Explore UCD

UCD Home >

Veterinary Medicine (Graduate Entry)

Veterinary Medicine (Graduate Entry)

With so much competition for entry to Veterinary Medicine from school leavers, many candidates with the necessary aptitude and attitude required to develop productive, professional careers in this area are unable to secure a place. By increasing the number of places available to graduates with appropriate prior learning, and by providing a tailor-made programme over four years for graduate entrants, we have increased student diversity and provided enhanced opportunities for entry.

To apply for this four-year programme, you must have completed a degree in biological, biomedical or animal sciences before entry into the programme. This graduate entry programme is designed to educate future veterinarians to the best international standards in veterinary medicine and to prepare them for careers in professional work, research and public service.

For the four-year graduate entry course (DN301) you are eligible if you:

  • Hold/expect to hold an honours degree (NQAI Level 8) with 2.2 Honours or above in a Biological/Biomedical/Animal Science discipline OR a Master’s degree, OR a PhD in a relevant area of biological science by June 2025.  Graduates of any discipline are welcome to apply for entry to the five-year MVB programme. Up to five places will be made available in DN300
  • Are considered an EU applicant (i.e. not deemed ‘overseas’ applicant for purposes of fees)

Graduate entry candidates will be assessed on a combination of:

  • GAMSAT score
  • Educational performance
  • A personal statement outlining their motivation to study Veterinary Medicine
  • Applicants are expected to have gained relevant work experience of handling animals. This should, where possible, include not only seeing veterinary practice, but also spending time on livestock farms and other animal establishments
  • Applicants may be called for interview

For more detailed information on entry requirements, please visit the UCD Admissions website here: (opens in a new window)www.myucd.ie/vmge

Candidates who have studied and will complete a degree in an appropriate biological, biomedical or animal science discipline may be considered for the 4-year Graduate programme in Veterinary Medicine with the award of MVB.

Course requirements (Semester Hours):

  • GPA of 3.2 or above
  • Physics with lab (1)
  • Biochemistry (1)
  • General biology (1)
  • General inorganic chemistry with lab (1)
  • Microbiology (1)
  • Cellular biology (1)
  • Those candidates with a non-science degree or lacking some prerequisites will be considered for entry to the 5-year MVB programme.

Additional requirements and considerations: A minimum of two references (one from an academic source, and one from a veterinary surgeon with whom you have worked/completed work experience).

Applicants are expected to have gained relevant work experience of handling animals. This should, where possible, include not only seeing veterinary practice, but also spending time on livestock farms and other animal establishments.

Irish & EU Applicants

Irish & EU Applicants apply for this course through Central Applications Office (CAO)

For detailed information on the application process and the supporting documents required visit the UCD Admissions website here.

North American Applicants: 

UCD School of Veterinary Medicine participates in the VMCAS application system. Please (opens in a new window)click here to begin your application via VMCAS.

Please note: A supplemental application through the (opens in a new window)UCD online application system is also required.

North American applicants who have not applied via VMCAS before the closing date can apply directly via the (opens in a new window)UCD online application system.

Other Non-EU Applicants: 

Non-EU applicants without residence in North America can find country-specific application information on the UCD Global website here.

Graduate entry programmes are Level 8 undergraduate degrees and are therefore not part of the “Free Tuition” scheme. Fees for this programme can be found under 'undergraduate fees' in the links below.

For EU Fees please see the UCD Fees website here

For Non-EU Fees please see the UCD Fees website here

Please note: If you have at any time resided, or are at present resident outside of the EU then you must contact the UCD Fees Office well in advance of the closing date to verify your EU Fee status. Your status will determine whether you apply as an EU applicant or if you are required to apply directly to the University as a Non-EU applicant. You can complete an online self-assessment on the UCD Fees website here. 

The Graduate-entry Programme is organised into four stages:

In Stage 1 of the programme, students will build on their knowledge of the basic biological sciences by taking modules designed to demonstrate how this knowledge is applied in the practice of Veterinary Medicine, and gain a firm grounding in animal welfare, behaviour and handling.  

As the programme progresses, students will learn clinical skills and study each of the clinical sciences using a “body systems” approach. The final year of the programme consists of clinical rotations in the UCD Veterinary Hospital where students have the opportunity to work alongside experienced and specialist staff clinicians, and participate in patient care and client communication. Each student has a personalized timetable ensuring that they participate in rotations in Large and Small Animal Surgery, Diagnostic Imaging, Anaesthesiology, Small Animal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Farm Animal Clinical Studies including Herd Health, and Diagnostic and Clinical Pathology.

Throughout the programme, students are required to participate in extra-mural studies. In the early years, this consists of gaining experience in the handling and management of farm and companion animals, and in later years, of working with veterinarians in practice.

