IELTS for Midwives: Band Score Requirements for Midwifery Registration Worldwide

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requires IELTS Academic Band 7.0 in Listening, Reading, and Speaking, with a minimum of 6.5 in Writing for midwife registration — identical to the nursing requirement.

You may combine results from two IELTS sittings taken within six months, but each sitting must score at least Band 6.5 in every component. OET Grade B in all four skills is also accepted.

International midwives must also pass a Computer-Based Test (CBT) and an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) or complete an NMC-approved adaptation programme.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (under AHPRA) requires IELTS Academic Band 7.0 in each component in a single test sitting. Score combining is not allowed.

Accepted alternatives include OET (Grade B in all four skills) and PTE Academic (65 in each skill). International midwives also need an ANMAC assessment and may require a bridging programme.

Midwifery-specific supervised practice placements may be required depending on your qualifications and assessment outcome.

Midwifery is regulated provincially in Canada. The Canadian Midwifery Regulators Council (CMRC) coordinates standards, but each province sets its own English proficiency requirements — most require IELTS Academic Band 7.0.

Ontario's College of Midwives and British Columbia's College of Health Professionals are among the largest regulators. International midwives typically need to complete a bridging programme and pass clinical assessments.

The Midwifery Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) requires IELTS Academic Band 7.0 overall and 7.0 in each component from a single test sitting within two years.

OET (Grade B in all four skills) is also accepted. MCNZ does not allow combining scores from multiple test dates.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) requires IELTS Academic Band 7.0 overall with no individual band below 6.5 for midwife registration. OET Grade B is also accepted.

Test results must be less than two years old. The same body (NMBI) regulates both nursing and midwifery in Ireland.

Dubai Health Authority (DHA) requires IELTS Academic Band 6.5–7.0 overall for midwife licensing. Government maternity hospitals typically require Band 7.0.

Private facilities may accept Band 6.5. OET and TOEFL iBT are also accepted for DHA and DoH registration.