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Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences โ€“ University of Copenhagen

In Denmark, veterinary medicine is the sole route to become a veterinarian. The curriculum is one of the best in Europe, and it is taught in two sophisticated veterinary teaching facilities. You can work as a veterinarian in a clinic after graduation, examining and treating sick animals. Veterinary medicine also focuses on animal welfare and illness prevention. You could also work in biotech and biomedicine firms, which are always looking for competent vets. As a veterinarian, you have a significant impact on animal health and welfare.

The Danish Veterinary Association (DVA) is a professional association that represents all Danish veterinarians. Practitioners, state veterinary officers, food hygienists, researchers, educators, private sector veterinarians, students, and retired veterinarians are all included in the DVA. In total, the DVA represents around 90% of all veterinarians in Denmark.

The union has approximately 4.000 members – hence approximately 2.500 are active.

The structure of the Danish Veterinary Association

Vet School in Denmark

The DVA is both a professional community and embraces two independent associations concerning labour market relations:

  • The employees’ veterinarians’ organization is a trade union for all employed veterinarians; practitioners, veterinarians in the public and the private sector, researchers and educators.
  • Veterinarian corporate employers’ is an association for members who own a veterinary clinic.

The professional community of the DVA takes care of professional matters and is – based on professional interests – divided into professional groups. Also, the DVA has regional associations with the purpose of encouraging professional relations in the region.

The employeesโ€™ association The trade union for veterinary employees negotiates the general frame for the working conditions for practitioners and veterinarians in the public sector, e.g. veterinarians working at the university hospitals and veterinary phd-students. Also, the secretariat helps and advices you on an individual basis; e.g. your individual contract, questions about rules for holiday and maternity leave and dismissal.

Veterinarian corporate employers’ 

The employersโ€™ association looks after the business interests of its members in the economic and socioeconomic fields.  As a member you can obtain advice and guidance on setting up and running a business, pay and terms of employment for your employees and much more. As a member you are obligated to join the associationโ€™s collective insurance scheme. This gives the cheapest and best possible industrial insurance solution for employees as well as business and product liability insurance.

Benefits for the members of the Danish Veterinary Association

The DVA is a strong professional body that looks after the professional and organizational interests of its members and works to create the foundation for a good and solid foothold on the labour market. The DVA takes part in both national and international political activities and is a member of both the “Federation of Veterinarians in Europe” and the “World Veterinary Association”. Also, the DVA is the editorial secretariat of the “ACTA Veterinary Scandinavica”.

Below is listed some of the services provided from the DVA. Please donโ€™t hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.

Continuing education

The DVA is very active with continuing education of veterinarians and offers among other things short clinic-related courses, seminars and conferences within the veterinary field. The courses are often offered together with relevant collaborators to ensure up-to-date courses. Additionally, the DVA offers a two-year animal species-specific education.

Communication and membersโ€™ magazine

Every three weeks the DVA publishes a membersโ€™ magazine “Dansk Veterinรฆrtidsskrift” that covers scientific topics as well as trade union related and political issues.

The DVA also publishes a weekly electronic newsletter which provides an overview of current veterinary issues both in the public media and the association.

Career planning

If you have questions regarding your career and need advice with your current job-situation the DVA offers a personal career-consultancy. Also, the DVA is available to help you target your application and CV.

Veterinary universities in denmark

Best Universities with Veterinary Medicine in Denmark

best universities with veterinary-medicine programs

University of BolognaNord University (University of Nordland)University of LuxemburgThe University of PaduaUniversity of Health SciencesUniversity of BirminghamKansas State UniversityUniversity of Tromso (The Arctic University of Norway)Wageningen universityUniversity of Cambridge

Bachelor Veterinary Medicine programs in Denmark

Animal Science (double degree)Start your veterinary studies at Nord University in Bod and continue your studies at the University of Veterinary Medic…Animal CareThe Bachelor program in Animal care is taught at the School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine at the University of….Veterinary ScienceThis program encompasses all aspects of existing veterinary clinic but using a distinctive focus on tropical and also tr…Fostering and Animal HealthThe Bachelor program in Fostering and Animal Health is taught at the Department of Agri-Food, Environmental and Animal S…Sciences, technologies and safety of animal productionsThe Bachelor program in Sciences, technologies and safety of animal productions is taught at the Department of Veterinar…PharmacyThis level will set you to the way to a career in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology or nutraceutical industries. You a…Dental TechnologyThis level is ideal for students who prefer to work behind the scenescreating and fabricating crowns, dentures, bridges….

University of copenhagen vet school

Programmes

  • Veterinary medicine (Vet) Bachelor and Master
  • Animal Science, Bachelor (SCIENCE registration)
  • Animal Science, Master
  • Biology-Biotechnology, Master (SCIENCE registration)
  • MSc in Business Administration and Bioentrepreneurship (CBS registration)

Post-graduate master programmes

  • Master of Veterinary Public Health
  • Master of Companion Animal Clinical Science
  • Master of Laboratory Animal Science

Summer School and individual courses

  • One Health International Summer School 

Uuniversity of copenhagen veterinary medicine entry requirements

Admission to the masterโ€™s degree programme in Animal Science requires as a minimum successful completion of a qualifying and recognised university degree equivalent in level and content to a Danish bachelorโ€™s degree.

If you are enrolled in the final semester of your bachelorโ€™s programme you are likewise eligible to apply for admission.

Bachelor’s degrees that automatically fulfil the academic admission requirements

If you hold one of the degrees listed below, you are considered to meet all academic admission requirements and have direct access to apply to the masterโ€™s degree programme in Animal Science.