For detailed information about Veterinary Medicine (Graduate Entry) please visit the (opens in a new window)UCD Course Finder here. 

Following on from graduation, you can work in mixed, small animal, farm animal or equine practice. You may also obtain further specialist clinical qualifications. Beyond clinical practice, veterinarians play an important role in the protection of public health, in research into diseases of animals and humans, and in other areas, such as conservation and wildlife protection. While most graduates work in clinical practice, increasing numbers pursue research in public service or the private sector. This reflects the important role of the veterinarian in animal health control and consumer protection. At present, there is almost complete employment for veterinary graduates.

“Over the last two years at UCD, I had the immense privilege of learning from world-class faculty specialising in every discipline of veterinary medicine imaginable. This exposure embodied UCD’s mantra ‘Ad Astra’ (which is Latin for ‘to the stars’) as it showed me that there is no limit to the potential you can achieve with your veterinary degree. I was particularly captivated with the concept and ground breaking research of One Health Medicine and I am delighted to have the opportunity to pursue research in that field this summer. All of that, coupled with the available student support, really demonstrated the holistic approach taken by our program, as it not only allowed me to receive an excellent education, but it also emphasized the importance of resilience and wellbeing within the veterinary profession.”

Fiona Sahyoun, Student



Useful Information for International Students

Below you will find useful informaton for Non-Eu students who are interested in studying in UCD.

Ireland is a small, compact island that is easy to navigate. On the western edge of Europe, Ireland is a member country of the European Union and a natural gateway to Europe, especially now as we are the only English speaking country in the Eurozone.

We’re home to one of the best education systems in the world which is just one of the reasons why international students love to study abroad in Ireland. Graduates with degrees from Irish Universities are highly sought after by businesses, governments, international organisations and academic institutions throughout the world.

Our international students love exploring and travelling around our beautiful country while they study abroad in Ireland! We're a safe nation (ranked 12th out of 163 countries in the Global Peace Index). We're also a happy and welcoming nation - 22nd on the World Happiness Index! We are particularly proud of our culture and heritage. There are two UNESCO world heritage sites, countless cathedrals, ancient monuments and castles for you to explore and enjoy.

UCD - a university in Dublin - is a cosmopolitan European city full of parks, coffee shops, museums, live music events - and of course the world-renowned (opens in a new window)St Patrick's Day Festival. Dublin is also surrounded with beaches, cliff walks, forest and mountain trails for those who like outdoors and adventure.

Outside of Dublin, international students will find the breath-taking (opens in a new window)Wild Atlantic Way and the enigmatic (opens in a new window)Ancient East within reasonable easy reach. In the North is (opens in a new window)The Giant's Causeway and a number of filming locations for Game of Thrones. In the South, you'll find our (opens in a new window)bustling second city and the stunning scenery of West Cork amongst the many other attractions. Everything is just a few short hours bus, train or drive from UCD!

The UCD School of Veterinary Medicine is one of the leading veterinary schools in Europe, and it has also been granted full accreditation by the (opens in a new window)American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the (opens in a new window)European Association of Establishments in Veterinary Education (EAEVE), the (opens in a new window)Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the (opens in a new window)Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) and the (opens in a new window)Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI).

Students and faculty of the UCD School of Veterinary Medicine have access to cutting edge expertise at the UCD Veterinary Hospital, a referral and teaching hospital. Its international faculty includes Board-certified specialists in a wide range of disciplines as well as veterinary scientists actively contributing to the development of advances in their subjects.

UCD is pleased to offer a number of scholarships to international students. There are both full and partial scholarships available. For more information on scholarships available visit the UCD Global website here. 

All students are responsible for assessing their own visa requirements, so you should check the (opens in a new window)Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) website to see if you require a visa.

If you do require a visa, please visit our Visa Required page.

While you may not require a visa to study in Ireland, all students from outside the EU / EEA are subject to ordinary immigration processes at the port of entry or airport.

The UCD Global website has speciific information for students on Visas and Immigration: 

Click here for United States of America Information 

Click here for Canada Information

UCD provides safe, comfortable and modern student residences surrounded by the greenery and nature of our large, urban campus.

Visit the UCD Global website here for information about accommodation 

At UCD we have the most diverse student facility of any university in Ireland, with a multitude of facilities designed to encourage our students become involved in clubs and (opens in a new window)societies, and stay fit and healthy during their time here. There are also multiple opportunities for students to get involved in exciting initiatives related to their specific disciplines.

For more information on Campus Life and Student Experience visit the UCD Global website here. 

If you have any queries or would like to find out more about studying at UCD, please contact us:

E-mail: vetprogrammes@ucd.ie

Phone: +353 1 716 6100

Contact the UCD School of Veterinary Medicine

UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
T: +353 1 716 6100 | Location Map(opens in a new window)