Midwives enable, support, and empower women — it's not just about babies. Show admissions tutors you’re motivated and you have a realistic understanding of the nature of midwifery.
With so many applicants chasing every place, the best personal statements will demonstrate what the University of York calls 'a real insight and current awareness that goes beyond the obvious aspects of the role or how it's conveyed on television’. So, maybe don’t mention ‘One Born Every Minute’!
-
Think about why you want to study the subject
- Have you been inspired by someone, a news story, a documentary, or a podcast?
- Do you have career aspirations in this area of study?
- What interests you about the subject – be specific; rather than saying you enjoy it or are good at it, try to explain the ‘why’ behind your reasoning.
- What do you already know about the subject and what are you looking forward to learning more about?
-
What makes you suitable to study the subject?
- Have you done projects or essays in this subject at school or college?
- Think about who you are as a person; your personality, your strengths, your experiences in life – how do these make you suited to study the subject?
- How have you shown an interest in the subject outside of school or college – have you done extra reading, online courses, been part of clubs or competitions?
- Your current subjects and grades will be included elsewhere in your application, so try to think about specific things you’ve learned during your studies that relate to the subject, rather than listing your grades and subjects.
-
Look at the bigger picture
- Have you done any work experience, an internship or had a part-time job in this subject area or related? Most job or work experience will give you transferable skills, even if it’s in a different industry.
- Do you have any hobbies you can mention that might relate to your chosen subject? Many hobbies show that you can be motivated outside of school to achieve and succeed in something you’re interested in.
- Think about how your life and personal experiences have helped make you the person you are today, and how these challenges and experiences can support your application by evidencing essential qualities for certain subjects.
- If you’ve got ambitions and goals for your life and career, can you express how this subject will help you reach these goals?
Guidance and examples you can use
Question 1: Why do you want to study this course or subject?
This is your opportunity to showcase your passion and knowledge of your chosen subject area and to demonstrate to universities and colleges why it’s a good fit for you and your future ambitions.
Examples:
- Write about why you want to become a midwife. Whether it runs in the family, or you’ve been inspired by a documentary or your own birthing experience, show your knowledge of the role and why you may be suited to it.
- You're likely to be interviewed for a midwifery place, so make sure your personality shines through in your statement — and you can back up claims you've made with evidence.
- The University of Cumbria asks applicants to 'demonstrate that they have thought carefully about the influences on women's health and the nature of midwifery in the UK in the 21st century’. Can you reference what you’ve learned from watching the news or reading about maternity care, and how you see your role within the industry?
Question 2: How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
This is your chance to shout about the relevant or transferable skills you’ve gained from your formal education and highlight your understanding of how they will help you succeed in this subject area.
Examples:
- Midwifery requires good communication and listening skills. Demonstrate this through your studies, whether that’s been learning a modern foreign language, or giving a presentation.
- Write about something you’ve enjoyed on your biology or another science course. Maybe you enjoyed anatomy or you’re good at scientific drawings from observation – how will this help you on a midwifery course?
- Midwives need to work well under pressure, manage their time well, and be able to prioritise their workload. Give examples of how you’ve done this during your studies, or in a part-time job or hobby.
- Have you done any online courses to boost your knowledge in the subject? For example, why not try Subject Spotlights or Virtual Work Experiences from Springpod to grow your skills and interest?
Question 3: What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
This is your chance to talk about any other activities you have undertaken outside of your formal education, or personal experiences which further demonstrate your suitability for the course. This section is likely to be highly personal to you and anything you do include should reflect on why you’re including it.
Examples:
- Think about transferable skills you have that would apply to midwifery situations. These could be demonstrated in lots of ways — whether it's the diplomacy you've needed as a customer service assistant, the empathy you've shown through volunteering, the teamwork that got you through your Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition, or the way you've balanced the demands of being a parent yourself.
- You'll be dealing with people from the whole spectrum of society, so show you have an understanding of diversity and a capacity for being non-judgmental. Maybe you’ve worked in charity fundraising, which meant you came across people from all walks of life, and perhaps had to deal with more difficult people, or you’re neurodiverse and can bring your own experiences to the role.
- Midwives also need to be good at writing and record keeping. Whether you’ve helped out in a library or an accountancy firm, or you’ve categorised your book collection, show you’re organised and have good attention to detail.
- If you play sport, are part of a film or book club, or you love sudoku, describe what these interests will bring to your degree studies, such as building your interpersonal and communication skills, or giving you the ability to switch off after a difficult day.
Dos
- Do relate any examples back to the subject you’re applying to – make it relevant
- Do make it personal – admissions staff want to get to know who you are
- Do use a spell-checker and grammar-checker to ensure there are no errors
- Do ask people for feedback, whether that’s family members or teachers
- Do your research to find out what universities are looking for, and make sure you include evidence to show how you are suitable for the course
Don'ts
- Don’t just list out examples, subjects you study, or experiences you’ve had without any evidence
- Don’t copy something you’ve seen online or use AI to write something for you
- Don’t make things up just because you think they’ll make you look good on paper
- Don’t leave it until the last minute – you need time for several drafts
- Don’t worry about making each section the same length; as long as you hit the minimum character count, you can use the 4,000 characters across each answer in the way that suits you best
Perhaps you’re from a large family or you live in a city centre flat, and you’re used to working in a noisy, populated environment.
You may have an interest in interior design or architecture, and feel that may give you an edge when it comes to creating a relaxing birth environment for patients.
It's even better if you can link your interests to something you've learned in your biology, sociology or psychology studies, or read in The Lancet or on the BBC website.
Some more tips to consider
- Know your stuff: Standing out as a midwifery applicant requires thorough preparation and research. As University of York's web page explains, you’ll then need to articulate your thoughts and opinions in a clear and concise way in your personal statement and convey something about who you are as a person, 'as this makes your statement unique and hopefully makes you stand out’.
- Examples of your relevant skills: Can you describe situations where you’ve demonstrated relevant skills like good communication or teamwork, problem-solving, managing a heavy workload, attention to detail, leadership, or empathy?
- Research the course: Why do you want to study midwifery, what specific aspects of the course interest you, how does it relate to your academic studies, and what additional reading or other activities have led you to apply?
- Making your work experience count: Use your statement to reflect on any experience you've had of shadowing, working with, or just talking to a midwife about the role. Reflecting on other kinds of care experience may also be relevant, especially in such settings as an antenatal or breastfeeding group, or any insights you've gained into current practice from midwifery journals, books, websites, or open days.
- Know the NHS Constitution: For all degree courses that involve training within an NHS setting, there is likely to be some emphasis on values-based selection, and how applicants' own values and behaviours align with the seven core values of the NHS Constitution. Familiarise yourself with this while writing your personal statement.