Academic requirements

1) High School

In high school, choose the academic stream and take all the science, math and English prerequisites necessary.

2) College or University

Complete at least two years (4 semesters) of full time studies of a Bachelor’s degree program. Full time is a minimum of five one-semester courses, for example 2.5 credits at the University of Guelph  or 15 credit hours at a US school. The prerequisite courses listed below must all be taken in a full-time semester.

You can study at any accredited College or University and take any major that interests you. Courses from College degree programs are acceptable but courses from College certificate and diploma programs are not acceptable. You can apply to the DVM program in your third year, after finishing two years of a bachelor’s degree. If accepted, you do not need to finish your four-year degree program and can simply transfer to the DVM.

Prerequisite Courses

• 2 Biological Sciences = 1.0 credits (with recommended emphasis on animal biology) 
• 1 Cell Biology = 0.5 credit
• Genetics = 0.5 credit
• Biochemistry = 0.5 credit
• Statistics = 0.5 credit
• 2 Humanities/social sciences = 1.0 credit (Consider topics such as ethics, logic, critical thinking, determinants of human behaviour and human social interaction.)

Applicants choose which courses they put forward as prerequisites when they fill in the Background Information Form.

Download the list of University of Guelph courses acceptable as prerequisites.

All prerequisite courses must be completed in acceptable full-time semesters in any year of their college or university studies, including summer semesters and those taken during graduate degrees. Courses taken during professional programs and technical/certificate programs are not acceptable. A limit of one undergraduate course per semester is allowed during full time graduate studies.

An undergraduate full-time semester (full course load) is minimum 2.50 credits at the University of Guelph. This is typically five courses at 0.50 credits each per semester but may be 4 courses where one course has a double credit weight. While 2.00 credits may still be considered full-time status, 2.50 credits are required for DVM purposes.  For universities that use the 3.00/6.00 credit system, students must have a minimum total of 15.00 credits per semester. Courses must be taken/studied at the same time to ensure an appropriate work load. Field courses or any courses that are pursued over one semester and credited in another semester do not count towards the latter semester’s courses for this purpose.

A course that runs the full year will have the credit weight divided equally and half applied to each of the two semesters the course is taken. 

Please note that the GPA from your last two full-time semesters, and the average from your 8 prerequisite courses must both be 75% or higher in order for you to be considered further for entry to the DVM program.

If you are a mature student, or changing your career path but are lacking some of the prerequisites, download our Changing Career Path document. 

Important Regulations Regarding Acceptable Courses

• Prerequisite courses can be from any acceptable semester.
• Courses will not be acceptable if they are repeats of previously passed courses, or if they are taken at the same level or a lower level in a subject area than previously passed courses in the same subject area.This includes courses with significant overlap in content. Students should consider their institution’s course sequencing in determining if a course is considered the same level. Repeating a course or taking a course with significant content overlap may result in the entire semester being deemed inadmissible. Please be sure to verify beforehand (see the course evaluation request procedure below).
• The specific course requirements listed below must have been completed at the university level before admission to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program will be considered. Courses do not need to be completed in a designated Pre-Veterinary program.
• The DVM Admissions Committee cannot evaluate Honours, Pass-Fail, and Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory grading systems. Applicants should obtain a numerical or letter grade for all required courses and the grades should be certified by the Registrar of the university attended.
• Any number of distance education/online courses may be included in a semester as long as the semester includes a minimum of 2.50 acceptable credits total. These courses may be taken at another accredited university than the student’s primary education institution.
• A person’s semester/year level is determined by the number of credits that have been completed successfully in his or her degree program plus those that are in progress. Once a person has reached twenty half-year courses (10.00 credits at the University of Guelph), they are considered a third-year student.
• For students in programs with more than 10 credits, 60% of credits in each full-time semester must be taken at a 3000 level (third year level) or above once they have completed 10 credits.  However, 40% of the credits in a full-time semester may be taken at the level of the applicant’s choice.
• Candidates who hold a non-science bachelor’s degree in which they did not take some of the prerequisite courses because they were not part of their program may return to university as part of a non-degree semester(s) to gain the prerequisites for DVM. These courses must be assessed by the University of Guelph Admissions Office to ensure they are being taken at the maximum appropriate year level.
• Applicants with a degree who have a documented commitment that is not a matter of choice, such as work or family responsibility, can present their case to the Admission Committee requesting the option of completing their academic requirements on a part-time basis. This should be done before starting the return to classes. See below for the process.              

