To get into vet school in the UK you typically need A*AA to ABB including Chemistry and Biology, animal and clinical work experience (the amount varies a lot between schools), a personal statement that shows you understand veterinary work, and usually an interview. Most vet schools set no admissions test, but Cambridge uses the ESAT. You apply through UCAS by 18:00 on 15 October with up to four vet choices.
Veterinary medicine has fewer places than medicine and, school by school, more varied requirements. The two things that trip applicants up are work experience, where the rules differ enormously, and the profession itself, which is far broader than treating pets.
What vet schools look at
- Grades and subjects
- Work experience, animal and clinical
- The personal statement (some schools also use their own questionnaire)
- The interview, at most schools
- An admissions test, at Cambridge only
Grades and subjects
Most schools require Chemistry and Biology, with typical offers from A*AA to ABB. Examples for 2027 entry: Cambridge asks for A*AA including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics or Maths; the Royal Veterinary College asks for AAA including Biology and Chemistry. GCSE requirements vary too, from grade 4 in English and Maths at some schools to several grade 7s at others.
Work experience: read every school's rules
This is where vet applications differ most:
Is your personal statement strong enough?
Get a score out of 100, line-by-line feedback, before & after rewrites, and a 10-step improvement plan — in under 10 minutes.
Review my statement → From £7.49 · Results in under 10 min| School | Work experience expectation (2027 entry) |
|---|---|
| Royal Veterinary College | 140 hours minimum, gained in the 18 months before the application deadline, covering clinical work in a veterinary practice and work with live animals elsewhere. Pet ownership and family farms do not count |
| Cambridge | No absolute requirement. About two weeks in total is suggested, in practice or working with animals; longer or "impressive" experience gives no advantage |
Other schools set their own requirements, so check each one. As a rule, plan for a mix: time in a veterinary practice, and hands-on experience with animals outside one, such as a farm, stables, kennels, a cattery, a zoo or an animal shelter. Farm animal experience is especially valuable, because many applicants only have small-animal experience.
What schools want from it is the same everywhere: evidence you understand the realities of veterinary work, including euthanasia, long hours, difficult conversations with owners, and the business side of a practice.
Get a free personal statement preview in September
Most applicants leave their statement until January and rush it. Leave your email and we’ll send you one reminder when the writing season opens, with a free preview of your statement — score, strengths, and what to fix.
One email in September. Unsubscribe any time — we never share your address.
The personal statement
- Question 1 (why veterinary medicine): what draws you to the profession, grounded in something you saw. "I love animals" is where every statement starts and few successful ones stay.
- Question 2 (your studies): connect Biology and Chemistry, and wider reading such as One Health, zoonoses or animal welfare, to veterinary science.
- Question 3 (outside education): your work experience, reflected on, plus responsibility, teamwork and resilience.
Our veterinary personal statement guide covers each question.
Tests and interviews
Most UK vet schools set no admissions test. Cambridge requires the ESAT for Veterinary Medicine (admissions tests for 2027 entry). Most schools interview shortlisted applicants, often with MMI stations on ethics, animal welfare, communication and data; some schools select partly through their own questionnaire.
Accreditation
Check that the course is accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), or, for newer schools, how its graduates will register. Accreditation is what lets you practise as a vet in the UK.
Four choices and the deadline
UCAS allows four veterinary choices, with the fifth used for another course or left empty (the fifth choice). Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 on 15 October in the year before you start (15 October 2026 for 2027 entry). The degree usually takes five years, and includes extra-mural studies placements in animal husbandry and clinical practice.
Check your vet personal statement
Score yours with Statementory: a score out of 100, notes on every line and a 10-step plan, back in 5 to 10 minutes.
Related guides
- Veterinary personal statement guide
- How to get into medicine in the UK
- How to get into dentistry in the UK
- UCAS deadlines for 2027 entry
Sources
- Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Accrediting veterinary degrees
- Veterinary Schools Council, vetschoolscouncil.ac.uk
- Royal Veterinary College, Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine
- University of Cambridge Department of Veterinary Medicine, How to apply and FAQ
- University of Cambridge, Admission assessments
Frequently asked questions
What A-levels do you need to be a vet?
Chemistry and Biology are the subjects most UK vet schools require, usually with a third science or Maths, or any subject at some schools. Typical offers range from A*AA to ABB. Check each school's 2027 entry page, because the required subjects and grades differ.
How much work experience do you need for vet school?
It varies more than any other requirement. The Royal Veterinary College requires 140 hours, gained in the 18 months before the application deadline, with a mix of clinical work in a veterinary practice and work with live animals elsewhere. Cambridge has no absolute requirement and suggests about two weeks in total, and says longer or more impressive experience gives no advantage. Read each school's requirement before you plan your experience.
Is there an admissions test for veterinary medicine?
Most UK vet schools do not use one. Cambridge is the main exception: Veterinary Medicine applicants sit the ESAT.
How many vet schools can I apply to?
Four. UCAS caps veterinary medicine and science, like medicine and dentistry, at four choices. The fifth can be another course or left empty.
Get your personal statement reviewed by AI — score, annotations, rewrites, and a 10-step plan in under 10 minutes.