Official Course Summary · 2027 Entry
Veterinary Medicine at University of Cambridge
Official course requirements for Veterinary Medicine at University of Cambridge, with 1-to-1 tutoring from Cambridge graduates.
In a nutshell
Veterinary Medicine is a six-year course leading to the VetMB. Years 1–3 are pre-clinical at Cambridge; Years 4–6 are spent at the Department of Veterinary Medicine on the West Cambridge site, including extensive clinical placements ("EMS").
Official course summary
What University of Cambridge publishes for Veterinary Medicine.
- UCAS code
- D100
- Degree
- VetMB
- Duration
- 6 years
- Typical A-Level offer
- A*AA
- Required subjects
- Chemistry, One of Biology/Physics/Mathematics
- Recommended subjects
- Biology
- Admissions test
- ESAT — Pre-registered ESAT (Mathematics 1 + Biology). Registration closes 28 September 2026; the test runs 12–16 October 2026.
- Interview
- Two college interviews — typically one science and one motivation/ethics. The exact balance varies by college, so expect questions on biology, basic chemistry, work experience and animal-welfare scenarios.
- Official course page
- https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/veterinary-medicine
Always verify these details on the official University of Cambridge course page before applying — entry requirements and assessment formats can change between cycles.
Insider tips
Things Veterinary Medicine applicants commonly miss.
- 01
EMS (Extra-Mural Studies) work-experience expectations are real — show a range of practice environments (small-animal, farm, equine, abattoir) rather than weeks at one clinic.
- 02
A clean, structured personal statement that explains why you want vet medicine (not "I have always loved animals") is the single biggest difference between strong and weak applications.
- 03
Cambridge's vet places are limited — applying Open or to colleges with smaller vet cohorts (e.g. Pembroke, Sidney Sussex) does not change pooling outcomes materially.