's in the course: the four modules
STCW Basic Training (sometimes still called "STCW 95"; the current standard is STCW 2010) is four modules. Here's how MPT and Resolve split the week:
| Module | Typical length | What you actually do |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Survival Techniques (PST) | 1.5–2 days | Lifejackets, liferafts, abandon-ship drills in a pool |
| Basic Fire Fighting (FPFF) | 2 days | Extinguishers, hoses, breathing apparatus, live fire |
| First Aid & CPR (Elementary First Aid) | 1 day | CPR, bleeding, burns, casualty handling |
| Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities (PSSR) | 0.5 day | Shipboard safety, pollution, working with crew |
For a fuller explanation of each module, see our Antibes STCW guide. It's the same course.
Personal Survival Techniques ends in a pool: righting and boarding a life raft in a lifejacket. MPT runs its pool sessions at a local aquatic centre. Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District, public domain.
Fort Lauderdale STCW schools compared
| School | Basic Training week | Refresher / revalidation | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPT | $1,299 package, 5 days | Refresher 3 days $899; revalidation 1 day $529 | Runs almost every week |
| PYT USA | $1,299, 5 days (taught at MPT) | 1-day MCA-style refresher $749 | Only Florida school on MCA lists |
| Resolve Maritime Academy | $1,399, 5 days | Revalidation 1 day $525 (offer; usually $700) | Own pool and training vessel |
| Sea School | $1,550, 5 days | None in FLL (Jacksonville only) | FLL course roughly every 2 months |
| Seven Seas Prep | Blended from $1,095 (online + 2 days) | Revalidation 1.5 days $795 | $1,295 with VPDSD security |
Maritime Professional Training (MPT)
1915 South Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale; +1 954-525-1014. MPT has trained mariners since 1983 and runs a course almost every week. The four-module package is $1,299 if you pay in full up front. Booking the modules separately (PST $299, PSSR $199, First Aid/CPR $129, Fire Fighting $749) comes to $1,376.
Course weeks start 19 Oct, 26 Oct, 2 Nov, 9 Nov, 16 Nov, 30 Nov, 7 Dec and 14 Dec 2026, then 4 and 11 Jan 2027. Security training (PSA/PDSD) is sold separately.
Professional Yacht Training USA (PYT USA)
1635 South Miami Road, one block north of SE 17th Street; (954) 296-3830. PYT is yacht-focused: it was founded in Durban in 2000 and has been in Fort Lauderdale since 2013. Its STCW is $1,299 for 5 days (price list), but its own course list labels the dates "STCW @ MPT". The course week runs at MPT, on the same weekly dates.
PYT USA is the only Florida school on the MCA's approved provider lists (updated 8 Oct 2026). It's approved for PST, Elementary First Aid, PSSR and Updating PST, but not for fire fighting. No Florida school is on the MCA's fire-fighting list; the only US school on it is MITAGS in Maryland.
Resolve Maritime Academy
750 West Sunrise Blvd; +1 954-463-9195. $1,399 for 40 hours over 5 days, 8am–5pm. Resolve describes it as "USCG, MCA Accepted". Pool sessions are in its own indoor pool and fire fighting is on its training vessel, T/V Resolve Vision. Those are two separate locations with no transport provided, though parking is free. You can take modules individually (call for prices), which helps if you're missing just one.
Sea School
Sea School is a national chain with a Fort Lauderdale location. Its FLL STCW is the most expensive at $1,550, and it only runs about every two months: 4–8 Jan, 15–19 Mar, 3–7 May, 12–16 Jul and 13–17 Sep 2027. The same course in Jacksonville costs $1,020.
Seven Seas Preparatory Academy
Seven Seas has sites in Orlando, Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale. Its blended Basic Training puts the theory online, followed by 2 days of practicals and assessments. It's USCG-approved and costs from $1,095, or $1,295 with VPDSD. It's the cheapest and shortest option on this list.
