How to Become a Midwife in the UK
Midwives look after women and birthing people through pregnancy, labour and birth, and the first weeks with a new baby. You run antenatal checks and classes, monitor mother and baby during labour, deliver babies, spot complications and bring in doctors when needed, and support feeding and recovery at home or in hospital. Midwives work on labour wards, in birth centres and in the community, where you visit families at home and run clinics.
Midwife is a protected title, so you can only practise once you are on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register. You do not have to be a nurse first: most midwives qualify through a three-year midwifery degree straight from school, college or another career. This guide covers the three routes in, what universities look for, how training is funded in each UK nation, and what midwives earn on the NHS pay scale.
Quick facts
- Starting salary
- £31,049 (NHS Band 5)
- Mid-career salary
- £35,000 - £43,000
- Senior salary
- £50,000 - £75,000
- Work environment
- Hospital, birthing unit or community
- Time to entry
- 3 years (BSc Midwifery)
- Degree required
- Required
- Category
- Healthcare and Care
Compare pay across careers in the UK salaries by career report. Also in: Stable careers, Career change.
What a Midwife does
Care for women through pregnancy, birth and the early days with a new baby.
- Community Midwifery - Antenatal and postnatal care in community clinics and homes.
- Hospital Labour Ward - Intrapartum care in obstetric units.
- Antenatal Care - Specialist clinics, screening and education.
- Postnatal and Infant Feeding - Postnatal support including IBCLC pathways.
- High-risk Pregnancy - Caseload midwifery for complex and high-risk pregnancies.
How to become a midwife in the UK
Most people qualify through a three-year BSc (Hons) in Midwifery at a university approved by the NMC. Around half of the course is spent on placement with an NHS trust, on labour wards, antenatal and postnatal wards and with community midwives, so you work shifts, nights and weekends during your studies. Universities usually ask for GCSE English, maths and often science at grade 4 or above, plus A levels or an Access to Higher Education Diploma, and they interview against NHS values. You will need an enhanced DBS check and occupational health clearance.
If you are already a registered adult nurse, you can take a shortened midwifery programme, usually around 18 months to 2 years. The third route is the midwife degree apprenticeship: some NHS trusts employ maternity support workers and other staff as apprentices, paying a salary while the trust funds the degree. Places are limited, so it suits people already working in maternity care.
In England, students on the university route can apply to the NHS Learning Support Fund for a training grant of at least £5,000 a year, which you do not pay back, on top of tuition fee and maintenance loans. There is extra help if you have children and for some travel to placements. Scotland and Wales have their own funding: Scottish students usually have their tuition paid and receive a non-repayable bursary, and the NHS Wales bursary scheme supports students who agree to work in Wales after qualifying.
- Check the entry requirements of the midwifery degrees you like: usually GCSE English, maths and science at grade 4 or above, plus A levels or an Access to HE Diploma in a health or science subject.
- Get some experience of caring for people, such as maternity support worker, healthcare assistant or volunteering with a parent and baby group, so you can talk about it at interview.
- Apply through UCAS for a BSc (Hons) in Midwifery, or ask your NHS trust whether it offers the midwife degree apprenticeship if you already work in maternity care.
- If you are a registered adult nurse, apply for a shortened midwifery programme instead of starting the full three-year degree.
- Prepare for a values-based interview, then pass the enhanced DBS and occupational health checks, and apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund if you study in England.
- Complete your placements and clinical requirements, then register with the NMC so you can practise under the protected title of midwife.
- Start as a newly qualified midwife on NHS Band 5 with a preceptorship programme, then move to Band 6 as you gain experience.
| Route | How long | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSc (Hons) Midwifery | 3 years full-time | Tuition fee loan; in England, Learning Support Fund grant of at least £5,000 a year | School leavers, Access to HE students and career changers |
| Shortened programme for registered nurses | Around 18 months to 2 years | Varies; check funding with the university | Registered adult nurses |
| Midwife degree apprenticeship | Around 3-4 years | Paid by the employer; you earn a salary | Maternity support workers already employed by an NHS trust |
How most people actually get started
Most new midwives come through the three-year degree, and many are not school leavers: Access to HE diplomas are a common way in for people in their twenties, thirties and forties. If you are changing career, a job as a maternity support worker or healthcare assistant lets you see the work up close, gives you real examples for your personal statement and interview, and puts you in line for an apprenticeship if your trust offers one.
