20 Best Pre-Vet Schools in the World

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The Journey of becoming a veterinarian can be quite long, but choosing one of the best Pre-Vet schools in the world is the crucial first step.

These schools were selected based on a rigorous evaluation process that considered factors such as academic reputation, faculty expertise, research opportunities, student testimonials, and more.

Pre-Vet School Requirements

GPA: Most schools require a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

GRE scores: Some schools require the GRE, but others do not. The GRE is a standardized test that assesses your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills.

Veterinary experience: Most schools require applicants to have some veterinary experience, such as volunteering at a local animal shelter or shadowing a veterinarian.

Letters of recommendation: Most schools require three letters of recommendation, at least one of which should be from a veterinarian.

Personal statement: Most schools require a personal statement in which you explain why you want to be a veterinarian.

Criteria for Ranking the Best Pre-Vet Schools in the World

Several factors were considered when creating the list of the Best Pre-Vet Schools in the World to ensure a thorough selection.

The following elements were considered throughout the rating process:

  • Academic Excellence
  • Research Output and Impact
  • Rankings and Accreditation

List of the Best Pre-Vet Schools in the World

Below is a list of the best Pre-Vet schools in the world:

20 Best Pre-Vet Schools in the World

1. Cornell University

  • Founded: 1907
  • Location: Ithaca, New York.
  • Ranking: The Cornell University Pre-Veterinary Medicine program is ranked #1 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Accreditation: The Cornell University Pre-Veterinary Medicine program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
  • Financial aid: Cornell University offers a variety of financial aid options for students in the Pre-Veterinary Medicine program, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The Cornell University Pre-Veterinary Medicine program is designed to help students prepare for a career in veterinary medicine.

2. University of Pennsylvania

  • Founded: 1740
  • Location: The University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • Ranking: The University of Pennsylvania is ranked #3 in the United States for veterinary medicine by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Accreditation: The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
  • Financial aid: The University of Pennsylvania offers a variety of financial aid options to students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The University of Pennsylvania Pre-Vet program is a non-degree program that prepares students for admission to veterinary school.

3. University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • Founded: 1848
  • Location: Madison, Wisconsin.
  • Ranking: The University of Wisconsin-Madison is ranked #38 in the US News & World Report Best Colleges 2023 rankings.
  • Accreditation: The University of Wisconsin-Madison is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
  • Financial aid: The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Pre-Vet program is designed to help students prepare for admission to a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program.

The program does not offer a degree, but it does allow students to take the prerequisite courses and gain the experience they need to be competitive applicants.

4. Michigan State University

  • Founded: 1907
  • Location: Lansing, Michigan.
  • Ranking: The Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine is ranked #8 in the world and #3 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Accreditation: The Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
  • Financial aid: The Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine offers a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The Michigan State University Pre-Vet program is designed to prepare students for admission to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at Michigan State University or other accredited veterinary schools.

5. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

  • Founded: 1851
  • Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  • Ranking: The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is ranked #37 in the US News & World Report Best Colleges 2023 rankings.
  • Accreditation: The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities College of Veterinary Medicine is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
  • Financial aid: The University of Minnesota offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Pre-Vet program is a four-year undergraduate program that prepares students for admission to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. The program offers a variety of courses in biology, chemistry, physics, math, and English composition.

6. Purdue University

  • Founded: 1907
  • Location: West Lafayette, Indiana.
  • Ranking: The Pre-Veterinary Medicine program at Purdue University is ranked #14 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Accreditation: The Pre-Veterinary Medicine program at Purdue University is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
  • Financial aid: Financial aid is available to students enrolled in the Pre-Veterinary Medicine program at Purdue University. Students can apply for federal, state, and university scholarships, grants, and loans.

Prerequisite Courses

Students must complete the following prerequisite courses to be admitted to a DVM program:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • English
  • Microbiology
  • Organic chemistry
  • Statistics
  • Animal Science
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

The Pre-Veterinary Medicine program at Purdue University is a non-degree program that prepares students for admission to a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program.

