FAQs

As there are limited seats for incoming students, the Midwifery Program is currently restricted to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, with preference given to BC residents.

Only 32 students are admitted annually, and all applicants go through an extensive admissions process.

Yes. You can take the prerequisites at another post-secondary institution. However, it is essential that the courses are approved as transferable and equivalent to the UBC courses.

Yes. All applicants are encouraged to reapply if they are unsuccessful in their initial attempts. Each applicant will be completely re-assessed.

Yes. The program does not waitlist for future academic classes. Each year begins a new assessment.

A list of approved equivalent courses for the prerequisites can be found in Admission Requirements. The BC Transfer Guide will also help you determine if the courses you have taken are considered equivalent to the Midwifery Program prerequisites.

No. All applicants must have completed the post-secondary prerequisite courses BIOL 155 and WRDS 150 before entering the program. Since acceptance to the Midwifery Program is competitive, we strongly recommend that you complete 24 transferable post-secondary credits before applying.

No. The prerequisites, BIOL 155 and WRDS 150, do not need to be completed before you apply. You may apply while the courses are in progress, providing you can show confirmation of enrolment. However, both courses must be completed, and official transcripts must be received by Undergraduate Admissions no later than June 30th. 

Please contact a faculty researcher for more information.

Yes. The program strongly encourages all individuals who meet its admissions criteria to apply.

The Midwifery Program does not currently offer a post-graduate credential. However, midwives who meet UBC’s criteria for admission to graduate studies may consider pursuing graduate studies in related disciplines, such as Public Health.

The Midwifery office is located in Room 320, third floor of the David Strangway Building, 5950 University Boulevard. The entrance is in between Shopper’s Drug Mart and Scotiabank near the corner of University Boulevard and Wesbrook Mall.

Please contact Aisha Sallad, Student Services Manager, at 604-875-2424 ext. 4046 or info@midwifery.ubc.ca.

All students offered a seat in the program will be allocated to 1 of 3 cohorts upon admission – Vancouver, Fraser Health or Vancouver Island. Students identified for the Vancouver Cohort will attend skills training and classes held in Vancouver, BC. Students identified for the (Vancouver) Island Cohort will attend skills training and classes in Victoria, BC, and students identified for the Fraser Health Cohort will attend skills training and classes in Surrey, BC. Year 1 students who live more than 1-hour away from a teaching site have the option of joining the Distributed Online Midwifery Education (DOME) cohort. Students in the DOME cohort can attend first-year classes online from their home community. Clinical placements are organized within the province of British Columbia. 

The four-year education program consists of lectures and seminars, hands-on training, and supervised clinical experience. Year 1 students are enrolled in a full-time schedule of various theory courses. The remaining three years focus on midwifery specific theoretical and skills training, with a clinical practicum required each term under the supervision of a UBC Midwifery tutor and a trained preceptor (registered midwife).

No. However, you will be sent a survey to determine your preferred placement location. The Clinical Placement Coordinator determines placements primarily according to student learning needs with consideration of individual students’ preferred locations. See the Cohort and Clinical Placement Allocation and Travel Requirements policy for more details.

The Midwifery Program offers and accelerated program for registered nurses (RNs) and nurses practitioners (NPs). See the RN Advanced Placement page for more details.

There is no part-time option. Enrolment in Midwifery courses is limited to students registered in the full-time Midwifery Program.

Financial support is available through government loans, university bursaries, and bank-based lines of credit. For more information, visit UBC Student Services – Finances .

A leave of absence may be granted for a maximum of one academic year. Leaves may be granted due to parental leave, illness or compassionate/personal reasons.  Poor academic standing will not be considered as a valid reason for a leave. See the Leaves of Absence policy for more details.