Bachelor of Midwifery

Time commitment

Midwifery is a very rewarding, but very demanding study programme.

This is the equivalent of a four-year degree taught in three years*, so the academic expectations and the demands of practice placements in this programme will have an impact on your family and personal life.

Before you apply, we recommend that you have a discussion with your whānau/family about how they can support you to succeed in this programme.

The information below should give you a good idea of what to expect when you study this programme.

*Please note: We are currently involved in the development of a four-year midwifery degree. This will be delivered over four calendar years. The degree is awaiting final NZQA/Midwifery Council approval. If we get approval, this new degree will start in 2025.  .

Placements 

Placements last from 4 to 14 weeks. Travel and accommodation will be extra costs on top of your programme fees (see Fees section for more info). 

Studying part-time 

You can choose to study part-time over four years* at any of our locations. If you choose this option, you will:

• only do theory in Year One (not practice)
• complete the Year One practice and Year Two theory in Year Two
• complete Year Two practice in Year Three, and
• then your final year must be full-time. 

Please note that this part-time pathway will mean that you don’t qualify for Studylink funding in Year One (Studylink funding is for domestic students only during this programme). 

There is some limited flexibility in the first three years of this study path depending on your personal circumstances; our Student Advisor will contact the successful applicants who have requested part time study in the month before orientation. 

If you’re keen to find out more, please email our Student Advisor – Midwifery@op.ac.nz or phone 0800 762 786 and ask to speak with the School of Midwifery about studying part-time.

*Please note: We are currently involved in the development of a four-year midwifery degree. This will be delivered over four calendar years. The degree is awaiting final NZQA/Midwifery Council approval. If we get approval, this new degree will start in 2025 and will change the way the part-time option works. We'll update this page with up-to-date information as soon as we can.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

• University Entrance as defined by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, consisting of:
• NCEA Level 3:
  • a minimum of 18 credits at Level 3 in biology, chemistry or physics
  • a minimum of 16 credits at Level 3 in an English language rich subject (such as English, history, art history, classical studies, geography, economics or media studies) 
  • a further 16 credits at Level 3 or higher in two approved subjects on the National Qualifications Framework
• 20 credits at Level 2, including
  • a minimum of 16 credits in biology 
  • and a further 16 credits in chemistry or physics 
• 16 credits in another Level 2 subject
• Literacy – 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of:
  • 5 credits in reading, and
  • 5 credits in writing 
• Numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of:
  • specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects, or
  • unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627 – all three required). 

For those over 20

• Evidence of academic equivalence of the above qualifications, or
• Demonstrated evidence of ability to study successfully at degree-level.

English Language requirements

If English is not your first language, you must complete an assessment of your English Language and pass the required standard.

You need either an:

• Overall Academic IELTS of 7.0, with scores in the following areas:
  
  • Comprehension band 6.5
  • Writing band 6.5
  • Speaking band 7.0
  • Listening band 7.0

OR

• Occupational English Test (OET) with passes at A or B in the four areas. 

Scores for both IELTS and OET assessments must be achieved in one sitting. 

Evidence of successful completion must be provided at the time of application. If you believe that you should be exempt from this requirement, please contact the Midwifery Council by emailing info@midwiferycouncil.health.nz. Any exemptions are at the discretion of the Midwifery Council and applicants must provide written proof of exemption or IELTs results to be accepted to the Bachelor of Midwifery.

Applicants with Te Reo as their first language should contact the Midwifery Council of New Zealand.  

Additional entry criteria

You must also:

• provide testimony of two referees who can attest to your suitability to train as a midwife. One referee report should be provided by an employer or community group representative and the other must be from someone who can comment on your academic ability. Referees must be people of standing in the community who are not friends or relatives of the applicant. If you have not studied in the last five years a second professional referee may be contacted instead of an academic referee.
• submit your Curriculum Vitae and an essay (essay instructions included in Completing your application section below) demonstrating your commitment to midwifery and any life experience relevant to midwifery and/or women’s health.
• demonstrate self-responsibility in relation to learning and practice and the personal qualities appropriate for midwifery practice such as strong communication skills and a demonstrated interest in women's health. 
• provide a current comprehensive or standard First Aid Certificate, including proficiency in CPR (NQF unit standards 6401 and 6402 or equivalent).
• demonstrate that you have good health and good character via a medical report/health declaration, and identity confirmation
• provide a conviction declaration and permission for a Police Check to ensure you meet the requirements of the Children's Act 2014.
• provide a copy of your full driver’s licence and have access to a vehicle for on-call practice. 
• have good computer skills. 

