The Faculty endeavours to meet the veterinary needs of the country and the region. The recruitment and selection processes address an informed career choice, excellence, equity and geographic distribution. The full-time BVSc programme is only offered by the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria and it is the only faculty of its kind in South Africa.

For a young person who likes working with people, and who is interested in animals and a career in biomedical sciences, veterinary science provides a spectrum of wonderful opportunities. Like many similar career options, veterinary science may perhaps be considered a ‘calling’ and the decision  to become a veterinarian involves the mind, the body, as well as the heart. While a love for animals may be a component of the decision to pursue veterinary science or veterinary nursing as a career, a deeper empathy will be required, as well as the passion to improve people’s lives by improving food safety and security, coupled with a sense of compassion and caring for animals, their owners and farmers. The course is demanding and requires engagement, dedication and hard work.

Being a veterinarian or a veterinary nurse are both careers with long and often irregular hours, and often involving hard physical work, and will certainly test tolerance levels. The ability to work with animals, but even more so with people, is essential.

Entry into the BVSc programme is highly competitive due to the popularity of the programme and limited available spaces. Selection is based on academic merit and the compulsory Veterinary Science Value Added Form (VSVAF).

• Candidates in the internationally recognised six-year BVSc programme will complete a core curriculum over four and a half years (nine semesters) and then conclude their programme with 18 months of work-integrated training in the core and elective components, and a research project.
• The BVSc programme consists of a combination of lectures, electronic learning opportunities, discussions, demonstrations, seminars, assignments, and group work, practicals and clinical work. The latter is offered mainly in the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital and its satellite community clinics, but also include exposure to private practices, state veterinary services, abattoirs and various other related industries.
• Students are supported through tutoring, provision of academic support and other related support services on campus.
• The first year of the programme is a basic science year and is presented on the Hatfield Campus. The remaining veterinary-specific years are presented on the Onderstepoort Campus.
• The language of tuition at the University of Pretoria is English.
• Applications for the BVSc programme close on 31 May.
• Applicants who are conditionally admitted into the second year of the BVSc programme, based on previous university exposure, will forfeit their placement if they do not pass all modules that are required for entry into the second year of the BVSc programme.
• A graduate who successfully completed the programme will have received broad-based training with a limited elective programme to cater for specific interests. It is regarded to be at level 8 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), which means that it will enable the graduate to enter postgraduate programmes at the master’s level.
• The faculty offers a range of postgraduate programmes for veterinarians.

The South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) controls the ethics and standards of veterinary education and practice in South Africa. All students must register with the Council at first registration in the BVSc programme and are subject to its rules. Registration with the SAVC is a prerequisite for practising as a veterinarian in South Africa.

The University’s BVSc degree is also accredited for registration as a veterinarian in the United Kingdom and Australasia.

For more information, please consult the Faculty webpage.

• Disclaimer: This publication contains information about regulations and programmes of the University of Pretoria. Amendments to or updating of the information may be effected from time to time without prior notification. The accuracy, correctness or validity of the information contained here is therefore not guaranteed by the University at any given time and is always subject to verification. The user is kindly requested to verify the correctness of the information with the University at all times. Failure to do so will not give rise to any claim or action of any nature against the University by any party whatsoever.

The National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) employs all South African BVSc graduates for a period of 12 months’ Compulsory Community Service (CCS) following completion of the BVSc programme, and before graduates are allowed to practice as veterinarians in South Africa for any other employer including self-employment. For more information visit click here.

State veterinary services

A significant number of veterinarians are employed as state or provincial veterinarians in government service. They render essential regulatory services related to the diagnosis, surveillance, monitoring, control, prevention and eradication of notifiable diseases. State veterinarians are also responsible for matters related to the import and export of animals and animal products as well as for food safety and security. In regions where there are no private practitioners, state veterinarians also provide clinical services.

Private practice

The majority of veterinarians in the country are gainfully employed in private practice, either in their own practices, in partnership, as assistants or as locums. There are several avenues of private practice: production animal practice, providing veterinary services to the livestock farmer (cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry and game), companion animal practice (dogs, cats, horses, cage birds, etc.) and mixed practice (pets/production animals/wildlife). The services provided by the private practitioner include, among others, clinical services, disease prevention strategies, advice and a whole range of consultative services on nutrition, management, production, reproduction, and biotechnology.

Research

Research can be conducted in a wide spectrum of areas (veterinary, agricultural and biomedical sciences) attending to problems related to both animals and humans.

Academia

Graduates can teach at veterinary, medical, agricultural and natural science faculties, conduct research, participate in community engagement projects and provide clinical services.

Private, state and provincial diagnostic laboratories

Graduates can provide routine or forensic diagnostic services involving disciplines such as pathology, clinical pathology, microbiology and toxicology.

Veterinary public health

Food security and the production of food that is safe for human consumption are very important fields in which the veterinarian plays a key role. Veterinarians are responsible for ensuring the maintenance of meat and milk hygiene in abattoirs and milk processing plants, in addition to their role in the maintenance and improvement of animal health on farms. Veterinarians involved in the field of veterinary public health play an important role in the control of zoonotic diseases (ie diseases transferred from animals to humans).

Commerce

The veterinarian is involved in research and product development in the pharmaceutical and feed industries, as well as in the provision of technical advice in sales and management.

Consultancy

The veterinarian can provide specialised or specialist services to the farm animal and pet industries, for example, as a consultant in the pig and poultry industries, feedlots or specialist practices (such as surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology and dentistry). In the case of a specialist practice, the practitioner will need to have the appropriate postgraduate qualification and be registered with the SAVC to practise as a veterinarian and a specialist.

