Veterinary Medicine

There are many good reasons for choosing to read Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge. Our course is very practical, with plenty of animal contact from the beginning of the first year all the way through to the lecture-free final year on clinics in the hospital. This is underpinned by an unrivalled high quality scientific education which equips you uniquely to problem-solve in veterinary practice or in whatever future career you chose.

Visit the Vet School's online resources for information on open days and visiting.

The small number of students in each year means you will get plenty of small group supervision all through the course and get to know the Director of Studies in your College and clinicians at the hospital very well. As a result, veterinary graduates from Cambridge become first class small animal, large animal and equine clinicians as well as pursuing many and varied other careers. The excellence of the veterinary course here is complemented by the attractions of College life, the wide variety of extra-curricular activities and the benefits of living in a pleasant environment and making a wide variety of friends whilst pursuing your studies. Veterinary students at Emmanuel develop a strong attachment to the college – as demonstrated by the enthusiastic alumni who come back to our annual vet dinner. They are also very active in college and University activities: for example, in recent years we have had college Boat club captains; members of the university riding team and University ladies rugby players.

The most important thing that you can do to enhance your chances of admission to any veterinary school is to make sure that you study the appropriate subjects which you most enjoy at school, and work hard at them to ensure that you obtain good grades. You will also need to persuade us that you really do want to read Veterinary Medicine. In order to do that you should show that you have done things to help you find out about the subject, for example, visits to veterinary surgeons and working on farms or stables or kennels. There is no set formula, because different people have different opportunities open to them, but it is sensible to have made an effort to make sure you are sufficiently aware of what entering a vocational veterinary course can involve. Part of your interviews will explore your motivation for the profession and address topical areas of veterinary interest. It is advisable, therefore, to have made some attempt to familiarise yourself with the problems and challenges that you will face in your chosen vocation.

Emmanuel College has quota of 4 places for Veterinary Medicine. Do not be put off by the apparently small number of places, either at Emmanuel or at the other Cambridge colleges which take vets. Your chances of admission to Cambridge should not be affected by which college you apply to. The intercollegiate pool means that the best applicants will be offered a place, even if it is not always at the college of their choice.

Most commonly, we make conditional offers for the current year (if you get your offer you will come in that year). Gap years are acceptable, especially if you have something that you fervently wish to do. The time between school and University is a good time to do it. If you have no particular plans then you may be well advised simply to carry on with your studies. As with school examinations, the choice is a personal one, though we do not discourage applications for deferred places, i.e., gap years.

Finally, remember that it is more important that you become a vet than that you go to a particular college, veterinary school or university. Be guided by your teachers, read the Alternative as well as the Official Prospectus, talk to the students at a particular place, and choose the right course for you.

For more information on admissions and the vet school, have a look at the veterinary school Facebook site.

Admissions Information