Discover the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Our rankings
We're ranked 16th globally for veterinary science by the 2021 QS University Rankings by Subject.
Our graduates are ranked 1st in Australia and 4th globally for employability by the 2020 QS Graduate Employability Rankings.
In response to COVID-19, the University of Sydney has reviewed the availability of courses to be delivered remotely for students commencing their studies in Semester 1, 2021.
Some units of study and/or placements relating to this course cannot be delivered remotely or online for students commencing their study in Semester 1, 2021. You will be required to attend in-person on campus from Semester 2, 2021.
Note: The University intends to offer as many units of study as possible in a remote as well as face-to-face learning method of delivery in Semester 1, 2021 and subject to ongoing border closures and public health orders impacting attendance on campus, in Semester 2, 2021. However, some units of study and courses require students to study in-person at the relevant University of Sydney campus/es and host locations for placements and will not be available remotely.
About this course
Study to become a registered veterinary practitioner with the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). This degree will turn you into a career-ready vet with the skills to work in managing animal health and disease in Australia and around the world.
This four-year graduate entry course is open to applicants with a completed Bachelor's degree who want to study to become registered veterinary practitioners.
The University of Sydney is the nation’s premier place to receive training in veterinary science. We ranked first in Australia and 12th in the world for veterinary science in the 2020 QS World University Rankings by Subject and have been given a maximum score of 5 in the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) federal government scheme for the veterinary sciences field of research. And, our courses are internationally accredited, so you can work as a vet around the world.
In the DVM, teaching is research-driven to ensure you will learn from the latest developments and advances in evidence-based practice, veterinary science research, animal behaviour and welfare science and veterinary public health. You will benefit from a fully integrated learning curriculum with clinical exposure, clinical skills training and animal handling commencing in the first semester and throughout the course.
Your studies will take place in the One Health framework, ensuring you understand the linkages between veterinary health, human medicine and the environment at local, national and global levels. The program culminates in a capstone experience year where you will get hands-on experience as an intern in veterinary clinics of all varieties and in a wide range of locations, including rotations in the University teaching hospitals at Sydney and Camden.
You should be aware that the DVM has semester dates that are different to the standard University calendar. If your application is successful, you must be prepared to start classes during mid-February.
Years 1 and 2 of the course are primarily held at the Camperdown campus, but students must travel to our Camden campus for classes on a regular basis throughout the course. Camden is the location of all large animal teaching facilities, and animal handling training commences during the first semester.
Please note that places in this course are limited and subject to strict enrolment quotas. Both CSP and fee-paying places are available for domestic applicants.
You can also read the frequently asked questions.
Ancillary costs associated with the DVM
Students will be provided with an enrolment pack when commencing the DVM including a breakdown of associated costs which will be incurred over the course of the four years of the DVM. These costs are a guideline only and may vary. The costs are associated with equipment, clothing and footwear, travel and accommodation relating to placements, and incidentals. Although we recommend students budget for approximately $1,000 - $2,000AUD per annum, costs may be significantly higher during the final year of the DVM depending on location and accomodation charges.
Students may be able to apply for financial support to assist with study and living cost from the University Financial Support Service.
Commonwealth Supported Places
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) are available for this course for eligible domestic students. This means that your course fees are subsidised by the Australian Government and you pay a student contribution amount (SCA). CSP places are limited in number and are allocated based on academic merit.
For academic requirements check the ‘Admission requirements’ section on this page.
Domestic and international applications for 2022 entry will open in May 2021.
Applications for the DVM must be lodged online using the "Apply Now" link on this page. Before applying, please check the entry requirements and download the DVM Student Admission Guide and DVM Admission Statement.
Please download the DVM admission guide and DVM admission statement for further information.
If you are from the USA you can apply via the University website or via the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS). Please note, if applying through VMCAS, you do not need to complete the DVM Admission Statement.
However, VMCAS applicants will need to provide detailed outlines for each of the pre-requisite subjects. The unit of study outlines should come from an official publication of the Provider University, such as the Faculty handbook. Your application for admission to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine will not be considered without this information.
Please note that late applications will not be accepted.
Semester 1: 22 February (provisional)
To qualify for the award of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, you must complete a total of 192 credit points of core units of study and required hours of placements, comprised of preparatory clinical placements and farm placements. The DVM is undertaken full-time over four years with a fully integrated learning program.
During the first 3 years, students participate in a mixture of small group, case-based tutorials, laboratory and practical classes. Clinical skills and animal handling training commence during the first semester of the DVM curriculum and continue throughout the first three years.
To consolidate this training, and acquire an appreciation of the working of animal enterprises, students also undertake animal husbandry (farm) placements during University vacations. Clinical contact commences during first semester of the DVM and continues throughout the course, culminating in the final year capstone experience.
During fourth year, students complete a series of rotations as veterinary student interns in our Veterinary Teaching Hospitals and with our Partners in Veterinary Education off-campus.
Degree sample:
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
| Year 1: Function of the Normal Body | |
| Foundations of Veterinary Science Professional Practice Professional Skills Research and Enquiry |
Foundations of Veterinary Science Animal Management Systems Professional Skills Research and Enquiry |
| Year 2: Principle and Approach to Animal Disease | |
| Principles of Animal Disease Professional Practice Professional Skills Research and Enquiry |
Principles of Animal Disease Animal Management Systems Professional Skills Research and Enquiry |
| Year 3: Health and Disease Management | |
| Veterinary Public Practice Clinical Foundations Small Animal Practice Livestock Practice Equine Practice Exotic and Wildlife Practice Research and Enquiry |
Small Animal Practice Livestock Practice Equine Practice Intensive Animal Production Practice Practice management Research and Enquiry |
| Year 4: Professional Placements | |
| Intramural Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Intramural Large Animal Medicine and Surgery Extramural Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Extramural Large Animal Medicine and Surgery Industry, community, public practice placement |
|
Mandatory work component = 2172 hours.
