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Veterinary Medicine and Surgery including a Gateway Year BVM BVS with BVMedSci

Course Overview

Our veterinary gateway year helps widen participation in veterinary medicine. You'll learn basic science in animal biology and chemistry, as well as animal behaviour and care. Teaching uses integrated modules that illustrate how these key areas work, giving you the required knowledge for progression.

In addition, you will gain an understanding of relevant industries, develop an appreciation of the role of animals in society, and expand your animal handling skills.

After completing your gateway year, you'll automatically join our five-year veterinary medicine and surgery course.

Why Choose This Course?

• 1st - for student satisfaction since 2010. (National Student Survey)
• Modern facilities - Our purpose-built vet school lets you get hands-on with animals.
• Hands on - Experience animal handling and RCVS day one competencies from the moment you start the course.
• Placements - Placement opportunities in veterinary surgeries, farms, zoos, and specialist animal centres, give you a broad experience of animals and veterinary medicine.
• 5th in the UK - Our veterinary courses are ranked 5th in the UK by subject ranking (veterinary science) in The Guardian University Guide 2024
• Dual intake - Choose when you start - September or April. (Visit the dual intake webpage)
• Three qualifications - Graduate with a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) and Bachelor of Veterinary Surgery (BVS) degree. Plus gain an additional award of BVMedSci, after completing an integrated research project in your third year.

Entry Requirements

• A levels: BBC, with B in biology (or human biology) and chemistry. Grade C in a third subject.*
• GCSEs: Five GCSEs at grade 6 (B), including biology, chemistry**, and maths. Minimum grade 4 (C) in English language.
• IB score: 26 points overall or 5,5,4 in three HL certificates
• IB requirements: HL5 in biology, HL5 in chemistry
• Alternative Qualifications:
  • Access courses: We will consider applicants who have undertaken access courses on an individual basis.
  • BTEC: RQF Level 3 BTEC National Extended Diploma DMM
  • Scottish Advanced Highers: Minimum of BB in Advanced Higher level, including biology and chemistry

Additional Entry Requirements

• This gateway course is for UK (home) students meeting our contextual offer criteria, and is not available to international students.
• You must also meet the following criteria:
  • The University's contextual admissions criteria

Interview

You will need to attend an interview, lasting approximately 30 minutes. This will assess your:

• Motivation, insight into a veterinary career, and interest in veterinary topics
• Academic ability, communication skills, animal orientation, personal attitudes, and fitness to practice as a veterinary surgeon

Students with Disabilities

The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 requires that veterinary surgeons are able to give at least basic and emergency treatment to all common domestic species. Students with any disability should contact the school for advice before applying. Please read the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Fitness to Practice Guidelines.

Students with Criminal Convictions

All students are required during the admissions process to disclose any criminal convictions. We do not discriminate against conviction or other information revealed. Please read the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Fitness to Practice Guidelines.

Work Experience

You'll need a minimum of 5 weeks work experience. Work experience can be done over varying hours and days and should include:

• A minimum of 3 weeks of animal handling
• Up to 2 weeks of either customer-facing and/or teamwork experience
• Up to 2 weeks for the completion of the Virtual Work Experience and Exploring the Veterinary Profession free online course.

All experience needs to be completed within three years prior to application and by the 15 October application deadline. Work experience booked after this date will not be taken into consideration.

Tuition Fees

• UK undergraduate students: £9,535 (2025/26 academic year)

Additional Costs

• Health and safety equipment: Compulsory branded and named protective clothing and equipment, approximately £300.
• Extra-mural studies (EMS): Undertaking EMS also incurs extra costs, dependent on the location of your chosen placements in terms of travel and accommodation.
• Final year placements: Extra costs will be incurred in your final year placements, including accommodation and travel.

Scholarships and Bursaries

• Home students: Over one third of our UK students receive our means-tested core bursary, worth up to £1,000 a year.

Course Structure

• Gateway year: All modules are mandatory.
• Year 1:
  • Chemistry: Compounds and Reactions
  • Chemistry: Atomic Structure and Bonding
  • Biology: Cell Structure and Biochemistry
  • Biology: Health and Disease
  • Biology: An Introduction to Body Systems

Teaching Methods

• Lectures on key topics which will be further developed in self-study or practical sessions
• Practical classes, with clinical skills, live animal experience, and lab work
• Structured self-study time, which includes specific learning objectives, learning resources, and time limits.
• Clinical relevance sessions which are problem-oriented, use clinical material or scenarios, and involve small-group, facilitator-led discussion.

Assessment Methods

• Clinical exams
• Examinations
• Objective structured clinical exams
• Practical exams
• Coursework
• Dissertation
• Formative assessments
• Literature review
• Portfolio (written/digital)
• Verbal exam
• Workplace-based assessment

Careers Overview

Studying our veterinary course gives you all the knowledge and practical skills you'll need to become a registered veterinary professional. You will be prepared in all aspects of basic, applied, and clinical veterinary science, together with an ability for deductive thought, problem-solving, and research.

Job Prospects

• Average starting salary and career progression: 97% of undergraduates from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science secured graduate-level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual starting salary for these graduates was £31,816.