Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies (Edinburgh Vet School) 2026

The University of Edinburgh mixes the best of tradition with award-winning, progressive teaching - the veterinary faculty is referred to independently as The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. The vet school’s outstanding hospital and teaching facilities provide an excellent environment for developing practical and clinical skills.

They offer many opportunities to get involved in biological research as part of the vibrant research community. You will also learn valuable communication, team-building and business management skills and keep a personal and professional development portfolio throughout the BVM&S programme to record elements of study in the professional and clinical skills course for help with small animals.

The Edinburgh Vet School is accredited by both the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) allowing graduates to practise veterinary medicine throughout the UK, Europe, North America and Australasia. The year group size at royal dick school of veterinary studies is about 110 students.

At Edinburgh you will benefit from a very close-knit community of students and a dedicated student support team that take a personal interest in your well-being and success. You will be assigned a school house and a personal tutor who will support you throughout your studies, providing academic advice and a route to pastoral care.

First year students also benefit from peer assisted learning models with more senior students facilitating discussions with junior students. With over 260 student societies to take part in, nightlife, countryside and festivals, Edinburgh is a big city with a small-town feel, which has something for everyone. Gaining a place to study at vet school Edinburgh will provide a solid foundation for the rest of your career.

You will live in one of the safest cities in Europe and one that is regularly voted as one of the most desirable places to live in the world. Edinburgh offers you an incredible opportunity to experience an exceptional education in a thriving and multicultural environment. If you have a particular interest in Animal Welfare, the Jeanne Marchig Centre is dedicated to this - one of very few centres of its kind.

Edinburgh Vet School has a spiral curriculum, meaning that subjects are re-visited and continually built on as the course progresses. course structure is designed in a way that the vast majority of subjects are re-visited and built on as the course progresses (for example, the professional and clinical skills module spans over four years in total). In your final year of Edinburgh Veterinary Medicine, as is standard for many vet schools, you undertake clinical rotations and research. Throughout this time you will spend time at Dicks Edinburgh & the Edinburgh Vet School Hospital. There is graduate entry veterinary medicine at Edinburgh, which has its own requirements (see website).

Intercalation

BVetSci programmes are available to students who have successfully completed their second year of their Veterinary Medicine/Science degree. Options include: biochemistry, biomedical sciences, immunology, infectious diseases, neuroscience, pharmacology, physiology, reproductive biology and zoology.

Still sitting your GCSEs? Protect the grades this course screens for with 1-1 GCSE Maths, Biology and Chemistry tutoring from medics.

Compare A-Level requirements across universities →

We do not ask for specific types or number of days/weeks of work experience as it depends on the opportunities available to individual candidates. The broader the experience, the better, but you should not gain experience to the detriment of your academic studies. You should gain both veterinary practice and animal work experience, which could include seeing veterinary practice (large and small animal if possible), livestock farms (dairy and lambing are particularly useful), and other animal establishments such as zoos, kennels, catteries, wildlife centres, pig and poultry farms and stables. A day at an abattoir is recommended but not demanded, and online/virtual courses are also taken into consideration.

A Work Experience Summary (WES) form must be submitted to the admissions office by the October deadline; UCAS applications submitted without a WES are considered incomplete.

The Admissions Committee looks for evidence of career exploration prior to application (through work experience gained) and evidence of non-academic achievements and interests which could involve social involvement, school responsibilities, leadership, cultural, sporting, musical, vocational and voluntary achievements and interests and hobbies. This should be reflected and discussed in your Personal Statement.

There is graduate entry veterinary medicine at Edinburgh - please consult their website for the latest information.

Not offered

The University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies selects BVM&S applicants using a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI). After a welcome talk and Q&A, candidates rotate through seven 10-minute stations.

Five staffed stations assess work experience, career exploration, animal welfare, data interpretation, and moral/ethical dilemmas; two unstaffed stations cover practical and numeracy tasks. The interview carries very heavy weight in the selection decision (the offer decision is based on interview scoring).

Delivery has varied by cycle: earlier cycles ran online via the university's secure Zoom platform, while more recent cycles are hosted on the Easter Bush Campus and include a campus tour, so applicants should confirm the mode for their specific cycle.

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

Practise under timed conditions with our free generator. It builds a randomised circuit from real Royal Dick Edinburgh interview themes, with reading time, follow-up questions and a notes summary you can keep.