Frequently asked questions about the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)

The opportunity to enter the DVM with advanced standing (ie. credit for previous studies) toward the course is limited to students who have completed veterinary science subjects taught by the Faculty of Science at the University of Melbourne.

Applicants who have completed veterinary science subjects at other institutions should expect to enrol in the full four years of the DVM.

• The DVM commences at the start of Semester 1 (end of February/start of March) each year.
• The Veterinary BioSciences major (DVM accelerated pathway) in the Bachelor of Science begins on the normal Semester 1 commencement date.
• The second year of the DVM also begins on the normal Semester 1 commencement date.
• The third year of the DVM commences in early February.
• The final year of the DVM commences at the start of January.

Classes for the first two years of the DVM are held primarily at Parkville campus – generally with one day per week at Werribee campus.

Third year classes are held at the Werribee campus.

Fourth year of the DVM is a lecture-free program involving small group classes held at the Werribee campus.

In addition, students in third and fourth years are required to attend clinical and practical placements at a range of different locations. There are opportunities to undertake these placements in rural and regional areas, interstate and overseas.

Students in third and fourth years are required to attend clinical and practical placements at a range of different locations. There are opportunities to undertake these placements in rural and regional areas, interstate and overseas. In addition, in the first and second years of the DVM students are required to complete pre-clinical extramural placements ('farm work') totalling 12 weeks across summer vacation and mid-year breaks.

You will need to travel to and from your placement location yourself, and if you complete your placement at a regional/rural-based enterprise you will need to pay for accommodation.

More information on placements is available to current students on the LMS, and more information on these and other non-tuition costs are available at Additional costs for the DVM.

No.

Possibly – if it is a weekend job. The DVM course is demanding and students should expect to devote their full efforts on their studies to achieve their academic potential. There is very limited opportunity for part-time work in the final (fourth) year because of the requirement that students be available to participate in full time clinical training in the veterinary hospital at Werribee campus and at external practices.

The contact hours in the course are high. There is also a strong expectation that students are devoting additional private/group study time outside these contact hours.

In the first year of the DVM and for students in the Veterinary BioSciences major, the contact hours are approximately 22 hours per week.

The second year of the DVM has approximately 28 contact hours per week.

The third year of the DVM has approximately 35 contact hours per week.

The fourth year is lecture-free but students are required to be available full-time – generally 9am to 5pm, five days per week, with additional rostered after-hours work.

Additionally in the first and second years of the DVM students are required to complete pre-clinical extramural placements ('farm work') totalling 12 weeks across summer vacation and mid-year breaks.

In first year and second year the semesters are 12 weeks duration. In third year the semesters are 14 weeks duration. The lecture-free fourth year of the DVM is a 42-week clinical year.

In addition to tuition fees, there are additional costs relating to equipment, vaccinations, transport and accommodation. Find an indicative list at Additional course costs for the DVM.

Entry to the DVM is academically competitive, and full details of our admissions process are outlined in the DVM Selection Guidelines. Whilst an applicant's Overall Selection Score for DVM selection purposes takes into account a range of factors (as outlined in our Selection Guidelines), for either undergraduate or graduate selection into the DVM, an unadjusted DVM Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of at least 80% (University of Melbourne H1 grade) is typically required to be offered a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) in the course. A slightly lower DVM WAM would usually be needed to be offered an Australian Full Fee-Paying Place.

If you have not completed appropriate studies in biology and biochemistry you may be able to undertake these subjects as part of the Community Access Program (CAP) at the University of Melbourne.

Please note that these subjects may in turn have prerequisites.

It is also possible to study suitable prerequisite subjects at other institutions (check with the other institution regarding application/enrolment processes).

Lists of approved biochemistry subjects offered by other institutions which are deemed equivalent to suitable biochemistry subjects at the University of Melbourne are available below.

• Approved subjects offered in Australia and New Zealand
• Approved subjects offered overseas

For students intending to apply for the DVM as a graduate (ie. after completion of a science or an agriculture degree), the completion of studies in mathematics is not a requirement. However the completion of appropriate mathematics (VCE Mathematical Methods Units 3 and 4 or equivalent) may be an prerequisite for entry into an undergraduate course in science or agriculture. VCE Mathematical Methods Units 3 and 4 (or equivalent) is a prerequisite for entry into the Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne.

Completion of VCE Mathematical Methods or Specialist Mathematics, or a study score of at least 30 in Further Mathematics (or equivalent) is a prerequisite for entry into the Bachelor of Agriculture at the University of Melbourne.

An applicant must have satisfied the entry requirements of the Bachelor of Science to access the accelerated pathway into the DVM via the Veterinary BioSciences major.

Until the 2021 DVM Accelerated Pathway intake (2022 DVM intake), study of physics at either Year 12 or university level was a prerequisite of entry to the DVM Accelerated Pathway.

Please note that this has recently changed and previous study of physics is no longer required for either graduate or undergraduate (accelerated) entry to the DVM.

No. However, any work experience (paid or unpaid) you have with animals would be valuable should you be successful in applying for the course, and it is therefore encouraged.

The current selection criteria for the DVM includes consideration of an applicant's personal statement explaining their interest in pursuing a career in the veterinary science profession and demonstrating their commitment to animal health and welfare. This statement can include details of relevant work experience (paid and unpaid).

The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine is a graduate course; therefore all students who apply for the course will officially be classed as mature age. There is no separate entry quota or special entry stream based on an applicant's age.

No. However the advantage for University of Melbourne students undertaking a Bachelor of Science degree is that they have two opportunities to apply for and be selected into the course (once at the end of their second year, and again once they have completed their undergraduate degree). Students selected at the end of their second year also benefit from being able to complete the DVM in a total of three years (rather than four) as the final year of their BSc is credited towards studies in the DVM.

In terms of graduate selection, the academic performance of all graduates is considered equitably, regardless of where they completed their undergraduate studies in science or agriculture.

Selection into the course is very competitive. If you are a graduate and have not been selected you should be mindful that the demand for the course is consistently strong each year and that the entry criteria are unlikely to be lowered.

Each year the objective of the selection process in the Faculty of Science is to admit the most academically able students capable of succeeding in the course. It is also clear that there are many applicants who are not selected and who are academically high achievers. It is recommended that if you are not selected into the DVM at the University of Melbourne you should contemplate other courses (eg. at universities interstate, if you are committed to qualifying as a veterinarian) or, possibly, other career options.

The selection criteria for entry into the course are primarily based on demonstrated performance in a completed undergraduate science degree. We are unable to offer specific or general advice to unsuccessful applicants about study options to increase their chances of selection into the DVM in the future.

Second year level Bachelor of Science students at the University of Melbourne: if you are not selected into the Veterinary BioSciences major after your second year, you can complete your major and apply as a graduate. The Animal Health and Disease major could be of interest to you. With a completed BSc (with any major) including a semester of study in each of biology and biochemistry you would be eligible to apply for the DVM as a graduate. You would need to achieve very high results across your Level 3 (third year level) science subjects to be competitive.