7. Texas A&M University

  • Founded: 1916
  • Location: College Station, Texas
  • Ranking: #12 in the United States (US News & World Report)
  • Accreditation: American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
  • Financial aid: The Texas A&M Pre-Vet program offers a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The Texas A&M Pre-Vet program is designed to help students prepare for a career in veterinary medicine.

8. University of Florida

  • Founded: 1948
  • Location: The program is located on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, Florida.
  • Ranking: The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine is ranked #7 among veterinary colleges nationwide.
  • Accreditation: The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE).
  • Financial aid: The University of Florida offers a variety of financial aid options for students in the Pre-Veterinary Program, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The Pre-Veterinary Program at the University of Florida is designed to prepare students for admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine.

9. North Carolina State University

  • Founded: 1967
  • Location: Raleigh, North Carolina.
  • Ranking: The Pre-Veterinary program at NC State is ranked #24 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Accreditation: The Pre-Veterinary program at NC State is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
  • Financial aid: There are a variety of financial aid options available to students in the Pre-Veterinary program, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The Pre-Veterinary program at NC State is not a major, but rather a track that students can choose to follow regardless of their chosen major. The program prepares students for admission to a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program.

10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Founded: 1907
  • Location: Illinois.
  • Ranking: The pre-veterinary program at UIUC is ranked #20 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Accreditation: The pre-veterinary program at UIUC is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
  • Financial aid: The University of Illinois offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The pre-veterinary program at UIUC is designed to prepare students for admission to a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program.

The program does not offer a degree in pre-veterinary medicine, but students can major in any field of study as long as they complete the required pre-veterinary courses.

11. Tufts University

  • Founded: 1973
  • Location: Medford, Massachusetts.
  • Ranking: The Tufts University Pre-Veterinary Program is ranked #10 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Accreditation: The Tufts University Pre-Veterinary Program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
  • Financial aid: Tufts University offers a variety of financial aid options to help students afford the cost of attendance.

The Tufts University Pre-Veterinary Program is a comprehensive program that prepares students for admission to veterinary school.

12. Colorado State University

  • Founded: 1909
  • Location: Fort Collins, Colorado.
  • Ranking: The pre-veterinary program at CSU is ranked #2 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Accreditation: The pre-veterinary program at CSU is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
  • Financial aid: There are a variety of financial aid opportunities available to students in the pre-veterinary program at CSU, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The pre-veterinary program at Colorado State University (CSU) is designed to help undergraduate students prepare for admission to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program.

13. University of Guelph

  • Founded: 1862
  • Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada
  • Ranking: 1st in Canada for veterinary medicine (QS World University Rankings 2023)
  • Accreditation: The OVC is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (ACCME).
  • Financial aid: The University of Guelph offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, bursaries, and loans.

The University of Guelph Pre-Veterinary program is a non-degree program that prepares students for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC).

14. University of Sydney

  • Founded: 1850
  • Location: Sydney, Australia.
  • Ranking: The University of Sydney is ranked 43rd in the world for veterinary science by the QS World University Rankings 2023.
  • Accreditation: The University of Sydney Pre-Vet program is accredited by the Australian Veterinary Association.
  • Financial aid: The University of Sydney offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, loans, and bursaries.

The University of Sydney Pre-Vet program is a 3-year undergraduate program that prepares students for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. The program is offered by the Sydney School of Veterinary Science.

15. University of Melbourne

  • Founded: 1853
  • Location: The University of Melbourne is located in Melbourne, Australia.
  • Ranking: The University of Melbourne is ranked 36th in the world for veterinary science by the QS World University Rankings 2023.
  • Accreditation: The University of Melbourne’s DVM program is accredited by the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA).
  • Financial aid: The University of Melbourne offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The University of Melbourne Pre-Vet program is a 3-year undergraduate degree that prepares students for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. The program covers a wide range of subjects in animal biology, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and other related topics.

