What is the process of applying for Veterinary Medicine?

As one of the most popular undergraduate degree courses it’s vital that you know the process of applying for Veterinary Medicine before you start filling in the application forms.

If you want to become a vet in the UK then you’ll need to study a Veterinary Medicine degree at one of the seven universities approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

All applications to study Veterinary Medicine must be made through the UCAS website.

Where can I study Veterinary Medicine?

The first step in the application process is to decide which of the seven universities is right for you.

The universities that offer an RCVS recognised degree are:

University of Bristol
University of Cambridge
University of Edinburgh
University of Glasgow
University of Liverpool
University of Nottingham
Royal Veterinary College London

There is also a new veterinary school opened by the University of Surrey and they are working with the RCVS to have the degree accredited. They expect to make a decision about this in 2019.

If you’re interested in studying abroad there are a number of veterinary schools with RCVS approval in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

What are the important application deadlines?

The application deadlines for Veterinary Medicine are earlier than for other courses.

For September 2016 entry the application deadline was 15 October 2015. Therefore if you want to start studying in September 2017 you should expect the application deadline to be in mid-October 2016.

It’s important that you start putting together your application as soon as you can and give yourself plenty of time to fill in all of the sections.

What do the application forms involve?

All applications to study Veterinary Medicine need to be made via the UCAS website and there are six sections to the application form:

Registration and personal details– your name, age, contact information etc.
Choices– your four medical school choices
Education– you’ll need to include all of your education including A levels, GCSEs, key skills, and other qualifications
Employment history– it’s important to show that you bring something else other than your academic achievements to the table
Personal statement– this could be the difference between you being successful and someone else getting a place instead of you
References– your head teacher, lecturer, or employer are the most likely candidates to write your reference. You cannot use family or friends.

Take your time when filling in the application forms and writing your personal statement. Forms generally take longer to complete than you think they will so leave yourself with plenty of time and don’t rush.

Is there anything else involved in the application process?

The admissions requirements for each university vary, so it’s important to contact them directly to ask about their application process.

If you’re applying to the University of Cambridge or the Royal Veterinary College London you’ll need to take the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) in addition to the standard application procedure.

You’ll need to speak to your school or college about this test and more information can be found on the BMAT website.

You can find out the admissions requirements for each of the seven universities that offer Veterinary Medicine on the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons website.

What does the BMAT involve?

The BMAT is a way of helping universities assess whether you have the aptitude and the right attitude to study for a career in Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, or Dentistry.

As well as your academic achievements, your work experience, and your personal statement, your BMAT results will help the admissions tutors decide whether to offer you a place or not so it’s important that you prepare properly.

The BMAT exam takes two hours and consists of three sections:

Section 1 – multiple choice questions lasting one hour and testing your general skills for example, problem solving and data analysis.
Section 2 – multiple choice and short answer questions lasting 30 minutes.
Section 3 – a short stimulus essay with a choice of answering one of four questions.

Will I need to attend an interview for Veterinary Medicine?

Again, you need to check with each university that you apply to, but not all universities require you to attend an interview for Veterinary Science.