How to Apply to University For a Midwifery Degree

Post-Regsitration applications are usually handled by the universities directly. For a Pre-Registration degree in midwifery, the place to start is www.ucas.ac.uk

Here you will be able to search for the full list of midwifery courses available in the UK. Most courses are also listed on our site, but you should double check with UCAS and the individual institutions as courses change all the time. Follow the links to the university web pages. See if you can request a brochure for the course, or a general prospectus.

Deciding which universities to apply for is difficult, so you should give it some thought. Your options may be limited by your geographic location and how far you're willing to move away from friends and family. Maybe you're willing to commute but not sure whether it's too far? It's a really good idea to get to some open days if you can. They will give you a really good idea about the type of course on offer, what kind of facilities the universities have and you might get to meet current students and lecturers. See our open day page for some tips.

Once you've narrowed down your list a bit try finding out about the qualifications needed. For post-registration courses this will usually involve an adult nursing qualification and registration with the NMC. If you're looking at pre-reg courses and taking A levels or equivalent, you should be able to get an indication of expected grades by looking on the websites for those institutions. If you've been out of education a while or have different qualifications, give the admissions teams a ring. Numbers are usually prominent on university web pages. They'll be more than happy to advise you about what they ask for. Usually the minimum involves English and Maths GCSEs and three A Levels, although Access courses are a popular alternative. You also need to show evidence of recent learning, in other words a qualification gained in the last 3 years. This could be A levels, another GCSE, a university degree or an Open University module. In fact the possibilities are almost endless. Have a look at our Further Study page for some more inspiration and advice.

Once you're ready to apply for the pre-reg degree, you'll need to register with UCAS, at the address above. Applications for the degree course run between September and January, for intakes the following academic year (usually September). Midwifery courses don't usually accept applications for deferred entry, and due to their popularity you may want to submit your forms earlier rather than later. You will need to provide details of yourself and your qualifications, the courses you want to apply for and a reference. This should usually be an academic reference (such as a tutor or teacher) but some students are able to provide a personal reference (such as an employer) and supply an academic one later in the application process. If you think you'll have difficulty getting an academic reference, contact your chosen universities for advice.

The final, and probably hardest, part of your application will be writing a personal statement. This is a short description of yourself, and why you have applied for this course. A lot of guidance is available from UCAS, and from schools and colleges, but you can get a load of great 'insider' tips by looking at our pages and by speaking to us directly on our forum.

Once you've submitted your application, you might have a long wait ahead of you before you hear anything. If you get past the first stage, you will be invited for an interview. Some universities start interviewing in October, others wait until March or even April. Following the interview stage it shouldn't be too long before you get either a yes or a no. Most offers will be conditional, if not on exam results, then on Criminal Records and Occupational Health checks. If there is anything that you need to declare that you think might affect your application, best to contact the admissions department directly. There is a lot of support available for midwifery students, so honesty is most definitely the best policy. We will keep you company through the process on the forum, if you can drag yourself away from UCAS Track! Many applicants use our site to keep each other up to date on which universities have started interviewing/offering, as well as sharing interview questions. Come and join us!

Interviews, never mind places, are hard to come by, and it may take you two or three application cycles before your application is strong enough even to be shortlisted. Don't be too disheartened, we've all been there. Take their feedback with your head held high, strengthen your application and try again next year.