Midwifery course application and interview top tips
Applying to study midwifery at the University of Brighton? Read our top tips below!
We have also produced some top tips for those looking to study nursing.
Your application
The personal statement should state why you are applying for midwifery.
It should also include your insight of the profession and midwifery values, and any work or voluntary experience which demonstrates transferable skills for the course. Direct clinical maternity experience is not essential.
Our midwifery course is around 50% theory and 50% practice learning so you should also discuss your ability to study and cope with the demands of the full-time course.
You must provide a reference from the college or school where you are studying, or studied, your Level 3 qualifications.
Every application received is reviewed by a University of Brighton admissions tutor. They will also look at your qualifications and predicted grades to make sure they meet our entry requirement as part of the sort-listing process.
The interview process
If you are selected for interview you will be offered a date and time. Our interviews take place online using with Microsoft Teams.
Your interview will be with a senior lecturer who is registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). It will last 20 to 30 minutes and you will be asked a range of questions – it is an ideal opportunity to meet with a member of the team who is likely to be teaching you when you join the course.
During your individual interview you will be assessed against a values-based criteria for recruitment to the course. These values are determined by the NMC, the NHS, our service users and local workforce. The questions are designed to assess attitude and behaviour, as well as ability to study on the course, and may include activities such as discussing a situation.
Key aspects of our interviews include:
learning more about your transferable skills and your understanding of midwifery.- exploring your personal values and communication skills.
- assessing your ability to communicate clearly including your spoken English.
- preparing and delivering a short five-minute presentation.
You will be asked what your preferred clinical base site would be should you be accepted onto the course. Our base sites are Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, Worthing Hospital, Sussex and Surrey Hospital in Redhill and the Conquest Hospital in Hastings. Preferences are however not guaranteed.
There will also be plenty of time available for you to ask questions related to the course curriculum.
After the interview your insight and responses to the set questions will be carefully considered and if successful you will be made an offer to study with the University of Brighton. This will be provided through the UCAS application portal.
Learn more about studying to be a midwife on the University of Brighton website and take a look at our frequently asked questions:
What are the hours for studying midwifery at the University of Brighton?
The course is around 50% theory and 50% practice learning – overall 2,300 hours of each.
Sometimes lectures will be across three to four days per week between 9am and 6pm and other times you may have self-directed study with study leave provided. When you have a placement in clinical practice you will be required to work 37.5 hours per week. Your attendance in clinical practice settings will be day and night shifts, Monday to Sunday, either eight hours per day or 12.5 hours per day, including breaks.
The course is taught in blocks. Initially you will be in the university where you will be taught relevant anatomy and physiology and other essential communication and practical midwifery skills. Our curriculum follows a ‘case scenario’ model where you follow a virtual family throughout pregnancy and birth, learning about relevant theory and midwifery care as you progress.
During clinical blocks, student midwives gain experience in the community setting as well as the hospital setting. This includes labour ward, antenatal and postnatal wards, assessment units and clinics.
The course content is approved by the Nursing Midwifery Council.
What are the term dates and holidays?
Our courses commence in September and run for 36 months.
Each year you will have seven weeks annual leave, two weeks covering Christmas/New Year, two weeks in the Spring which corresponds with Easter and three weeks at some point in the summer depending on the curriculum and placement.
We do not have half term holidays.
Where is the course taught?
From September 2024 all students will be taught at our Falmer, Brighton campus.
Where will my practice placement be?
Practice placements can be anywhere across Sussex at base sites as described above and in the community areas surrounding those hospitals. You will need to ensure that you can get to your practice placements on time using either your own car or public transport.
Will I be able to work alongside my studies?
You will be required to demonstrate you have met the course hours when you qualify and register with the Nursing Midwifery Council, therefore your course attendance should be your priority. Many of our midwifery students manage to work flexibly alongside their studies however fixed working patterns are not feasible due to the nature of clinical shifts and university study days.
There will be opportunities to apply to work as a student ambassador for the University of Brighton which provides ad-hoc opportunities to represent your course or the University during open days, online promotion events and answering telephone enquiries as required.
What learning support is available if I study to become a midwife?
All students are encouraged to declare if they have a learning support need when applying.
All students will be able to be screened for learning support needs such as dyslexia, dyscalculic, or dyspraxia. Individual recommendations for extra time in examinations, extensions for submitted work, ICT software adaptations can be applied for.
All students will be allocated a personal tutor, academic assessor to support you in practice, practice liaison staff who link directly to practice, practice supervisors and assessors in placement. We also have student support and guidance tutors and wellbeing services for all students to access.
What other checks will be required to study as a midwife?
Occupational Health will provide individual appointments for all midwifery students to attend for required vaccines, health screening, physical and mental health wellness checks.
All midwifery students must hold a current disclosure barring service (DBS) clearance to work alongside vulnerable children and adults. This is carried out by the university and is a legal requirement to study and register as a midwife.
Explore your options for becoming a student midwife on the University of Brighton website.