• A quota of approximately 40 places is available for post-grad UK applicants (with life science degrees ie. Animal Science, Biology, Zoology, etc.) to study veterinary medicine in English at UVM.

• There are additional places for A-level students who wish to become vets. However, A-levels students are required to pass through a Foundation (preparatory) course from July to September, during the summer before starting their first academic term (a winter term) at UVM.

• The DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) degree is conferred upon students who successfully complete 4 years of study. There are two annual terms of 13 weeks each (winter and spring), and 6 months of each year (including field experience at veterinary practices or other veterinary establishments) can be spent in the UK.

• UVM was EAEVE approved in 1996 & 2002. Approval from EAEVE (or the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education) is based upon the European Commission Directives EU 78/1026 and EU 78/1027. These EU directives list the essential requirements that all European veterinary degrees must meet, before they can be universally recognised by member states across the European Union. UVM was FVE approved in 2003.

• Those receiving a DVM degree from UVM, are entitled to automatic membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) upon returning to the UK, and can thereby practice veterinary medicine in the UK.

• UVM annual fees are currently 7,700 US dollars (or under 4,000 GB pounds per year at an exchange rate of $1.90), which is approximately £16,000 for the 4-year DVM degree course.

• However, although living abroad is interesting, without help the simplest things can become difficult. EpiVet provides information for students with respect to living and studying at UVM. Having successfully completed a DVM degree, the prospects are good for vets returning to the UK. However, there is no guarantee that employers will view graduates from Europe in the same way as graduates from the UK – even if they are UK citizens: so work experience gained during veterinary (re-) training is important for future employment. Training itself requires dedication and appropriate focus, and knowing how to study is valuable during a student’s time at UVM.

• The services offered by EpiVet to (prospective) UVM students from the UK are summarized below.
  

The services offered by EpiVet include the following:

i. An introductory weekend, outlining what it’s like to study veterinary medicine at UVM (with videos of UVM and its country, a talk on the UVM experience, and details of the course curriculum.

ii. Applying to UVM: the company will advise and assist prospective UVM students upon the requirements and appropriate personal preparation when applying to UVM for places – assistance from EpiVet with curricula vitae is advised, and UVM application forms can be obtained from the company.

iii. Travelling, accommodation, and living abroad: EpiVet will offer assistance with various forms of travel arrangements (with particular details outlining the most economic modes of travel), assist in securing accommodation (either within the UVM dormitories or privately outside UVM), provide details of hospitals, doctors, dental services, useful and relevant shopping facilities, entertainment facilities in and around the city and surrounding regions, and provide an emergency number for UVM students in difficulties abroad.

iv. Extra-curricular activities in the UK: the DVM veterinary degree course at UVM requires students to spend specified periods of time at veterinary practices, outside of the UVM winter and spring study terms. The company will assist in arranging placements for UVM students at veterinary practices within the UK.

v. Pre-clinical studies: EpiVet will provide details of a successful approach to studying for exams at UVM, with details of the relevant literature to obtain.

vi. Clinical studies: Clinical study years at UVM hold particular relevance for future veterinary work and employment: case studies from the EpiVet veterinary practice are offered to UVM students during their clinical years.

vii. RCVS registration: EpiVet will provide details of when, how and where to register as a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the UK, for students who pass the required internal (UVM) exams and external (State veterinary) exams. EpiVet provides an insight into of the demands of general veterinary practice, how to map a career path, and possible pitfalls to avoid.

viii. Employment: EpiVet will assist UVM students who have become members of the RCVS and who are searching for employment in the UK. This will also include assisting in the preparation of CVs, personal statements and where appropriate, the procurement of appropriate references. Advice is available for those who wish to enter business, with details of setting up a practice, profit margins, day-to-day business activities, & etc.).

The EpiVet fees for services are:

a. 1000 GB pounds, with

b. 100 GB pounds returned to individuals who supply the names of others who become UVM students.

i. Annual UVM tuition fees are 7,700 US dollars or 4,052 GB pounds;

ii. The cost of monthly accommodation in UVM dormitories (currently at 100 US dollars or 52 GB pounds at the exchange rate of 1 GBP:1.9 USD);

iii. The cost of monthly living abroad in UVM is approximately 200 USD or 105 GB pounds (at 1 GBP:1.9 USD), this gives -

A total overall (for tuition, EpiVet services and living costs for the 4-year postgraduate course) at 26,244 GB pounds OR 32,180 GB pounds (for tuition, EpiVet services and living costs for the 5-year undergraduate course).

Comparing the above figures to the current cost of veterinary (re-) training in the UK, which approximates to:

Ia. UK vet school fees at about 12,000 to 15,000 GB pounds (for post-graduates), OR

Ib. UK vet school fees at 3,000 GB pounds (for under-graduates), plus

II. The cost of monthly accommodation in UK vet school accommodation (ranging approximately from around 180 GB pounds), plus

III. The typical student loan from UK LEAs for living expenses at 3,000 GB pounds per annum,

IV. Totalling overall (for tuition, accommodation and living expenses) at between approximately 40,800 GB pounds (for a school-leaver on a 5-year course in cheaper dormitory accommodation and using 3,000 GB pounds per annum to live) to approximately 80,640 GB pounds (a low estimate for post-graduates based upon a 4-year UK course, living in cheaper dormitory accommodation and using 3,000 GB pounds per annum to live).

[Please could it be noted that although the above information is accurate to the best of our knowledge, we cannot and would not wish to verify the accuracy of the estimated UK figures for veterinary training in the UK, and we would ask all web browsers to please seek confirmation of respective fees for any vet school in the UK, by locating the appropriate web site address. Thank you. A site that is likely to be of interest to veterinary school applicants is Veterinary Vouchers.]

EpiVet Ltd is a representative of the vet school, in the UK.

Registration with EpiVet Limited