Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
What you’ll study
The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine is an internationally accredited postgraduate coursework degree that provides research-driven teaching in the One Health framework, ensuring you understand the linkages between veterinary health, human medicine and the environment at local, national and global levels.
You will complete a combination of core units and placements comprised of preparatory clinical placements and farm placements. You will also participate in a mixture of small group, case-based tutorials, laboratory and practical classes teaching you clinical skills and animal handling training. In your final year, you will complete a series of rotations as a veterinary student intern at both the University's Veterinary Teaching Hospitals and at off-campus partner institutions.
Professional practice
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.
This mandatory work component must be completed as part of the award requirements for the course.
Vaccination requirements
Q fever
The University is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of its students.
Vaccination against Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) is an inherent requirement for students enrolling in this course. These students are at a higher risk of exposure to Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) due to their frequent contact with animals and completion of compulsory learning activities in high-risk environments.
Students must be vaccinated against Q fever before commencing the course or no later than week two of teaching. Q fever vaccination is only available in Australia with the vaccination process taking three weeks to complete.
Tetanus
Students are also responsible for ensuring their tetanus vaccination is valid and up to date.
Mandatory work hours
This course requires you to complete the following number of work hours:
2172 Total hours
tuition fees
Tuition fee information for the year selected is currently not available.
Please change your year selection to see fees for other years, where available. These will be a guide only. Rates may be subject to change each year and will be updated for the year selected when this information is available.
Entry requirements
1
Qualifications
Mandatory for course entry
Admission to this course is based on the following criteria:
- Grade Point Average (GPA) from a completed Bachelor's degree, minimum credit (65) average required*
- Successful completion of prerequisite units (see below)
- Submit the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Admission Statement
- A minimum of 30 days of relevant work experience and animal handling experience within the last five years, using the prescribed form
- Completion of both Situational Judgement Tests Kira Talent and Acuity Casper, is required. For Acuity Casper test, no later than 22 August 2026 for DOMESTIC students and 13 September 2026 for INTERNATIONAL students. For Kira Talent, no later than 29 July 2026 for BOTH DOMESTIC and INTERNATIONAL students. More information about the Situational Judgement Tests Kira Talent and Acuity Casper can be located below.
*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, admission statement and both situational judgement test results.
For more information read the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Admission Guide and the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Admission Statement.
2
Prerequisites
Applicants must have successfully completed one semester of study in 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 University Admissions Team cannot assess pre-requisites prior to application.
| DVM Pre-requisite requirement | University of Sydney Unit that meets this requirement |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | CHEM1011: Fundamentals of Chemistry 1A or CHEM1012: Fundamentals of Chemistry 1B |
| Biology | BIOL1006: Life and Evolution and/or BIOL1007: From Molecules to Ecosystems |
| Biochemistry | AVBS2005: Animal Energetics and Homeostasis or BCMB2001: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or BCMB2002: Proteins in Cells |
For more information visit the Handbooks website.
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 University Admissions Team 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 University Admissions Team 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.
3
Inherent requirements
Key consideration
Inherent requirements are the essential tasks and activities necessary to be able to achieve the core learning outcomes of a course.
Before applying, it is important for you to read and fully understand the inherent requirements for this course.
4
English Language Requirements
Mandatory for course entry
You may need to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study with us. Find out which requirements are applicable to you below:
How to apply
Before applying
Read the admission guide
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Admission Guide.
Before applying, it is important for you to read and fully understand the inherent requirements for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
These requirements include, but are not limited to, physical fitness and ability to handle a range of large and small animals; required vaccinations (specifically Q fever); and effective written communication skills.
Complete both online situational judgement tests (Acuity Casper and Kira Talent)
All applicants are required to complete both Online Situational Judgement Tests (via Acuity Insights and Kira Talent) for the 2026/2027 admissions cycle.
Complete Casper (opens Acuity Insights website in new tab)
Acuity Insights test dates for entry into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine are as below:
- Sunday 12 April 2026 - 10:00am AEST
- Tuesday 5 May 2026 - 7:00pm AEST
- Thursday 14 May 2026 - 7:00pm AEST
- Thursday 11 June 2026 - 7:00pm AEST
- Sunday 21 June 2026 - 10:00am AEST
- Thursday 6 August 2026 - 7:00pm AEST
- Saturday 22 August 2026 - 11:00am AEST (last Acuity Casper date for domestic applicants)
- Sunday 13 September 2026 - 10:00am (last Acuity Casper date for international applicants)
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to ensure they are registered for the Casper test THREE days before the test date. Applicants are required to pay a fee for the Acuity Casper test.
The Kira Talent online situational judgment test will only be available between 26 July and 29 July 2026 AEST.
Kira Talent Time Zone Table - Open and Close Dates
Time zone |
Open date and time |
Closing date and time |
| AEST (Sydney) | 26 July, 8:00am | 29 July, 8:00pm |
| US Eastern (EDT) | 25 July, 6:00pm | 29 July, 6:00am |
| US Central (CDT) | 25 July, 5:00pm | 29 July, 5:00am |
| US Mountain (MDT) | 25 July, 4:00pm | 29 July, 4:00am |
| US Pacific (PDT) | 25 July, 3:00pm | 29 July, 3:00am |
It must be completed between these dates and will not be available any other time. You can register and access the assessment via the Kira DVM 2027 assessment page.
Before 26 July you can:
- Register your account
- Watch the School's Welcome video
- Check your set up, get familiar with the platform, and complete a practice question
After 26 July, the formal assessment will be available for completion. Please make sure to schedule time to complete the assessment, as it is a required part of your application.
What to Expect:
- No studying or preparation is needed.
- You'll be asked a series of questions, with time to prepare and respond.
- The assessment takes approximately 30-60 minutes and can be completed at any time during the open period.
- Unlimited practice sessions are available, but you only get one chance to respond to each formal question.
Technical Requirements:
- A desktop or laptop with a working webcam, microphone, and internet connection.
Unlimited practice sessions are available, but you only get one chance to respond to each formal question.
Need Help?
For technical support, click the 'Help' button on your Check-In page for 24/7 assistance and FAQs, or email [email protected]
Submit application
Domestic and international applications for 2027 entry.
- 8 May 2026: Applications open.
- 1 September 2026: Domestic applications, close at 5pm AEST.
- 15 September 2026: Direct international applications close at 5pm AEST.
- 15 September 2026: VMCAS Applicants, applications close 15 September 2026 at 11:59 ET.
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants cannot defer their offer into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
This course has limited places available. Not all applicants who meet the application deadline and requirements may be successful.
Additional information
Domestic and international applicants
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 Admission Guide and DVM Admission Statement for further information.
North American applicants
You can apply for this course directly via:
- Direct application to the University (click “Apply Now”),
- Via an official agent of the University, 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.
- 15 September 2026 11:59pm ET: VMCAS Application deadline.
Please note that late applications will not be accepted.
