Find the resources you need to navigate what is required to apply to Direct-Entry Medicine programs at universities in the United Kingdom.

Application Deadline

Applying to these programs means accelerating the whole process... your COMPLETE UCAS application is due October 15! So, you need to return from the summer with most of the work done!

Age Requirement

To study medicine in the UK, some universities have a minimum age requirement while other do not. Find a summary of the requirements of different schools here.

Entry Requirements

Here's a great page that lists all of the UK medical school entry requirements in one place!

UCAT

To study medicine in the UK**, you need to sit the UCAT, the University Clinical Aptitude Test, a computer-based, multiple-choice admissions exam used for entry at UK and partner universities. What you need to know about the UCAT:

• You can only take the UCAT ONCE!

• You must take the UCAT at a Test Centre... but there are centres around the world to access.

• You take the UCAT in the summer between Grades 11 and 12. The test dates run from mid-July to mid-September (but you definitely want to get it done BEFORE returning to Brentwood from the summer).

• You must set aside at least two solid weeks, maybe three, to focus on preparing for the UCAT.

• The 2026 UCAT Testing Timeline:

  • May 12 = "Registration Opens"... which means that you can set up your UCAT account but not booking a test.

  • June 23 = Booking a Test opens

  • July 13-September 24 = Testing Dates

The UCAT site provide guidance on the test itself, preparing for it, and then sitting the test. Please take time to review all of the pages on the site.

**If you are an International Student, there are some universities that have medicine programs that are targetted to you, some of which do not require the UCAT. They include:

• University of Buckingham (a private university... a rare thing in the UK)

• University of Central Lancashire

Brenwtood students have applied to and been admitted to both.

Practical Experience

Medical schools typically expect applicants to have relevant work experience that demonstrates their commitment to the field of medicine and provides insight into the healthcare profession.

Work experience is more about quality than quantity. Medical schools expect you to have learned from and reflected on your work experience – regardless of what you did. This means that volunteering can often be just as meaningful as a clinical placement, as long as you can effectively reflect on the experience and extract key learning points.

Don’t forget that medical schools expect applicants to reflect on their work experiences and articulate how these experiences have influenced their decision to pursue a career in medicine. You should be able to demonstrate personal growth, self-awareness, and an understanding of the challenges and rewards of working in healthcare.

There are different ways you can demonstrate your interest and exposure to medicine:

Clinical Exposure

Medical schools value hands-on clinical experience. It allows applicants to gain insight into patient care and the healthcare system. This can include volunteering or working in hospitals, clinics, or other healthcare settings. It is important to have direct patient interaction and observe healthcare professionals in action.

Community Service

Medical schools value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to serving others and making a positive impact in their communities. This can include volunteering at local organizations, participating in community outreach programs, or engaging in healthcare-related volunteer work. Community service showcases compassion, empathy, and a dedication to helping others.

Leadership Roles

Holding leadership positions in extracurricular activities, clubs, or organizations demonstrates organizational skills, teamwork, and the ability to take initiative. Medical schools appreciate applicants who have shown leadership qualities, as these skills are essential for future physicians who often work in team-based healthcare settings.

Non-Clinical Experiences

While clinical experience is crucial, medical schools also value non-clinical experiences that showcase a well-rounded applicant. When reflected on effectively, such experiences demonstrate transferable skills relevant to medicine, including communication, teamwork, professionalism, adaptability, and patient-centred service. Applicants should therefore focus on clearly articulating what they learned from these roles and how the skills gained prepare them for the demands of a medical career.

Research Experience

Medical schools appreciate applicants who have engaged in research activities. This can involve conducting scientific research, participating in research projects, or assisting researchers in a laboratory setting. Research experience demonstrates critical thinking skills, scientific inquiry, and an understanding of evidence-based medicine.

This does NOT mean you need to do ALL of these things... but you need to have some experience to speak of and reflect upon.

The ideal time to do it is in Grade 11 and/or the summer between Grade 11 and Grade 12 (there is A LOT to do in that summer).

The main reason why we encourage students interested to explore options in Veterinary Medicine in the UK is because there are so few spots at the Veterinary Medicine schools in Canada. Those numbers have increased in recent years, but students can only access them after some undergraduate study. If you are super keen, direct-entry programs allow you (1) to get started immediately, and (2) return home to practice right away!

Find the resources you need to navigate what is required to apply to Direct-Entry Veterinary Medicine programs at universities in the United Kingdom.

A Small List of Schools

While there are lots of wonderful universities where you can study Veterinary Medicine, the ones that you should focus on are ones that have accreditation with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Why? Because that is the accreditation required to practice as a Vet here in Canada!

The schools in the UK that have AVMA accreditation include:

• The Royal Veterinary College**

• University of Bristol

• University of Nottingham*

• University of Liverpool

• University of Glasgow*

• University of Edinburgh**

*Brentwood students have been admitted. **Brentwood students have ATTENDED!

But as you can only apply to a maximum of FOUR veterinary medicine courses, it's no big deal to choose from these six.

You can apply elsewhere (there are 10 universities for veterinary medicine in total in the UK), but you would NOT be able to practice veterinary medicine with your degree in Canada or the United States. 

Application Deadline

Applying to these programs means accelerating the whole process... your COMPLETE UCAS application is due October 15! So, you need to return from the summer with most of the work done!