This mandatory work component must be completed as part of the award requirements for the course.
This is conducted as rotations as veterinary student interns.
Applicants must have successfully completed one semester of study in general chemistry (physical and inorganic), organic chemistry, biology and biochemistry at bachelor's degree level to be eligible for entry.
Students seeking advice on eligibility of units should make an assessment based on the information for the University of Sydney units provided.
Please note that the School cannot assess pre-requisites prior to application.
| DVM Pre-requisite requirement | University of Sydney Unit that meets this requirement |
|---|---|
| General chemistry (physical and inorganic) | CHEM1111 Chemistry 1A or CHEM1911 Chemistry 1A (Advanced) |
| Organic chemistry | CHEM1112 Chemistry 1B or CHEM1912 Chemistry 1B(Advanced) |
| Biology | BIOL1006 and/or BIOL1007 |
| Biochemistry | AVBS2005 or VETS1032 or BCMB2001 or BCMB2002 |
For more information visit the Handbooks website.
What is "one semester" of study?
You must have completed the equivalent of a standard, semester-long unit of study at the University of Sydney i.e. 6 credit points. A full time load for one year at the University of Sydney is 48 credit points. Therefore a 6 credit point unit of study at the University of Sydney is equivalent to 1/8 or 12.5% of a standard full time load for one year (0.125 EFTSL)
What documentation about prerequisites is required?
As part of your application, you must submit an official academic transcript and a detailed outline for each of the units of study you have completed in fulfilment of the pre-requisite requirements. This documentation must be submitted with your online application or your application will not be assessed.
The unit of study outlines should come from an official publication of the Provider University, such as the Faculty Handbook. The outline and transcript together must demonstrate that each unit you have completed in fulfilment of the pre-requisites is equivalent to 6 credit points at the University of Sydney and in the correct subject area.
The outline must provide sufficient information for the School admission panel to determine whether you have covered the essential prerequisite material. In general, a one paragraph unit of study overview will not be sufficient.
What units of study will be accepted as prerequisites?
The School will consider as prerequisites any bachelor degree level units of study, provided the documentation submitted demonstrates that each unit/s is in the required subject area and is equivalent to 6 credit points at the University of Sydney. It is the student’s responsibility to identify and rectify any specific gaps in knowledge or understanding.
Students should note that there need not be a one-to-one correlation between units previously completed and the prerequisite subject. For example, two smaller units of biochemistry that together are equivalent to the 6 credit point prerequisite will be considered.
Admission to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine is based on the following criteria:
*These are the minimum admission requirements for the DVM. As entry to this course is highly competitive, students who meet the minimum requirements are then ranked according to academic performance and admission statement.
Please download the DVM admission guide and DVM admission statement for further information.
^Applicants who have not been able to undertake planned work experience due to Covid-19 should indicate this in the 'Additional Information' section of the admission statement form and attach any supporting evidence such as a letter from the establishment where work experience was planned to be undertaken.
Admission pathway
The Cadigal program is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants - for details, please visit the Cadigal program website. Please note that completion of this application does not guarantee that you will receive an offer for the DVM.
Inherent requirements
In addition to the academic requirements set out in the Veterinary Science Handbook, you will be required to satisfy a number of inherent requirements to complete this course. Please review the Inherent Requirements for Veterinary Medicine before completing your application.
The academic requirements that are displayed are applicable to currently available courses only, and are updated annually in October and may be changed without notice. The Handbooks Online and the University of Sydney Calendar are the official legal source of information relating to study at the University of Sydney, and you are referred to those documents.
Q Fever
Students undertaking this course will come into contact with animals and may be exposed to the risk of infection with Q Fever. The safety of our students during their studies at the University of Sydney is extremely important and it is a requirement that students be vaccinated against Q Fever. This must be undertaken at least 2 weeks prior to the commencement of semester 1.
Tetanus
You must also be currently immunized against tetanus. You are responsible for ensuring that your tetanus immunisation is valid and up-to-date and you will need to provide evidence when requested.
During the first and second year of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, students must travel to the University farms in Camden on a weekly basis. Camden is about 60km south-west of Sydney and the location of all large animal teaching facilities. Transport and other costs associated with travelling to and from the Camden campus must be covered by students. Public transport to this site from the nearest railway station is infrequent and students requiring transport are encouraged to join a carpool on a shared cost basis. The School assists students with organising a carpool.
During the third year of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, all teaching and practical classes will be based in Camden, and students are advised to either keep the same travelling arrangements as in previous years or to make on-campus living arrangements.
We hold and maintains continuous accreditation through the transition to a new veterinary program. Graduates of accredited programs are immediately eligible for registration with the Veterinary Surgeons' Board in each state and territory in Australia. The course is also recognised internationally by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (UK) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Students graduating from an AVMA accredited School have their degree recognised in North America and are entitled to sit the US National Veterinary Licensing Examinations.
Visit our accredited programs page to learn more.
In order to be eligible for registration, the University of Sydney must inform the Veterinary Practitioners Boards that you have completed the requirements of your degree.
The SSVS Board of Examiners will meet to confirm results after the end of the examinations. A list of graduates will be sent from the School Office to the different Veterinary Boards across Australia. Students seeking to practice Veterinary Medicine overseas, should consult the local registration authority for legislative and registration information.
Please visit the relevant Veterinary Practitioners Boards websites for further information:
Information on registration in the UK and North America can be found online at:
The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine will equip you to become a veterinary medical professional in the global community and you can choose from a wide range of exciting fields including:
