Becoming a midwife

All midwives working in the UK must be registered with us. Before registration, they must have successfully completed a midwifery programme of education that is approved by us. They must also meet our requirements of good health and good character.

Watch our introduction to the NMC for students

Watch our introduction to midwifery regulation for students

Education and training

In the UK midwifery education and training programmes are run only at our approved educational institutions (AEIs). Courses usually take a minimum of three years, although a registered level 1 (adult) nurse can undertake a reduced training course of 18 months, for dual registration with us.

Midwifery training takes place at an NMC-approved educational institutions, with half of the programme based in clinical practice with direct contact with women, their babies and families. This can include the home, community and hospitals, and in other maternity services such as midwife-led units and birth centres.

Methods

During the programme, students are taught to understand, promote and facilitate normal childbirth and to identify complications that may arise in women and babies. They are taught when to call for assistance and implement emergency measures, often working with other health professionals.

Promoting health and wellbeing is an important role for midwives. Students learn how to provide unbiased information and communicate effectively with a range of women and their families.

Where to find training programmes

Further details about the training programmes and the work midwives do can be obtained from NHS Careers.

For a list of institutions approved by us to provide pre-registration midwifery programmes please search our approved programmes.

Student applications are processed by the Universities and College Admissions Service (UCAS).