5 year Vet Med Programs in the UK and Ireland

Pre-Vet & Veterinary Medicine
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Does anyone have any experience with the 5 year vet med programs in the UK and Ireland that are geared for high school graduates (not the 4 year programs that are for those with a bachelors degree)? They are accredited programs and I know they are highly competitive. Definitely a LONG shot for my kid. The fact that these applications close in Sept make it an even longer shot as she will be taking the required AP courses next fall so she’ll have only one month of the class under her belt when she asks her teacher for the predictions. Is it even worth pursuing? She’s on the fence about vet med, mainly because she doesn’t want to go to school for 7 or 8 years. If she can do it in 5, she’s interested.

And if I understand it correctly, the application for the UK vet med programs is the same as the US vet med schools (VMCAS). That just seems odd since the US system assumes an undergraduate degree. UC Dublin does give you the choice of the VMCAS app or theirs. Makes me think it is really difficult for a US high schooler to get in.

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The norm in Ireland and the UK is for students to go straight through from HS, having taken slightly harder versions of the science APs - Bio & Chem + one more science for the UK / Chem, Calc BC, and one more science in Ireland. So, if your daughter has those courses she will come in on a more-or-less level playing field.

However: experience with a range of animals is HIGHLY recommended- not just at your local vet, but with farm animals, horses, etc. I know a current applicant who was told that although they have been working during the summer as a vet tech in a small animal clinic, their lack of exposure to large animals is a problem (there is a MOOC for the UK for students whose options were limited by Covid).

In some ways, a US student has an advantage over a local- all of the schools that are recognized in the US take some US students- the higher fees that they pay are very attractive to the unis! But, there’s getting in…and staying in!

UK / Irish students will be coming from the A-level / Leaving Cert process. These are end of secondary school exams, like APs but harder, longer and all-or-nothing in terms of your college prospects. The process dominates the final year of HS. Some US students have that level of self-discipline, but many are used to a lot more hand-holding. The degree of maturity needed for managing the work is high; doing it in a new country and academic system higher again. NOT saying it can’t be done, but more that imo the big question is whether your daughter is a highly self-disciplined, self-starter and independent person. If so, it could be a great option for her.

ps, if you are wondering if a high quality vet degree really requires 8 years, no, it doesn’t! There is no good reason why the US has 4 years of general purpose + 4 years of applied. Ditto law school, btw…But like the guilds of medieval times, it’s a way for insiders to keep outsiders…out. All in the name of quality, you understand. Nothing to do with limiting the competition…

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I have a friend whose daughter transferred to a vet program in Ireland after completing a year of undergrad in the US. I don’t recall the details, but she graduated a couple of years ago and had no trouble landing an internship and then job in the US. From what I’ve been told, she really liked the program and loved Ireland. One of the main reason she decided on this approach was that it was much quicker than the US route.

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My son applied to Edinburgh and was not accepted. I believe he applied through UCAS (the VMCAS was for the 5 year program, so double check that).

Look here for admission requirements. SCROLL DOWN to view Veterinary as the requirements are higher than for other majors.

More later

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This has been very helpful! @collegemom3717 I appreciate your explanation about the different type of academic system to expect. I’ve read about it but you’ve explained it in a way that is relatable. My kid is pretty disciplined and independent but we’ll find out if the motivation is there. And I really appreciated your comment about it not being necessary to have 8 years of college to be a good vet. I don’t understand it either—why have kids take on so much debt (especially for a field that doesn’t pay all that well) especially when there is such a need for more vets!

Regarding her meeting the entry requirements…this is where it becomes a real stretch. She’ll be taking IB Chem and IB Bio in the fall, her senior year. It’s the first year of a two year class. I don’t know how prepared she will be for the AP exams. She might have to do some self-studying. Which could be ok, but what will the teachers say in her “predictions”? She won’t have any physics and Calc A/B will be her highest math. I think that will be ok for Dublin but the UK schools are looking for physics or Calc B/C, if I understand it correctly. Actually, Edinburgh makes this statement about physics: If Physics has not been studied as part of the AP/SATs, candidates must also provide evidence of a qualification at a minimum of SQA Standard Grade 2 or GCSE Grade B or equivalent in this subject. What does that mean, besides my kid is lacking? (She’s taking the AP calc A/B exam this May and will take the IB exams for English and History next May)

I should explain that she fell off the science wagon, so to speak, this year because she decided to enroll in the Vet Assisting program at our tech school. It’s a two year program (or maybe 1.5 years). This year has been all classroom, next year will be an internship. She spends half the day at the tech school and the other half at the regular high school. This counts as a science credit so she didn’t need to take another class. Mind you she told us she was not interested in being a vet, she just liked the idea of learning more about animals (and being out of the regular school). Next year since she’s doing her internship, she won’t actually be at the tech school so is able to get more classes in. I don’t know where she’ll intern but most likely a small animal clinic. She’s an equestrian so she thinks she has the large animal experience covered but I’d like to see her at least shadow an equine vet.