Failure to comply with the course level rules will result in the exclusion of all coursework from the ineligible semester(s) toward a DVM application.

Course Evaluation Request

COURSE EVALUATION REQUEST

Course Evaluation is a complimentary service that allows prospective applicants to confirm whether or not they have the required acceptable prerequisites for DVM admission.

This service is not for University of Guelph courses.

Course Evaluations will take place 3 times per calendar year – January, June and September.

 .       The due dates are: December 15^th, May 15^th or August 15^th

.       Email your request to admdvm@uoguelph.ca

.       Request must include the following:

o   Subject line: Course Evaluation Request – Your Name (We will confirm your request via email)

o   Proposed course(s) – a maximum of 3 courses per prerequisite. Please include course codes, course titles, course descriptions, pre/anti-requisites, and clearly identify which course is presented as which prerequisite (e.g. BIOL 123 as Biological Science prerequisite. Please see suggested template for guidance)

o   Course syllabus for each requested prerequisite

o   Unofficial transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended – a photocopy is fine. Note: Schools such as Trent, York, Brock, Nipissing and Laurentian report courses by year only on their transcripts. Include a breakdown of which courses were taken in each semester

o   Please save all documents as PDFs and submit in a zip file. Please use the following naming system: LASTNAME_COURSECODE_course outline or LASTNAME_INSTITUTION_transcript

.       Requests with all completed information will be reviewed first and a reply will be returned no later than the end of the course evaluation month requested (e.g. end of January, June or September)

.       Missing documentation will delay a reply/decision

.       Course evaluation requests received after the due date will be reviewed at the next Course Evaluation period

.       As a point of reference, please review the suggested template

.       Additional questions pertaining to admission requirements should be sent in a separate email

.       NOTE: We cannot accommodate specific deadlines (e.g. application deadlines, course registration, etc) You should plan to submit a course evaluation well in advance. For example, if you want to have courses evaluated for a Winter semester, you should submit a course evaluation request for either the June or September course evaluation period.

 Appeals Process / Request to Study the Prerequisites During Part-Time Semesters:

Individuals wishing to request consideration regarding admission eligibility, or request permission to complete pre-requisites during part-time semesters must submit an appeal to the OVC Admissions Committee.

The appeal must include the following:

1)     Personal Letter stating and supporting the request.

• Request must be clearly stated.
• Grounds for the appeal and consideration must be explained (e.g., medical, family, or personal challenges, extenuating circumstances). 
• Requests for permission to complete pre-requisites during part-time studies must include an outline of proposed semesters.
• Requests supported by employment obligations must include an overview of work commitments and hours.  Working a minimum of 30 hours per week is considered full-time employment.

2)     Documentation to support the request and extenuating circumstances.  All documentation must be independent and verifiable. Employer letters must include dates and hours worked.

Finances

There are many things to discuss when it comes to expenses and financial assistance for students in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. 

Tuition and fees for Canadian and International DVM students are listed by semester, and there are two semesters per year. The DVM program is four years.

To help you understand the expenses involved, we have put together a list of what you can expect during DVM schooling. You can also download the entire document here: DVM Expenses.

Phase 1 Expenses

All supplies can be purchased through OVC except steel-toed boots.

Coveralls and Lab Coats: It is recommended that each first year student have three pairs of coveralls and three lab coats. Sizing and purchasing of these items will take place during orientation. It is recommended that you purchase the coveralls and lab coats through OVC, as the colour and labeling of the clothing are very specific to OVC. You will also receive one lab coat as a gift during the Professional Welcoming Ceremony from the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA).

Steel-Toed Boots or Shoes: Each first year student MUST have a pair of CSA-approved steel-toed boots or shoes to wear when required at OVC. There are a couple of different options one can consider when purchasing boots. Steel-toed rubber boots are inexpensive and easy to clean. Steel-toed leather boots are comfortable for day to day use. Rubber overshoes called obstetric boots can be purchased to cover your steel-toed leather boots. Students may purchase whichever combination best suits their needs.

Stethoscope: You will receive a stethoscope as a gift during the Professional Welcome Ceremony from the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA).