  • Bachelorโ€™s degree in Agrobiology with a specialisation in Animal Biology and Production from Aarhus University

Bachelor’s degree with legal right of admission

If your bachelor’s degree grants a legal right of admission, you are guaranteed a place in the master’s programme provided you apply by the application deadline for the September intake within 3 years of completing your bachelorโ€™s degree.

  • The bachelorโ€™s degree in Animal Science from the University of Copenhagen grants you legal right of admission to the masterโ€™s programme in Animal Science.

Other bachelor’s degrees

To be admitted to the programme, you must hold a recent and relevant bachelorโ€™s degree and meet the language requirements.

Academic requirement

Your bachelorโ€™s degree must be equivalent in scope and content to the bachelor’s programme in Animal Science (University of Copenhagen) or Agrobiology with a specialisation in Animal Biology and Production (Aarhus University). Your bachelorโ€™s degree must also include:

  • 7.5 ECTS credits within Domestic animal nutrition
  • 7.5 ECTS credits within Domestic animal physiology
  • 7.5 ECTS credits within Statistical data analysis

If you have a bachelorโ€™s degree in Biology-Biotechnology, Veterinary Medicine or Biology from the University of Copenhagen or other Danish universities you may also be admitted if your programme includes:

  • 7.5 ECTS credits within Domestic animal nutrition
  • 7.5 ECTS credits within Domestic animal physiology
  • 7.5 ECTS credits within Statistical data analysis

Graduation year requirement

You must have earned your bachelorโ€™s degree within a maximum of 5 years prior to the start of the first semester of the masterโ€™s programme, e.g. for the intake in the autumn of 2022, you must have graduated by September 2017 or thereafter. In exceptional circumstances the Admissions Committee may waive the graduation year requirement.

If your bachelorโ€™s degree is too old, you can apply for an exemption from the graduation year requirement. If you choose to apply for an exemption, you must submit the following documents along with your application for admission:

  • A letter explaining how you have maintained your academic qualifications since graduation (e.g. relevant work, internships, further studies)
  • Relevant documentation (e.g work contracts, diplomas etc.).

Limitation on second degrees

If you already have a master’s degree from Denmark or another country, you can, in principle, only be admitted to a new degree programme if there are places available on the programme for which you are applying for admission.

Supplementary courses to fulfil the admission requirements

When we assess whether you meet the admission requirements for the master’s degree program, Danish legislation only allows us to assess your bachelor’s degree. Consequently, you cannot study supplementary courses between bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in order to meet the admission requirements.

If you have passed courses/projects before you complete the qualifying bachelor’s degree, these can be included in the assessment, even though they are not part of the bachelor’s degree program.

  • It applies to courses/projects you have taken as single subjects and courses/projects you have taken as part of another study program.
  • A maximum of 30 ECTS credits of these courses/projects may be included.

Language requirements

To gain admission to a master’s programme taught in English, all applicants must document qualifications on par with the Danish upper secondary school โ€˜English level Bโ€ with a weighted average of minimum 3 or โ€˜English level Aโ€™ with a weighted average of minimum 2 on the Danish grading scale.

We accept the following ways of documenting this:

1. You have studied a full degree in English

An English taught qualifying upper secondary school diploma, bachelorโ€™s degree or masterโ€™s degree from USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK or Ireland will exempt you from the language requirement. You must provide a signed statement from the educational institution (with the institution’s stamp on it) stating that English is the language of instruction of your degree. A student exchange semester/year will not exempt you from the language requirement.

Applicants with similar degrees has to prove their English language proficiency by taking an English language test. Applicants from countries in e.g. Asia and Africa where English is the official language of instruction, must also document English language proficiency by taking an English language test.

2. English proficiency

If you have not studied a full degree in English, you must:

  • Either document that you have passed Danish upper secondary school ‘English level B’ (Engelsk B) with the minimum weighted average grade of 3 on the Danish grading scale
  • Or document that you have passed Danish upper secondary school โ€˜English level Aโ€™ (Engelsk A) with the minimum weighted average grade of 2 on the Danish grading scale
  • Or document that you are holding a Nordic entrance examination with an English level which is considered comparable to a Danish B level in English by the Danish Agency of International Education. And with a weighted grade comparable to at least 3 on the Danish grading scale See a comparison of the Nordic subject levels and grades: Nordic subject levels (in Danish)
  • Or you must pass an IELTS Academic, TOEFL, Cambridge Advanced English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) test.

2.a Documentation by passed Danish upper secondary school ‘English level B’

Name of documentationMinimum gradeDocumentation required
English level B(Engelsk B)Weighted average of 3Danish Upper secondary school diplomaVUC diploma
English level A(Engelsk A)Weighted average of 2Danish Upper secondary school diplomaVUC diploma

Please notice:

  • There is no period of limitation for validity of Danish upper secondary school ‘English level Aโ€™’ (Engelsk A) or โ€˜English level Bโ€™ (Engelsk B).
  • You must send us your documentation as soon as possible and no later than 1 June

2.b Documentation by passed English proficiency test

Name of testMinimum scoreInformation required for online check of test
IETLS (academic)6.5 (overall test score) Only overall score will be considered.TRF Number (Test Report Form Number)
TOEFLInternet-based test (IBT)ITP TOEFL-testMyBest Scores are not accepted 83560Registration number
Cambridge Advanced (CAE)Passed at level C1 or C2ID-number and Secret Number
Cambridge ProficiencyPassed at level C1 or C2ID-number and Secret Number

Due to the Corona situation we will extraordinarily accept the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition for the 2021 student intake. 

Please notice:

  • IELTS and TOEFL tests older than 2 years are not accepted (counted from the programme application deadline). There is no period of limitation for validity of the Cambridge tests.
  • If you have not yet completed a language test by the programme application deadline, you are required to send us your test score as soon as possible and in no case later than 1 June.

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