Here are some additional details about the admission requirements for the University of Melbourne Pre-Vet program:

  • Applicants must have an ATAR of 98.50 or higher.
  • Applicants must complete the following prerequisite subjects: biology, biochemistry, and Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
  • Applicants must also have a strong academic record in other science subjects.

16. Utrecht University

  • Founded: 2022
  • Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
  • Ranking: 10th in the world for veterinary sciences (QS World University Rankings 2023)
  • Accreditation: The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University is accredited by the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
  • Financial aid: Utrecht University offers a variety of financial aid options for international students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The Utrecht University Pre-Vet program is a one-year preparatory program for international students who want to study veterinary medicine at Utrecht University.

The program is taught in Dutch.

17. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

  • Founded: 1862
  • Location: Uppsala, Sweden
  • Tuition fee: SLU charges between SEK 105 000 and SEK 300 000 per academic year.
  • Ranking: SLU is ranked 85th in the world for agriculture and forestry by the QS World University Rankings 2023.
  • Accreditation: SLU is accredited by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education.
  • Financial aid: SLU offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) is a public university in Uppsala, Sweden. It is the oldest and largest agricultural university in Sweden and one of the leading agricultural universities in the world.

18. University of Cambridge

  • Founded: 1209
  • Location: Cambridge, England.
  • Tuition fee: The course fees for 2023/24 are £25,950 for day students.
  • Ranking: The University of Cambridge is ranked 2nd in the world for veterinary science by the QS World University Rankings.
  • Accreditation: The Pre-Vet program is accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).
  • Financial aid: The University of Cambridge offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The University of Cambridge Pre-Vet program is a 3-year undergraduate program that provides students with the foundation they need to study veterinary medicine at Cambridge or another university.

19. Royal Veterinary College

  • Founded: 1791
  • Location: Camden, London, England
  • Tuition fee: For local citizens, tuition fees at RVC start from 15,232 USD. International students pay a minimum of 20,000 USD per year.
  • Ranking: 1st in the UK for veterinary science (The Complete University Guide 2023)
  • Accreditation: The Royal Veterinary College is accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).
  • Financial aid: The RVC offers a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, bursaries, and student loans.

The Royal Veterinary College Pre-Vet Summer School is a one-week program designed to help students develop the academic and personal skills they need to succeed in veterinary medicine.

20. University of Edinburgh

  • Founded: 1825
  • Location: The pre-veterinary program is located in Edinburgh, Scotland.
  • Tuition fee:  £34,200 for overseas students.
  • Ranking: The University of Edinburgh is ranked 17th in the world for veterinary sciences by QS World University Rankings.
  • Accreditation: The pre-veterinary program is accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).
  • Financial aid: The University of Edinburgh offers a variety of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

The pre-veterinary program at the University of Edinburgh is a 4-year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVM&S) degree program that prepares students for a career in veterinary medicine.

FAQs on the Best Pre-Vet Schools in the World

Do these schools offer scholarships or financial aid for pre-vet students?

Most of the top pre-vet schools offer scholarships and financial aid to students, but the availability and criteria for these awards can differ. We recommend visiting the school's financial aid website or contacting their financial aid office for detailed information.

Are there any prerequisites for pre-vet programs?

Pre-vet programs typically have specific prerequisites, including coursework in biology, chemistry, and animal science. Be sure to review the admission requirements for each school you're interested in to ensure you meet the prerequisites.

Are there any schools on this list that specialize in a particular aspect of veterinary medicine?

Yes, some schools may have a strong emphasis on specific areas of veterinary medicine, such as large animal care, wildlife conservation, or research. Our descriptions of each school highlight their unique strengths and focus areas.

How can I get in touch with these schools for more information or to apply?

You can usually find contact information for each school on their official websites. Admissions offices at these institutions are typically available to answer your questions and guide you through the application process.

Conclusion

Many of the schools on our list welcome international students. However, admission requirements and processes may vary, so be sure to check with each school’s admissions office for specific details.

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