Published: 30 Mar 2026 | Last Updated: 30 Mar 2026 12:14:57

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is set to launch a new pathway starting in autumn 2027 which will widen access for aspiring veterinarians by providing a route into its long-established Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVetMed) degree for international students who would otherwise face barriers due to their school curriculum.

Across many education systems around the world, talented young people who aspire to become veterinarians may face barriers to direct entry onto the world-renowned RVC BVetMed course because their education systems or school structures do not align with UK entry requirements. This can be due to a number of different reasons: either their national qualifications are not recognised by the United Kingdom National Information Centre (UK ENIC) as comparable to UK A Level qualifications, or they have not been able to study both Biology and Chemistry to the required level.

The RVC’s Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine with Integrated Foundation Year is the first of its kind to be offered in the UK. It will create a new pathway for international students bridging specific knowledge and language gaps to prepare them for their veterinary studies.

The year will cover the foundations of veterinary biosciences; animal husbandry, behaviour and welfare; English for science and academic purposes; foundations of professionalism; and scholarship and research. Alongside classroom work, students will have access to the RVC’s own farm and Clinical Skills Centre. The class sizes on the course will be small to ensure students can access the appropriate level of support required.

Students who are accepted onto the Foundation Year are also guaranteed accommodation for their first year, providing them with the opportunity to live with peers and make connections in a new city. Teaching will primarily take place at the RVC’s Camden Campus in London.

As this is an integrated course, students who complete the foundation year and meet the assessment requirements will automatically progress onto the RVC’s internationally acclaimed five-year BVetMed programme. This removes the additional application process typically required after other foundation year courses.

Hamad Yasir Binsaidan, current RVC BVetMed student, who joined the RVC from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reflected on the value of this new pathway, saying:

“If this pathway had existed when I applied, it would have saved me a lot of extra time and uncertainty. Coming from an education that didn’t support direct entry onto the BVetMed, it would have given me a clear, direct route into veterinary study.”

Professor Stuart Reid CBE, President & Principal of the RVC, said:

“With the changing face of veterinary science and our commitment to diversity through recruiting students from a range of educational backgrounds, we are delighted to be launching this new pathway to a veterinary degree. The RVC’s Latin motto, “Venienti Occurrite Morbo”, translates as “fight disease at its origins”, which underlines the need for global citizenship and a cadre of graduates capable of carrying our mission and addressing animal health internationally.”

Introducing this new course reaffirms the RVC’s position at the forefront of veterinary education and demonstrates its commitment to widening access and participation and continuing to meet the demand and needs of international students. The launch also coincides with the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject, which continues to recognise the RVC as the world’s leading veterinary school.

Applications should be made via UCAS by 15^th October 2026 for 2027 entry.

Notes to Editors

For more information about the new BVetMed with Integrated Foundation Year course, visit https://www.rvc.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/bvetmed-foundation.

For media enquiries, please contact:

• rvc@plmr.co.uk
• Press Line: 0800 368 9520

About the RVC

• The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is the UK's largest and longest established independent veterinary school and is a Member Institution of the University of London.  
• It is one of the few veterinary schools in the world that hold accreditations from the RCVS in the UK (with associated recognition from the AVBC for Australasia, the VCI for Ireland and the SAVC for South Africa), the EAEVE in the EU, and AVMA in the USA and Canada. 
• The RVC is ranked as the top veterinary school in the world in the QS World University Rankings by subject, 2026.  
• The RVC offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing and biological sciences.  
• The RVC is a research-led institution, with 88% of its research rated as internationally excellent or world class in the Research Excellence Framework 2021. 
• The RVC provides animal owners and the veterinary profession with access to expert veterinary care and advice through its teaching hospitals and first opinion practices in London and Hertfordshire.