Background. UK midwives are educated in one of two ways: non-nurses undertake 'long' (three- to four-year) programmes, and nurses complete a 'shortened' programme of study (typically 18 to 24 months). When numbers of qualified midwives are particularly low, commissioners of midwifery programmes and employers might consider increasing the number of places on the shortened programme. How students perform on the shorter programme would, therefore, seem to be a topic of some importance, though there is currently little research evidence available on this subject. Aim. In the face of staff shortages and sweeping changes to midwifery education, this paper outlines a study that set out to investigate the views of experienced midwifery lecturers about students on the shortened programmes. Method. An exploratory descriptive design using an online survey with 12 questions was used. The key concepts of interest were: the preparedness and commitment of students applying to the short programme; their numerical and writing skills; transition to the role of the midwife; transferable nursing skills; and attrition. The questionnaire was distributed via an online platform to all lead midwives for education (LMEs) throughout the UK. In total, 62 midwifery lecturers responded to the survey. A favourable ethical review was received from the university research ethics committee and gatekeeper approval was achieved via the chair of the UK LME group. The questionnaire responses were analysed with simple descriptive statistics, using numbers and percentages only. Free-text comments were analysed using simple qualitative thematic analysis. Findings. Students on the shortened programme were generally thought to be prepared for and committed to midwifery. However, there was some concern about those who left to return to nursing, and their writing and numerical skills were not generally described as excellent. The students were thought to bring valuable nursing skills with them. Nevertheless, over 50% of experienced lecturers thought that the nurses on the shortened programme were unable to challenge the status quo. Also, they were thought to be less able than expected to undertake the decision-making client-choice aspects of the midwife's role. Implications. Midwives in the UK are expected to be autonomous as lead professionals in maternity care and therefore they need to develop excellent decision-making skills to assist women to achieve their choices, even if this requires challenging traditional practices. This study may inform planning for the future of midwifery education and influence planning for research into midwifery education.