@randommom1, I’d love to hear more about your son’s application process. And thank you for that link. You are right, it clearly states UCAS for the 5 yr program. I knew I saw somewhere though the VMCAS requirement. I spent way to long trying to find where I saw that and finally found it on the University of Glasgow’s page. They specifically say North American applicants must use the VMCAS application. If we continue down this path I’ll probably confirm that with them. Glasgow looks like they are strong in the equine area and that would appeal to my kid.
https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/veterinarymedicine/#howtoapply,entryrequirements,internationalqualifications,abouttheschoolofbiodiversity%2Conehealthandveterinarymedicine(bohvm)

Thank you again for your help and listening to me! She’s a really smart kid but if she had her way I’m not sure she would go to college at all. If it were up to her, she would train and ride her horse all day. Only problem with that is 1) she doesn’t own a horse, and 2) keeping a horse costs a lot of money! So she’s coming around to the idea of college but only if it involves horses!!

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Some colleges also have equestrian teams (women’s colleges in particular).

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If she has IB she doesn’t need APs! The standard IB offer will be on the websites. But she does need the rigor of bio /chem/physics in the classroom. Don’t worry about predictions- by the beginning of the 2nd year of IB the teacher will know enough to make predictions. Doing a year of science classes at a local uni to fill in any gaps (as above) can be a great way to build the profile - and a little more maturity/ independence!

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We live in Ireland and as far as I know, the only Vet program is at UCD. I quickly checked their website and they require a 3.2 GPA, ACT/SAT and AP classes are optional, even though they can help. However, from experience, the GPA is the most important thing. They will also view it favorable that she is enrolled in AP classes, and I’m not sure where the September deadline comes from because most programs don’t close for international students until at least x-mas.

Ireland works on a point system and nothing else. When kids take their leaving cert, their grades get converted to points and if they have the necessary points for entry that year, they get in. Points fluctuate based on the number of applicants and how well those applicants perform on their leaving cert. Last year, veterinary medicine required 601 points (max is 625), which maybe evens out to a 3.9. Schools don’t check for extracurriculars, or leadership, or essays. They are only concerned with the exam grades, and it would surprise me if they would apply different standards to international students.

Since there is only one program, spaces will be limited, but it is my understanding that every Irish college sets aside a certain number of seats for international students, so US students do not compete with Irish kids. However, you will have to pay the full tuition without the state subsidy, which runs approximately €40k a year (in comparison, EU kids pay €3k). Where it becomes expensive is the housing. First of all, Dublin has a housing crisis, and dorm housing is not guaranteed, even for incoming freshman. Therefore, you should plan on spending a minimum of €10K on housing, plus food, transport and incidentals. I’m not sure if any US financial aid will cover it, and we don’t have anything like a PlusLoan.

As far as the program is concerned, UCD has one of the best ones in Europe, but you would need to contact the veterinary licensing board in your state to see if the degree is recognized and what will be needed to get a license.

Ireland is a great place to live, but college life is very different here: most kids, especially those studying in Dublin, go home on the weekends. There are no college sporting events or Greek Life, and the campus experience is very different from that in the US. There are also no options for summer school, and the school sets its curriculum without any flexibility to students. For my daughter who wanted D1 sports and a true college feel, Ireland was never an option, even though she did do her leaving cert here.

Good luck to your daughter and DM me if you want any more specifics on living in Ireland.

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I actually just found this on the UCD website and they do require 60 hours of animal handling and the ACT, plus a 3 in AP Chemistry, which would need to be completed before the start of the program.

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IB requirement for Vet:

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UCD is fully accredited for the US; licensing would be the same as for a local degree.

International students are prioritized for housing (those international fees do have some benefit!)

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This comes straight from the DCU website (and I know of plenty of international students who didn’t get housing):

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As to accreditation, all Irish universities are accredited in the US. However, that doesn’t mean you can get automatically licensed for any discipline without having to jump through some extra hoops. I’m not sure how it is with veterinary medicine, but medical school graduates are thrown into the same pot as all the other IMGs. Nurses have to complete certain requirements before they can take the NCLEX. If it were me, I would want to make sure before investing 5 years of my life.

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Also, the note about housing refers to on-campus housing (ie, Belfield); UCD has other student accommodation as well. International students, esp 1st years, are prioritized.

