Midwifery is a profession for all age groups and as long as you meet the minimum requirements for acceptance onto the midwifery degree then mature students offer varied life experience and are very welcome to apply.

Your personal statement is your chance to show universities your passion to be a midwife and be offered an interview. To prepare read journals, arrange work experience, think about why you want to be a midwife. For further help check out our personal statement section or if you would like your personal statement to really stand out then our team of experts can review it for you.

This will vary for each university. It also depends whether the course starts in September or February. You can normally expect the interview to be approximately 6 months before the start of the course.

A midwifery degree means that you will study full time, for a minimum of 3 years. On completion of the course you will be awarded both an academic and professional qualification. The degree is separated into 50% practice and 50% theory. You will experience of range of midwifery practice including, labour ward, community, postnatal and neonatal care.

You have to apply through the UCAS website.

Each university has its own entry requirements and it is worth checking with the university directly before making an application. As a rough guide you will need at least 5 A-C GCSE’s (including English and a science subject). There are other qualifications that are accepted including an approved access to midwifery course, BTEC National diploma.

To train to be a midwife you will need to take an approved course in midwifery. If you are already a qualified nurse you can complete a short midwifery programme, but not all Universities offer the short course. Both the midwifery degree and midwifery short programme leads to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) which will allow you to practice as a midwife.

During the interview process you want to be noticed (for all the right reasons), dressing smartly, being prepared with all your paperwork and smiling will all give the best first impression. The panel will be looking for good communication skills, being able to work well together, passion for midwifery and dedication to the course. You will leave the best impression by being prepared.

The more prepared for your interview the more likely you are to feel confident on the big day. In an ideal world, work experience in midwifery would really help your application and give you lots to talk about during your interview. If that is not possible then read journals, publications and text books. You should re read your CV and personal statement, the panel are likely to ask you about your experience so make sure you know what you have written.

If you are applying for a course where your interview will include an assessment day then practice your maths, write an timed essay and if you start to panic, don’t worry we are here to help you all the way. Think you might need some help? Click here to drop us an email.

Not every university will need you to complete these types of tests. You may have a group discussion in addition to the interview, but it is dependent on the grades required whether extra assessments are needed. It is a good idea to really practice your maths and if you are not sure how to do this, then our workbook might just be what you need to succeed.

You may want to practice a group discussion about a topic with your university group, family and other friends to feel more comfortable with being heard, having an opinion and demonstrating your listening skills. Read through our section on assessment/ selection day activities for more information.

You don’t want to merge into the background, the rest of the people in the room really want a place too, so you need to stand out. Standing out does not mean being loud or wearing unconventional clothing, it means being prepared, asking appropriate questions and showing your dedication. Your passion for being a midwife will be the best way to stand out and to be remembered by the panel. If you can back this up with showing that you understand the profession, its challenges, a range of things you’ll need to do and your own skills in relation to the role then you will definitely make a positive impression.

Every interview will bring a different set of questions. There are questions that you should be prepared to answer include:

Every university will offer a different interview programme. You will be introduced to a variety of people including lecturers, midwives, student midwives and other people applying for the course. There will be an introduction to the course, what to expect for the next 3 years and opportunities to ask questions. You should be prepared for it to be a fairly long day (bring plenty of water and snacks). The day may include various assessments include maths and literacy test, group discussions and individual interviews. It may be that assessments are held in the morning and you will only be called back for an interview if you pass the tests in the morning. So if you think that your skills lie in being interviewed, you need to make sure you get to the interview and not fail the assessment.. preparation is key!

Having a impressive CV and personal statement is so important to you being offered an interview. It is very competitive and you want to show how much you want a place on a midwifery course. You may be offered help from your college, friends and family. If you want professional help to make sure you submit the best personal statement you possibly can, avoiding common mistakes, repetition and demonstrating individuality, then our team of psychologists and midwives would love to help you.

A midwife role is quite extensive! To find out more read our midwife job description.

The midwifery degree course requires the same dedication as a full time job. It is really helpful to have support. Some universities and hospitals will have onsite child care facilities which may be helpful.

While you are training for your midwifery degree you will work 37.5 hours a week. You will be allocated a midwife-mentor to support your clinical learning. You will be expected to shadow your mentors shift pattern which may include shifts in community, early, late, long shifts, night shifts and on-call shifts. When you are qualified there is more flexible working including part and full time positions.

There is financial support available during your training. You may receive a means tested NHS bursary, you may receive additional support from the university that you apply to.

Midwives that work in the NHS are paid according to Agenda for Change. As a qualified midwife you will start your career at band 5.

The top of the midwife pay scale would be a consultant midwife who would earn the top of 8C pay scale.

Each university and hospital will have its own uniform policy. It is general accepted to have one plain pair of stud earrings. One plain wedding band.

No other visible piercings and tattoos should not be visible. It is also common due to infection prevention that you should not wear clothing below the elbows or wristwatch while on clinical placement.

This programme is for qualified and registered nurses who want to train to be a midwife. Programmes take a minimum of 78 weeks full time. You will be awarded both academic and professional qualification on completion of the course.

You can study directly entry midwifery and you therefore do not need to be a nurse before applying. If you are already a nurse you may be able to do a short midwifery programme.