Please note: Registered health practitioners from other disciplines who seek Recognition of Prior Learning on the basis of their health professional qualification and practice experience must hold registration with the relevant regulator authority in New Zealand and provide a Certificate of Good Standing from that authority.

Don't meet the entry requirements?

Our Health Bridging Certificate acts as a bridging programme into this midwifery qualification.

A minimum B+/75 average pass, achieved across four courses during semester two, is required to meet the academic entry requirements into the Bachelor of Midwifery. This MUST include a B+/75 in Bioscience 2.

The Health Bridging Certificate is also ideal if you need to update specific knowledge and skills, and demonstrate your academic ability. Distance options are available.

Please note: Due to the high demand for places, successful completion of the Health Bridging Certificate (Level 4) will not automatically guarantee you entry into the Bachelor of Midwifery programme.

Health and vaccination information

You don’t need to supply evidence of your vaccination status to apply for this programme.

However, the placement component of this programme has a higher risk of exposure to vaccine preventable diseases. Therefore, most placement providers will require evidence from you that you are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, varicella, measles, mumps, rubella, and hepatitis B.

Evidence of immunity to vaccine preventable diseases is ascertained by a blood test and your vaccination records.

Placements are an integral part of this programme, and you’ll need to complete the vaccine requirements to be able to successfully achieve your qualification.

If you have concerns or questions about this requirement, please feel free to contact us.

Other risks and information

The nature of midwifery practice means that, at times, you may be at risk of:

• Physical injuries that may occur as a result of hazards in the classroom, laboratory or practice setting
• Allergic reactions through contact with latex, exposure to drugs or chemicals
• Issues affecting your emotional and physical wellbeing
• Infection or cross-infection through contact with infective agents in the laboratory or practice setting.

Once you have been accepted into the programme, you will be notified that you must produce current evidence of immunisation status. Immunisation status is determined by a blood test and your vaccination history. 

How we manage these risks

We will provide health and safety information relating to computer use and to practice equipment and advise you how to reduce any risk of injury. You will have access to copies of relevant hazards registers and processes for reporting accidents and injuries so our Health and Safety Officers can follow them up.

You are required to undergo screening tests for infectious diseases and immune status prior to the commencement of the programme.

Studying in the North island?

All North Island learners/ākonga who are studying full-time in their first year are eligible for a $2,000 tuition fee reduction.

Scholarship for Māori applicants

The Irihapeti Ramsden Memorial Midwifery Scholarship offers fees subsidies to one Māori midwifery student accepted for this degree each year. Nga Maia facilitates provision of whanau support for the Scholarship recipients during their studies. Applications are submitted to Nga Maia at the start of the academic year and the scholarship is awarded before June of applicants’ first year of study.

Find out more

Additional costs 

There are a number of additional costs for this programme. All the costs quoted are approximate. Please also see the Workload section (Placements information) for additional information about travel and accommodation costs. 

Multi-year fees

The tuition fees shown above are approximate only. There may be a slight fee increase per year once Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) rules and guidelines are applied. These fees also don’t include additional costs or living costs.

Completing your application 

Before you apply, ensure you understand the application process and all the requirements you need to meet. 

You can enter information and upload documents directly into the application form. You may wish to prepare some of the required documentation beforehand.

To begin your application, click the Apply button at the top of this page.

You will need to provide:

1. Copies of all of your official tertiary transcripts (including those which don't relate to Midwifery).
2. Your Curriculum Vitae.
3. An essay (1800 to 2200 words), answering the following:
   1. why you want to be a midwife.
   2. the qualities you bring to the midwifery profession in Aotearoa New Zealand.
   3. your life experiences relevant to a career in women's health. (Do not give details of personal birth experiences).
   4. the role and relevance of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Aotearoa New Zealand.
   5. the demands, as you understand them, of being a midwifery student in our blended programme.
   6. your plan to manage the social, academic and financial demands of this course.
4. A First Aid Certificate which includes CPR (or confirmation of booking).
5. a copy of the front and back of your full driver licence (or restricted licence with an explanation of how you will meet demands of the programme until you have a full licence).
6. A health declaration.
7. A conviction declaration and permission for a Police Check to ensure you meet the requirements of the Children's Act 2014.
8. Contact details for two referees - (one academic and one employer - if you have not studied in the last five years, two professional referees can be considered. If you are not currently employed, a referee from community engagement i.e. Playcentre can be considered instead of an employer. Family friends are not a suitable referee).
9. Certified copies of proof of identity.
10. Proof of residency (where appropriate).
11. Evidence of your Covid-19 vaccinations (you need to have had three doses).

Initial selection decisions will be made in late September. Applicants who complete their applications after 20th September can expect to hear our decision in four-six weeks.