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She isn’t getting an IB diploma though and is taking only the first year of the 2 year IB classes in chem and bio. Her high school offers IB classes, and only a few AP. Some kids still opt to take the AP tests instead of the IB tests, especially if they aren’t going for the diploma. That’s why the AP chem and bio tests will be a challenge for her–the teachers generally teach for the IB exams and not the AP so she might have to do some self studying. She did have bio in 9th grade (COVID year) and chem in 10th grade so this is her second year for each. I’m not familiar with the teachers but I don’t think they’ll be the same teachers she had before. Honestly, since the high school doesn’t offer AP science classes, I don’t think there is anyway she could have worked her schedule to get IB physics, chem, and bio, and calc B/C. Most kids pick one IB science class. A year at our local uni isn’t a bad idea. I’ve been wondering about that and was going to ask how that affects the UCAS application process.

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I should clarify, her prior chem and bio classes were honors classes and not IB classes. Just the basic freshman/sophomore classes.

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Than @randommom1s example of doing a year of uni-level classes is probably her best path forward. She could do them while still getting practical working time with animals. Uni level coursework will be accepted in lieu of APs/IB….if this is a path she decides to pursue

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Yes I would double check Glasgow. One place on the link it says full-time international students should use UCAS and later on the same page it says North Americans should use VMCAS.

My son’s guidance counselor did the predictives for his senior year classes, I do not remember if she did predictives for APs, but recommend those be included. His predictives were A/B+ and his APS were senior year instead of junior year. He also had to do an essay, letters of recommendation, and an experience certification form. He was not selected for an interview.

My son had a rocky sophomore year due to covid, which also impacted his ability to gain animal experience. He did get a number of hours shadowing a vet, and a few months working at a vet office, but it was limited to small animals. I think his application needed to be much, much stronger, but he wanted to try. He also did not get accepted to St. Andrews for a B.S. in Marine Bio. The UK schools are tough. Sometimes I wish I had insisted he not apply, because I knew.

He may try again after 2 years of college.

Spend some time researching programs with her. You can also look at Student Doctor and Student Doctor UK (websites re: admission to medical and veterinary school). Edinburgh might have some videos you can watch on their website.

There are other opportunities to pursue an accelerated vet degree in the US, but I don’t think I’ve seen any less than 7 years. There are a couple pre-vet discussions on here. Someone has a son in an accelerated program at Kansas State I believe.

Good luck!

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Thanks all again for the great info. My daughter is keenly interested in Hartpury Uni in Gloucester UK for their equine programs.
https://www.hartpury.ac.uk/university/course-areas/equine/

She discovered the Vet Med 4 year option after becoming enamored with Hartpury. We’re going to visit the school when we are in the UK for vacation at the end of May so I may be asking more questions about the UCAS process but for those courses and not Vet Med. But I will definitely share with her all I’ve learned here so she keeps this all in mind–I never know with her from one day to the next what she wants to do about college so I just keep sending ideas her way!

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For anyone that wants to know my son did the accelerated program at Kansas State and is in his third year of vet school now. His program will take 7 years. He could have pushed and done it in 6 but he would have been exhausted and have had no life. In the European 5 year programs there is really almost no time for anything other than study. Make sure that is what she would want. My son loved his 3 years undergrad in a school with great opportunities for research and animal experience as well as football and the chance to be president of his fraternity and meet the woman he will marry this summer. Vet med is challenging and you have to really know you want to do it to succeed. Don’t go into it if you are not sure. My son says those are the students that have the most difficulty.
He loved Europe but did two mini sessions abroad that he loved! He is also going to (hopefully) do an externship during his 4th year clinics in Liverpool.

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I’m not so sure about that. They do work hard, but they are 18ish when they start (with all the energy that implies!), and at least at the UK & Irish programs that I know they have time to do normal college stuff such as ECs (for example, I know one on a hockey team, another in an a capella group, etc) and a social life.

[quote=“momocarly, post:18, topic:3634799”]
Vet med is challenging and you have to really know you want to do it to succeed. Don’t go into it if you are not sure. [/quote]

On the other hand, I agree 100% with this!!

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I think one important point @momocarly was making is that the UK schools do not have gen eds, so you go to study veterinary medicine and nothing else. It can also be challenging to change your “course” (major).
You gotta know its what you want. But yes, people can fit in ECs, though Edinburgh at least, is not like a regular college with Rah-Rah football games, etc.

Another blurb re: Edinburgh - the Vet School is about 8 miles from the city, accessible by bus and looks to be surrounded by a lot of green space (if not rural). The main Edinburgh campus is quite urban (and includes many historic and beautiful building) but Vet students go to the other facility.

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