How long it takes
Three years through the BSc in Midwifery, around 18 months to 2 years if you are already a registered adult nurse, or around 3 to 4 years on an apprenticeship. If you need entry qualifications first, an Access to HE Diploma usually adds one year. Once you are on the NMC register, you can start work as a midwife straight away.
Midwife salary in the UK
NHS midwives are paid on the Agenda for Change scale. Newly qualified midwives start on Band 5, which runs from £31,049 to £37,796 on the 2025/26 scale, and many trusts move midwives to Band 6, £38,682 to £46,580, once they have completed their preceptorship. Specialist midwives, team leaders and ward managers are usually on Band 7, £47,810 to £54,710, and consultant midwives and maternity managers are paid more. On top of basic pay you receive extra pay for unsocial hours, plus a high cost area supplement in and around London. Pay rates usually change each year, so check the current NHS pay scales.
Is midwife a good career?
Midwifery suits people who are calm, observant and good at explaining things to people who are frightened or exhausted. Demand for midwives is steady across all four UK nations, the qualification is respected, and there are clear steps up into specialist, teaching and leadership roles. The trade-offs are shift work, a physically demanding job, high responsibility and the emotional load of difficult births.
Key skills
- Clinical skills
- Empathy
- Calm under pressure
- Communication
- Stamina
Will midwives be replaced by AI?
Low exposure. No. Supporting someone through pregnancy and birth is physical, emotional and clinically accountable work. AI may help with monitoring and notes, not with the job.
What AI already does in this job
- Documentation and care records
- Monitoring support and alerts
What stays with a person
- Delivering babies and clinical care
- Emotional support at high-stakes moments
- Clinical judgement and NMC accountability
A secure career with persistent NHS demand.
Related careers that are also hard to automate
- Health Visitor - follows families after birth
- Nurse - broader clinical nursing
- Genetic Counsellor - clinical conversations with families
More on AI and work: check another job, jobs AI will replace, AI-proof jobs.
Our rating judges how much of the role's everyday work current AI tools can already do or draft; it measures exposure, not job losses. Occupation findings are from the Department for Education, The impact of AI on UK jobs and training (November 2023).
How to retrain as a midwife
Midwives need an NMC-approved midwifery degree, usually three years. Registered adult nurses can take a shortened programme of around 18-20 months.
Routes for adults
- Midwifery degree - Three years full-time, with extensive clinical placements.
- Shortened course for nurses - Around 18-20 months for registered adult nurses.
- Midwifery apprenticeship - Train while employed, where employers offer it.
Paying for it
Student finance is available, including for people who already have a degree. Eligible midwifery students in England can also get the NHS Learning Support Fund grant of at least £5,000 a year.
Retraining at 40 or 50
Mature students are common on midwifery degrees. Placements involve shifts, nights and on-call work, so plan childcare and finances early.
Can I afford to retrain? · Advanced Learner Loans · Free Skills Bootcamps
Midwife FAQs
How do I become a midwife in the UK?
Complete an NMC-approved BSc (Hons) in Midwifery, usually three years, or a midwife degree apprenticeship with an NHS trust. Registered adult nurses can take a shortened programme. Once you qualify, you join the NMC register and can start work as a midwife, usually on NHS Band 5.
Do I need to be a nurse to become a midwife?
No. Most midwives train directly through a three-year midwifery degree without nursing first. Registered adult nurses have the option of a shorter programme, around 18 months to 2 years, but nursing is not required.
Can I become a midwife without A levels?
Yes. Universities accept an Access to Higher Education Diploma in a health or science subject in place of A levels, and many mature students qualify this way. You will still need GCSE English and maths, and usually science, at grade 4 or above.
How much does a midwife earn in the UK?
Newly qualified NHS midwives start on Band 5, from £31,049 on the 2025/26 scale, and many move to Band 6, £38,682 to £46,580, after their preceptorship. Specialist and senior midwives are usually on Band 7, £47,810 to £54,710, with extra pay for nights, weekends and London.
Is there funding to train as a midwife?
In England, midwifery students can get tuition fee and maintenance loans plus the NHS Learning Support Fund training grant of at least £5,000 a year, which you do not repay. Scotland and Wales have their own bursaries, and on a degree apprenticeship your employer pays for the training.
Is Midwife right for you?
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Still deciding whether midwife is the career for you? Here is which career test is actually worth taking, and what a free quiz will not tell you.