Completion of programme of education

The Head of School will provide the Council with confirmation as to whether each graduate is competent and fit to be registered. They do this by completing the Head of School Confirmation, which confirms that the graduate has met the competencies for entry to the register of midwives. They also declare that, in their opinion, each graduate is fit and of good character to be entered onto the register. Each head of school will also provide the Council with a copy of the transcript from the programme of education. The transcript of each successful graduate from a degree programme should include completion of all theoretical and clinical requirements.

English language requirements

Graduates for registration need to be able to:

• communicate effectively for the purposes of practising within the Midwifery Scope of Practice; and
• communicate in and comprehend English sufficiently to protect the health and safety of the public.

If English is not a graduate's first spoken language, the graduate will need to provide evidence that their ability to communicate in and comprehend English is sufficient to practise effectively and to protect the health and safety of the public.

"First spoken language" means the language the graduate spoke first. It does not mean the graduate's current primary language or the language they now speak the most.

Prior to entering a school of midwifery, the graduate should have completed an English language assessment. Graduates can seek an exemption from sitting an English language assessment but need to apply before they start their midwifery degree. Graduates are asked to provide documentation of their assessment result, or the exemption. Graduates unable to provide that documentation may be asked to complete an assessment and meet the required standards. The two tests that the Council accepts are IELTS academic module or OET.

The required level for the IELTS test is an overall score of 7.0. That needs to include a minimum score of 6.5 in both writing and reading, and a minimum of 7.0 in both speaking and listening. If the minimum score is not achieved in one sitting, the applicant may resit the relevant component. Please check the IELTS ONE SKILL RETAKE.

The OET test must provide evidence of a pass, being either A or B in each section (equivalent to a score of 350 or above).

This standard may, instead, be met by completion of at least three years of secondary schooling in Aotearoa New Zealand. Graduates are asked to provide their NCEA/International Baccalaureate/Cambridge results. The applicant needs to apply to Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa | New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) for a Record of Achievement (ROA) pdf for NCEA results as the Council can verify this directly from their website.

Any other English proficiency exemption will only be considered under exceptional circumstances. Such exemption applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must include evidence that the graduate reaches the required standard of proficiency rather than being an application to waive the standard.