One caveat: the MCA says it does not accept online courses where the STCW Code requires face-to-face practical training. Blended courses do include the practical days. Still, if you plan to go for UK/MCA yacht tickets later, email the MCA at [email protected] before you book.
Looking for Bluewater?
Bluewater's training centres are in Antibes and Palma only, so it doesn't run STCW in Fort Lauderdale. If you'd rather train in Europe, see STCW courses in Antibes.
Do I need an STCW refresher?
Yes, every five years, for PST and Fire Fighting. First Aid and PSSR never need updating. PST and FPFF "do not expire as such", but to work on STCW-compliant vessels they must have been done or refreshed in the last five years (MIN 643, section 5.1; the note is current until 30 November 2026).
Fort Lauderdale makes this confusing because "refresher" and "revalidation" mean different things here:
- USCG revalidation (1 day): only if you have at least 1 year (360 days) of sea service in the last 5 years. MPT charges $529 and Resolve $525. Next dates include 21 Oct, 28 Oct and 18 Nov 2026 at Resolve, and 21 Oct, 28 Oct and 11 Nov 2026 at MPT.
- USCG refresher (longer): for mariners who don't have that sea time. MPT's is 3 days, $899, with sessions starting 19 Oct, 26 Oct, 16 Nov and 30 Nov 2026, and MPT says the MCA accepts it. Bring photo ID and proof of your original STCW, and don't book a flight out before 18:00 on the last day.
- MCA-style refresher (PYT, 1 day, $749): 4 hours of PST and 4 hours of fire fighting, aimed at the MCA five-year rule. PYT states plainly: "THIS IS NOT A USCG REVALIDATION." Dates: 11 Nov and 9 Dec 2026; 20 Jan, 10 Feb and 10 Mar 2027.
Which one you need depends on who's asking. Non-US crew with an MCA or other-flag STCW need whatever their flag state or management company accepts. US mariners renewing a USCG MMC endorsement need the USCG revalidation or refresher. Check before you pay.
Every five years you go back in the water: the refresher repeats the survival and fire-fighting practicals, not the classroom modules. Photo: Petty Officer 1st Class Henry Dunphy, U.S. Coast Guard, public domain.
When to book (and what to combine it with)
Fort Lauderdale's season runs from the boat show in late October/early November through spring. In our reading, the best time to do your STCW week is before the boats fill up, so you're certified and on the dock when the daywork starts. MPT runs a course nearly every week, so availability is good.
Get both certs in one trip. You'll need an ENG1 medical too, and Fort Lauderdale has approved doctors. See our ENG1 Fort Lauderdale guide and book it for the same week.
Fort Lauderdale fills with yachts from the boat show onwards. Do your STCW week before the season starts. Photo: DaSpader, CC BY-SA 3.0.
A few practical points:
- Budget for a week's accommodation. PYT advertises crew housing.
- Sort your US status before you fly. If you're not a US citizen or resident, note that a B1/B2 visa doesn't cover casual daywork.
- Security is extra. PSA/PDSD isn't in the four-module week at MPT, Resolve or Sea School. The MCA recognises PDSD from the US, so a US course counts.
What else you need to get hired
The STCW and ENG1 get you through the gangway, but they don't get you the job. You'll also want:
- A one-page yacht CV. See how to build one with no experience.
- A plan for the dock: dockwalking and the Fort Lauderdale crew agencies.
- The bigger picture on roles and pay in our yacht jobs guide, plus where and when to position yourself.
Your next step
Pick your Fort Lauderdale STCW course week, book your ENG1 for the same trip, and write your CV while you're in the classroom.
Once you have your certs, sign up free on Radius and upload them. Radius verifies your STCW and ENG1. Crew with a valid ENG1, STCW and CV who've checked in recently show on the map for nearby captains looking for dayworkers, so captains can find you instead of you knocking on every boat on the river.