Aberystwyth Vet School 2026

Aberystwyth Vet School's jointly hosted Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) degree offers a unique opportunity to train at both the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and Aberystwyth University. This exciting new course combines the scientific and clinical expertise from both organisations to help students gain wide-ranging veterinary training, and it will be especially appealing to those interested in veterinary careers within Wales or in rural mixed practice due to its location.

Aberystwyth School of Veterinary Science is delivering the BVSc Veterinary Science degree in collaboration with the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). This means that during the course, students will study at Aberystwyth University for the first two years and then at the RVC Hawkshead Campus for the final three years. This provides the opportunity to study at two world-leading institutions:

• Aberystwyth University was established in 1872, and for over a hundred years has been delivering innovative research in the Agriculture, Animal and Biological Sciences.
• The RVC was established in 1791 and is the UK’s largest and longest-established independent veterinary school. It is a member institution of the University of London. The RVC is ranked as the world’s number one veterinary school in the QS World University Rankings by subject, 2024.

As Aberystwyth Vet School has been very recently established (2021), you would benefit from state of the art facilities and a newly designed course.

The rural setting would make this particularly appealing to students interested in farm/mixed practice, and having this alongside the final three years of study being undertaken at the Royal Veterinary College (ranked as the world’s number one veterinary school in the QS World University Rankings by subject, 2019) means that you can get the best of both worlds.

Teaching is organised in strands. These strands are visited on multiple occasions, initially focusing on the healthy animal, and progressing through diseases of different systems, their investigation and management. There are also non-system strands that focus on the underpinning science and the impact of animal disease on public health.

In the first two years you will be based in the heart of Wales at Aberystwyth University, studying the biology underpinning veterinary sciences, acquiring basic farm animal, horse and companion animal handling and examination skills, developing your communication, problem solving and team working skills. Aberystwyth University has a long history of animal health teaching and research and is committed to educational excellence.

In your third, fourth and fifth years you will be based at the RVC’s Hawkshead Campus in Potters Bar (Hertfordshire) where you will acquire the advanced knowledge and practical skills in the clinical sciences necessary for you to become a registerable veterinarian. During this period your clinical training will be undertaken in a range of the RVC’s clinical facilities and affiliated veterinary practices as well as a specific rotation at Aberystwyth university veterinary school focused on production animal issues relevant to Wales. This is a great university of veterinary medicine.

The RVC has three outstanding academic and clinical departments. Lecturers at Aberystwyth University and the RVC in each department are not only world-class researchers and clinicians who are passionate about their field; they are highly qualified teaching professionals. At Aberystwyth University Veterinary School, students will benefit from the extensive university farms, Lluest Equine Centre and other teaching facilities.

From first to the third year:

• Principles of Science
• Locomotor
• Cardiovascular and respiratory
• Urogenital: renal
• Urogenital: reproduction
• Alimentary system
• Neurology and special senses
• Lymphoreticular and haematopoietic
• Skin
• Population medicine and veterinary public health (PMVPH)
• Scholarship evidence-based medicine.

During the fourth and fifth years: The majority of teaching during the fourth and fifth years of the programme is in the form of clinical rotations, where you will work in small groups in a variety of clinical environments. Students participate in both intramural rotations and ClinEMS placements across species and disciplines. They will also undertake a research project of their choice.

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Aberystwyth Vet School require a total of 70 hours of work experience (paid or voluntary) Before applying, the following minimum requirements must have completed:

• A total of 70 hours (e.g. 10 full days) of work experience (paid or voluntary) in one or more veterinary practices
• A total of 70 hours in one or more non-clinical working environments with live animals (excl. the home environment/family business/pet ownership), with at least 35 in large animal (excluding horse riding and horse ownership/family farm)

The above 140 hours must be obtained within the 18-month period directly preceding the application deadline. Earlier experience is welcome but will not count towards the 140-hour requirement.

As additional examinations have not yet been described by Aberystwyth Vet School, it is likely that your personal statement will be used to assess your personal attributes and suitability for the course

Welsh Baccalaureate Applicants who achieve the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate with grade A will be accepted with two A Levels (Biology at grade A and Chemistry at grade A).

Offers of ABB at A Level (with an A in Biology or Chemistry) will be made to those meeting certain Widening Participation (WP) criteria - see the Aberystwyth Vet School website for details of these criteria and the equivalent grades in different examinations.

The Aberystwyth BVSc is a jointly hosted degree with the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), and applications are processed and assessed by the RVC. Interviews are held in person at Aberystwyth University and no offer is made without attending.

Selection uses the RVC’s Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) process, in which candidates rotate through a series of short stations, each scored independently by a different assessor, alongside a group task. The MMI assesses the skills and personal qualities needed for the degree, such as communication, critical thinking and teamwork, rather than academic content.

Aberystwyth confirms the exact interview structure year to year, so treat the format as the RVC standard rather than a fixed station count.

Prepare with 1-1 vet school interview coaching and practise with our vet school interview questions guide.

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