Midwifery (cooperative degree programme)

The professional licence to practice midwifery and the Bachelor of Science degree will enable you to choose between self-employment and working as an employee in a healthcare setting. A midwife cares for and supports families through the various phases of family life: from family planning, pregnancy, birth, and the post-partum period through the early days of parenting and up until the end of the nursing period. Whether you work in a hospital, a birthing centre, home settings, or another type of healthcare facility, you will have the opportunity to support, guide and empower expectant and new families.

Various theoretical and practical modules will prepare you to work both independently and in interprofessional teams.

The course’s theoretical units are held at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg) and the Universität Hamburg’s Faculty of Medicine at the Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE).

In order to successfully integrate theory and practice, both universities also offer additional courses in their own skills labs. The skills lab format is one of the various learning and teaching methods utilised in this degree course. To ensure that graduates have the necessary skills and are able to reflect on their own practice, the degree course also includes additional methods such as practical guidance, a learning portfolio, e-learning, problem-based learning, research-based learning, and interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

The practical components of the course take place in the supervising clinical practice facilities and the cooperating academic practice facilities in and around Hamburg, as well as with practising midwives and midwife-run birthing centres and outpatient facilities.  

Because it is a cooperative degree programme, students in the degree course receive monthly remuneration during the seven semesters that make up the standard period of study. This is paid by the supervising clinical practice facility with which the student has signed a contract to complete academic training as a midwife.

We are looking for applicants who are interested in the phenomenon of ‘becoming a family’ and want to deal with topics related to midwifery, society, healthcare and caregiving during families’ reproductive years. You should be willing to provide individualised family-centred care and support.

You should also be able to respond flexibly to different learning settings and methods and enjoy interprofessional cooperation.

This course has an annual winter semester intake only. 

The entry requirements are as follows:

1. One of the following higher education entrance qualifications (or an equivalent from outside Germany; see below):

• Fachhochschulreife
• Allgemeine Hochschulreife 
• Fachgebundene Hochschulreife (subject-specific HE entrance qualification)
• Meister*in (vocational qualification – master tradesperson)
• Fachwirt*in (certified specialist)
• Healthcare or nursing care qualification pursuant to Section 10, para. 1, no. 1b of the Law on the Study and Practice of Midwifery (Hebammengesetz – HebG)

2. Successful participation in the two-part Assessment Centre evaluation consisting of a written test and interviews

3. Contract or binding commitment to provide a contract from a clinical practice facility

Applicants who do not hold a higher education entrance qualification but have completed vocational training (Berufsausbildung) and at least three years of subsequent work experience can apply under Section 38 of the Hamburg Higher Education Act, which sets out special provisions for these applicants (Besonderer Hochshulzugang für Berufstätige). You can find more information at Admission requirements for a Bachelor’s degree.

International applicants
If you completed your schooling outside Germany and want to study here for a Bachelor’s degree, you need to hold an academic school-leaving qualification which entitles you to admission to higher education; that is, it needs to be comparable to a German Abitur or Fachhochschulreife. The organisation uni assist will check your certificates from school and any degree-level studies to establish comparability. Please note that you are also required to have proof of German at level C1 – for example, in the form of a TestDaF certificate – in order to apply for all Bachelor’s degree courses (except Information Engineering).

You can find more information about HAW Hamburg’s application criteria at International applicants.

The Midwifery (B.Sc.) degree course begins once a year in the winter semester. 

The application process consists of several steps:

• Successful participation in the joint selection process carried out by the supervising clinical practice facilities in Hamburg
• Contract with a supervising clinical practice facility
• Submission of application for a study place accompanied by proof of a higher education entrance qualification:
  • Fachhochschulreife
  • Allgemeine Hochschulreife 
  • Fachgebundene Hochschulreife (subject-specific HE entrance qualification)
  • Meister*in (vocational qualification – master tradesperson)
  • Fachwirt*in (certified specialist)

Step 1: Registration for the selection process carried out by the supervising clinical practice facilities

Online registration for the joint selection process takes place via the registration portal (www.auswahltestzentrale.de/hebammen/) from 1–26 January 2025.

The supervising clinical practice facilities are:

• Ev. Amalie Sieveking Krankenhaus
• Katholisches Marienkrankenhaus GmbH
• UKE - Akademie für Bildung & Karriere (ABK) - Hebammenstudium VPE

These clinical practice facilities are responsible for delivering the practical components of the Midwifery degree course and sign a contract with the students for the duration of their studies. They cooperate with other hospitals and healthcare facilities in Hamburg and surroundings, as well as with midwives in private practice. Please note that the collective labour agreements of the four clinical practice facilities differ. For more information, please contact the hospitals directly.

Step 2: Central assessment centre
Applicants who have registered via the selection process will be invited to a two-part assessment.

Dates:
15 March 2025 (t.b.c.): Written test, which will likely be held on site. If you would like to prepare, the catalogue of topics covered will be posted on the registration portal soon: www.auswahltestzentrale.de/hebammen/
1 April 2025 (t.b.c.): Interviews

Step 3: Contract with a supervising clinical practice facility
Those applicants selected sign a contract with a supervising clinical practice facility for the duration of their degree course.

Step 4: Application for a study place and enrolment
Those applicants selected must then apply for a study place via the HAW Hamburg online application portal between 1 June and 31 July 2025.

The degree course begins on 1 October.

You can find more information on the UKE website.