Entry Requirements
Typical offers require
A Level: A*AA
IB: 40-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level
Other qualifications: See Entrance requirements.
Subject requirements
‘Science/mathematics subjects’ refers to Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. It does not include Psychology.
You may enter up to four veterinary medicine/science courses in your UCAS application. Your remaining choice can be used for an alternative course without prejudice to your commitment to veterinary medicine.
See Entrance requirements and Choosing your post-16 subjects for additional guidance and conditions of entry.
A Levels
- A Levels in Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics, Mathematics.
- Most applicants for Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge have at least three science/mathematics A Levels and some Colleges require this and/or particular subjects. See individual College websites for details.
- If you are taking Further Maths, you should contact the admissions office of the College to which you are considering applying to see how it might contribute to your application.
International Baccalaureate
- A Level subject requirements (see above) also apply to the IB – Higher Level subjects satisfy A Level subject requirements.
- If taking Maths at Higher Level we recommend Analysis and Approaches for the most competitive application, however Applications and Interpretations will also be considered.
Other examination systems
We expect applicants taking other recognised examinations to demonstrate a level of understanding in science and mathematics roughly equivalent to those applying with A Levels. Refer to the Entrance requirements page for details of other qualifications and please consult any College Admissions Tutor for further advice.
Graduate entry
Graduates wanting to study Veterinary Medicine may apply as an affiliated student to one of Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund’s or Wolfson Colleges with:
- a good Honours degree (2.1 or above, science subjects are desirable)
- passes at A Levels (or equivalent), as above
Applicants admitted as affiliated students complete the VetMB degree programme over five years.
Work experience
Work experience is not a requirement for applicants but some experience is useful to understand the profession and what is required of its members. We recommend applicants acquire at least two weeks of work experience, if possible. Further advice and guidance can be found on the Veterinary School’s website.
Admission assessment
All applicants for Veterinary Medicine (including applicants to mature Colleges) are required to take a written assessment at an authorised assessment centre (usually your school or college), for which you must be registered in advance.
Please see the Cambridge Admissions Testing website for information about dates and registration deadlines, and check admission assessments for further details.
See Natural Sciences admission assessment for more information about the assessment format, and to download past papers.
Please note that your performance in the written assessment will not be considered in isolation, but will be taken into account alongside the other elements of your application.
Submitted work
Applicants are not typically asked to submit examples of written work. Some may be asked by their College to do some reading in advance of their interview, but if this is required the College will provide full details in the letter inviting the student to interview.
Selection requirements
We are looking for students who are committed to the veterinary profession, and who are really interested in the scientific principles that underlie both the health and disease of animals.
Applications from students who have failed at or been excluded from other veterinary schools will not be accepted at Cambridge
Professional expectations
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has certain expectations regarding the attitudes, behaviour and performance of veterinary students. Trainee veterinary surgeons at Cambridge must satisfy the RCVS fitness to practise requirements, both when applying and throughout the course. These requirements are in place to ensure the safety of patients and patients' owners.
Disclosure and Barring Service check
If you are offered a place to study Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge, you're required to undergo a standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check or equivalent overseas check.
Applicants who have lived in the UK for the whole of the last 5 years will need to complete a DBS check which will be arranged through the University.
Applicants who have lived outside of the UK for 6 months or more in the last 5 years will still need to complete a satisfactory enhanced DBS check but will also have to provide relevant overseas checks to cover these periods of time and complete a self-declaration form.
Applicants who have not lived in the UK at all in the last 5 years will have to provide relevant overseas checks to cover these periods of time and complete a self-declaration form.
Overseas checks need to be obtained by the applicant, the University will not apply for overseas checks on the Students’ behalf.
Further guidance on overseas checks can be found on the Government website.
Applicants will be responsible for paying the costs of DBS and/or criminal record checks.
Students are required to undergo a standard DBS check on entry to the Veterinary surgeon profession. The University will send further instructions on registering with the DBS as part of the admissions process.
Minor misdemeanours will not necessarily prevent you from entering the veterinary profession but you should declare these in your UCAS application and you will be sent the relevant forms to complete if you are offered a place.
More details can be found on the University's Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) webpage.
Your health
Veterinary surgeons, even as students and trainees, have a responsibility to be honest and open about their own health and all successful applicants are required to complete a confidential occupational health assessment. A questionnaire will be included with your offer letter and, once completed, should be returned directly to OccHealth@admin.cam.ac.uk.
The assessment is also to identify any long-term health conditions or disabilities that you may have, which require specific support. Where necessary, you will be contacted by Occupational Health for further information in order for support to be appropriately considered and implemented.
Health surveillance
All veterinary students will be assessed by OH at the start of the course for animal allergies and health surveillance will be commenced due to the work that will be undertaken.
Disability, neurodiversity and long-term health conditions
A disability, specific learning difficulty (SpLD) or long-term health condition needn't prevent you from becoming a veterinary surgeon if you can satisfy the professional fitness to practise requirements. The University and the Department of Veterinary Medicine are fully committed to supporting all its students with such conditions, and individual students’ details are maintained on a confidential basis.
In these circumstances please contact a College Admissions Tutor, or the Director of Teaching at the Department of Veterinary Medicine as early as possible to discuss your needs and the course requirements. Such disclosures are considered independently of academic qualifications and the interview process.
The University's Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre (ADRC) can provide general advice and guidance to prospective and current disabled students including those with a SpLD or long-term health condition.
All undergraduate admissions decisions are the responsibility of the Cambridge Colleges. Please contact the relevant College admissions office if you have any queries.
Typical Veterinary Medicine entrants (A Level and IB)
For 2017, 2018 and 2019 entry, the majority of entrants from an A Level background achieved at least grades A*A*A* (60% of entrants). These successful applicants typically took Biology (98%), Mathematics (97%) and Chemistry (96%). For the same period, the majority of IB entrants achieved at least 44 points overall and/or grades 777 at Higher Level.
This information is intended to give you a sense of the academic standard of our typical A Level entrants. We welcome applicants from a range of qualification backgrounds.