Complete Guide
Do I Need a Superyacht Course to Get a Job?
In short
No - you don't need a full superyacht course to get a job. Every boat requires two things, an STCW Basic Safety Training certificate and an ENG1 seafarer medical; a full-time course or 1-on-1 coaching can help you get hired, but neither is a legal requirement.
No, you don't need a superyacht course to get a job. The only things every boat will ask for are an STCW Basic Safety Training certificate and an ENG1 medical, and the STCW takes 8 days at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) compared with 12 teaching weeks for its full-time Level 3 superyacht course; beyond that, how much structure and support you pay for is a choice, not a requirement.
This guide is for New Zealand and Australian school leavers and career-changers deciding between four routes in. Below is how they compare on cost, time, what you actually get and who each suits - including when a full-time course is genuinely the better pick.
How do the four routes compare?
Costs below are in NZD and come from each provider's own page, with the date we checked. Where a provider doesn't publish a figure, the cell says so rather than guessing. AMSA notes that course fees “vary depending on the organisation and location,” so treat these as a snapshot.
| Route | Typical cost (NZD) | Time | What you get | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Do it yourself | No course fees of its own. You still need STCW and an ENG1 (see route 2 and our ENG1 guide). | Your own pace | Free guides, your own CV, your own dockwalking and job search. No one reviewing your CV or plan. | Self-starters who are comfortable researching ports, seasons and CVs alone. |
| 2. Short STCW-only route | Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) lists STCW Basic Training at about $3,140 (2026) and $3,427 (2027). ENG1: no official fee found. | 8 days in class at MIT, then up to 10 working days for certificates to be issued. | All five STCW Basic modules: first aid, security awareness, personal survival, personal safety and social responsibility, fire fighting and prevention. Plus a separate ENG1 medical. | People who want the legal minimum and will handle the CV and job search themselves. |
| 3. Full-time course (e.g. MIT NZ Certificate in Maritime Crewing, Level 3, Superyacht Crewing) | About $5,300 (2027 domestic fee, approx.). Not available to international students. | 12 teaching weeks full-time, in class, including 1 week at sea. Starts January, May and August. | STCW Basic Training, RYA Powerboat Level 2 and Personal Watercraft, IAMI guest certificates (interior, food service, wine, bartending), plus food safety, barista, deck maintenance, watchkeeping, diesel and outboard maintenance and CV writing. A New Zealand qualification (75 credits). | People who want structure, several tickets in one block and a recognised qualification, and can study full-time for 12 weeks. Open entry; superyacht employers expect crew to be 18+. |
| 4. 1-on-1 coaching (Maiden Voyage) | Not published. Discussed on a free discovery call. | Set around you: some land work in a few weeks, others take a few months. | A 5-phase programme: discovery and goals, a captain-reviewed CV and the certificates that matter, industry insights, job search and relocation, and ongoing support. We don't deliver STCW ourselves - you still sit it with a provider. | People who have the certificates sorted or planned and want honest guidance on role, port, timing and CV. |
Sources, checked 9 October 2026: MIT's STCW Basic Training page (fees marked approx.; 2026 $3,140, 2027 $3,427; 8 days; certificates up to 10 working days) and MIT's NZ Certificate in Maritime Crewing (Level 3) in Superyacht Crewing page (2027 domestic fee approx. $5,300; 12 teaching weeks; contents and entry requirements as listed). Other providers price differently, so get a current quote before you book. Maiden Voyage details are from our own FAQ and programme pages.
When is a full-time course the better choice?
A full-time course is the better choice if you want several tickets in one structured block and can give up 12 weeks. MIT's course bundles STCW with RYA Powerboat Level 2, a jet ski certificate and guest-service certificates, which you would otherwise book separately. Using MIT's own 2027 figures, the whole course (about $5,300) costs roughly $1,870 more than the STCW block alone (about $3,427).
It also suits people who learn best in a classroom with a timetable, who want a New Zealand qualification to show alongside their sea time, or who want a week at sea and hands-on deck and interior practice before they ever step on a charter yacht. The course page notes you need to pass a medical fitness assessment for the lifesaving and firefighting components, and that using the qualification internationally needs a Maritime Rules Part 34 medical certificate - so plan your medical early either way.
When does doing it yourself or coaching fit better?
Doing it yourself fits if you're organised, happy to research, and want to spend only on the legal minimum. Some crew sort the certificates and job search on their own, and our guides for deckhands and stewardesses lay out the steps for free.
Coaching fits if the hard part for you isn't the certificates but the decisions around them: which role, which port, when to arrive, and a CV that reads like a yachting CV. It is not a substitute for STCW or the ENG1, and it doesn't replace a course if a course is what you want. The two can sit side by side: a course or STCW block for the tickets, and coaching for the plan.
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“It never felt like a course or a programme — it felt like having someone in your corner who genuinely cared about where you ended up. Nick showed me I already had more to offer than I thought. Six months later I was a deckhand. I’ve sailed to Fiji. I’m 19.” — Freddie MHospitality → Deckhand · sailed to Fiji · age 19
Can any route guarantee a job?
None of the four routes guarantees a job. Getting hired still comes down to being in the right port in season, a clean one-page CV and dockwalking in person - see our top tips for landing your first yachting job. If you're weighing the money, the superyacht salary guide shows what entry-level crew earn, so you can judge how quickly each route pays back.
Does this apply to Australians?
STCW Basic Safety Training and the ENG1 are international requirements, so the legal minimum is the same for Australian school leavers and career-changers. The prices in the table are New Zealand figures; providers and approved ENG1 doctors in Australia will quote differently, so get local quotes rather than assuming the table applies. Our Australian deckhand guide lists Australian providers and prices from their own pages.
Superyacht course FAQs
Do I need a superyacht course to get a job?
No. The only things every boat requires are an STCW Basic Safety Training certificate and an ENG1 seafarer medical. A full-time superyacht course or coaching can help you get hired, but neither is a legal requirement.
How much does a full-time superyacht course cost in New Zealand?
Manukau Institute of Technology lists domestic fees of about NZD $5,300 for 2027 for its 12-week New Zealand Certificate in Maritime Crewing (Level 3) in Superyacht Crewing, per its programme page checked 9 October 2026. Other providers price differently, so confirm the current fee before enrolling.
Is STCW enough to get my first superyacht job?
STCW Basic Safety Training and an ENG1 medical are the legal minimum to be hired, but they don't get you the job by themselves. You also need a clean one-page CV and to be in the right port at the right time of year.
Can I do a course and coaching together?
Yes. A course or short STCW block gives you the certificates and tickets, while coaching covers the CV, where and when to look, and the job search itself. They only overlap on the certificates. Our 5-phase programme explains how coaching works.
Ready to take the first step?
Book a free discovery call and we'll be honest about which route makes sense for you - including when it's a course.
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“He wanted to make the most of his gap year — not the ordinary version of it. Three months later he’s working on multi-million dollar yachts in the Med, watching the sun set over the Balearic Sea, living a life most people only dream about.” — Antoni MHigh school → full-time in Palma · age 19
Nick studied at university in Dunedin before finding his way onto superyachts with zero prior experience and sailing around the world. He's worked in recruitment and education, watched good candidates get overlooked for doing the wrong training in the wrong ports, and now coaches young Kiwis through the same journey: honest, one-on-one and industry-backed.