Laboratory animal science

The veterinarian is an essential member of the team involved in the welfare of laboratory animals, monitoring the utilisation of animals for experimental purposes and giving advice on ethical issues.

Wildlife management

The veterinarian may pursue career opportunities in wildlife ranching, conservation and at zoological institutions. This has been a growing field in recent years.

Poultry production

The poultry industry provides large volumes of animal protein for human consumption and veterinarians play a pivotal role in terms of food security.

Animal welfare

The veterinarian is intimately involved in animal welfare in the provision of clinical services and advice, and in management at welfare organisations. Veterinarians are involved in general matters pertaining to the welfare of animals through the promotion of appropriate husbandry practices, nutritional practices, disease prevention strategies and sound production systems.

International employment

Graduates from the Faculty enjoy wide national and international recognition and the BVSc degree of the University of Pretoria is accredited for registration as a veterinarian in the United Kingdom by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, as well as by the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council and the Veterinary Council of Namibia.

• The Faculty offers the following undergraduate programmes:
  • Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc)
  • Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing (BVetNurs)
• Both undergraduate programmes in this Faculty include selection procedures, which are based on merit within different categories.
• The following persons may be considered for admission:
  • applicants who are currently in their final school-year and have applied with their final results of the preceding year of schooling (Grade 11 or equivalent);
  • applicants who have completed their final school-year, but have not yet commenced further studies;
  • applicants who are in possession of a certificate that is deemed by the University to be equivalent to the required National Senior Certificate (NSC) with university endorsement. This certificate must be certified by Universities South Africa (USAf);
  • applicants who are currently enrolled for tertiary education;
  • applicants who are graduates from another tertiary institution, or have been granted the status of a graduate of such an institution; and
  • applicants who are graduates of another faculty at the University of Pretoria.
• In order to retain conditional admission applicants need to comply with the minimum subject requirements based on their final school-year examination results.
• South African school-leaving applicants enrolled for the NSC or IEB who have forfeited their placement and who still comply with the minimum requirements will automatically be considered in the second round of selection in January.

Selection categories

School-leavers

• A valid NSC/IEB or equivalent qualification with admission for degree purposes.
• Subject requirements and the required Admission Point Score (APS) are indicated in the table below. The APS is calculated from the achievement levels obtained in the six 20-credit subjects of the NSC.
• Life Orientation is excluded when calculating the APS.
• Conditional admission is based on Grade 11 final examination results, or equivalent, being the final results of the year preceding the last year of schooling, final admission on NSC/IEB or equivalent performance in Mathematics, English and Physical Sciences, as well as the Veterinary Science Value Added Form (VSVAF).
• Additional admission criteria may be used including an interview and additional selection tests.

Applicants with previous higher education exposure

• There is an opportunity for students with previous higher education experience to also apply for the BVSc programme. Placement in either the first or second year of the BVSc programme will depend on, among others, merit and subject choices.

International students

• A small number of international students are admitted to the programme, including those from neighbouring Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries.
• Applicants who are accepted receive a letter of confirmation from the University, which will facilitate their application for a study permit.
• A valid study permit, obtained in the country of origin, is a prerequisite for registration.
• International applicants must comply with all UP’s and the Department of Home Affairs’ regulations related to international students.
• Please consult the International Cooperation Division’s Newcomer’s Guide for more information: click here

Conditional admission

• Conditionally admitted applicants will forfeit their placement if they do not comply with the relevant conditions.

A total of 190 students are admitted to the BVSc programme every year. The Faculty endeavours to meet the veterinary needs of the country and the region, as well as the specific requirements of higher education legislation through the selection of applicants.

The recruitment and selection process is therefore structured in such a way that it will address diversity, excellence, equity, gender and geographic distribution.

The procedure will be reviewed on an annual basis, but typically makes provision for the following categories of students:

• South African school-leavers enrolled for the NSC or IEB: first round of selection in July
• South African school-leavers enrolled for the NSC or IEB: second round of selection in January
• South African school-leavers enrolled in other educational schooling systems (IGCSE/GCSE/NSSC OL/O level or HIGCSE/NSSC HL or A/AS level or IB Diploma or ABITUR)
• Applicants with university exposure
• Applicants with university exposure: graduates (degree completed)
• School-leavers from countries other than South Africa
• Applicants from countries other than South Africa, with university exposure

The Veterinary Science Value Added Form (VSVAF)

The VSVAF is used in the Faculty of Veterinary Science to ensure that the applicant makes an informed decision about his/her career choice. This form will indicate prior exposure to veterinary science as profession and the Faculty will alllocate a score based on the prospective student’s veterinary profile.

(It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the online VSVAF is completed by the relevant deadline and that all related documents are uploaded).

Why you should complete the Veterinary Science Value Added Form (VSVAF)

Although submission of the VSVAF is not compulsory for selection, it will help you to make an informed decision about the profession as a career choice for you.

• The score achieved for the VSVAF can improve an applicant’s chances for selection.
• The VSVAF will help to prepare you for your studies, by providing you with prior learning opportunities in the particular profession.

As the only Faculty of Veterinary Science in the country, we play a distinctive role in the training of veterinarians and veterinary nurses who are indispensable for the country’s farming and animal welfare needs. We are also the leading Faculty of Veterinary Science in Africa and enjoy wide-ranging international recognition.

In 2018 the Faculty was ranked 37th among the top 50 veterinary schools globally by the Shanghai ranking system.

Our graduates and research programmes are vital to enhancing public and animal health, promoting biosecurity and welfare, and ensuring that our pets are safe and sound. The quality of its training is such that graduates from this Faculty have no difficulty competing for and entering postgraduate programmes at universities in countries around the world.