Work Experience Requirements

To study veterinary medicine in the UK, the six universities above have requirements for Work Experience specifically connect to the course.

The Royal Veterinary College

To apply for the BVetMed you will need to have prior work experience in order to have developed animal handling skills and obtained an insight into the work of veterinary surgeons. Before you apply, you must have completed the minimum requirements:

• • • A total of 70 hours (e.g. 10 full days) of work experience (paid or voluntary) in one or more veterinary practices

    • A total of 70 hours in one or more non-clinical working environments with live animals (excl. the home environment/family business/pet ownership)

The above 140 hours must be obtained within the 18-month period directly preceding the application deadline. Earlier experience is welcome but will not count towards the 140 hour requirement.

We encourage you to think creatively about these environments and are interested to hear about any experiences that have helped to give you a sense of the veterinary role in the wider world. Examples of suitable non-clinical environments might include, but are not limited to: kennels, cattery, animal shelter, rural or city farm, stables, pet shop, lambing, intensive livestock, abattoir, animal research laboratory, wildlife park, zoo, etc. You do not have to have gained experience in all these areas.

University of Bristol

Bristol does not have specific Work Experience Requirements...

University of Nottingham

You'll need a minimum of five weeks work experience. Work experience can be done over varying hours and days and should include:

• • • a minimum of three weeks of animal handling

    • up to two weeks of either customer facing and/or teamwork experience

    • up to one week for the completion of the Virtual Work Experience and Exploring the Veterinary Profession free online course

All experience needs to be completed within three years prior to application and by the 15 October application deadline. Work experience booked after this date will not be taken into consideration.

University of Liverpool

To apply for the BVSc applicants are expected to have gained a minimum of three weeks (15 days) work experience from the list below. 

At least one week needs to be from A or B. If applicants are unable to secure a five-day placement in veterinary practice, then they must complete and evidence a virtual veterinary placement, in addition to the 15 days of work experience. An example of this is the free Virtual Work Experience and Exploring the Veterinary Profession MOOC.

A. Veterinary Practice.

B. Working within commercial animal industry with core species (cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, poultry, dogs, cats, rabbits). Note that core species does not include wildlife or zoo placements. Commercial industry includes, charities, urban and other commercial farms, kennels, stables, rescue centres, and animal shelters.

C. Working with non-core species (e.g. zoo or wildlife placements) or in a customer-facing role (e.g. within retail, a care home or hospitality industries).

Please be aware that working in a customer-facing role is optional and is not required by us to enable to you apply.

The three weeks of work experience must be obtained within the five-year period directly preceding the application deadline, so for this year would be experience carried out from 15th October 2020. Earlier experience is welcome but will not count towards this requirement. The work experience submission portal will require you to evidence how many working days or half days of experience you have gained. If you have completed your experience an hour or two at a time then as a guide, 3.5 hours is equivalent to a half day.

Not all candidates will have equal opportunities for access to work experience and whilst we recommend a broad range of experience, there is no selective advantage on completing more than three weeks or on the nature of the work experience that applicants have been able to complete.

University of Glasgow

It is recommended that applicants to the veterinary programme have a minimum of one week’s work experience in a veterinary practice. We are aware that opportunities may differ between individual candidates and applicants will be expected to take every opportunity available to them to gain relevant practical experience of livestock husbandry and handling animals. Applicants are also advised to conduct their own online research into areas where they have been unable to gain practical experience. This can include completion of virtual work experience to boost their knowledge and understanding of the veterinary profession. 

We look for knowledge of the veterinary profession, and for experience of and contact with a variety of animals, e.g.

• Attendance with a veterinary surgeon(s) (companion animal and farm animal).

• Experience of working on a dairy farm.

• Assisting on a sheep farm at lambing time.

• Experience working with horses, e.g. at riding stables.

• Experience of working in a boarding kennel or cattery.

• Visit to an abattoir (not essential).

• Any additional relevant experience, e.g. zoo, wildlife park or laboratory etc.

Please note: the above are suggestions and ideas for work experience. This is not a checklist and achieving all these placements is not a requirement. Please ensure you complete a work experience form once you have made a UCAS application to Veterinary Medicine.

University of Edinburgh

We do not ask for specific types or number of days/weeks for work experience as it depends, to some extent, 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, however, gain both veterinary practice and animal work experience. You should gain as much and as varied practical work experience as possible, which could include time spent:

• Seeing veterinary practice, both large and small animal if possible

• Livestock farms - dairy and lambing are particularly useful

• Other animal establishments, such as zoos, kennels, catteries, wildlife centres, pig farms, poultry farms and stables

• A day at an abattoir is recommended but not demanded

• We encourage experience gained in veterinary or medical laboratories to help you appreciate the scientific basis of veterinary medicine

• We will also take into consideration the online courses, examples of which are listed below

Please note: the above are suggestions and ideas for work experience. This is not a checklist and achieving all these placements is not a requirement. Work experience references are not required.

UCAT

To study veterinary medicine in the UK at the six universities above, SOME require you to sit the UCAT:

Who does NOT require the UCAT?

• The Royal Veterinary College

• University of Nottingham... but has an online ethical reasoning test if you are invited for interview.

• University of Glasgow

• University of Edinburgh

Who requires the UCAT?

• University of Bristol

• University of Liverpool

This usually makes the choice of the FOUR veterinay medicine course you apply to relatively easy!! See the details about the UCAT in the Medicine section on this page.