Penlight: It is recommended that each first year student have a penlight. Penlights can be purchased during orientation

Digital Thermometer: It is recommended that each first year student have a digital thermometer. Digital Thermometers can be purchased during orientation

Disposable Gloves: It is recommended that each first year student have a box of disposable gloves for Anatomy labs. Gloves can be either latex or vinyl. Disposable Gloves can be purchased during orientation.

Safety Spectacles: Some laboratories require students to wear safety spectacles. You will be informed of which laboratories by your instructors. Safety spectacles can be purchased at the Univesity of Guelph Bookstore.

Nametags: It is recommended that each first year student have three nametags. Your class council merchandising representative will organize the class order. You must wear your nametag for identification in the hospital, on farms, and during labs.

Textbooks: Please see the Textbook section under the First Month portion of the Orientation Website for details.

Semester Fees and Payments

The University of Guelph has three semesters per year (fall, winter and summer). This is helpful for students because fees are spread out throughout the year and are payable at the beginning of the semester. DVM students will only attend school in the fall and winter semesters.

The University of Guelph’s financial policy requires tuition and associated student fees be paid by the date provided on the semester bill. You can view your semester bill online using your WebAdvisor account.

For tuition fee and payment inquires, please contact: 
Student Financial Services
519-824-4120 Ext. 58715

Student Loans for Ontario Residents

Student Financial Services administers the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) for all students. They will be able to help you with any questions you may have about the program or the application process. Applications for OSAP are available on-line at http://osap.gov.on.ca. OSAP loans are interest free until graduation and repayment starts six months later.

For more information please contact:
Student Financial Services
519-824-4120 Ext. 58715

Awards, Scholarships and Bursaries

DVM students are eligible to apply or nominate others for awards listed in the undergraduate calendar. A notice by email will be sent out in September advising of the application/nomination process. Awards that do not have financial need as a criteria are presented at the In-Course Awards Ceremony in late November. Following are some points to keep in mind when looking through the online listing of potential awards, scholarships and bursaries:

ACCESS Awards are only available to Canadians who are Ontario residents.

Bursaries (financial need awards) listed on the DVM awards website are only available to Canadian students. You will need to fill out an Undergraduate Financial Need Assessment Form to be returned to Student Financial Services by early October. Some scholarships are based on academic achievement and are automatically awarded (i.e. no application is required).

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Awards/Scholarships/Bursaries

Parking Services and Parking Pass

To park on University of Guelph property you need a parking pass. Parking passes can be purchased at the Parking Services Office located in the Trent Building on Trent Lane. Parking Services can be reached at 519-824-4120 Ext. 52118.

Bus Pass

Each semester, your student fees go into the bus pass program, and you get unlimited access to Guelph Transit for the school year. It’s the most affordable mass transit program offered to university students anywhere in Canada, thanks to the efforts of the CSA.

Meal Plan

Hospitality Services offers an off-campus meal plan to those students living off campus. The card (your student id card) allows students to pay for meals at certain on and off campus locations. Every time you choose a food item, the cashier will swipe your student card and the appropriate number of food dollars will be deducted from your meal plan.

How Much is the University of Guelph Veterinary School Tuition Fee?

Veterinary school graduates learn to diagnose and treat diseases for large and small animals. Veterinary school graduates can also apply for a government license to practice veterinary medicine. The title of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine is required throughout the country. Considering the school’s tuition fee is also relevant.

Below is a break down of the University of Guelph veterinary school tuition fee:

Typical Costs

• A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree typically costs $28,000-$54,000 per year for in-state tuition and fees (resident rate) or $41,000-$66,000 per year (for four years) for out-of-state tuition and fees (non-resident rate).
• Doctorate programs in veterinary medicine are also offered at private universities. For example, Tufts University, a private school in North Grafton, MA, offers a D.V.M. for $40,528 per year for residents and $42,640 per year for non-residents.

dditional Costs

• Graduate students in veterinary medicine have typically earned a bachelor’s degree; however, some veterinary schools will admit students who have completed at least 45 hours of prerequisite coursework including biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, and biochemistry. An undergraduate degree in veterinary technology typically costs $67,000-$86,000.
• Books and supplies for veterinary school typically cost $1,000-$3,000 per year. For example, books and supplies for all four years at Western University in Pomona, CA, are estimated at $9,370.