Apply to the Detroit Midwifery School’s Direct-Entry Program

Applicants Must:

• Be at least 18 years old

• Possess a high school diploma, GED equivalent, or a homeschool certificate

• Demonstrate a commitment to reproductive justice, equity, and community-based care

• Have prior experience in a birth-related, healthcare, or community service:

  • including formal settings (working as a doula, childbirth educator, attendance at midwifery conferences/workshops, volunteer work with a midwife)

  • or informal settings (supporting family, friends, or community through the childbearing year)

• Hold a current Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification—or obtain within the first 12 months of matriculation

• Hold a current CPR for Healthcare Providers certification—or obtain within the first 12 months of matriculation

• Complete all application questions thoughtfully

• Submit all required documents listed below

• Submit a non-refundable $100 Application fee

• Read the entire application and guidelines/criteria thoroughly

• Gather and submit all required documents

• Complete all application questions

• Our online application portal will open via our website in January 2026, where you will submit your completed packet

Please submit the following with your completed application:

• Copy of high school diploma, GED equivalent, or a homeschool certificate

• Unofficial college transcripts, if applicable

• If available:

  • Proof of completion of Detroit Midwifery School Midwifery Assistant Workshop

  • Current NRP certification card

  • Current CPR for Healthcare Providers card

• Any birthwork or healthcare-related certifications (optional but encouraged)

• One personal and two professional references

• One letter of recommendation (personal, client, or professional) to be submitted directly to our portal by the source

• Resume, CV, or summary of relevant experience (formal or informal birthwork, healthcare, or community service)

• Completed application questions

We will NOT accept the use of AI technology in formulating responses.

General & Demographics

1. What is your full name?

2. What name do you prefer to be called?

3. What are your pronouns?

4. What is your complete home address?

5. What is your email address?

6. What is your phone number?

7. Do you accept text messages at this number?

Personal Reflection (Maximum word count per question - 250 words)

1. What draws you to the path of midwifery?

2. What does empathy mean to you in the context of birthwork?

3. Describe a time you supported someone through a vulnerable experience.

Equity & Social Justice (Maximum word count per question - 500 words)

1. What is your understanding of birth justice and reproductive justice?

2. How do structural racism and economic injustice impact maternal and infant health outcomes?

3. What does cultural humility mean to you as a future midwife? How would you practice it?

Knowledge of Birth (Maximum word count per question - 500 words)

1. What is physiological birth? Why does it matter?

2. Name three characteristics of normal, undisturbed birth.

3. What is the midwifery model of care, and how does it differ from the medical model?

Final Reflection (Maximum word count per question - 500 words)

1. What communities do you feel most called to serve as a midwife, and why?

2. Dream a bit and explain how you envision it will look when you are serving that community?

How to Apply:

Step 1: Please review this Application Guide in its entirety. It contains all the information you need to prepare and submit your application and required documents through our online portal.

Step 2: Create an applicant profile and login through our portal on our website under the "Apply Now" page. Applications can be saved on the portal and do not need to be submitted in one sitting.

Step 3: Upload your documents into the online portal and submit your completed application! You will receive an automated email confirming receipt of your application once all required documents have been received. This includes transcripts and references.

Important Notes:

Transcripts:
Give yourself time to collect your unofficial transcripts (if you have any). You may submit these yourself into the portal.

References and Letter of Recommendation:
Inform your references ahead of time. Let them know that they will receive a request from us directly, and they are to submit via the portal, and not through you. Your application will not be considered complete until all external contacts have completed their uploads to the portal.

• Three personal and one professional references - the reference will receive an email with a link to answer questions

Next Steps:

March 1st is the final submission deadline for applications for Detroit Midwifery School's Inaugural Cohort. After March 1st, our online application portal will close.

Applications will be reviewed using our standardized rubric. You will be contacted by our team within 2-4 weeks if you have been selected for a virtual interview. If you have not been selected for a virtual interview, you will receive notice.

After your interview is scheduled and conducted, you will be notified whether you have been accepted into the first cohort of Detroit Midwifery School by our anticipated date of April 30th. If this date changes, we will notify you.

If You've Been Accepted:

If you have been accepted to the program and wish to proceed with enrollment, you will sign an Enrollment Agreement and submit a $100 enrollment fee, which will be applied towards your fall tuition.

The enrollment agreement must be signed and submitted within 2 weeks to secure your position in the cohort.

Upon signature of the Enrollment Agreement and receipt of the enrollment fee, students will receive an email with an official learning management system log-in, information on how to pay tuition, and the schedule for Fall Orientation (two-weeks of mandatory in-person attendance in Detroit).

For questions about the program or application process, please send a detailed email to the:

Application Review Committee
Detroit Midwifery School
admissions@detroitmidwiferyschool.com
https://www.detroitmidwiferyschool.com/